30-SECOND CHALLENGE

JUST follow the instructions from left to right, starting with the number given to reach an answer at the end of the row. Set your own 30-second challenge: for the very young or arithmetically rusty, you have 30 seconds for the BEGINNER task. For a greater challenge, try BEGINNER and INTERMEDIATE in 30 seconds. True mental gymnasts should try INTERMEDIATE and ADVANCED in 30 seconds together.

WHEN we talk South American wine, many naturally focus on the two big beasts of the continent: Argentina and Chile. Frankly, it’s no surprise.The former is the region’s largest wine producer and the world’s biggest producer of full-bodied, fruity malbec. It also has the greatest concentration of high altitude vineyards which provide ideal growing conditions for, among others, cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and chardonnay.

It’s not just reds, either.Argentina’s signature white grape, torrontés, produces fresh, aromatic and tasty wines. Chile – dubbed the “long, thin country” – is more than 2,600 miles in length but only averages 110 miles in width with the Pacific Ocean in the west andAndes in the east.This unique geography and climate produces a wide range of grapes including fine examples of cabernet sauvignon, merlot and sauvignon blanc.Yet SouthAmerica as a whole enjoys unique advantages for growers and producers: a temperate climate – warm days, cool nights and consistent rainfall – and avoiding the phylloxera bug that ravaged European vineyards.

Countries like Brazil are ramping up wine production. Even Bolivia and Peru are now exporting, albeit from a small base. Uruguay is the second smallest country in South America and its production is small-scale but growing fast. Tannat was introduced in Uruguay by a French-Basque immigrant and proved the perfect match for its soils and maritime climate –becoming the country’s signature wine. Its delicious black fruit flavours and tannins make it an ideal partner for barbecued beef, sausages and lamb.