Wine Travel Stories

In-depth Tales of Winery Visits Around the World

Port of Ravenna, Italy – Mosaics and the Albana and Burson Grapes

Sept. 2011 – Our ship arrived in the port of Ravenna in the late morning. The day was overcast with a potential for slight drizzle, but the air was warm. We paid to take the bus into the town because it was too far to walk and the docks were in an ugly industrial area. However, once we were dropped off in the city center, we found the pedestrian-only downtown to be delightful. It was filled with old squares, outdoor cafes, fountains, and small streets lined with shops. Ravenna, established in the 400’s, is a UNESCO world heritage site famous [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T20:46:34-08:00January 2, 2012|

The Unique Refosk Grape of Slovenia in the Fairytale Port of Koper

Sept. 2011 - Our first port of call was Koper, Slovenia. It was delightful to wake up in the morning on Royal Caribbean and have coffee on the balcony while we watched the shoreline of Slovenia come into view. Koper is a small city and there is no need to pay for transportation from the ship. It is only a five minute walk into the charming old town - albeit you do have to climb a hill. The city has cobble stone streets, an old castle with high walls, a beautiful old church which we ducked inside to attend part [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T20:46:53-08:00November 16, 2011|

Visiting the Wineries of Sedona Arizona

(July 13 - 21, 2011) Ironically, the most difficult issue with winegrowing in Arizona is frost. Most people find this surprising because Arizona is known for very hot temperatures, but since most of the vineyards are located in the high desert at 4200 to 5200 feet in elevation, it can get quite cold at certain times of the year. In years where the frost arrives during bud break, a large percentage of the crop can be at risk. Arizona now boasts 45 wineries, and though I had visited wineries in the Sonorita region south of Tucson several years ago, imagine [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T20:47:14-08:00July 23, 2011|

Winning Wisconsin Wineries

(June 24-28, 2011) Did you know there are now 42 wineries in Wisconsin? This was one of the amazing facts I learned during my four day visit at the invitation of my good friend Peg. In addition to touring three wineries, we had a wonderful time sight-seeing in downtown Milwaukee. I was very impressed with the bustling businesses, the amazing architecture of the Milwaukee Art Museum, the historic mansions along Lake Michigan and the charming Third Ward. Peg also treated me to great food and wine, boat rides, and the chance to meet her fascinating friends. We obtained a copy [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T20:47:34-08:00July 5, 2011|

Moseying Around Monbazillac – a Mini Sauternes

June 15, 2011 – On Wednesday morning we had a lazy breakfast, then packed and cleaned our apartment before checking out. We headed towards Bergerac and the Monbazillac AOC which was only a 30 minute drive from Le Bugue. On the way we passed an amazing site of over 100 white swans on the Dordogne River. We stopped to take photos and marvel at their beauty. They appeared to be feeding in the river, and were in a section that was covered with the tiny white flowers that grace the river in such an exotic fashion. An artist was sitting [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T20:47:53-08:00June 29, 2011|

The Wines of Bergerac – A Mini-Bordeaux

During the four delightful days we spent in the Dordogne, the main wine region represented in every restaurant was Bergerac. Each “verre de vin blanc, rouge, or rose” we ordered was always from a Bergerac appellation, but since the 13 AOC’s in the Bergerac region are part of the department of the Dordogne, that makes sense. Before leaving home, I checked my wine atlas to verify the types of grapes allowed in Bergerac wines, and they are identical to Bordeaux – for the most part. Bergerac reds are a blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, and cabernet franc (Bordeaux is also [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T20:48:14-08:00June 29, 2011|

Visiting Cahors Malbec Wineries – The Black Wine of the Middle Ages

June 14, 2011 –We took the back roads from Le Bugue to Cahors arriving in the city via D9 through the little towns of Espere and Mercues. On the way out of Le Bugue we were sidetracked for an hour when we ran into the weekly open air market on Tuesday mornings. It was a wonderful market with plenty of food – olives, foie gras, cheeses, truffles, wine, etc – as well as clothes, jewelry and household items. When we finally got back on the road it took us 1 hour and 20 minutes to drive to Cahors, passing through [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T20:48:36-08:00June 29, 2011|

Delightful Dordogne – Land of Foie Gras, Truffles, Medieval Cities, Castles and Caves

June 12 – 15 – We departed Bordeaux around 10am on Sunday morning taking the toll way to the Montignac exit – one of the entry points to the Dordogne region. We arrived just before noon and were completely enchanted with the charming little town decorated with flower streamers above the streets. We found a quaint restaurant with outdoor tables along the river, and proceeded to order a foie gras salad and a half a carafe of Bergerac Blanc – made primarily of sauvignon blanc and muscadelle. After lunch we wandered around the town and found an ice cream shop [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T20:48:53-08:00June 29, 2011|

Excellent Time at Bar a Vin and Le Mably Restaurant in Bordeaux

June 11, 2011 – After our field trip in the Medoc, we arrived back in Bordeaux around 6pm and immediately walked to the Bar a Vin for happy hour. This is a great wine bar in downtown Bordeaux which is sponsored by the CIVC. It is a good introduction to the wines of Bordeaux with all regions represented and excellent prices – with many of the wines only $2 euros per glass. Very modern and eclectic décor; it is a great place to hang out. Eventually about 20 wine business professors congregated at Bar a Vin, and around 7pm 15 [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T20:49:26-08:00June 24, 2011|

Field Trip to Chateau Gruaud-Larose and Chateau Maucauillou

June 11, 2011 – We slept in on Saturday morning, then drove to downtown Bordeaux to park in their underground parking structure. Then we had brunch at a charming sidewalk café before boarding the bus which headed to the Medoc for a tour of two wineries. When we saw the names of the wineries – Gruaud Larose and Maucauillou – people laughingly said they must have selected the two most difficult winery names to pronounce. Most marketing textbooks recommend selecting a product name that is easy to spell and pronounce, but this is not always the case in Bordeaux. Chateau [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T20:49:44-08:00June 24, 2011|

AWBR Conference at Bordeaux Business School Plus Dinners at Chateau Giscours and Millesima

June 8 - 11, 2011 – Another Academy of Wine Business Conference (AWBR) with the location this time at the Bordeaux Business School. This was my 4th visit to Bordeaux and I always enjoy the city because it reminds me of a “little Paris.” With just over 1 million people including the suburbs, Bordeaux has an amazing downtown that was renovated with the UNESCO World Heritage grant to bring it back to its 18th century glory. Sidewalk cafes, fountains, statues, and beautiful buildings enchant along the Garonne River. The conference was enjoyable with over 80 academic wine papers spread over [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T20:50:05-08:00June 24, 2011|

The Unique Vineyards of Mendoza, Argentina

I would like to conclude this review of my wine trip to Mendoza, Argentina with an overview of the vineyards (see previous postings for winery details). In all my travels to the wine regions of the world, I have come to recognize that the soul of a wine is within the vineyard. It is the source of all great wines, and each place on earth is quite different and special. This is also true of Argentina -- especially Mendoza with its desert-like climate, sandy soils, and reliance on the snow in the Andes for water. During our welcome orientation, we [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T20:50:24-08:00September 10, 2010|

Lunch at Bodega Ruca Malen, Mendoza, Argentina

(Sept. 4, 2010)We had an appointment for a winery tour and lunch at Ruca Malen Winery, but when we arrived the hospitality manager recommended we have lunch first because the dining room was filling up quickly. In fact the restaurant is so popular they were completely booked for the weekend, and had reservations through next April 2011. Once we were seated, I could see why it was so popular. The dining room was small, but is located inside a glass room in the vineyards with a view of the Andes. Once again the menu was amazing – a 5 course [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T20:50:47-08:00September 10, 2010|

Visiting Bodega Catena Zapata in Mendoza, Argentina

(Sept. 4, 2010) The next day (my last day) dawned bright and sunny – of course! After a late and leisurely breakfast, I went into the spa and did a few exercises before checking in for my 9:30 massage. Both Patricia and Angelica had encouraged me to schedule one, and I was very pleased I did. The masseuse was excellent, with very soothing long strokes, and the cost was amazing at 150 pesos, or $35 US. At 11am, Jimena and her finance arrived to take Isabelle and I to Bodega Catena Zapata. Neither of us had ever visited this very [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T22:08:13-08:00September 10, 2010|

Dinner at Club Tapiz Restaurant, Mendoza, Argentina

(Sept. 3, 2010) After my 90 minute nap, I hit the gym and hot tub at Club Tapiz before getting ready for dinner. We had dinner reservations at 1884 in Mendoza, but everyone was so full from finishing lunch at 5:30 that we cancelled and scheduled a 9:30 dinner at the Club Tapiz Restaurant instead. Four of us attended (Yerco from Chile, Isabel from Spain, Nelson from Buenos Aires and me). As you can imagine, not speaking Spanish was an issue, but they were all kind enough to include me in the conversation and speak a combination of English and [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T22:08:48-08:00September 10, 2010|

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