Hi, I'm Kate. I am a wine creative, writer and educator who specializes in Portuguese wines.  Wine wasn’t always my focus – I actually come from a background in fashion and textile design, but it was a seamless transition into wine.  Wine, to me, is just as much an art form as any fabric or pattern could be.  It’s a blend of passion, hard work, creativity and flavor that perfectly complements my roots in design.  

I fell in love with wine because of the connection.  It connects people from all walks of life to each other, the nature surrounding them, as well as to the past while taking the future into consideration. It brings people together and starts conversations. I love sharing pieces of these connections with you. I don't just write about wine. I also teach others about it.  I love sharing my insights and discoveries with you to help you appreciate wine even more. 

My business is called Survives on Wine.  You may be thinking survives on wine sounds silly but let me explain the background for you. I survived cancer a few years ago, but due to side effects from surgeries and treatment, I had to give up my full time design career to pursue another career path. Years ago, I dabbled in wine and knew that one day I would circle back, however, I never had the time. Well, thanks to cancer, I had nothing but time to learn, research, explore and focus on wine. So, I am surviving because of wine, it has given me a second career and the hope for a long future in the industry.

I hope you enjoy what I share with you here.  My goals are to help you find the best wine experiences in Portugal, connect you to boutique wineries where you can have unique experiences that go beyond a wine tasting and help you with your Portugal wine itinerary.   If you'd like to read more from me, you can here. 

*The wine in the photo collage below is from Herdade do Rocim in the Alentejo. They have four really exciting and unique wine experiences to offer.