W ine is grown and made all over the world. Sometimes under very difficult circumstances - geographically, politically, and climatically.
On this page we look at some of the wines that had to struggle to get to your local wine store

Africus Rex	Ontario Canada
Africus Rex is the venture of one man who will not let the twin hurdles of being located in Canada's cold and wet Ontario area, and having no land prevent him from making wine. His vineyard of cabernet franc vines is located on his patio, with the winery in the cellar below. His web-site graphically details the challenges of growing and making wine in an urban home. It is a cheering prospect for all wine lovers.

Ch Musar	Bekaa Valley Lebanon
Wine maker Serge Hochar makes a truly world class wine from a blend of cabernet sauvignon and local grapes in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley. During the fierce civil war that tore Lebanon apart the wine continued to be made. Grapes were gathered under the bullets and rockets of warlords based in Bekaa. The winery was pockmarked by shells and delivery trucks had to run the gauntlet of roadblocks manned by warring factions. Even so, Chateau Musars classic styled wine was available to wine lovers throughout the world.

Dragon Seal	China
China is not thought of as a wine producing nation but as well as wines made from native Asian varieties, vineyards have been planed with classic European vines. Joint French-Chinese companies are making acceptable table wines, and as the home market grows you can be sure that you will be hearing - and tasting a lot more or wine from China. I enjoyed this wine in Beijing, China where it was the house wine in many hotels and restaurants. The label gives no indication of the varieties used, but Dragon Seal also produce a good Cabernet Sauvignon varietal, and I think there is some in this wine. The back label tells of the wine winning gold medals in France and Canada and concludes that 'Dragon Seal is a unique experience from China'. This it may be, but it is not the only wine produced in China see Jin Pu Tao

Chatemp	Thailand
This dry white wine from Thailand is produced from a blend of vinifera grapes grown on the 'floating vineyards' in the plain of Chao Phraya River and in the valley of the River Kwai. The wine is partly oak aged. This wine is not only unusual because it is made in Thailand, but also for the vintage year on the label. 2541 in the Bhuddist calendar equates to 1997 CE.

Hagelander	Belgium
While I often work in Belgium I wasn't aware until recently that vines are grown and wine made there. Locals were very scathing about this wine, but I poured it at a tasting meeting of the Central London Wine Society in March and it turned out to be an enjoyable refreshing drink, a crisp dry white wine, perfect with food. The grapes include Muller Thurgau. Many thanks to Tim York in Belgium who managed to find this wine and give it to me.

Agthuysen	Zuidland Netherlands
Few Netherlanders know that wine is grown and made in their country. But here is the proof. The man in the shop in Amsterdam told me it was grown under plastic tunnels. I was a little concerned that the wine appeared to be a 'noveau' wine and might be past it. But he assured me that it would be good drinking. He was wrong. Whatever delights the wine might have once had, they were all gone by summer 2001 and its journey to England ended being poured down the sink while I opened a Cotes du Rhone.