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.
From the moment I first visited Porto in the winter of 2003 I have been in love with this city. I’m not entirely sure what grabbed me, but whatever it was, it’s never let go. Sitting in my room at the Yeatman Hotel, overlooking the Douro river and the colorful hillside of Porto’s historic center, […] Continue Reading →
With the plentiful information we’ve provided about Port and Douro wines, and the beautiful area they originate from this November, hopefully you’re itching to put together the perfect wine trip to the Douro Valley. Lists of the wineries you’re dying to visit are being rapidly typed up. Maps are strewed across your kitchen table. And […] Continue Reading →
Editor’s Note: Following up our previous interview with Roy Hersh, creator of “The Love of Port”, we’ll tackle the American perspective towards Port wine. Go here to read Part I. The question we posited to Roy was: When you’re in the USA, what is today’s average wine consumer’s attitude towards the Douro table wines and […] Continue Reading →
Editor’s Note: Many moons ago, Ryan and I had the privilege of cracking open our first birth year wine; which translates to a wine produced on the year of your birth. Having coasted well into our 30′s, there are few wines that could last the test of time other than a wine with a touch of fortification, such as […] Continue Reading →
Take a look at these images of the Douro Valley. What do you see? What strikes you? The colours? The contrasts? The undulating lines and shadows? Or maybe, the ability of mankind to carve a living out of such a difficult landscape? The Douro Valley is rightly considered a wonder of Nature. The river extends […] Continue Reading →
Despite Portugal being one of the smallest countries in southern-western Europe—about the size of the state of Indiana—it is blessed with contrasting terroirs and region-specific wine varietals that result in an abundance of wine and spirits offerings. Home to the Douro Valley, the oldest demarcated wine region in the world, Portugal’s long-standing tradition in wine-making […] Continue Reading →
It’s been almost four years since I called Portugal my “home away from home”, translating to a half decade of savoring Portuguese food and wine on a regular basis – something I’ve never taken for granted. Consequently, while searching for information on Portuguese gastronomy, I stumbled across Catavino’s Facebook page. Immediately drawn to Ryan and […] Continue Reading →
Earlier this month, I somehow managed to convince my husband to go watch a nearly five-hour long movie. But it wasn’t just any movie, it was one based on the novella “The Mysteries of Lisbon” by the 19th-Century Portuguese author Camilo Castelo Branco, and starring some of my favorite Luso actors (mixed with a French […] Continue Reading →
Editor’s note: This article is part of an ongoing series covering classical music and Iberian wine pairings by Burt Frink. To understand its origins, and why Burt felt a series was required on the subject, please read his first piece. I love the silence I share with myself and a glass of wine. Often, but […] Continue Reading →
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