Man with tempranillo

Carlos San Pedro is a winemaker – like his brother, his father, his grandfather, his great-grandfather... This is nothing unusual in Spanish wine families. But Carlos is a bit out of line with his ancestors. But let's start from the beginning: Carlos grew up in picturesque Laguardia in Rioja Álavesa, where – as he says himself – «you breathe wine». As a child, he said, he preferred to spend his weekends among the vines, and to this day that hasn't really changed much: «I don't like to travel, preferring to spend as much time as possible in the vineyard.» Is Carlos San Pedro a wallflower? Far from it! You can tell by his facial features: This man has experienced a lot, has drunk the great wines of this world and seen the great cities. In his free time, Carlos loves to dance flamenco or ride horses – preferably, of course, through his vineyards. There, by the way, the thoroughbred winemaker relies on a single grape variety, the Tempranillo. It is his one and only, and he masters it like no other. It is fascinating how this winemaker, so bursting with temperament, keeps an absolutely cool head when it comes to the well-being of his beloved wines. Every barrel is meticulously checked and, of course, tasted again and again – so as not to miss the perfect moment of maturity. How does Carlos manage to live both precision and enthusiasm in extreme form at the same time? Who knows, maybe we will find the answer to this question in a glass of Hado...

The mountain world of the Andes in South America stretches over more than 7500 kilometers. It is a world of extremes. Snow and stone as far as the eye can see, with seething volcanoes in between and nothing but ice or salt for thousands of kilometers. That sounds pretty hostile to life. But animals and plants have adapted wonderfully to these conditions. It is an unbelievably diverse habitat where Mother Earth provides many surprises. For example, in the Cafayate Valley, a last foothill of the Andes in the province of Salta in northwestern Argentina. When you enter the valley, you first see a bone-dry landscape with bizarre red rocks. But behind the so-called «Devil's Gulch» a new world unexpectedly opens up: green and fertile – thanks to the melt water from the peaks of the Andes. Here are the highest vineyards in the world, ranging from 1500 to an incredible 3111 meters above sea level. This is not just a world record, but also good for the wine, because the massive temperature differences between day and night make for particularly intense aromas. Whoever tastes the Pirú wines knows what we are talking about. You get a sense of the forces of nature... and a little goosebumps.

Spring is in the air... High time to make sure there's a good rosé in the fridge. For the spontaneous aperitif with friends, the unexpected date or when you suddenly feel the longing for a vacation. We know this feeling from Lisbon, for example: Portugal's capital has an irresistible charm. Once you have strolled through the winding streets, Lisbon will never let you go. The colorful facades, the fluttering laundry in the sea breeze, the aching muscles from climbing the stairs. In the evening, people like to take a seat on the historic Carreira 28, where the streetcar goes up to the Miradouro de Nossa Senhora do Monte, Lisbon's most beautiful vantage point. From here you can look out over the old town, the Tagus River, the famous Ponte 25 de Abril and the Castelo de São Jorge. It is especially beautiful here when the sun goes down. Lovers attach locks to the railings in the hope that their love will last forever. Musicians perform their art, while people meet to chat and philosophize – of course, they also like to drink a «Rosado». The Luã is just the thing after a long day on your feet – whether from exploring Lisbon or the usual daily grind. A pick-me-up for all those who like to wander far and wide!