The wine writer's lot can seem like an easy one, I am often told. People imagine us forever being ferried from tasting to tasting, party to party. In the case of those "lucky" enough to write about wine, however, there are some considerations.

For instance, there is a lot of wine to glug, both at tastings and in the form of the samples acquired over the years (I know of one UK writer who "complains" she can hardly move about her house for all the cartons stacked in the hallways). And then, if you're fortunate, you might receive an invitation or three to attend international wine competitions — where professional decorum is on display.

This September I traveled to Buenos Aires and Montevideo to head a jury judging local wines in the Cata d'Or Argentina and Cata d'Or Uruguay competitions. It ranks as my favorite moment of 2006, for there's a lot to learn, particularly from Uruguay.

Winemaking in Argentina is massive: enormous investments and huge facilities, mostly based in the semi-arid Mendoza region in the rain shadow of the Andes. Uruguay, on the other hand, presents an almost complete contrast. Winemaking there only dates from 1870 and evolved in an altogether different form than it did in Argentina or Chile. Italian, Basque, French and Spanish émigrés brought their own vine cuttings with them and planted mainly in the gently undulating countryside near the capital, now known as the Canelones wine region. Other areas where vines are grown are Colonia in the west, Maldonado, close to the fashionable resort Punta del Este on the Atlantic coast, and Rivera, near the Brazilian border in the north.

Of the grape varieties that have been planted, it is the Tannat, with origins as an unsung fruit from the southwestern regions of France, that has made a special name for itself. The total vineyard area is a mere 9,000 hectares (22,000 acres), about half the size of the Czech Republic's. But small wineries are the norm, only a handful of which rate five stars. Yet bottles from Pisano, Bouza, Irurtia, Del Pedregal and Stagnari are really worth knowing.

Oh, lest you think overseas travel is just a trivial perk, foreign tasters are definitely required in Uruguay. The best winemakers know one another so well that they can easily recognize the others' products.

Winery of the Month:

Zámek (Chateau) Mělník

The winery belonging to one of the most important Bohemian families (the historically pivotal Lobkowiczes) was founded in Mělník, not far north of Prague, around 1753. Its most expansive years came in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The arrival of communism put an end to all that, the winery being forced into the plebian production of headache-inducing plonk. With the property's restitution in 1992, Jiří and Bettina Lobkowicz began the tough process of modernization and improvement. The cellars are now in the capable hands of winemakers Karel Hejduk and Robert Žára, with Bettina herself keeping a watchful eye on production. The wine cellars are a short distance from the chateau, with 65 hectares of vines on seven individual tracts. Red and white Ludmila in the distinctive kalamář (inkpot) bottles are the chateau brand wines. Best red varietal wines are matured in French barriques, with a special label commissioned for each year.

Wines can be purchased in the grounds of the family chateau, a hugely popular tourist attraction, as well as the Lobkowicz vinotéka in Vlašská in Malá Strana. More info at www.lobkwicz-melnik.cz

Wines of the Month

Red wine: Tannat 2004

Producer: Irurtia, Colonia, Uruguay

Currently the only wine from Uruguay available in Prague can be found at Don Pedro, the little Columbian restaurant. A deep-purple hue leads to a powerful nose replete with raspberries, while the palate opens up delightfully to an array of dark ripe fruits. It has a good long finish with firm tannins. A very decent drop (restaurant price 440 Kč/$21).

White wine: Ice Wine 2004 — Eiswein Rheinhessen, Edelsüss

Producer: Sommerauer Schlossbergkellerei, Germany

Here is a surprise selection: citrusy, orange peel, honeyed nose, a palate with nice balancing acidity as well as a pleasing length. Don't be afraid of the price. It comes from Rheinhessen in Germany, where value for money is paramount — the exclusive Lidl price is 199 Kč for 0.5-liters.

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