How Do they Decide What Wine Grapes to Plant?

Have you ever wondered how a winegrower decides to plant one grape variety over another? Some choices Mother Nature drives, but there’s actually a lot more behind deciding what grapes to plant in a new vineyard. Deciding what type of grape to plant where involves a complicated heuristic that takes into account environmental and non-environmental […]

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’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 […]