Andalusia, located in the southwest of Spain, is the southernmost administrative region of the Spanish mainland. It is home to the world-famous fortified wine, sherry. This dynamic region is the most populous in Spain and has a colourful history. Its strategic position at the gateway to the Mediterranean and its proximity to Africa have made it the target of many settlements and invasions throughout history.
Muslims, Romans, Iberians, Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks, Romans, Vandals, Visigoths, Byzantines, Christians and Castilians have all made Andalusia their home at one time or another, and each culture has left its mark. The name Andalucia is actually derived from the Arabic name for the region, Al-Andalus, which is thought to be a corruption of Vandalusia, meaning "land of the Vandals", referring to the brief period in the 5th century when the Vandals ruled the area. Because of this multicultural past, Andalusia has a strong and unique cultural identity. Bullfighting and flamenco, two quintessential traditions associated with Spain, were in fact born in Andalusia.
Franzese was known as the ‘yuppie don’ in the 1980s after rising to the rank of caporegime in the Colombo crime family. Fortune Magazine placed him at No. 18 on its 50 Biggest Mafia Bosses list, and he gained a reputation as one of the mob’s biggest earners since Al Capone. He was portrayed by Joseph Bono in Goodfellas. Franzese became a born-again Christian during a lengthy prison sentence for racketeering, and he managed to walk away from the mafia without going into protective custody. He is ...
It’s easy to forget that the southern Rhône’s four most prevalent red varieties aren’t indigenous. Grenache, Carignan and Mourvèdre all appear to originate from Spain; Syrah made its way down the river from the northern Rhône. Of the long tail of other grapes, most have their roots closer to home. Plantings have dwindled in recent years, but today local varieties are experiencing renewed interest. One that’s finding a lot of fans – both in the Rhône and further afield – is Counoise. Scroll down ...
Prices have been rising on California fine wines, and especially Screaming Eagle, said Liv-ex this week. Its California 50 index, which tracks the price performance of Screaming Eagle, Harlan Estate, Dominus, Opus One and Ridge Monte Bello, has increased by around 32% in the last year. ‘High quality and heightened demand have led to rising prices,’ said Liv-ex, a global marketplace for the trade. Its figures provide more evidence of a strong 12 months for the fine wine market in general, and fol ...
