Thinking About Drinking
Old World wines come from Europe (France, Italy, Spain) and are typically earthy, mineral-driven, and food-focused with higher acidity. New World wines come from everywhere else (California, Australia, Chile) and are usually fruit-forward, bolder, and higher in alcohol. Climate and winemaking traditions create these distinct style differences.
That “buttery” note in certain wines, especially chardonnay, is the result of specific winemaking choices, most notably malolactic fermentation.
If you’ve already read my post on grapes, varietals, and blends, you know that grape refers to the fruit itself, varietal means the specific type (like Cabernet Sauvignon or Riesling), and a blend is a wine made from more than…
You’ve probably heard the phrase “aging like a fine wine,” or heard someone observe that a wine will be better in five years? But what does that actually mean? Do all wines benefit from age? And how do you know…
You’re swirling your glass and pick up notes of vanilla, baking spice, maybe a little toasted coconut (yum!). Or maybe you’re sipping something lean and bright—no toast, no cream, just crisp fruit and minerals. What gives? The difference is oak.…
We’ve all lingered in the wine aisle or hovered over an online cart, wondering: How can this bottle be $12, and that one $120? Is it marketing? Prestige? Or is there something actually in the bottle that justifies the cost?
When someone says a wine’s tannins are softening, they’re talking about a transformation in texture. Young tannins can feel astringent—grippy, drying, or even bitter. As a wine ages, those same tannins mellow out. They start to feel smoother, rounder, silkier. Less like a sandpaper handshake and more like a velvet hug.
Why do some red wines make your mouth feel like the Sahara desert? The answer is tannins—and here's everything you need to know.
Ever sip a wine that tastes like a fruit salad but get told it's "bone dry"? Let's decode this wine mystery once and for all.