It’s been quiet here on Drinking Argentina for a while. But I haven’t disappeared — I’ve just been walking a different trail these last couple of years. A Bourbon Trail.™
For those who aren’t aware, my day job is in advertising. And recently, that work has taken me deep into another world of storytelling: helping lead the creative and writing the new website for the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.®
It’s been a ride — literally and figuratively.
Two years exploring the backroads of Kentucky. Telling Bourbon’s story meant stepping into history, culture, and craft every bit as layered and soulful as wine.
And I have to tell you, nearly twenty years of exploring the tasting rooms of Mendoza was the perfect preparation for this assignment.
Kentucky may be thousands of miles from Argentina. But in many ways, it didn’t feel so far away. Whether I was exploring a high-desert winery in the Uco Valley or the green, rolling hills of Bardstown, Kentucky, I kept encountering the same traits. Intense local pride. Fierce dedication to quality. The camaraderie of fellow enthusiasts. And an astounding level of genuine hospitality.
What’s in the barrel might be different – but what’s in people’s hearts is exactly the same.
It’s been a phenomenal experience. Along those backroads, my team and I have been able to craft some of the storytelling I am proudest of in my career. From evocative campaign posters in airports to a global toast that connected bourbon lovers in 30 countries
Different Drink, Same Passion.
Working in Bourbon didn’t replace my love of Argentine wine. If anything, it sharpened it.
Whether it’s a bourbon barrel in Kentucky or carefully-tended old-vine Malbec in Mendoza, what moves me most are the people who make things with care, and the sense of place that clings to every bottle.
And while I’ve loved this detour down the Bourbon Trail™, a part of my heart has always stayed in Argentina — with the vineyards, the light, and the long, slow lunches with friends.
Coming Up Next.
I’m heading back to Mendoza soon for my sixteenth (maybe seventeenth? I’ve lost count) trip to Argentina. And I’ll be back on Drinking Argentina, sharing my discoveries and my unbiased opinion.
In my next post, I’ll be sharing the story of how this journey began — in a small Buenos Aires wine shop, with a single bottle of Angelica Zapata Malbec that changed everything.
In the meantime, here are a few samples from our work on the Bourbon Trail.™
