Guest Houses: The Perfect Accommodation in Spain and Portugal!

Despite the address on our mail, our soles rarely touch Barcelona soil. Have a conversation with us in Spanish, or Catalan, and you’re quick to learn that we’re not from around these parts. Instead, we can be found in any given wine region, around the world, often per the request of a client or new […] Continue Reading →

Elves, Fireworks and Festivities: How Bubbles found their Way into a Cava Bottle

The following effervescent legend is sponsored by our friends at CellarVie Wines which, with 400 wines from 16 countries, is a great place to buy Champagne and Cava online. Sitting just below the Christmas tree, my nephew and I cuddle tightly in a ball, as I sip upon a glass of Cava. Snuggling deep into […] Continue Reading →

Happy Holidays from Catavino to all our Iberian Wine Loving Friends

2012 has been a long journey for Catavino. We began the year without a future, but after a flood of support from a large and loving international community, we returned with a newfound spirit to continue sharing our adventures throughout Iberia. And with this fabulous new energy, our community of writers and readers has substantially […] Continue Reading →

Catavino’s “Holiday Off-Event Survival Kit” Wine Pack

As you all know, we at Catavino love to share our wine finds throughout the year. However, we’re usually limited to offering advice on what might pair well with your Christmas goose, or the perfect bottle to end the night. This year, we’re trying to change this! We were approached by a local retailer, Decántalo, […] Continue Reading →

The Garagiste Festival: Central Coast Tempranillo shows best, as a bachelor

Editor’s Note: Still buzzing from his findings on West Coast Tempranillo scene, Louis Villard headed to Paso Robles to attend The Garagiste Festival.  There he found a mix of producers using the grape in the traditional and not-so traditional styles. The weekend of November 17th heralded the second annual Garagiste Festival in Paso Robles.  This […] Continue Reading →

Rick Fisher for Albariño Explorers Club Ambassador

Summer is but a distant memory in the northern hemisphere ,and white wines will soon begin to collect dust on the shelf, but things are just heating up for Rias Baixas – one of Spain’s premier white wine regions. The area’s U.S. campaign (Albariño Explorers Club) is moving into full swing and is preparing for a great 2013. […] Continue Reading →

A Snapshot of Tempranillo Producers in Oregon and California

Tempranillo is by far not the most grown grape in California and Oregon, but with a few dedicated producers it will at least be noticed. Let’s celebrate Tempranillo Day on November 8th for those dedicated few who have taken the time and energy to create something amazing from this little “foreign” grape. It is an […] Continue Reading →

John Radford: A Spanish Wine Writer who will be Missed

We are incredibly sad to announce the passing of one of the great Spanish wine writers, John Radford. Having written dozens of articles and books on Spanish wine for over 20 years, his passing has come as a huge tragedy. John’s desire to share his passion in wine began in the early seventies with a […] Continue Reading →

Red Grape Varieties of the Mediterranean Deserving More Attention

Ever wondered why the same small bunch of grape varieties bobs up so frequently from wine regions around the world? There are many hundreds of different grapes out there, but only a small handful of them have managed to become widely grown and internationally known. Mostly grapes have to settle for limited local fame on […] Continue Reading →

Part II: Mallorca – Diversity at the Table

Approaching the traditional Spanish culinary table conjures images of manchego cheese, gazpacho, calamares fritos (fried calamari), jamón iberico, gambas ajillo (shrimp with garlic), and tortilla española. Taking a seat at the traditional Mallorcan table, rarely does one find any of these. The sordid and universal history of Mallorca has served to provide the island with […] Continue Reading →