In Search of Flavor

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 knowledge on Chilean Sauvignon Blanc from appellations, valleys, styles, producers, ideal pairings, some cultural anecdotes, and how to ultimately find a style that will dial into your white wine pleasure. It’s an episode full of practical wine tips so listen in.

We also just announced our newest wine workshop entitled South American Terroir happening virtually (or in your own time via the replay) on September 21, 2021. Click here for details and to sign up!

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 absolutely exists in travel. It’s why we never tire of travel nor seeking out new experiences. Join us to wax poetic and go deeper into the topic with three visionaries in hospitality in South America who have sought how to bring that ‘somewhereness’ to their guests. It’s an episode full of nuggets of wisdom and inspiration.

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 back multiple times. Rodrigo has spearheaded the winemaking initiative at pioneering wineries in Chile & California like Fetzer, Matetic Vineyards, Benziger, Veramonte, and today is the Estate Director for the Hunees family properties in Napa that include Quintessa, Faust Wines, and Flowers winery in Sonoma. Today we go behind the scenes to meet the man who has transformed these wine projects with the power of his conviction in how biodynamic agriculture ultimately yields a better wine.

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 reality than in North American and Europe. We’ll discuss how travel is shaping up in the region as we look ahead to plan trips in 2022 with some destinations reopening (or not!).

In this episode, Liz first shares her honest opinion as a travel advisor specialized in the region for over 16+ years and she is using a data-driven (conservative) approach. The talk, which feels as if you were having a personal meeting with Liz, is full of tips, tactics, and insights to help orient as we get back in the proverbial travel saddle. We truly hope that this episode serves you. For those of you ready to take action, check out the resources section listed below to take the next step and make that travel dream a reality. 2022 (and 2023) will be here before you know it!

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 after emigrating from Italy. Her father, Nicolas Catena Zapata, often referred to as “the Robert Mondavi of Argentina,” helped facilitate the ascent of Argentine Malbec onto the world stage. Hailing from Mendoza, Argentina, Laura became a medical doctor before she started feeling the pull to get into the family business. She took her love of research and science, and passion for her family’s winery, and came on board. She is currently president of Catena winery, her own project, Luca Wines, and oversees the research-driven Catenta Institute of Wine. Laura is a multi-hyphenate who travels, lectures, and spreads the gospel of Argentine wine yet also finds the time to still be a wife and mother to her family in San Francisco.

Today to kick off a new season, we dig into a theme that we discuss time and time again: terroir.

Terroir is a term that is increasingly used in any ‘origin’ or craft product, so we feel a discussion of its meaning is important to avoid it being reduced to a one-size-fits-all definition.

In this episode, Liz first shares her take on terroir and a personal definition of how she envisions it. After, we have cued up a mash-up from a few of our favorite talks on terroir in Season 1. These short snippets sum up the concept quite beautifully. Enjoy!

Do you need some summer entertainment and listening inspo? In Search of Flavor is returning just in time with a whole new season of exploration of travel, wine, food, and design in the Americas. There are some plot twists coming this season (spoiler!) and I have some very exciting news for you. Listen in to get the scoop.

In the second part of this episode, we continue our conversation from the previous week with olive oil expert. This week we get into many practical tips to learn how to store, use, cook, and incorporate olive oil into your daily life and diet.

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 diet, it’s a way of life. Blessed with a Mediterranean climate and growing olive oil industry, Chile is producing outstanding oils that can hold their own with the finest in Italy and Spain. In this two-part series, meet Carola Dümmer, an expert olive oil taster in Chile who is an olive oil sommelier and judge in many of the most prestigious olive oil competitions in the world. She also teaches in the international olive oil sommelier program and pens an annual olive oil guide in Chile called ‘El Guia Oliva. She is on a mission to educate Chilean consumers not only of the plethora of options available in Chile today, but also how to identify a good olive oil, cook with it, and embrace olive oil as a way of life.

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 archipelago in the south of Chile, Chiloé, which she visited as a child. Known for its rich weaving tradition dating back to colonial times, she was inspired to found Treko in 2016 to bring traditional exquisite wool pieces into American homes, with a stylish, contemporary design. Presently she works with over dozens of craftswomen to make everything from pillows to blankets, throws, and duvets. Above all, Catalina profoundly believes in the power of the human touch, of bringing into meaning through intentional decor and pieces, preserving the traditions and providing a livelihood for these artisan weavers, and bringing this beautiful part of the world into the home.