Desenchufar in Spanish means to unplug. Uruguayans are the king of chill and have a knack for dialing down your revolutions. One of the most laid-back countries, Uruguay also has some of the best beaches in South America. It’s a coastal country where idyllic...
Chile’s Charms: Glaciers, Desert, and Great Wine
Chile stretches like a thin noodle down the South American continent with the wild Pacific crashing to the west and the snow-capped Andes forming a jagged backbone to the east. This long extension of latitudes is responsible for the country’s thrillingly diverse range...
In Search of Flavor, Episode 25: The Cilantro of the Wine World
We are in the final stretch of summer up north, guys, and we all have been enjoying languid afternoons in the shade or by the pool, usually with a glass of rose or a chilled white like...Sauvignon Blanc….in hand. In this episode, Liz dives into sharing her...
In Search of Flavor, Episode 24: Finding ‘Somewhereness’ in Travel
This week, we expand the theme of terroir from wine and our favorite ‘ingestibles’ and weave it into how this concept also applies to our travels. While it’s term is often used frequently by the wine world to denote the place of origin and its uniqueness, it...
In Search of Flavor, Episode 23: Trailblazing a Path in Biodynamic Viticulture from Chile to California
In today’s episode, meet Rodrigo Soto, a Chilean winemaker who backed into wine, and organic and biodynamic viticulture, almost by mistake. However his slightly rebellious nature and love for the outdoors carved a path that took him from Chile to California and...
In Search of Flavor, Episode 22: Insights on How to Travel in South America in 2022
This week, as many of you are dusting off those travel lists and looking to get bucket list destinations on the calendar for 2022 into 2023, we share some straight talk about the current situation with the pandemic in South America, which is a very different...
Introducing Napa Capsule Journeys
The past fifteen months have presented a real challenge for those of us that love to travel internationally. In the United States at least, while a corner has been turned and we can now travel safely closer to home, international travel is still quite piecemeal...
In Search of Flavor, Episode 21: The Argentine Wine Revolution with Laura Catena of Catena Wines
Today the passionate Laura Catena, president of Catena Zapata and Luca Wines in Argentina, joins us for a fun, fast-paced episode. She’s a fourth generation Argentine vintner and her great grandfather was the founder of the Catena winery in Mendoza in 1902...
In Search of Flavor, Episode 20: What is Terroir, exactly?
The finest wines offer clarity, distinctiveness, grace, balance, deliciousness, complexity, modesty, persistence, and sometimes even a little paradox. Today to kick off a new season, we dig into a theme that we discuss time and time again: terroir. Terroir is a...
In Search of Flavor, Episode 18 (Part II ) : Olive oil as a way of life with Carola Dümmer
Olive oil has been produced and consumed in Mediterranean countries and cultures for thousands of years, and is an essential part of the diet in that region that has become known as the ‘Mediterranean Diet’ touted for its health benefits. Yet it’s more than a...
In Search of Flavor, Episode 17 (Part I ) : Olive oil as a way of life with Carola Dümmer
Olive oil has been produced and consumed in Mediterranean countries and cultures for thousands of years, and is an essential part of the diet in that region that has become known as the ‘Mediterranean Diet’ touted for its health benefits. Yet it’s more than a...
In Search of Flavor, Episode 16: Meet the Chilean Dream Weaver, Catalina Marin of TREKO
Meet Catalina Marin, a Chilean-American who found her calling when she was unexpectedly transplanted from Santiago to Sonoma. Thousands of miles away from home, she saw the opportunity to leverage her marketing background, creative flair, and love for a remote...
In Search of Flavor, Episode 15: Talking Bean-to-Bar Chocolate with Mark Gerrits of Obolo Chocolate
In this episode, Mark Gerrits, founder and chocolatier of the award-winning bean-to-bar Obolo Chocolate based in Santiago, Chile, joins Liz to discuss cacao as an agricultural product and the artistic science of chocolate making. After years of working in...
In Search of Flavor, Episode 14: The Emergence of Uruguayan Wine with Juan Andrés Marichal of Marichal Wines
In this episode, Juan Andrés Marichal of Marichal Wines shares his family history of winemaking, the uniqueness of Uruguayan terroir, and the mighty versatile Uruguayan flagship grape Tannat. Juan Andrés has wine running in his blood as he was born and raised...
In Search of Flavor, Episode 13: The Fascinating World of Fungi with Guiliana Furci of Fundación Fungi
We’re so excited to welcome world-renowned, Chile-based fungi expert Giuliana Furci on the show! Giuliana joins Liz to talk about all things fungi. From the misrepresentation fungi has received throughout history, to its diverse uses and properties, Giuliana...
In Search of Flavor, Episode 12: From Wine Lover to Winemaker, with Michael Evans of The Vines of Mendoza
In 2005, after a vacation in Mendoza and falling in love with the place, Michael Evans returned to found The Vines of Mendoza. It all started with a dozen friends buying land in the Uco Valley to grow, and make, their own Malbec. While many regions in the world...
and the meaningful