Lifestyle

Charles Winn gives the Lowdown on the World’s ‘Fine Wine’ Capital

Published

5 years ago

November 3, 2020

The majority of the world might remain in lockdown amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, but for some industries life must continue as normal, such as for ‘fine wine’. Whilst the rest of the world locks down, in Bordeaux – the fine wine capital of the world – producers are hard at work preparing their crops for the next season.

Geography

A port city on the Garonne River in southwestern France, Bordeaux is renowned globally for its famous wine-growing regions. A river runs directly through the region, and on the West side sits Gironde and Garonne. Typically, these regions are known for wines such as Sauvignon. On the East side of the river nestles Dordogne, known primarily for Merlot.

In total, Bordeaux has 57 grape-growing regions making it the biggest wine producer in France. Originally made famous for its popularity with kings, nowadays, Bordeaux and its chateaus are popular tourist attractions.

The Wines

As one of the biggest wine-makers in the world, you might expect Bordeaux to produce a diverse range of different type of wines. However, more than 90% of the wine produced here is actually red, with the region specifically producing Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and Carménère.

Having said this, in 2019 Bordeaux’s regulatory body approved four additional dark grape varieties to add to the list: Marselan, Touriga Nacional, Castets, and Arinarnoa.

Bordeaux’s First Growth wines (the term for a wine made specifically made in Bordeaux) are made by blending 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc and 15% Merlot. In contrast, the White Bordeaux is made from Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle.

The History

Bordeaux’s wine-making history stretches back over many centuries. In 1855, the Association of Bordeaux Wine Merchants established official classification and certification of the wines after Emperor Napoleon III requested that they do so.

Ranking the wines from First Growths to Fifth Growths, the merchants evaluated market prices based on an evaluation of the previous years. They noticed that red wines which made the list came from the Médoc region, except for one: Château Haut-Brion from Graves.

Since this original classification in 1855, there have only been two changes. In 1856, Château Cantemerle was added as a Fifth Growth and in 1973, Château Mouton Rothschild was promoted from Second Growth to the elite First Growth classification. The latter change is a wine much loved and highly ranked by Charles Winn and its customers.

Château Margaux

Global flavour

It didn’t take long for the popularity of Bordeaux wine to grow all over the world. After King Henry II’s marriage to Eleanor of Aquitaine in 1152, an interest in wine from the Bordeaux region was prompted in England.

The marriage established the province of Aquitaine within France and England, and a new dark rosé wine was created, called ‘Claret’. This wine soon became the most common wine to be exported to Britain.

After the battle of Castillion in 1453, the Aquitaine region returned to the French. Since then, the word ‘Claret’ became anglicised and is still widely used today, due to the global popularity of the wine.

The exterior of the château

Lifestyle

The Future of Social Dancing: How Latin Dance is Adapting to a New Generation

Published

6 days ago

August 21, 2025

Michelle Langton

Latin dance thrives on connection. The music, the partner, and the crowd all feed one another.

Today, that connection is shaped by a younger, digitally fluent generation, and few understand the shift better than Damian Guzman, founder of Bachata Sensual America (BSA). From prize-winning festivals to late-night socials, Guzman and BSA show how the scene is evolving without losing its roots.

Streaming steps, viral beats

A decade ago, beginners to Latin dance hunted for grainy DVD tutorials; now they unlock entire combinations on their phones. TikTok loops, YouTube shorts, and Instagram reels have compressed learning into snack-sized bursts.

Many of the artists signed on with Bachata Sensual America meet dancers where they scroll, posting slow-motion breakdowns and “follow-along” drills that rack up thousands of views. This approach addresses two key Gen Z demands: instant access and a clear path from screen to floor.

By allowing newcomers to practice at home before facing a packed room, the online channel lowers the fear barrier while seeding a desire for in-person connection.

Festivals as entry points, not finish lines

Digital discovery is only the first act. For many people, their real baptism happens at multi-day events where practice hours blur into sunrise socials.

BSA’s flagship Houston Bachata Sensual Festival returned on May 2^nd, 2025, with a follow-up week slated for Bachata Sensual Festival Chicago, September 4^th-9^th, 2025. Both weekends pair technique labs with mental-wellness talks and DJs specializing in bachata, mirroring the playlists in dancers’ earbuds.

That balance of skills and community is why independent reviewers named BSA one of the “Top Latin Dance Festivals in the United States” for 2025. Yet, for Damian, awards matter less than the message: a festival can feel world-class without pricing out college students. He keeps passes tiered, encourages volunteer shifts that offset costs, and prepares bootcamps for absolute beginners, ensuring the dance floor reflects the same diversity he sees online.

Teaching culture, not just choreography

Bachata’s recent boom owes much to its European reinvention. Damian experienced that surge firsthand while earning one of the first U.S. instructor certifications in the Bachata Sensual style. He returned determined to give American dancers the same blend of precision and musicality he had experienced abroad.

BSA classes devote equal time to connection cues, body mechanics, and the genre’s Dominican roots. That trifecta resonates with younger students who want authenticity, not just a viral dip.

“In class I tell people, ‘Technique is how you respect your partner; musicality is how you respect the song,’” Guzman said during a recent podcast. The line distills his mission: elevate standards while keeping the dance welcoming.

Building inclusive, mindful spaces

Generation Z brings new expectations around consent, identity, and mental health. BSA’s code of conduct spells out everything from appropriate touch to gender-neutral role selection. Security staff mediate conflicts quickly, and workshop leaders open sessions with grounding exercises to calm nerves. These actions might sound small, yet they remove friction that once pushed many newcomers away.

Damian argues that such policies go beyond ethics; they future-proof the scene. Normalizing role fluidity in Latin dance widens its talent pool and invites richer musical interpretations. By acknowledging anxiety and overstimulation — common concerns for digital natives — events can retain dancers who might otherwise retreat after their first crowded social.

Latin dance has never stood still, and its next evolution is already spinning under disco lights from Houston to Helsinki. With a phone in every pocket and a festival on every calendar, the gap between discovery and mastery keeps shrinking.

Damian Guzman and Bachata Sensual America illustrate what happens when tradition listens, adapts, and leads with purpose. The result is a scene ready for whatever beat the next generation drops — and a future where social dancing feels more connected, inclusive, and alive than ever.