Wine Basics
Caymus Vineyards: The Wagner Family and Its Napa Cabernet
Caymus is the Wagner family's Rutherford winery, known for plush Napa Cabernet and Special Selection. Its history, wines, US prices and critic scores.
7 min read
Category
Wine Basics
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
Tawny Port: Age Statements, Colheita and How to Serve It
Tawny Port is Port aged in wood until it turns amber and nutty. Here are the IVDP rules for Reserve, 10 to 40 Year Old and Colheita, and how long it keeps.
6 min read
Wine Basics
Barefoot Wine: History, Range, Sweetness and Prices
Barefoot wine began in a California garage in 1965 and now belongs to Gallo. Here is its history, the range, how sweet each style is, and what it costs.
5 min read
Wine Basics
Dom Pérignon: The Monk, the Myth and the Champagne
Dom Pérignon is a vintage-only Champagne named for a monk who didn't invent Champagne. The real history, the Plénitudes, critic scores and US prices.
8 min read
Wine Basics
La Marca Prosecco: Who Makes It, How Sweet, What It Costs
La Marca Prosecco is a DOC sparkling wine from Treviso sold under Gallo in the US. Who makes it, its sweetness and alcohol, the range, and what it costs.
7 min read
Wine Basics
Lillet: The Bordeaux Aperitif, Its Styles and Cocktails
Lillet is a wine-based French aperitif from Podensac near Bordeaux, sold as Blanc, Rosé and Rouge. Here's what it is, how to serve it and how long it keeps.
5 min read
Wine Basics
Stella Rosa Wine: The Riboli Family's Sweet, Fizzy Range
Stella Rosa wine is a semi-sweet, semi-sparkling Italian range from LA's Riboli family, about 5% alcohol. The story, the flavors, ABV and US prices.
7 min read
Wine Basics
Veuve Clicquot: The Widow, the Yellow Label and the Prices
Veuve Clicquot is the Reims Champagne house run by a 27-year-old widow from 1805. Her story, the Yellow Label, Rosé and La Grande Dame, with US prices.
6 min read
Wine Basics
Sweet Vermouth: The Rosso Style, Brands and Cocktails
Sweet vermouth is the red, bittersweet Italian style behind the Manhattan and the Negroni. Here is how it's made, the classic brands and how to store it.
5 min read
Wine Basics
Blanc de Blancs vs Blanc de Noirs: What They Mean
Blanc de Blancs is sparkling wine made only from white grapes; Blanc de Noirs comes only from black grapes. What each means, how they differ and what to eat.
7 min read
Wine Basics
Canned Wine: Can Sizes, Standard Drinks and Shelf Life
Canned wine is regular wine in a lined aluminum can. How many drinks each can size holds, what research says about liners, and how long to keep it.
7 min read
Wine Basics
Does Wine Have Sugar? Grams per Glass by Type
Yes, wine has sugar, but dry wine has very little: about 1 gram in a 5-ounce glass in USDA data. Here are the figures by type and how to read sweetness.
6 min read