David talks about a book written by Laura Catena, a fourth-generation winemaker in the Uco Valley, Argentina. The book is Vino Argentino: An Insider’s Guide to the Wines and Wine Country of Argentina, and in this book part-wine-primer, part-cultural-exploration, part-introduction-to-the-Argentine-lifestyle, discover where to eat, what to see, and how to travel like a local with Dr. Laura Catena, the Argentina-born, United States-educated, globetrotting wine star. The world’s fifth largest producer of wine, Argentina is home to malbec, the country’s best-known indigenous grape. More than 400,000 Americans and 600,000 Europeans visit Argentina every year to enjoy the mighty malbec, taste unparalleled food, trek the wide-open country, and tango all night long in Buenos Aires. Vino Argentino provides insider access to beautiful Argentina.

Dr. Catena is also acting in a 4-act play based on the striking artwork created for the Catena Zapata wines (which won the 2018 Drinks Business Award for Best Design & Packaging), Dr. Catena was inspired to create an original theatrical production exploring the global history of the Malbec grape.

It all began with the label. “For most wineries, labels are just marketing tools designed to quickly catch the eye from a store shelf,” says Dr. Laura Catena, Managing Director of Argentina’s Catena Zapata. “But we had a different idea: Why not create a label that delves deeper and dramatizes the incredible cultural story behind Malbec’s migration from Europe to the Americas?” Dr. Catena said of the honor: “The Malbec Argentino label tells the story of humanity, of women, of migration, and of natural disasters; this award is an acknowledgment of wine as a historical beverage.” Learn more about the project here.

Next, David talks with Kathleen Bershad, author of the new book, The Wine Lover’s Apprentice: Words of Wisdom for Would-Be Oenophiles. In The Wine Lover’s Apprentice, Bershad acknowledges the importance of tossing out the rules about wine and taking a relaxed approach to storing and serving everyday bottles.

Readers will learn tricks of the trade and strategies for navigating the shelves of a retail store or ordering wine at a restaurant. The Wine Lover’s Apprentice delves into the nitty-gritty details of winemaking and takes a look at the world’s major wine regions. Written in short bites, readers will easily gain a quick understanding of an area’s major grapes, the style or styles of wine, and the appellations that offer the best quality wine (or the best value). The Wine Lover’s Apprentice unravels the terms you see when reading a wine review, looking at a bottle, or listening to a wine geek talk vino. By the end of this helpful guide, readers will become empowered to know what’s in a bottle, be able to make an educated guess about its flavors, and help change the culture to make drinking wine what it should be―relaxing and fun. You can find the book here.

<a href=”http://media.blubrry.com/grapeencountersradio/grapeencounters.com/podcast/media/direct_download.php?file=ep462.mp3″> Download this episode</a>

 

David talks about a book written by Laura Catena, a fourth-generation winemaker in the Uco Valley, Argentina. The book is Vino Argentino: An Insider’s Guide to the Wines and Wine Country of Argentina, and in this book part-wine-primer, part-cultural-exploration, part-introduction-to-the-Argentine-lifestyle, discover where to eat, what to see, and how to travel like a local with […]