Mar 03
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The Value of a Taste Vacation

Placing Value on Luxury Travel (and Ultimately, Happiness)

By Taste Vacations No Comments

At Taste Vacations, we place a high amount of value on creating unique culinary experiences not available to the everyday traveler. We believe in providing you with an outstanding, unforgettable vacation where you will be taken care of every step of the way so that you can truly relax and concentrate solely on enjoying yourself.

Generally speaking, we believe everyone should prioritize travel in their lives, even if that means you venture out to a new region that is only an hours drive from your house. You can learn so much about the surrounding world, and frankly, yourself, by expanding your boundaries and seeing new things. We aren’t alone in this belief. The perceived value of travel has increased greatly over the past few years, with several recent studies showing that people who spend money on experiences rather than material goods are generally happier.

Experiences such as travel, attending a concert, or taking a class to learn a new skill will result in increased happiness for the participant, even after the actual experience is over. A purchase of materials goods such as a luxury car or designer watch can create happiness but only for a short period of time. (Though traveling in your luxury car to new destinations would be a step in the right direction!)

Last year, an article on Fast Company featured an interview with Dr. Thomas Gilovich, a researcher who has been studying the effects of money vs. happiness for over 20 years. “Our experiences are a bigger part of ourselves than our material goods,” says Gilovich. “You can really like your material stuff. You can even think that part of your identity is connected to those things, but nonetheless, they remain separate from you. In contrast, your experiences really are part of you. We are the sum total of our experiences.”

The Taste Vacations team has a passion for life and places value in providing our guests the opportunity to explore new territories, experience new cultures, and taste new cuisines – which we would like to think, in turn, may help the world be a happier place.

Feb 26
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Wine Blogs for Wine Tourists

Top 5 Wine Blogs For The Inquisitive Wine Tourist

By Wine 2 Comments

At Taste Vacations, we are clearly passionate about wine travel — we have more luxury wine tours than any other type of offering.  In our free time, we also love to read about wine travel and have a few favorite wine blogs where we pick up tips about exploring new wine regions or tasty tidbits about some of the old standards. Below we’ve compiled a list of wine blogs that show a variety of perspectives, highlighting a number of different wine regions.

5 Wine Blogs You Should Start Reading

    1. EnotecaMarcella – Looking to learn more about Italian wines? EnotecaMarcella is the wine blog for you.  Marcella’s main goals are to introduce you to the expansive list of Italian grape varietals and wines, teach respect for the Italian culture, and be a resource for the latest information on the current world of Italian wines.
    2. Wine Country Getaways –  Before planning your next California wine vacation on your own, you’ll want to consult Wine Country Getaways. Janelle and Joe Becerra have been exploring California wine country since 1965 and have a wealth of knowledge to bestow.  They provide recommendations for wineries that most wine country visitors will find interesting and fun, as well as provide wine trail guidance so that you can experience a wide range of different types of wineries.
    3. Ken’s Wine Guide – In search of the perfect wine for you next event? Look no further than Ken’s Wine Guide.  Ken features notable wines, restaurants, wineries, and wine country accommodations for wine lovers of all ages and knowledge levels.
    4. Riviera Grapevine – Chrissie McClatchie brings a fresh perspective on French wine as an Australian living in Nice, France. Working in the wine industry herself, she provides tips, recommendations, and resources that would be beneficial to anyone planning a trip to the Riviera.
    5. Grape Expectations – You’ll find a little bit of everything on Grape Expectations.  Cindy Rynning writes about various wine regions, wine varietals and tasting techniques; features interviews with winery owners and wine experts; and shares delightful stories of her wine travels.
Feb 23
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The History of Pesto recipe

The History of Pesto – Plus a No-fail, Easy Recipe

By Food, Taste Vacations No Comments

Pesto, also known as battuto Genovese, is a simple, yet superb sauce found in traditional Italian cuisine. The first written record of a pesto recipe dates back to the late 1800s, but is thought to have originated during the 16th century in Genoa, in Italy’s northern region. Traditionally, it is made up of crushed garlic, fresh basil, pine nuts, Parmesan Reggiano, and extra-virgin olive oil. The word pesto refers to how the sauce is authentically prepared with a mortar and pestle. Both pesto and pestle are derived from the word pestare which means to grind or crush.

Though pesto seems to have had a long history, moretum, the sauce that pesto is thought to have descended from, dates back to somewhere between 70 and 19 B.C. and was even described in a verse attributed to the great Roman poet, Virgil. Moretum was a green paste made of cheese, garlic, and herbs.

Today, one of the most popular uses for pesto is as a sauce for pasta, but it can also be used as a salad dressing, dip, or spread. Additionally, it is a delightful accompaniment to steak, poultry or fish.

Though we don’t go as far north as Genoa on our Tuscany Food & Wine Tour, we would highly recommend making an additional stop either before or after the tour to try what is sure to be the best pesto of your life. Or if you’re looking to try your hand at creating this exquisite sauce at home, our Alumni Ambassador and Tour Operations Manager, Kris, shares her no-fail, sure-to-please pesto recipe below:

Easy Pesto Recipe

  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 cups firmly packed fresh basil
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan

Place all contents in a food processor and mix until well blended.  Taste and adjust to your liking.

Buon appetito!

Feb 18
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Undurraga Terroir Hunters

The Emergence of the Terroir Hunter in Chile & Argentina

By Taste Vacations, Wine No Comments

On a recent trip through Chile last November, I had the pleasure of touring the stunning grounds of Viña Undurraga.  During the tour, the guide introduced me to a new term that I have quickly fallen in love with – Terroir Hunter. Basically, a Terroir Hunter is someone that seeks out premium veins of soil to help optimize the growth of specific varietals of grapes in previously unexplored areas.  Undurraga is one of the leading vineyards employing this type of practice and has even dedicated a whole line of wines under the TH (Terroir Hunter) label.

According to Undurraga, “T.H. is an innovative project in Chilean winemaking. After more than a century of producing wine, Chile is reinventing its viticulture, taking more risks, getting off the beaten track and emphasizing its diversity of climate, soil and topography. A country almost 5,000 kilometres long with abrupt topography ranging from sea level to mountains as high as 6,000 metres has potentially many more wine production areas than those that have historically been cultivated, which are located mostly in mid-Chile’s central valley. In fact, over the last decade, a small number of winemakers have ventured beyond the traditional areas. T.H. seeks to be the leader in this quest to explore new winemaking regions.”

Check out Undurraga’s video explaining their TH program.

Focusing on the terroir is certainly not a new practice for the rest of the world’s wine regions, but it is quite groundbreaking for South America. Over the past ten years or so, there has been a big shift in thinking, from caring mostly about the ease of farming and quantity of production to the terroir and ultimately the quality of the wine.  Eric Asimov of The New York Times recently wrote about the same shift occurring in Argentina in his article To Move Beyond Malbec, Look Below the Surface.  One potential reason for the slow adoption of this practice may be the complex nature of Chile and Argentina’s soil.  “The process has been a challenge because the soils of Mendoza are incredibly complicated… The soils change radically from one row of vines to the next, sometimes over a matter of meters.”

As a consumer, it will be interesting to see how the wines from this region transform over the next few years as the Terroir Hunters track down untouched pockets of exquisite terroir right under their noses.

Feb 15
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Cortona, Tuscany, Italy

The Simple Pleasure of A Tuscan Gastronomical Adventure: Cortona, Italy

By Food, Wine No Comments

There is a very large hill leading up to the town of Cortona in the province of Arezzo, in Tuscany, Italy. Seemingly endless switchbacks give light to the infinite beauty below the town, rolling hills of vineyards and hay slowly falling back as you continue to climb up. The ambiance is enhanced by the setting sun on my last ascent up to the breathtaking town.

I have a hand-drawn map, given to me by a friend who has spent many years exploring Italy. I have never been to Cortona before, but I know exactly where I want to go, even if I can not pronounce the name of the venue properly.

Tucked into one of the tiny winding streets that spiral the city center, my restaurant awaits me. I walk in and point to a table outside. Sitting down, the aromas of fresh bread and rosemary assault my nostrils in the most pleasing way. I decide then and there to indulge in ½ liter of house red wine, linguine all’arrabbiata as my primi piatto (first course), and the pollo al marsala as my secondo piatto (second or main course). Now that the hard part of deciding what to order is over, I peacefully wait to savor my meal.

First comes the fresh bread, still warm. I drizzle olive oil on the plate with a few sporadic drops of balsamic vinegar and sprinkle it with salt and pepper. The wine is dark and robust, perhaps too strong, but it tastes good. I tell myself it has antioxidants in it and drink up.

About 10 minutes later the arrabbiata arrives, al dente, of course. I am always amazed at how such a simple dish of fettuccine, olive oil, garlic and chili pepper in a simple tomato sauce can taste of utter perfection. I love spice and this heat gives balance to the often astringent garlic. All is made smooth and subtle by a homemade tomato sauce that tastes nothing like anything I have been served in the states.

Next my beloved chicken marsala, a dish so savory I can’t help but close my eyes while I enjoy the first few bites. Essentially, it is a butter and wine sauce finished with mushrooms and fresh herbs. There is something about it that makes it seem like these ingredients were destined for each other since the dawn of time. Chicken dredged in flour and sometimes lemon, then pan fried and topped with marsala. At this point in my meal, I am very happy that I ordered as much wine as I did, for it has opened nicely and balance has been achieved.

I finish my meal with a panna cotta topped with fresh raspberries, and a macchiato, because I still have to ride my bike home. The panna cotta was clean, pure, and simple. The raspberries were small and wild, full of flavor and giving of nutrients. I was in a complete state of bliss. The family who kept the restaurant has continuously checked in on me, as though I am starved for conversation (it seems they forgot I don’t speak Italian) or perhaps they too enjoyed the ambiance, the aroma, and the incessant smirk on my face for being in the right place at the right time.

Post written by Kerry Dopler, Taste Vacations’ Customer Care Coordinator.

You too can enjoy the simple pleasures of an extraordinary Tuscan meal.
Join us on the Tuscany Food & Wine Tour!