A great working relationship and a passion for wine brought us to this venture
Harsha E. Chacko, Ph.D., C.S.W. – Wine Director
Harsha E. Chacko is a Professor Emeritus of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Administration at the University of New Orleans where he taught for 33 years. He has a doctorate from the University of New Orleans (UNO) and Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Hotel, Restaurant and Travel Administration from the University of Massachusetts where he first became interested in wine when he completed a college course on Beverage Management.
At the University of New Orleans, Harsha was the faculty advisor for Esprit de Corx (the student wine club) and also developed a university level course titled Wines of the World. He led student field study trips to Napa and Sonoma, CA for 10 years since 2006 and in 2009, Harsha successfully completed the requirements for the designation as a Certified Specialist of Wine from the Society of Wine Educators. For numerous years, Harsha taught the Wines of the World course in Montpellier, France for the UNO Glories of France summer program. During this time, he toured Alsace, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, Loire Valley, Rhone, Beaujolais, Southwest France and Languedoc-Roussillon to acquire firsthand wine knowledge. He has also visited the major wine regions of New Zealand, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Chile, and Argentina.
Harsha and his wife Elen live in New Orleans and founded the Lake Vista Wine Club, a wine tasting group that meets once a month.
Marie Kaposchyn, M.A. Program Director
For over 26 years Marie dedicated her career to the Division of International Education at the University of New Orleans. As Program Director, she planned and organized all aspects of international travel for people who wanted to explore Europe and Central America. She has taken over 2,000 people abroad!
A large part of her summers were spent working in Montpellier, France, where Marie organized every phase of educational trips, big and small. One of the highlights of her programs were wine trips to Bordeaux, Burgundy, and other regions in France. Participants learned about terroirs and cépages, visited numerous vineyards, met with oenologists and wine growers. All this was familiar territory, her family originates from the Madiran wine region in the French Pyrenees. And it also became a natural transition to form a partnership in Bonne Cuvée.
Marie also writes the blog Simplytravelabroad, a compilation of stories and experiences to help her readers simplify the travel experience while upgrading the journey. Her blog specializes in a range of travel topics. From packing tips, to cultural experiences to local eateries. Minimally priced street food to Michelin-starred restaurants, it’s all there for her readers.
Marie lives in New Orleans with her husband Eric and their travel-loving Pomeranian Bouchon.