Wine Basics
Ice Wine: How Icewine and Eiswein Are Made and Served
Ice wine is a sweet wine pressed from grapes frozen on the vine. Here are the Canadian and German rules, the grapes, why it costs so much and how to serve it.
7 min read
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Wine Basics · Page 3
Wine basics in plain English: how wine is made, how to store and serve it, how long it lasts once opened, and what is wrong when a wine tastes sour, smells off or turns brown.
Wine Basics
Madeira Wine: Styles, Grapes, Age Labels and Cooking
Madeira is a heated, fortified wine from a Portuguese Atlantic island. Here are its grapes, Rainwater, age labels, how long it keeps open and cooking tips.
8 min read
Wine Basics
Marsala Wine: Styles, Labels, Cooking and Substitutes
Marsala is a fortified wine from western Sicily, made dry or sweet in gold, amber and ruby styles. Here is how to read the label, cook with it and swap it out.
8 min read
Wine Basics
Non-Alcoholic Wine: Labels, How It's Made and Taste
Most non-alcoholic wine is real wine with the alcohol taken out. What the US label terms mean, how it's made, how it tastes and how many calories it has.
7 min read
Wine Basics
Sommelier: What They Do and How to Become One
A sommelier runs a restaurant's wine and drinks service. Here is what the job involves, the Court of Master Sommeliers and WSET levels, and how to start.
8 min read
Wine Basics
Types of Wine: A Simple Guide to Every Main Style
Red, white, rosé, sparkling, dessert and fortified: how each type of wine is made, how they line up from light to full, and what to eat with them.
9 min read
Wine Basics
Wine Alcohol Content: Average ABV, Glass and Bottle
Most wine is about 12% to 15% alcohol. Here is the typical ABV by style, how much alcohol is in a glass and a bottle, and how exact the label is.
7 min read
Wine Basics
Wine Bottle Sizes: From Split to Nebuchadnezzar
A chart of wine bottle sizes, from the 187 ml split to the 15-liter Nebuchadnezzar, with liters, standard bottles and 5-ounce glasses for each.
6 min read
Wine Basics
High Alcohol Wine: Which Wines Are Strongest and Why
Most wine sits between 12% and 15% alcohol. Fortified wines like Port reach 19% to 22%. Here are ABV ranges by style and the strongest wines.
6 min read
Wine Basics
How Long Does Wine Last After Opening? A Guide by Style
Most opened wine stays good for about three to five days, sparkling for less and most fortified wine for weeks. Here is the window for each style.
6 min read
Wine Basics
Why Does My Wine Taste Sour? Acidity, Vinegar and More
A tart wine is often perfectly normal. A vinegary one is not. Here is how to tell acidity from spoilage, why homemade wine turns sour and how to prevent it.
7 min read