Wine, Drugs, Cash and…

Reading through the international press, I noticed a photograph of a very handsome, smart looking, young female, I guess around thirty years of age, who appeared to be a successful American (USA) writer, standing on a kind of Chinese great wall in near ruins, in a place close to  Seoul, South-Korea.
She was looking pensive into a faraway scene which only she could see, not the admiring viewers of her photograph.In the accompanying write up it was reported that due to an internet related hick up her credit card was rendered useless and – at least in the short run – was not any longer worth the plastic it was made of.
At this point of time my interest was raised through her observation that she could not care less and that quote:” to have been forced to use cash would feel so much last century” un quote. I perceived this as an interesting quotation by a relative young trendy woman, the more as she appeared to be currently working on a screenplay about Mexican drugscartels…. People who surely cannot live without cash and shun cards, credit, debit, ID(!) etc. like fatal illnesses.

The above left my restless mind at ease until I as recently testing/tasting young and pretty unknown Mexican wines, in fact I tasted Cetto/Cietta wines well known in Mexico but still relatively unknown outside Mexico.
I first ran into Mexican wine on the International Trade Fair in Londen back in the mid 1990’s. Mexican wines came up internationally and really had to battle with Chilean and Argentinian wines, which was an uphill struggle as Mexican wines were perceived as to wash down Tacos, moles, Nachos not more elegant prime Pampa steaks from Argentina or Andes Pacifico Lobster, mussles from Chile. At the time I remember the discussions about politics to counter the “Escobar, Scarface” related everlasting drugs misery also around Mexico’s vineyards and wine container exports always in danger to be used by gangs to get their cocaine blocks to a never saturated European market.
Exporting wine merchants were scared stiff as they were used by druggangs who simply got their “merchandise” lifting with the wine boxes to Europe.

At the time we ordered Mexican wines, to complement the imported Texmex Food to be sold in Latino styled Churrascos and parrillas, Mexican theme chains like Chi Chi’s etc. Grilled steak restaurants were mushrooming especially in Germany, this was also the time that for instance Nachos started to be mass produced in Europe.
We are now in 2013, Banks financial networks are under continued disabling cyber-attacks and calls to pay with cash again heard. Online cybersecurity has come to mean in fact to protect our entire way of life.
A recent cartoon on the IRS checking possibilities on private e-mails: “Your  deductions for international travel are doubtful, not to mention your advice regarding your sisters internet dating habits!”

On the subject of reinventing cash, I trust that drugscartels still see cash as a way to settle their bills and differences but I agree that script writers of screenplay about drugscartels should feel themselves outdated to use cash again if and when plastic fails.
For every much the same reasons hiding cash in secret bank accounts will be within 3-5 years impossible, the word tax haven extent, before that time the Swiss, Austrians will follow the trends to free planet earth from “black” money. On the same note Apple-like tax evaded cash hoards will be outmanoured by cooperating and close to unified tax systems worldwide.
Foremost and among others internet will contribute to all these positive developments

Finally, Dons of Mexican vineyards your contributions to be growing contingent of new world wines is very much appreciated.

Gracias y un abrazo fuerte!

M.J. San Martin