Clear Answers for Common Questions

Zinfandel is a red grape varietal grown extensively in California. Historically, Zinfandel has been used to produce mass-market, fairly mediocre wines. In recent years, however, a number of California wineries have begun producing exceptional wines from this grape. A geneticist at UC Davis discovered that the grape variety known ...

Cabernet Sauvignon is a red grape variety grown throughout the world. It is the undisputed king of red grapes, and not only as a result of its fabulous popularity as the central grape in Bordeaux. Cabernet Sauvignon is a hardy, versatile grape, perfectly suited to producing powerful, lustrous red wines ...

Gewurztraminer is a cold-climate grape used in the production of white wine. Though not universally popular, it is often used as an early wine to teach people how to recognize different varietals through taste, because of its distinctive smell and taste. The main aroma from Gewurztraminer is one of ...

Pinot Grigio is a grape varietal popular in Italy and growing in popularity throughout the rest of the world. It has fairly pink skin, imparting a rich color to the white wines it is used in producing. Unlike most wine grapes, which have a uniform green flesh, the flesh of ...

Chardonnay is to white wine what Cabernet Sauvignon is to red: the undisputed ruler over its many cousins. Used widely in many of France’s most popular white wines, this type of grape has enjoyed international acceptance due to its versatility both in growing and in wine production. This varietal ...

Merlot is undoubtedly one of the greatest of the red grapes. Merlot is widely responsible for the predominant tastes in most wines from the Bordeaux region in France. It produces what are arguably the most drinkable red wines, and has enjoyed a considerable amount of popularity — as well as ...

Madeira wine is actually a family of wines that originate in the Madeira Islands of Portugal. The various wines that are created using the methods that have been in common use for centuries can be utilized in a number of different ways. Some types of Madeira wine are ideal for ...

Vinho verde is a variety of Portuguese wine which has a very distinctive appearance and flavor. As the name implies, the wine is designed to be drunk “green” or young, and it has a crisp, refreshing, very fresh taste which appeals to many consumers, with an alcohol content of up ...

Pomace wine is a wine which is made from pomace, the material left over after fruit has been pressed to make juice. True pomace wine is relatively rare in the modern era, because the flavor tends to be less than stellar, but it is possible to find a number of ...

Ice wine, or as it's known in Germany, Eiswein, is made from frozen grapes. Since the grapes are picked and processed before they're thawed out, frozen water and highly concentrated sugar and acid is squeezed out. The result is a sweet, fruity dessert wine. The first ice wine ...

For at least 200 years, winemakers have been storing many of their products in French oak barrels during the fermentation process. In fact, many of the flavors experienced by consumers of the finished wine are created by the oak itself, not the grapes. Because these French oak barrels can impart ...

Late harvest wine is wine which has been made from grapes or other fruits which are left on the parent plant longer than usual. As a result, the fruit develops more sugars, and the resulting wine is much sweeter and richer than other wines. Many late harvest wines are used ...

A fortified wine is a wine to which spirits such as brandy have been added. In addition to raising the alcohol content of the wine, the spirits also change the flavor profile, making a unique and very distinctive wine. While fortified wine was originally born out of necessity, consumers began ...

Sangría is a wine and fruit punch, and above and beyond that, it is limited only by the preparer’s imagination. The word sangría comes from the Spanish word for blood and refers the deep red color of the beverage that comes from one of the crucial ingredients: red wine ...

Prosecco is an Italian sparkling dry white wine made primarily from Glera grapes. These are primarily grown in the Prosecco region of Italy, which includes Conegliano and Valdobbiadene, north of Venice in the Vento region. Under European law, only sparkling wines made with grapes grown in this region can have ...

While some people might assume different types of wine are segregated merely into reds and whites, this is an oversimplification. While red and white wines have their differences, it is the variety within each group that reveals something about its taste. Although prices range from very cheap to extremely expensive ...

The U.S regulatory body which oversees the labeling of wine, states that as of 2004 a low carb wine is one that contains fewer than 7 grams of carbohydrates in a 5-ounce glass. As data available from the U.S Department of Agriculture proves, this pertains to virtually ...

The wine industry is full of terminology that may be confusing to the average person. For example, the Italians refer to slightly sparkling wines as frizzante wines. In Spain, however, these wines are known as Vino de Aguja. The French term for them is Petillant, while the German term is ...

Red wine is a type of fermented beverage made from cultivars of Vitis vinifera, better known as the European grape. There are a wide range of beverages in the family of reds, ranging from hearty Zinfandels to earthy Merlots. The other main type of wine from grapes is white wine ...

Rice wine is a somewhat deceptive name, since instead of using fruit, which is the usually ingredient for wines, a grain (rice) is fermented to produce the wine. Some say rice wine processes are really rice beer processes, yet the end result generally is similar in taste to wines made ...

Wine coolers are the commercial adaptation of various drinks made with fruit juice and wine. Such drinks like sangria were often made at home. This changed, however, when the company California Coolers®, founded in Stockton, California, began producing a bottled version of this beverage in 1981. California Coolers® ...

Characterized by a sweet taste and a low alcohol content, mirin is a popular Japanese cooking wine. While it's most commonly used in cooking, the wine is sometimes employed as a ceremonial drink at the beginning of the new year and a few other special occasions. Its main benefit ...

Riesling is a white grape used in producing white wine throughout the world. Like the somewhat similar Gewurztraminer, Riesling is considered an excellent starting wine for those interested in developing their palettes or an appreciation of white wine. Riesling has, more than any other wine, gained an undeserved negative reputation ...

Viognier is a very full-bodied, yet soft white wine grown throughout the world. Viognier is one of the aromatic wines, like wines such as Muscat or Riesling. Its flowery scent is one of its primary appeals, considered by some to be the best aroma in wine. Viognier is grown ...

Rose wines, often referred to as blush wines or written rosé, are wines typically made with red grapes but that have a much lighter color than red wine due to the way the wine is made. The actual hue varies depending on the grapes and winemaking method involved; most ...

Retsina is a unique wine product made almost exclusively in Greece. It is made with a base of white or rosé wine that is flavored with pine resin. The wine is quite pungent, and not to everyone's taste. However, the Greeks have been making and drinking it for ...

Manischewitz is a company based in the United States which specializes in producing kosher foods and beverages. While they make a wide assortment of products, including matzo, the name Manischewitz is often used as a synonym for the sweet kosher wine they produce. Kosher food must meet a number of ...

Bordeaux is a region in France known for its amazing wines. The term Bordeaux is usually used to refer to any wines that come from this distinctive region. The red wines of Bordeaux are probably the most well known, though there are a number of sweet white wines that are ...

The term varietal is most often used in the context of wine, as a description of the grape used in producing the wine. It may also be used by connoisseurs for crops such as coffee and chocolate, and as specialty region-specific varieties of these crops are becoming more mainstream ...

Wine flights, also sometimes referred to as tasting flights, are tastings of multiple wines, which allow tasters to get a feel for breadth or depth. They are usually intended for those new to the experience of tasting wine, or those who want to increase their understanding of a specific region ...

Mulled wine is a traditional winter drink in various European cultures. While there are many recipes and regional variants, it generally consists of wine mixed with spices and served hot. Originally, preparing mulled wine was a way to extend the life of a wine that had passed its prime, but ...

Wine jelly is exactly what it sounds like: jelly made out of wine. It may use any kind of wine — white, red, or rose — and it may be sweet, spicy, or savory, depending upon the ingredients one uses. This jelly is available from a number of retailers, but ...

If you are a wine lover but find yourself limited by the few choices available at the local liquor store, you should know there are options beyond that. One of them is Wine-of-the-Month Club, a mail order company created by Paul Kalemkiarian Sr. in the 1970s. Wine ...

Cork taint is usually the explanation for why a bottled wine goes bad, aside from improper storage or significant age. The cork may appear moldy or wine may have permeated through the cork. Alternately the wine itself may taste moldy, or may have an unpleasant smell. The smell of the ...

Ullage is a Middle English word which means “the space at the top of a barrel, bottle, or cask.” It is used in a wide variety of industries to refer either to the liquid missing from a container, or to the space left behind by that missing liquid. This term ...

Red wine vinegar is vinegar made from essentially any variety of red wine. Many of the more expensive versions are made from specific types of wine, like merlot or pinot noir, though most of the vinegars available for sale are made from wine blends that might not be as appealing ...

A horizontal tasting is a wine tasting that focuses on tasting wines made in the same year or vintage. It’s really a way to compare wineries, and may focus on one or more varietals produced by wineries close by or far away depending upon preference. For instance, you could ...

A sommelier is a wine expert who specializes in the restaurant side of the wine industry. He or she is trained in wine tasting, pairing wine with foods, wine purchasing, wine storage, and the creation of wine lists. Most of the finest restaurants employ at least one wine expert, and ...

Screw-cap wines have perhaps a deserved but outdated reputation as cheap, insignificant and low quality wines. This reputation stems from the first use of screw caps on wines in the 1950s. Brands associated with bottle caps instead of corks were usually low price and tended not to be wines ...

Dessert wines tend to be rich, sweet, and higher in alcohol than conventional wines, and are traditionally served in small, dainty glasses. As the name suggests, dessert wines are usually served with dessert, and there are a number of varieties which have different levels of sweetness, flavor, and texture in ...

Enology, also seen spelled as oeonology, is the study of wines and wine making, from the moment vines are planted to the best way to store wine bottles for long cellaring. A student of enology is known as an enologist, and enologists run the gamut from consulting professors to active ...

In the 1990s, medical researchers described something called the French paradox. The paradox in this case was that French diets included plenty of high fat foods, especially cheese. This should have been enough to clog the arteries of most people, but instead, the French seemed to have very good health ...

Wine tasting is an art, a pleasure, and for some, an occupation. Professional wine tasters make a living by assessing wine for quality, aging potential, commercial value, complexity, and character. A refined palate and an extensive vocabulary are the tools used to construct a description of the wine using specific ...

Contrary to popular belief, red wine grapes are not red throughout the entire growing season. Both red wine grapes and white wine grapes are green when they first begin to form. In fact, like all fruits, white and red wine grapes begin as flowers. The first stage of grape growth ...

With the current popularity and quality of California wines, it’s hard to imagine that they haven’t been around forever. Father Junipero Serra, a Franciscan missionary, planted California’s first vineyards at Mission San Diego around 1769. The black-skinned grapes produced by these initial vines are appropriately named ...

Barrel ageing is an important step in the winemaking process. It is also used for certain other alcohols, such as some specialty beers. During the barrel ageing process, the wine mellows, becoming more complex and pleasant to drink. Different types of barrels are used, depending on the wine, and the ...

With wine's increasing popularity, many people have become amateur collectors. The more one collects, the more one needs to be concerned about how to properly store it. For most people, the cost of building a wine cellar is out of the question, although this is the ideal way to ...

Many factors, some a little surprising, impact the price of wine. The obvious factors include a wine’s scarcity, the labor costs to produce the grapes and wine, and the cost of the vineyards themselves. Some less obvious factors that can impact the price of wine include consumer perception about ...

Currently, plastic wine corks are being used to cork wine with greater regularity. Those who use them point to several advantages that plastic has over cork harvested from trees. The most frequent reasons given are that plastic is not vulnerable to cork taint, and thus better protects wine. As well ...

As a special means of preparing grapes for wine making, cryoextraction makes the most of modern refrigeration to make a very special class of wines. Here is some information about the actual process of cryoextraction, and how this procedure can make a big difference in the quality of the wine ...

Mulled wine is a traditional winter beverage that has been served in Europe for thousands of years. In a classic form, mulled wine is made with red wine, spices, lemon, and sugar, and served warm. Many variations on mulled wine exist, including versions with white wine or spiced drinks diluted ...

A wine tasting tour is a trip conducted for the specific purpose of sampling wines. Usually, such a trip is done in wine country, a region in which grapes are grown and processed into wine. People on a wine tasting trip have an opportunity to taste hundreds of wines from ...

A wine refrigerator, also called a wine cooler, is made especially to chill your wine to the perfect serving temperature for great taste every time. Ideally wine is stored in a "wine cellar" -- an appliance very similar although it controls humidity too. Wine is best stored at about 55 degrees ...

The Great French Wine Blight was a blight which destroyed over 40% of French vineyards in the 1860s and 1870s. The blight had a serious impact on French winemaking and French culture, and gave some North American and European vineyards a chance to step in and fill the vacuum, becoming ...

A wine tasting party can be a great way to experience new flavors of wine, develop a wine palate, and spend a pleasant evening with friends. Organizing a wine tasting party well in advance ensures that it will run smoothly, and that everyone will have a good time. To host ...

A wine cellar is a room, or in some cases cabinet, meant to store and protect wine. It can vary in size, cost, and effectiveness. In recent years a number of affordable options have appeared on the market, allowing even casual consumers of wine the ability to store their wine ...

Honor-system wine bars are wine bars which operate on the honor system, allowing their patrons to decide how much they owe, and pay accordingly. The first such bars were opened in Berlin by a businessman named Jürgen Stumpf, and they turned out to be successful enough for Stumpf to ...

Wine stoppers range from unadorned cork to cork with ornaments on top to stoppers made from other materials such as glass, chrome, wood, ceramic, and stainless steel. All wine stoppers, whether plain or decorative, must seal the wine bottle well to prevent oxidation and spoilage. Good wine stoppers such as ...

As delicious as red wines can be, they all share one condition: sedimentation. As red wines age, crystals of potassium bitartrate form in the liquid and eventually settle to the bottom. This can cause vintage red wines to taste bitter and prevent younger red wines from reaching their fullest flavor ...

All wine glasses follow the same tulip-shaped design and have three essential components: the base, which keeps the glass upright; the stem, which allows a person to hold the glass without transferring his or her body heat to the wine; and a body conducive to maximum flavor and aroma ...

INAO glasses are a particular type of class of wine glass that is certified and approved for use by the Institut National des Appellations d’Origine. In most cases, INAO glasses are used in the wine sampling and wine tasting activities, such as those conducted at many vineyards. The glasses ...

Wine racks can be decorative or utilitarian, but they all have one thing in common -- they are designed to hold wine bottles to free up space. Some wine racks are designed to safely store bottles, while others display wine. Storage racks, called cellar style wine racks, can be modular or ...

Knowing what a friend or loved one's interests and passions are really helps when it comes to choosing the right gift. This type of gift is also very thoughtful as it shows you took the time to consider their hobbies or passions. Gift ideas for wine lovers range from ...