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.
Whenever I’m asked, “What was your favorite….”, I end up looking a bit starry eyed, clueless as to how I can answer the question sincerely. Life is compilation of experiences, both good and bad, and to narrow down your rich treasured moments to a single point in time is both daunting and elusive to me. […] Continue Reading →
Last week, we had spent the better part of a 6 days touring wineries on both the west and east coast of the United States. And during this time, we had a very unique opportunity to see how Americans create and manage wine tourism programs in order to promote not only their own wines, but […] Continue Reading →
Sitting in the San Francisco airport, I’m feeling a warm, content feeling inside my belly, similar to the one I get when sitting next to a roaring fire as the rain pelts the windows outside, or when I put a project to bed just as the morning light pools through my office window. This trip, […] Continue Reading →
Way back in the day, when Ryan and I were living in Madrid, we had befriended Mary O’Conners, director and co-owner of Planeta Vino. Tall, sassy and determined, she’s an ex American Air Force officer that imbues a presence not to be recognized with, especially when it comes to Spanish wine. Mary is WSET certified […] Continue Reading →
As you read this, we’re most likely struggling to get comfortable in our cramped Delta seats, eating bland airline food, while on our way to NY. Well, correction, Ryan is grumbling in his beer, while Gabriella is stretched out lengthwise basking in the roominess of her seat. Clearly genetics has served her well for international […] Continue Reading →
When you ask people what Montsant has to offer beyond wine, you tend to get a very standard group of answers that only vary in the order they are received: almonds, olives, olive oil and hazelnuts. The logic being that the land is so harsh and rugged, with only a few lizards spotting the landscape, […] Continue Reading →
In exactly 10 days, we will be heading to New York City, followed by San Francisco and back to NYC for a 10 day immersion into the American wine blog culture. What does this mean? Having lived and breathed Europe for the past 5 years, we’ve only met less than a dozen American wine bloggers, […] 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 →
This past weekend was a whirlwind of activity for Catavino, as we shot about the wine region of Montsant for 3 days of intense wine tasting and sightseeing. It was approximately 4 years ago when we first visited Montsant, and having only made handful of trips back to the region over the years, we were […] Continue Reading →
About 3 years after bagging the certificate – I have no idea how the time flew by so fast – I finally signed up to the WSET diploma late in 2008. My first two exams were in March 2009. One about viticulture and vinification in what my father likes to call the “multiple-guess” format. The […] 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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