Sarah Ahmed The Wine DetectiveIf you thought the world of wine was elitist or exclusive, check out Catavino. Unafraid to prick the balloon of pomposity and refreshingly open to comments and contributions, the dynamic duo have very successfully broadened the appeal of wine by placing it in its wider social and cultural context.
We “love” the holidays; the time of the year when your television turns into an avalanche of deals on everything from the “all so necessary” life-sized stuffed Santa to the “must have” 8,000 inch LED-LCD HDTV that will literally suck you into itself. Or what about the 300+ strings of lights you’ve hung from every […] Continue Reading →
Recently, while sneaking off to the Douro Valley for a much needed vacation, we briefly stayed at Aquapura, a converted 19th century manor house near Regua. Nestled in 8 hectares of rolling vineyards, this 5 star hotel combines sleek, modern lines with the gentle and calming elements of Feng Shui. It is an homage to […] Continue Reading →
Our first meeting with the legendary Douro Boys occurred 4 years ago at Essencia do Vinho in Porto, where Gabriella and I shared a dinner in the cramped tea house of the Museu de Serralves. For me, it was a dream come true, and something that I remember fondly as one of the great moments in my short wine career. Since then, we […] Continue Reading →
Wine is a commodity. Sorry to pop your dreamy image, but it’s true. We try to sell the romance to convince the consumer of something more; but in the end, wine is a product, with a market and pricing pressures. Currently, Spain and Portugal are all to familiar with these ever demanding pressures. Many wineries […] Continue Reading →
With the holidays here and Gabriella and I traveling back to the US, it’s been harder than usual to stay focused. Family has a way of distracting and making time slip away before you know it. Nevertheless, we have loads of wines lined up to share with you in the coming weeks, as well as […] Continue Reading →
In my two previous posts, we’ve explored Portugal’s most renown and cherished artisanal cheeses, learning the basic flavor profiles, as well as common Portuguese terms when buying and selecting cheese. (Read Part 1 and Part 2) Now it’s finally time to enjoy our delicious Portuguese cheese with some equally delicious Portuguese wine. For many of […] Continue Reading →
Yesterday, a good friend asked for some suggestions on cheese and Spanish wine selections for a party by email. Specifically, he wanted a handful of wines and cheeses that he could find in and around Minnesota. Not having a clue as to what is currently available in the Minnesota market, I thought it would be […] Continue Reading →
Last Thursday, we came to Essencia do Vinho to not only conduct our very first workshop on social media and blogging, but to also participate in the “Top 10 Vinhos Portuguesas”. But before we list the wines, we both want to make it clear that although these wines are considered the creme de la creme […] Continue Reading →
‘Twas the night before Conference, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a computer mouse; The nametags were hung by their lanyards with care, In hopes they’d be worn when they bloggers arrived there; Each and every wine geek were nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of black-cherries […] Continue Reading →
Catavino evolved from the wanderings of an American couple who craved a radical change in perspective. In 2005 they quit their jobs, moved to Spain and dug deep into the local gastronomy.
As time passed, they expanded their focus to include Portugal, whereby sharing the heart and soul of Iberian food, wine and culture. We invite you to follow our adventures via our blog or, for those who'd like to experience Spanish and Portuguese gastronomy themselves, we'd like to offer you our firsthand tips on travel and our expertise in organizing food and wine tasting tours (coming soon!)
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