Wine Accessories
Best Wine Decanter: 6 Picks and How Long to Decant
Six wine decanters from $60 to a handmade splurge, with maker specs, plus how long to decant red wine and how to clean a decanter without scratching it.
7 min read
Wine guides
All wine guides · Page 4
Every Wine Blue Book guide in one place: wine basics, grape varieties, wine regions, food pairings, wine ratings and research-based value picks.
Wine Basics
Best Wine for Beginners: Easy Styles and Where to Start
Start with fruity, gentle styles: Moscato, off-dry Riesling, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir and Malbec. Here is why they work, bottles to try and how to explore.
6 min read
Wine Accessories
Best Wine Fridge: 6 Wine Coolers Compared by Their Specs
Six wine fridges compared on the specs that matter: cooling type, zones, venting for built-in use, real bottle capacity, temperature range and noise.
9 min read
Wine Accessories
Best Wine Glass Charms: Rings, Silicone and Pens
Five wine glass charms and markers: pewter rings, silicone stem wraps, suction markers for stemless glasses and glass pens, with what each maker says.
7 min read
Wine Accessories
Best Wine Glasses: 6 Sets for Everyday, Big Reds and Splurges
Six wine glasses worth buying, from a $45 set of four to a hand-crafted splurge, with maker specs on bowl size, height, material and dishwasher safety.
8 min read
Wine Basics
Brut vs Extra Dry: Which Sparkling Wine Is Sweeter?
Extra Dry is sweeter than Brut: 12 to 17 grams of sugar per liter against under 12. Here is the full sweetness scale and when to choose each style.
5 min read
Grape Varieties
Cabernet vs Merlot: Taste, Bordeaux, Food and Price
Cabernet Sauvignon is firmer, with black currant and cedar; Merlot is softer, with cherry, plum and chocolate. How they differ, blend and compare on price.
7 min read
Wine Basics
Can You Bring Wine on a Plane? TSA, FAA and Customs Rules
Yes, in checked bags with no TSA limit for table wine. Carry-ons allow only 3.4 oz. Here are the TSA, FAA and US customs rules, plus how to pack bottles.
7 min read
Wine Regions
Chablis Wine: Burgundy's Crisp Chardonnay Explained
Chablis is Chardonnay from northern Burgundy: dry, crisp and mineral. Here are its four levels, its Kimmeridgian soil, the 7 Grand Cru climats and food tips.
7 min read
Grape Varieties
Chardonnay vs Sauvignon Blanc: Body, Oak, Taste, Food
Chardonnay is fuller and often oaked or buttery; Sauvignon Blanc is lighter and zesty, with grapefruit and cut grass. Here is how to choose between them.
7 min read
Wine Basics
Corkage Fee: What It Costs and How to BYOB Politely
A corkage fee is what a restaurant charges to open a bottle you bring. Here is what publications report it costs, how the rules vary and BYOB etiquette.
7 min read
Wine Basics
History of Wine: From Neolithic Jars to Today
Wine is at least 8,000 years old. Here is its history, from Neolithic jars in Georgia and Iran to Egypt, Greece, Rome, the monasteries and the New World.
10 min read