17 articles tagged with wine tasting
There's a rhythm to Porto after sunset that reminds me of a perfectly executed play in basketball – seamless, surprising, and utterly captivating. While tourists flock to the famous port houses by day, the real magic happens when twilight blankets...
The first time I stepped into a traditional *tasca* in Lagos, Portugal, I was struck by how the simple act of sharing a meal could tell such a profound story about place and people. The clinking of small ceramic plates,...
There's something almost alchemical about the way food connects us to a place. As I stood on Dom Luís I Bridge watching the sunset paint Porto's terracotta rooftops in golden hues, I realized this city had captivated me not just...
The first time I tasted a Kéknyelű—a grape variety so rare it only grows on the northern shores of Lake Balaton—I understood why Hungarians have kept this wine region their treasured secret. As I stood on volcanic soil overlooking Europe's...
There's a certain irony in returning to San Jose as a visitor after spending my formative years in this Silicon Valley hub. Now, with my Belfast restaurant requiring regular trips back to source ingredients and meet with California wine producers,...
The morning sun casts long shadows across rows of gnarled vines that stretch toward the Andean foothills, their leaves tinged with autumn's amber hues. I stand, wineglass in hand, watching as the first harvest workers arrive at Catena Zapata's iconic...
The first time I soared over Medford's patchwork vineyards and orchards, suspended beneath my paraglider with the Rogue Valley unfurling below like nature's own tasting menu, I knew I'd discovered something special. Not just another dot on the wine map,...
The last place I expected to find myself sipping a perfectly crafted Old Fashioned while listening to a surprisingly talented jazz quartet was in a dimly lit speakeasy-style bar in Lewiston, Idaho. Yet here I was, watching the Clearwater River...
The medieval brick facades of Siena transform under the amber glow of street lamps, revealing a nocturnal personality that few business travelers ever witness. During my recent creative consultation project with a luxury leather goods company here, I discovered that...
G'day fellow wanderers! There's something profoundly nostalgic about returning to your homeland as a visitor rather than a resident. After two decades of castle-hopping across Europe and calling Hamburg home for the past 15 years, stepping back onto South Australian...
Standing at the edge of a Santorini vineyard, I found myself captivated by the same sense of reverence I first experienced at the Parthenon as a 12-year-old. The ancient basket-trained vines, twisted into protective circles against the fierce Aegean winds,...
Standing on a terraced hillside overlooking the serpentine Douro River, I couldn't help but geek out. This UNESCO World Heritage landscape isn't just breathtakingly beautiful – it's essentially a living laboratory of viticulture that's been running experiments for over 2,000...
When most people think Idaho, potatoes immediately spring to mind—much like how children instantly associate doctors with shots! But just as I've spent decades showing my young patients there's more to medicine than needles, I'm here to reveal there's far...
The moment my feet touched Valparaíso's cobblestone streets, I knew this wasn't going to be an ordinary culinary adventure. At 63, I've developed what my daughter calls a 'sophisticated palate with a side of adrenaline,' and this Chilean port city...
Standing amid the autumn-gilded vineyards of Saint-Émilion, watching the morning mist retreat across rows of Merlot vines, I was reminded why Bordeaux has captivated wine enthusiasts for centuries. The region's terroir tells a story that began long before our modern...