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.