Dr. Liz Thach, MW

Wines of Quebec and the Exquisite Vandal Cliché Grape

This past week I attended a French Immersion class in Quebec City, Canada and stayed with a local family to insure I was “immersed” in the French language. It was a very pleasant experience, and I had the opportunity to visit several wineries and taste wines made from the unique Vandal Cliché grape, which was developed at Laval University in Quebec. Quick Facts on Canadian and Quebec Wine There are over 600 wineries in Canada, with the majority clustered in the Niagara Peninsula area of Ontario and the sunny lake region of the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia. However, Quebec [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T15:41:13-08:00August 6, 2013|

Excellent Tour and Tasting at Henriques & Henriques Winery on Island of Madeira

(June 2013) - We arrived at the aging cellars of Henriques & Henriques Winery around 12:30 and spent a delightful two hours exploring the barrel rooms and tasting more than 20 amazing Madeira wines. Though the still wine is fermented elsewhere on the island, the historic cellars are located in Camara de Lobos, a suburb of Funchal near the ocean. Currently the 3rd largest producer on the island, and the only winery to own 11.5 hectares of vineyards (28.6 acres), Henriques & Henriques was founded in 1850 by Joao Joachim Henriques, but today is co-owned by CEO Humberto Jardim and [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T15:41:40-08:00July 3, 2013|

Operations Tour and Tasting at Barbeito Winery, Island of Madeira, Portugal

June 2013 - Our appointment to visit Barbeito Winery was scheduled for 10:30am, and Paulo drove his SUV expertly around the many twists and turns on the narrow road to the hilltop location. The CEO and winemaker, Ricardo, greeted us and we started the tour at the grape reception platform. As the tour progressed, we became more and more impressed with Ricardo’s energy, passion, and innovative spirit. Barbeito produces around 170,000 liters of wine per year (around 19,000 cases), including a variety of third-party labels such as the famous Historic Series. Ricardo said they purchase all of their grapes from [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T15:43:57-08:00July 3, 2013|

Three Days in Madeira – Not Enough Time

In June I was fortunate enough to spend three days in Madeira – well, really 2.5 days because our plane landed at 1pm on Monday and we had to be at the airport to leave at 1pm on Wednesday. Madeira, a wine island in the middle of the Atlantic off the coast of Morocco, and owned by Portugal, is a place I’ve always dreamed of visiting. Now I’ve decided I must go back sometime and spend at least a week on this enchanted isle. Flying to Madeira from Lisbon My friend Lupe and I flew from Lisbon on TAP Air [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T15:44:15-08:00June 28, 2013|

Pairing Madeira Wines with Food – Amazing 5 Course Meal at Chalet Vincente in Funchal

(June 11, 2013) - We enjoyed a 3.5 hour lunch at Chalet Vincente, a charming restaurant near the ocean in Madeira’s main city of Funchal. The menu was impressive, custom ordered in advance, and served with both Madeira fortified and still wines which accompanied traditional Madeira dishes. Appetizer: 5 year old H&H Sercial with Marinated Octopus and “Bolo do Caco” (Madeira Bread, unleavened with garlic) First Course: 5 year old Barbeito Verdehlo with Tuna simmered in a Tomato & Onion Sauce Second Course: Still Verdelho Wine Terras do Avô with "Espada Preta" (Black Scabbard Fish) lightly battered in a local [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-19T00:08:53-08:00June 13, 2013|

Buying Wine in Moorea, Bora Bora & Tahiti

May 2013 – My husband and I decided to celebrate our anniversary in the Tahitian Islands on an 8 day/6 night trip. The reason it was 8 days is because the non-stop flights from Los Angeles to Papeete only fly at night, so we spent two nights trying to sleep on a plane, and the other 6 nights sleeping in beautiful resorts. Naturally we packed some wine to take with us – 3 bottles – but quickly discovered that we should have brought more, or purchased it in duty free as we witnessed many other people doing. This is because [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T15:46:15-08:00June 12, 2013|

Wine and Food in Hilton Head and Savannah Georgia

One of the items on my husband’s bucket list is to play golf on Hilton Head Island, so when I was able to get a good deal on a weekly condo rental there recently, we jetted off to the South Carolina island covered with long white sandy beaches, swaying palms, pink azaleas, and oak trees dripping with lacy moss. He was happy because he was finally able to play Harbour Town golf course with the famous red and white lighthouse on the 18th hole. He also enjoyed the challenge of Sea Pines Ocean course, Palmetto Dunes and Shipyard. I was [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2026-09-14T13:22:33-07:00June 4, 2013|

Two of the “Grand Cru” Wineries of Sonoma County Pour at SSU

Though Sonoma County doesn’t technically have any “grand cru” wineries, it does have some very well established wine estates with stellar reputations for producing award winning cabernet sauvignons from Alexander Valley. At the last SSU Winesense Club tasting of the year, we were graced by two such wineries -- Jordan and Silver Oak, both established in 1972. Indeed, these two legendary wineries have so much brand power, that students waited in line to get into the tasting, and some were turned away when the room maxed out at 50 people. Silver Oak Rocks Silver Oak winery was represented by [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-02-01T22:33:41-08:00April 27, 2013|

Golf and the Joy of Surprise Wine by the Glass Lists

One of the items on my husband’s bucket list is to play golf on Hilton Head Island, so when I was able to get a good deal on a weekly condo rental there recently, we jetted off to the South Carolina island covered with long white sandy beaches, swaying palms, pink azaleas, and oak trees dripping with lacy moss. He was happy because he was finally able to play Harbour Town golf course with the famous red and white lighthouse on the 18th hole. He also enjoyed the challenge of Sea Pines Ocean course, Palmetto Dunes and Shipyard. I was [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-02-01T22:34:02-08:00April 10, 2013|

Costa Rican Cuisine, Wine & Ecotourism – Living the “Pura Vida”

March 13, 2013 –This past week I enjoyed my first visit to the beautiful country of Costa Rica. Though better known for coffee than wine, since I was in the country to present a paper on the wine supply chain at the NBES academic conferences, I was naturally curious to learn about the types of wine available in Costa Rica. Therefore I made it my mission to investigate wine lists and store selections during my stay. Monkeys in Costa Rica Chilean Wine Dominates, Followed by Argentina and Spain After visiting six restaurants, three grocery stores and four wine shops, I [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T15:52:51-08:00March 20, 2013|

What Type of Wine Do They Drink in Costa Rica?

March 13, 2013 – This past week I enjoyed my first visit to the beautiful country of Costa Rica. Though better known for coffee than wine, since I was in the country to present a paper on the wine supply chain at the NBES academic conferences, I was naturally curious to learn about the types of wine available in Costa Rica. Therefore I made it my mission to investigate wine lists and store selections during my stay. Chilean Wine Dominates, Followed by Argentina and Spain After visiting six restaurants, three grocery stores and four wine shops, I would have to [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-02-01T22:34:21-08:00March 14, 2013|

Hook & Ladder and Delicato Wineries Delight Millennials – Liz Rice, SSU Grad Gives Advice on International Wine Sales

Co-Authored by Jenny Garza – There was a double dose of delight when two very famous family run wineries, Hook & Ladder and Delicato, agreed to host the SSU Winesense Tasting this past week. Over 40 students showed up to listen to the presentations, taste some exciting California wines, and enjoy appetizers prepared by the SSU Winesense Board of Directors. Joshua Deloach Tells Story of Hook & Ladder Winery Hook & Ladder Winery, located in the Russian River AVA, is known for handcrafted small lots and specializes in pinot noir and zinfandel. Joshua DeLoach of Hook & Ladder gave an [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-02-01T22:34:41-08:00March 11, 2013|

Enjoying a Slow Food Feast in San Minato and Visit to Falaschi Butcher Shop

Jan. 10, 2013 – After leaving Bolgheri the evening before, we arrived back in Florence rather late and checked into Hotel Donatello. This is a beautifully decorated hotel with ornate furniture and draperies in the rooms, but rather tense and unfriendly service. Its upside is a location that is within easy walking distance of downtown Florence, the Duomo, and the railroad station. We awoke the next morning to our first raindrops of the trip and were grateful the rain had waited until our last day to arrive. As it turned out, it only sprinkled during the morning, and dried up [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2026-09-14T13:15:19-07:00March 1, 2013|

Chalk Hill and Williamson Winery Kick Off First SSU Winesense Tasting of Semester

By Guest Author DominiqueLevenberg. It was an exhuberant crowd of 35 SSU students who attend the semester’s first Winesense tasting with Chalk Hill and Williamson wineries. Chalk Hill, located in the Chalk Hill AVA of Sonoma County, brought a Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and a Cabernet Sauvignon from their new Lancaster Estate winery. The favorite from Chalk Hill was the Sauvignon Blanc. Williamson Winery, located in Dry Creek AVA, shared a Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir Rose, and a Cabernet Sauvignon. The favorite from Williamson was the Pinot Noir Rose. Cheese, crackers, salami, and tasty treats were served from Bianchi’s Bake Shop. [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-02-01T22:35:02-08:00February 17, 2013|

Lunch in Bolgheri and Amazing Visit to Tenuta dell ‘Ornellaia

Jan. 9, 2013 - The road to the small town of Bolgheri is lined with ancient cedar trees that give it a very royal feel. A small castle near the entrance enhances this feeling, and the tiny streets with small shops and restaurants complete the fairytale atmosphere. Lunch at Bionda Maria Societa After our tasting of Sassicaia at Tenuta San Guido, the bus dropped us off outside that town walls and we walked into town in search of a restaurant. One of the first we saw was Bionda Maria Societa where the owner stood on the doorstep and beckoned us [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2026-09-14T13:15:19-07:00February 15, 2013|

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