Dr. Liz Thach, MW

Salta, Argentina – One of the Most Beautiful Wine Regions in the World

Pink Cathedral in Salta Dubbed by many to be one of the most beautiful wine regions in the world, Salta is located in northern Argentina near the Bolivian border. It is home to the highest altitude vineyards in the world with vines growing at over 10,000 feet high. The major challenge for wine tourism in this region is arriving. Flights only come from Mendoza twice a week, or visitors have to start from Buenos Aires to catch a daily flight. Upon arrival in the town of Salta, it is another 2.5 to 3 hour drive south before arriving in Cafayete [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2026-09-14T12:59:09-07:00June 4, 2014|

Delightful Day Long Visit to Zuccardi Family Winery – Mendoza, Argentina

Hours of Operation at Zuccardi Winery After more workshops and lectures the previous day, I was treated to a full day visiting the very hospitable Zuccardi Family Winery. It is located in the Maipu appellation about 20 minutes from the city of Mendoza in the Santa Rosa area. We were greeted by Julia Zuccardi, Director of Hospitality, who gave us an excellent tour beginning with the history of the estate. She said her grandfather had started a business in 1963 selling irrigation pipe to vineyards. To assist with sales, he planted a vineyard to demonstrate how it the equipment worked. [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2026-09-14T12:59:09-07:00June 2, 2014|

Trapiche Winery – Amazing History & Focus on Sustainability in Mendoza, Argentina

Entrance to Trapiche Winery We received an unexpected invitation to visit Trapiche Winery in the morning before my first seminar, so we were delighted to accept because Trapiche is one of the largest and most famous brands in Argentina. The winery is located on the outskirts of Mendoza in an industrial area near the old railroad. Established in 1883, Trapiche was the first winery to ship their wine to Buenas Aires. The original brick winery buildings have been lovingly renovated, and now include a wine museum, the original concrete tanks in the cellar, and a beautiful tasting room on the [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2026-09-14T12:59:09-07:00May 29, 2014|

Visit to the Spectacular Salentein Winery in Uco Valley, Argentina

Horse Drawn Wagon in Uco Valley After breakfast at our hotel, we left the city of Mendoza around 10am in order to make our 11am appointment at Saletein Winery in the Uco Valley. It was a sunny warm day and we could see the snowcapped Andes mountains in the distance. As we drove through the hills and vineyards, we passed small villages, and at one point, saw man driving a horse-drawn wagon filled with branches. As we crested the hill and saw our first view of the Uco Valley everyone caught their breath in awe. So we stopped the car [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2026-09-14T12:59:10-07:00May 28, 2014|

Visiting the Town of Chakras and Carinae Winery in Mendoza, Argentina

Malbec Vine in Mendoza Vineyard On Monday after a visit to the University of Cuyo in Lujan and a meeting with the Dean and other wine economics professors, we visited the charming “wine village” of Chakras. It is situated in the middle of the vineyards and wineries, and just a short 20-minute drive from downtown Mendoza. Filled with shops and restaurants, I thought this would be an ideal place in the future for wineries to establish mini-tasting rooms, similar to the town of Healdsburg in Sonoma County. We had an excellent lunch at the Chakras at Tea & Company where [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2026-09-14T12:59:10-07:00May 23, 2014|

Wine Tourism Advantages & Challenges in the Mendoza Area

Dancing at Vendemia Wine Festival in Mendoza As home to more than 400 bodegas (wineries) and with an international airport, Mendoza is a logical place for wine tourists to start. It has the advantages of large well-known wineries such as Catena Zapata, Achaval-Ferrer, Norton, Trapiche and many others. It also has a large number of wine tour companies that can schedule and transport tourists to wineries in the Maipu and Lujan de Cuyo areas near Mendoza, and an hour south to the famous Uco Valley. Plentiful restaurants with excellent food at bargain prices and upscale hotels make Mendoza and the [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2026-09-14T12:59:10-07:00May 23, 2014|

Wine: As Wonderful for your Kidneys as for Your Heart?

Contributed by Jenni Phelps: The fact that wine promotes cardiovascular health has long been espoused by scientists, but exciting news suggests that wine may also be linked to healthier kidneys. A study carried out by Dr. Tapan Mehta and his team at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Centre, in Aurora, has shown that those with healthy kidneys who consumed a moderate amount of wine per day (in the region of 4 ounces) had a 37 per cent lower likelihood of developing chronic kidney disease. Additionally, those who already had kidney disease who drank the same amount per day had a 29 [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-02-01T22:28:43-08:00May 19, 2014|

Snapshot of the Argentina Wine Industry

Wines Regions of Argentina According to the National Institute of Viticulture in Argentina, the country now boasts 894 wineries, with more than 300 exporting wine to the US. The signature red grape is Malbec, which has become a favorite in the States because of its velvety texture and blueberry notes. Torrontes, which produces perfumed and spicy wines, is the signature white grape. Argentina also produces large quantities of excellent cabernet sauvignon, Syrah, tannat, merlot, and chardonnay. Its sparkling wines, which are rarely exported, are refreshing, well priced, and similar in style to Prosecco. There are 8 major wine regions, with [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2026-09-14T12:59:11-07:00May 18, 2014|

Wine Tourism Healthy in Mendoza, Argentina

Vineyards of Mendoza with Andes Mountains Ironically Malbec is not the best pairing with empanadas – the small meat and cheese filled turnovers of Argentina. Instead most locals recommend Torrontes wine as a better match. This is just one of the tips wine tourists learn when they visit the fifth largest wine producing country in the world. Wine tourism in Argentina is on the rise, spurred on by the devalued peso that has recently dropped 30% against the US dollar. This makes visiting Argentina attractive not only to Americans, but to many Brazilians as well who find excellent deals on [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2026-09-14T12:59:11-07:00May 18, 2014|

My First Wine Experience in the Gardens of Ferrari Carano

Gardens of Ferrari Carano Contributed by Araceli Campos - I wasn’t introduced to wine until I immigrated to the United States. I was born and raised in Michoacán Mexico until I was 10 years old. Mexico is not known for producing much wine, though they do make it in the Baja Peninsula. Therefore, I had never seen a bottle of wine before – even though my dad worked in the vineyards of California. It wasn’t until I arrived in the US that I started seeing wine on the shelves in grocery stores, at special events, and holiday gatherings [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-02-01T22:29:04-08:00May 5, 2014|

Three Fun Facts to Pair Dessert and Wine

Wine Pairing Guide Contributed by Bryan Vu - Pairing wine with dessert isn’t always easy, and often the task can seem daunting. However Shari's Berries has put together a handy little guide to make pairing desserts with wines a little bit easier. The task of choosing a matching wine for dessert can be daunting for a person if they don't really know where to start. The chart helps to demystify the process: http://www.berries.com/blog/dessert-alcohol-pairing-guide 3 Important Fact When Pairing Dessert and Wine How did these pairings come about? The key to a great pairing is not necessarily how similar [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-02-01T22:29:26-08:00April 29, 2014|

The Joys of Dessert Wine – 3 Great Choices for Under $20

Contributed by Nicole Nowlen - There is a scene that appears frequently in movies, books, or even just the homes of wine connoisseurs we know and love. You can picture it, the imbiber curled up in a chair with a blanket and a pleasant book, perhaps even the ubiquitous cat purring on their lap. Upon their nose is perched a pair of reading glasses, brought out only for these moments of quiet consumption of literature. Perched on the table next to them is a somewhat diminutive wine-glass filled with a rich, almost viscous liquid. At moments spaced by the beat [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-02-01T22:29:55-08:00April 22, 2014|

Positive News on the Health Benefits of Wine

Sparkling Wine & Salad Contributed by Jenna Phelps - Although Millennials rarely drink wine for its health benefits, it’s reassuring to know that drinking wine in moderation promotes physical and mental wellness. Indeed, an article recently published in the scientific journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings highlights that a daily drink of alcohol for men and women, ideally red wine, reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke. This is good news, as cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in the US. However, the researchers point out that this moderate dosage is the key to good health, as excessive intakes of alcohol [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-02-01T22:30:14-08:00April 14, 2014|

My Favorite Tasting Room Series: Stephen & Walker’s, Healdsburg, CA

Stephen and Walker Tasting Room (By Guest Author Emily Mobley) As soon as I walked into Stephen & Walker’s Wine Tasting Room located in Healdsburg, I knew I was going to have a good time. Enticed with excitement and enjoying the atmosphere of summer, I could not wait to have my first sip of “real” wine. I had recently turned 21, and wine was still a mystery to me. What was so special about it? “Real” wine was everything I didn’t know and was looking forward to experiencing. It was August and my neighbors invited me to go wine tasting [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-05T14:18:04-08:00February 20, 2014|

My Favorite Tasting Room Series – Del Dotto Vineyards

Tasting in the Caves of Del Dotto Winery (By Guest Author Lauryn Mitrovich) My favorite tasting experience occurred in Napa Valley. It was my boyfriend’s birthday, and his parents rented us a fabulous limo to drive to several wineries. The one that really stood out to all of us was Del Dotto Vineyards. We arrived at the cave and barrel tasting location for Del Dotto and were greeted by our guide Brandon. Brandon had taken the parents on a tour before and they had an amazing time so they specifically asked for him again. Obviously, something stuck out [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-05T14:18:04-08:00January 30, 2014|

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