While the United States of America seems to be currently going through some sort of identity transformation, certain things about this massively influential nation are locked in. The endless vibrancy and diversity of its art and music cultures for one; another is its exponentially expanding wine industry, similarly endowed with a surplus of New World boldness and flair. In this issue, we close in for an exciting taste of what's happening at both ends of the American wine industry, from the ultra-affordable players nudging and winking at the high flyers, to the zenith of American winemaking, the high flyers themselves. While we're in the general area, we expand our reach to take in an old friend, the equally dynamic and intriguing South America, where new generations of Chilean and Argentinian winemakers are punching above their weight to produce a variety of fabulous, affordable wines that bow their heads to no one. There is, of course, so much more within these pages; however we'll leave all that for you to discover. Happy hunting,

Aroha Jakicevich.