Best Red Wine for Casual Drinking
Confession. I drink wine. A lot of wine. Most of the wine I drink I’d consider ‘casual’… and also red. The best red wine for casual drinking is one that doesn’t need to be aged or decanted. These red wines need to be easy to find, affordable, and easy to pair. The best red wines […]
Touriga Nacional: Quick Guide
Pronounced: tore-ee-gah naw-see-oh-nahl If you’re holding a bottle of Touriga Nacional right now, please invite me over. Seriously. Touriga Nacional is a black wine grape native to Northern Portugal. Winemakers use Touriga Nacional as a main blending grape in age-worthy sweet fortified Port wines, as well as fine dry red table wines. Touriga Nacional wines […]
How Does Wine Taste Like Chocolate?
If you’ve found this post, I’m willing to bet you’re drinking a red wine that tastes like chocolate. But is it milk chocolate or dark chocolate? The chocolate and mocha flavors common in wine come from oak. There’s no real chocolate in your wine. Winemakers use toasted French or American oak to give your wine […]
Is Malbec the Same as Cabernet Franc? Malbec vs Cabernet Franc
Characteristics Malbec Cabernet Franc Hue Deep purple to black Ruby red to deep purple Color Red to black Red Aromas Blue fruits, plum, cocoa Red berries, violets, peppery Tannins Medium to Medium +, smooth Firm, grippy Acid Moderate Moderate to high Alcohol (%) 13-15% 12-15% Body Medium to full Medium to full Intensity Pronounced Moderate […]
Buttery Red Wines: What It Means, How It Tastes, Finding Buttery Red Wines
Red wines can be tricky for the average wine drinker because they include not just the qualities of the grape, but also present the unique touch of the winemaker. And if you’ve ever smelled or tasted a buttery red wine, then you’ve definitely detected the hand of your winemaker! Buttery red wines can refer to […]
Malbec Wine: A Comprehensive Guide
Everyone loves the story of an underdog. An endurance trial to come back against all odds, winning favor and acclaim. Malbec (pronounced Mal-beck) is the underdog of wine. Once a widely-planted grape throughout France, this grape suffered catastrophic losses in the mid-20th century due to frost damage and was left by the wayside. But across […]
30 Second Tasting Tip: How to Taste Wine Tannins
What does wine tannin taste like? Check out this simple trick to unlock the taste of tannins in wine.
What Makes a Wine a Bordeaux?
When someone says ‘Bordeaux’, what exactly do they mean? Bordeaux (Bore-doh) can be a place, a wine, or even a wine style. Bordeaux wines, mostly red blends, originate from France’s Bordeaux region on the Atlantic coast. Dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, with Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Carménère, and Malbec in varying proportions, these wines […]
Entre-Deux-Mers Wine: Quick Guide
The Entre-deux-Mers AOC is the second largest appellation in Bordeaux in terms of hectares. The wines can only be white if made under the official appellation designation (AOC). Despite this, most grapes grown in the region are red and destined for red wine. The region makes entry-level Bordeux wines good for budget-conscious wine lovers and those getting started with wine.