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Are You Drinking Bitter Wine? Or Astringent Wine?

Some would-be wine drinkers get turned off by wine’s perceived bitterness, but vino comes in a range of styles. Bitterness in wine is from alcohol. High alcohol wines (13%+) can taste bitter Lower alcohol wines (Moscato, Lambrusco) are less bitter. Astringency, a tactile sensation, dries your mouth. High-tannin red wines feel more astringent. Light white […]

What Are Grapevine Rootstocks?

Many plants use rootstocks, a horticultural technique that grafts one species onto another. Grapevine rootstocks come from a different vine species (or a cross of several different species) selected to help the wine grapes thrive in difficult growing conditions. Growers select grapevine rootstocks based on drought resistance, pest resistance, or even tolerance for certain soil […]

Why Blend Wines? 7 Practical Reasons

You’re used to seeing wine labels that list wines by grape: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, or Chardonnay. You’ve also seen the more generic ‘blend’ on a label, with nary a mention of the grapes inside. But why do winemakers blend wine in the first place? Blending is one of the few practical tools a winemaker has […]

The Curious History of Tannat Wine: Tannat Wine Guide

Tannat makes tongue-coating wines that leave you puckering. Tannat has thick, deeply pigmented skins lending themselves to heavy tannin extraction during fermentation. Today, the largest producer of Tannat isn’t France, but rather Uruguay.

Why Is Grocery Outlet Wine Cheap?

How Grocery Outlet Wine Works Not all of you have had the adrenaline-inducing shopping experience that is Grocery Outlet. Today I’m stepping through their sliding glass doors into a slightly chaotic world where savvy shoppers flex their bargain-hunting skills. Grocery Outlet is able to carry discount wine and offer it at cheap prices thanks to […]

What’s Tartaric Acid in Wine: What You Need to Know

Do you enjoy zippy whites that bite back just a bit? That’s the acid doing its thing. Tartaric acid occurs naturally in grapes and is the main type of acid that you’ll taste in your wine. Winemakers may add tartaric acid to their wines to help with freshness and stability. Tartaric acid is a safe […]