At 9am on a cool Friday morning in Foz, with a stunning view of the Atlantic ocean, I joined a room full of international Port wine experts to taste 56+ 2011 Vintage Port wines. These wines, in their youth, have an uncanny ability to strip enamel and burn tastebuds. And while you suffer the strength of these monsters, you […]
Celebrating the 2011 Vintage: A Rare Port Wine of Exceptional Quality Read More »
This past Friday, I found my way down to the “Riberia” area of Porto, or rather the historic “Porto side” of the river, where a small group of both established and budding new wine makers assembled to pour their wines at “Simplesmente Vinho”. Dubbed as the first “off” event in Portugal for wine, it begged
Salon “Off” along the Rio Douro: Simplesmente…Vinho Read More »
Some of you may have heard whisperings that we were pondering a change of location in the next few months, but few may have anticipated a full on commitment to the idea. Alas, we are proud to announce that yes, in a few weeks time, we’ll become new residents of our neighbor to the west:
Catavino is Moving to Portugal! Read More »
Dreams can be silly. Not the kind that leave you befuddled in the morning, wondering if you’re awake or asleep, but the type that remain on your “maybe one day” wish list. I had a dream. From the moment I learned about how Port wine was made, I wanted to climb into the lagars and
Douro: A Portuguese Region Sprinkled with Pixie Dust Read More »
There is a quiet revolution happening in Spain. Everywhere, youth, elderly and everyone in between are waking up to flavor. They are starting to demand quality, while seeking variety. This quiet revolution saw it’s first rumblings in 2005, and within a few years, has experienced rapidly building excitement throughout the Spanish countryside. Last March, a
The Flavor Revolution Read More »
A blanc de noir and a noir de blanc (or “A story of cross-dressing grapes”) When we ‘closed’ Catavino (or rather, put up the virtual ‘gone fishing’ sign), we hinted that our finale might end up being more of a pause in our existence. With time and resources being limited, we opted to focus on those projects
The Possibility of Impossibilities Read More »
This past week, while enjoying one of our favorite cities in the world, Porto, it occurred to us that we were harboring a delicious secret that should be revealed. This cuisine, though not entirely secret to the entire population of Brazil, is unknown to many, and it’s called Churrasqueira (Churrascaria is Brazilian). Last Sunday, while
Churrasqueira: Savoring Grilled Meats in Portugal Read More »
A few Sundays ago, I attended the 3rd edition of the Salón de Vinos Naturalesa, an annual event held in Barcelona and hosted by l’Ánima de Vi. We stumbled across L’Ánima de Vi several years ago while wandering the backstreets of Gracia, which features natural wines from Spain, France, and occasionally, various other parts of the world.
Salón de Vinos Naturales (3 Edición): What Classifies as “Natural Wine”? Read More »
I often joke that I live in Spain exclusively for its cured Jamon. It is one of the few things that is truly singular to Spain. Granted, you can now buy it in London, and in limited qualities in the USA, among other countries; but in truth, it is only at its best when fresh
Rovellones: “Golden Fungus of the Gods” Read More »
We love Portugal, but there is one specific thing we love beyond all else: grilled fish! Something magical happens when you give a Portuguese chef a freshly caught fish, a hot fire, some olive oil and a pot of salt. Personally, I think the salt might be infused with pixie dust, or some other magical
Cabo da Roca – A Fish Lover’s Paradise Read More »
Today, we’re going to give you the perfect silver bullet for each and every meal. No more thinking. No more fretting whether or not your X wine pairs with the meal. No more wondering if you can afford a decent wine at an affordable price as a gift. The secret is Cava. With its racy
Spanish Cava: The Anytime, Anywhere, with Anyone, Wine Read More »
Since day one, I’ve wanted a map of the wine regions of Spain and Portugal. Seems like a simple request, and if I couldn’t have one of Iberia, at least you would think that there would be one of Spain and another of Portugal. You would think. You would also be wrong, sort of. Announcement
Exciting Announcement – The DeLong Iberian Wine Map – with help from Catavino Read More »
Two weeks ago, after a very relaxing holiday in Galicia, we chose to make our way home to Jerez via Portugal, stopping off for two nights in Oporto on the way. I’ve been to where they make Madeira, I live where they make sherry but I had never been to Oporto, so this was an
Wine Tourism in Sherry Country and a Lesson from Portugal Read More »
Editor’s note: This story is from 3 years ago when I first went to Rioja. Back then Catavino was not known, and I only had a small family site I was maintaining. Money was scarce, hell it still is! But this became one of my favorite stories, and since it took place in Rioja and
Dinner at Terete in Haro, La Rioja Read More »
When we first decided to commit two months to La Rioja wine, I had a lot of concerns. First, I didn’t know how we were going to cover the subject in such a short amount of time with important events, not La Rioja related thrown into the mix. The answer was simple, it’s impossible. The
What is the flavor of Rioja? Read More »
