Not a very good start. The plane I was due to fly to Buenos Aires on developed a technical fault at Heathrow so I will get to Mendoza 24 hours late, missing the first of four days of wine judging.
All morning flights from Buenos Aires to Mendoza full to bursting, I’m told.
Ah well, time to meet up with my gap year nephew in Buenos Aires.
FYI my fellow judges, all of them already on the right side of the Atlantic presumably because they went via another route (mine was chosen by Wines of Argentina), are
Adrian Atkinson, Pernod Ricard (Jacobs Creek, Montana et al)
Beverly Blanning MW, wine writer and consultant
Henri Chapon MS, French sommelier at the Hotel du Vin group (not mentioned in my article on the subject this Saturday)
Oz Clarke, wine writer and broadcaster
Joe Fattorini, wine writer and MW student
Robert Joseph, wine writer
Peter Richards, wine writer and South American specialist
Pedro Marchevsky, ex Catena and now with his wife Susana Balbo at Dominio de la Plata
Roberto de la Mota, ex Terrazas de los Andes and now Mendel et al
Daniel Pi, Penaflor, Trapiche, Santa Ana et al
Carlos Tizio, ex Norton and now looking after Michel Rolland's Clos de los Siete