2021-03-03 17:09
I first met Simon in 2011 at the European Wine Bloggers Conference. We were in northern Italy on the post-trip when both Simon and I had our first experience meeting Sandi Skerk. For Simon… Read More
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Catavino | Spanish Wine, Portuguese Wine And A Whole Lot More Blog
catavino.net
Award-winning blog on Portuguese and Spanish wine, food and travel by Ryan and Gabriella Opaz. Food & wine tours in Spain and Portugal.
2021-02-17 18:20
I was a wide-eyed 27 years old with a half-decade of wine retail under my belt when I first stepped onto Portuguese soil. Due to close family ties, I was deeply curious about Portuguese wine… Read More
2020-12-16 17:00
Twas the night before Christmas Travel Twas the night before Christmas and all through the land, No travel or tours had visitors planned. No travel to places, to family or friends, For Covid… Read More
2020-12-16 17:00
Twas the night before Christmas Travel Twas the night before Christmas and all through the land, No travel or tours had visitors planned. No travel to places, to family or friends, For Covid… Read More
2020-12-14 14:10
Gorgeous nature, rich history and an incredible wealth amassed during the medieval and colonial times have nurtured the existence of 17 UNESCO World Heritage sites throughout Portugal. Ratif… Read More
2020-08-19 15:23
One of my favorite parts of growing up was visiting my grandmother’s house in Northern Minnesota. At some point during my stay, she would serve up a freshly baked cookie, bar or slice… Read More
2020-05-05 17:49
On March 15, 2020, Catavino officially closed our shop for the short term. Admittedly, this wasn’t an easy decision, but with COVID19 cases on the rise, and government-mandated closure… Read More
2019-09-06 07:24
Ever wondered why some wines have leathery aromas while others some cinnamon notes? Or why some Chardonnay’s are said to be “buttery” while others “crisp and linear&r&hell…Read More
2019-09-02 14:33
Portugal is on the top of everyone’s vacation list: beautiful sandy beaches and fabulous weather, the world’s best seafood and singular gastronomy, cities like Lisbon and Porto w… Read More
2019-06-27 16:17
From celebratory events to intimate family gatherings, the beverages we enjoy today tell a rich story of our cultural past. Coffee, tea, spirits, wine and beer are weaved into our everyday l… Read More
2019-05-08 14:42
Catavino’s new space in the heart of Porto called, theLAB, will now be hosting wine tastings! Today, we’re launching two fabulous tastings worthy of checking out: Introduction to… Read More
2019-03-29 12:36
Since our very first visit to Portugal in 2003, we’ve had a deep and lasting love for Port wine. It’s almost impossible not to when seated cozily next to a fire with an rich and… Read More
2019-03-20 17:12
After 15 years of living in Iberia, we can look back with pride at a very long and satisfying list of adventures, experiences, and travels. We’ve soared all over Europe to taste homema… Read More
2018-11-29 17:36
Having a Michelin star chef write the foreword of your book is tremendously gratifying. But on top of the prestige, what makes Chef Jose Avillez’s contribution so meaningful to us is h… Read More
2018-08-13 14:39
Wrangling recipes from grandmas isn’t a pursuit for the thin-skinned. Ask for exact quantities, measurements, times… Basically everything you need for a recipe to work, and chan… Read More
2018-08-07 14:09
Why doesn’t the Lovers Handkerchief embroidery get old in Portugal? What’s so magical about these folkloric motifs, slapped on everything imaginable and sold in every airport, so… Read More
2018-05-18 10:18
Portugal is renowned for its stunning coastal landscapes and kind, engaging people; which is much of the reason why Portugal continuously ranks as one of the top tourism destinations in Euro… Read More
2018-05-03 10:41
Orange trees scent a patio in Lisbon’s ancient Alfama neighborhood. Cilantro is used to season a seafood stew, made just like this for over a thousand years. Sausage made with bread st… Read More
2018-03-21 14:18
There’s a reason why Porto has become a shopping haven for those seeking out talented Portuguese artists and designers, they’re phenomenal at what they do. The Portuguese are not… Read More
2018-03-01 11:27
With a focus on simple, authentic Spanish cuisine, Chef José Pizarro has been at the forefront of bringing both traditional and innovative tapas to London. With three successful resta… Read More
2017-12-19 11:26
If you snake along the river to the bustling seaside town of Matosinhos, you’ll encounter one of our favorite places on the planet, O Gaveto. Run by Joao Carlos Silva and his family, t… Read More
2017-12-14 09:52
Gail Aguiar is by far, one of the most prolific travel bloggers in Portugal, which is why we’re so keen to feature her! Canadian by birth, Gail has spent most of her life traveling, wo… Read More
2017-12-07 09:40
Sam Zucker is far from a Spanish native, but his passion and dedication to Spain has been profound. For years, he’s written on Catavino, not only infusing his writing with his love of… Read More
2017-08-13 23:00
Jason Kallsen is a force of nature in the Twin Cities wine scene with his wine education company Twin Cities Wine Education. Our relationship with Jason goes back many, many years… Read More
2017-05-08 23:23
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Source Read More
2017-03-28 15:42
A few years ago, I was dining sozinho (alone) in a small neighborhood cafe in Porto when I caught sight of this gorgeous pastry in the display case. With crispy folds of puff pastry piled hi… Read More
2017-01-20 16:36
In the North of Portugal, parks radiate green under rain filled winter skies. Moss gently spreads along ancient stone walls, vines creep up porcelain tiles as Camellia trees burst … Read More
2017-01-05 11:52
Happy New Year from the Catavino Team!
With the year just kicking off, welcoming heaps of new opportunities, a trip to Portugal should be at the top of your list! Brimming with soulful foods… Read More
2016-12-12 09:48
Fragrant, seasonal fruits and vegetables aren’t all that you’ll find at Bolhão Market. Many of the produce vendors transform their sappy melons, juicy tomatoes and gigant… Read More
2016-11-28 17:32
With nine new Michelin stars added to last year’s 17, it’s an exciting time to indulge in The Undiscovered Food Stories of Northern Portugal. Our newly-released book shares with… Read More
2016-11-24 22:37
It has been a long hard road, full of ups and downs, but today we are incredibly excited to announce that Catavino’s first book, The Undiscovered Food Stories of Northern Portuga… Read More
2016-11-17 11:27
If I say fire fighter, what gender pops into your head? Doctor? Nurse? Taxi driver? Construction worker? Beautician? Historically, many of these professions were predominately occupied by on… Read More
2016-10-07 10:19
“If this was my avó making sausage, she’d string it up in the cellar. I don’t know if she smoked it first, or if it was just dried that way, but her sausage was… Read More
2016-10-03 13:36
Today, if you want to start a website called portuguesecooking.com — good luck! Ana Patuleia Ortins has owned it since 1997, just a year before Google was founded. For decades, Ana has… Read More
2016-09-29 14:05
In every country across southern Europe, you’ll find bread, but none so dedicated as the Portuguese. Each table in every home and restaurant has an assorted basket of Portuguese bread… Read More
2016-09-21 11:23
Chadner Navarro recently published a fantastic article in Bloomberg highlighting why Porto is surpassing Paris as “the” shopping capital of Europe. There’s a good reas… Read More
2016-09-15 13:08
When people think of Portugal, rarely do they think of its rich honey culture. Perfectly grilled fish, sumptuous breads and diverse wines are commonly touted as “must try Portuguese fo… Read More
2016-09-05 13:39
Now that autumn is upon us, there’s really no reason why you shouldn’t be cracking open a Port wine to celebrate the season. It warms the body when the winter chill seeps in. It… Read More
2016-07-18 11:32
It’s said that the Portuguese have enough bacalhau (dried salted cod) recipes to create a different dish for every day of the year! Though possibly a touch farfetch… Read More
2016-07-13 10:46
Recently, I was enthroned into the Confraria do Vinho do Porto (Port Wine Brotherhood) as a Cavaleiro (Knight) in “recognition for my dedication and service to Port Wine.” Unders… Read More
2016-06-27 15:24
There are several ways to learn about a country and its people. While some choose to expand their knowledge through books, others decide to visit in person. I was zealous and did both before… Read More
2016-06-22 08:55
When daydreaming of white sandy beaches, of sultry Flamenco dancers and rolling Spanish vineyards, do you also conjure up images of braised cow’s tongue or hairy pig’s… Read More
2016-06-06 12:18
For me, the sandwich is the pinnacle of the food pyramid. Sure I love fine dining, a good seafood feast, or a perfectly prepared piece of roasted meat; but in the end, I will always long for… Read More
2016-05-31 10:15
Several years ago, I would frequently visit a delightful independent wine shop, sandwiched between a bakery and a cheese store, during my evening commute from university. Unable to diff… Read More
2016-05-16 22:06
Barcelona may seem large and daunting at first approach, with its maze of windy cobbled alleyways; but after awhile, it suddenly feels like home. Streets untangle into a patterned… Read More
2016-04-22 11:20
The scent of roasted meat is common when traversing Portugal, but in the Center that rich, inviting aroma is almost always from leitão assado. Leitão, or sucklin… Read More
2016-04-18 22:47
Editor’s Note: Travel writer and fanatical foodie Jaillan Yehia explores Valencia on foot looking for the best tasty treats you can put in your mouth, whatever your mood. Here are… Read More
2016-04-14 15:22
Editor’s Note: Several months ago, we stumbled upon Barry Hatton’s book, “The Portuguese: A Modern History,” and found ourselves captivated. Very few books cover… Read More
2016-04-11 15:17
Editor’s Note: Meet Sofia Henriques, the stunning jewelry maker behind the limited edition pieces of SHAMA. After stalking her on various social sites, mesmerized by her… Read More
2016-03-30 10:12
If you were to wander through the cobblestone streets of Porto in search of something to fill your grumbling belly, this would be the perfect city to get lost in. Known for its love of food… Read More
2016-03-22 17:14
If you visit Porto in the last week of February, be prepared to get wet – drenched even, as the rainy season can be almost tropical in its intensity. Metaphorically, you’ll also… Read More
2016-03-19 18:53
Whenever I fly back home, I send an email to friends and family asking if there is anything in particular they would like from Spain. 95% of the time, the answer is “Jamon!” Of c… Read More
2016-03-19 18:53
Photographer: Svein Erik Larsen Capture Date: December 2011 Location: Zagaleta, Benahavis, Malaga About: The Arbutus unedo (Strawberry Tree) is ubiquitous in Spain and functio… Read More
2016-03-19 18:53
Prior to my migration from America to Portugal in 2011, I had often heard of the love affair that the Portuguese have with their eggs, especially when used in their sugar laden sweets. I did… Read More
2016-03-19 18:53
If you ask the Portuguese, “Which came first, the chicken or the egg?” I would place my bet on the egg. Ovos are found throughout Portuguese cuisine. They’re poached i… Read More
2016-03-14 12:41
A few days ago, my son and I were taking a leisurely walk home from his daycare when we passed the infamous “dragon lair”. The tale of the devilish dragon den began with a h… Read More
2016-03-11 17:24
Photographer: Adam Jason Moore
Capture Date: June 12, 2013
Location: Madrid, Spain
About: Despite their slow methodical approach, and deep-inset wrinkles, you won’t fin… Read More
2016-03-10 11:03
Whenever I walk into a tasca, I check the ubiquitous handwritten black board for the daily menu. If I spot Carne de Porco à Alentejana scrawled on it, I know exactly what I&rsquo&hell…Read More
2016-03-09 13:00
Living in Portugal, it’s a challenge to come up with a solid reason to fly to London for a Portuguese wine tasting, unless I’m already there! As a result of my article… Read More
2016-03-04 11:07
Photographer: Pedro Ribeiro Simões
Capture Date: March 30, 2015
Location: Lisbon, Portugal
About: The famed Portuguese poet and writer, Fernando Pessoa (1888… Read More
2016-03-03 12:30
With large milky eyes, and softly splotched brown skin, the cow is by far the greatest protagonist in any baby book. Between the thick cardboard pages, she’ll pop up dozens o… Read More
2016-02-23 12:13
What would any food lover in Valencia enjoy more than a visit to the city’s Central Market – an 8,160 km2 art nouveau-styled space of gastro-commerce that houses 400 independent… Read More
2016-02-18 17:17
When we decided to relocate to Portugal from the States, I was ecstatic about the prospect of fresh seafood, seafood that was diverse, plentiful and all mine for the eating! With approx… Read More
2016-02-12 16:21
Photographer: José Antonio Cartelle
Capture Date: April 2, 2014
Location: Neda, Galicia, Spain
About: Galicia is known as the land of the thousand rivers, many of… Read More
2016-02-10 17:28
Recently, Catavino featured an article on the 12 Essential Tips to Visiting Madeira and a Beginner’s Guide to Madeira Wine – a crash course, if you will… Read More
2016-02-03 16:56
If Lisbon were a guest at a house party, it wouldn’t be in the limelight. And that’s exactly what I adore about this city.
Picture yourself at this house party. Small groups of f… Read More
2016-01-26 16:48
In the Catalan countryside surrounding Barcelona, young, sweet onions break ground in mid-winter, growing tall and pale in the rich Mediterranean soil packed around their roots. The fertile… Read More
2016-01-20 10:29
Did you know that Madeira was poured during Thomas Jefferson’s toast at the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, or that it was savored at the inauguratio… Read More
2016-01-13 16:40
Welcome to the final installment of Beyond the Tagus! In our first piece, I introduced the fascinating, eclectic region of Évora. We then headed south to the Baixo Alentejo for P… Read More
2016-01-06 17:47
Smooth bittersweet chocolate on the tongue is one of the more indulgent treats to enjoy. It has a richness that the lighter, milkier counterpart just can’t seem to compare to. Luckily… Read More
2016-01-04 14:28
Just before the Holidays, I kicked off our three-part series on Portugal’s Alentejo region, with a trip to Évora. For the foodies and wine lovers among you, not to mention histo… Read More
2016-01-01 18:58
2015 was an amazing year for us! It was our first full year offering custom tours throughout Portugal and Spain! Having lived on the Iberian Peninsula for over a de… Read More
2015-12-24 16:31
As an immigrant living on the other side of the world, the Holidays conjure up nostalgia, a desire to be close to the people you love. It’s a feeling of longing, of saudades, imagining… Read More
2015-12-18 22:35
We all love food, some of us considerably more than others, but the Portuguese take it to an entirely new level. To be an outstanding foodie in Portugal requires an unbelievable stamina to b… Read More
2015-12-11 18:44
Photographer: Nicola Holtkamp
Capture Date: September 9, 2012
Location: Olhão, Portugal
About: Bread baking in Portugal is just as an important part of the culture as… Read More
2015-12-09 15:19
Drawing a long drag from his cigarette, he leans back, smiles and takes a gentle sip of his espresso. Despite the bitter chill, he revels in the bright winter sun, offering just enough warmt… Read More
2015-12-07 15:10
Thankfully, the joyous stretch of time known as “the Holidays” come once a year and last only a few weeks. Seeing old friends and family can be really great and this makes it a f… Read More
2015-12-03 17:37
I’m writing, between sips of my morning bica, from a tiny coffee shop in the sleepy Lisbon neighborhood of Lapa. I look up from my computer screen and the Tagus River opens before me… Read More
2015-12-01 12:17
Imagine a social event in Italy or Spain and you are likely to conjure up images of long lunches over copious glasses of wine, children running amok among 1,001 family members, a powerful mo… Read More
2015-11-27 14:29
Photographer: Gabriel González
Capture Date: Februrary 28, 2014
Location: Pontevedra, Galicia, Spain
About: Come fall, as humidity sits upon our valley like a thi… Read More
2015-11-26 14:24
Coming from the heartland of the USA, the city renowned for its stock yards and steaks, I’m no stranger to a thick slab of meat. Even as a professed vegetable lover, the aroma of… Read More
2015-11-25 14:47
Though it had been one of the rainiest and foggiest weeks I had ever spent in Portugal, on this particular day, the dreariness gave new meaning to the word “melancholy.” In no wa… Read More
2015-11-23 14:09
The winter months in Barcelona are fast approaching, and with them will come humid cold and a touch of rain. While the typical tiled-floor, big-windowed, wooden-chaired restaurant or bar is… Read More
2015-11-23 14:09
The winter months in Barcelona are fast approaching, and with them will come humid cold and a touch of rain. While the typical tiled-floor, big-windowed, wooden-chaired restaurant or bar is… Read More
2015-11-18 14:45
There’s a little slice of Lisbon’s vibrant food scene in New York City these days thanks to Michelin star Chef George Mendes. For anybody that’s been to Lisbon lately, you… Read More
2015-11-10 15:05
When the days become short and the nights long in Portugal, it also becomes the cold season. We don’t get snow in my area, south of Lisbon, but sometimes in the mountain regions and th… Read More
2015-11-02 10:53
Beyond the urban hive of Barcelona, the natural wonders of Catalunya await. Mountains, vineyards, forests, and coastlines; the region has it all! Hiking is a popular pastime here and should… Read More
2015-10-30 15:56
Photographer: Bert Kaufmann
Capture Date: June 5, 2009
Location: Sé de Lisboa, Portugal
About: Sé de Lisboa (Lisbon cathedral) was built shortly after the… Read More
2015-10-27 18:59
When I smell wood smoke from the neighborhood chimneys and the rain clouds open to finally release the much needed rain, I know it’s time to get to work with the summer’s bounty… Read More
2015-10-21 12:02
Her arthritic hand gently traced the oblong scales and swooping contours, softly smiling at its whimsy. “It’s lovely,” she whispers,” the artist must feel t… Read More
2015-10-19 14:23
Cadaqués is a beautiful white and blue fishing town two and a half hours north of Barcelona, and is considered by many to be the “Pearl of the Costa Brava.” The history of… Read More
2015-10-12 14:18
They say we should eat to live and not live to eat. But in Portugal, the line between the two becomes blurred. Eating fresh, whole, seasonal and locally sourced may be ultra-trendy these day… Read More
2015-10-09 11:26
Photographer: Ryan Opaz
Capture Date: September 5, 2010
Location: Priorat, Spain
About: Just south of Barcelona lies the lush and contrasting vineyards of the Priorat. Around… Read More
2015-10-07 17:42
It’ a gorgeous summer day in Barcelona, as I saunter mindlessly into the pharmacy with my aged Peruvian wallet in hand. Requesting 500mg of Ibuprofen, the pharmacist pushes her long ch… Read More
2015-10-05 11:35
“You can see that these are smaller, and they form more of a cone-like shape than the traditional round clusters you’re used to seeing,” she says pointing to a delicate loo… Read More
2015-09-28 16:05
It was a cool Lisbon summer night with a near-full moon, a breeze coming in from the Tagus River and friends coming over for dinner, life felt pretty good. Dinner parties happen to be one o… Read More
2015-09-23 11:26
Being single can be a blessing, or a curse, depending on what you’re looking for. Over the years, I’ve found it mostly liberating and occasionally frustrating, like the day you&r&hell…Read More
2015-09-18 08:53
Photographer: José Carlos Babo
Capture Date: April 12, 2014
Location: Castelo de Marvão, Portugal
About: Perched on a granite crag of the Serra de Sã&helli…Read More
2015-09-16 08:36
Housed in an 18th century baroque building, we leave behind the contrasting sleek interior of the bread and wine museum and step back onto the cobbled streets of the charming village of Fava… Read More
2015-09-08 08:36
There is a saying in the Catalan language: sense foc no hi ha festa (without fire, there is no festival), and they aren’t exaggerating. Indeed, the region’s pyromaniacal bent may… Read More
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