Wine Education Wednesdays: An Introduction to Riesling As today is International Riesling Day – we thought this week’s Wine Education post should focus on this wonderful white grape variety. Pronounced “Reessling”, this variety is best known for producing some of the finest wines in Germany (almost a quarter of all German wine is made from…
Wine Education Wednesdays: Tannins This week, we are talking about tannins! Tannins are a type of polyphenolic compound and an important structural component in your wine. They are found in things like fruit, tea leaves, and dark chocolate and create the same sensation on your palate as they do when you find them in wine.…
Wine Education Wednesdays: Pairing Food and Wine Happy Valentine’s Day everyone! To celebrate, todays post will be all about pairing food and wine – arguably the greatest lovers of all time. A match made in heaven. Just as food can influence the taste of your wine, wine can also influence the taste of your food,…
Wine Education Wednesdays: Cork Taint This week we are learning what cork taint is and what it actually means to have a “corked wine” – and no, it is not those small bits of cork that you occasionally find floating in your glass. Corked wines display aromas of wet cardboard, damp, and mould, and generally…
Wine Education Wednesdays: Understanding Wine Labels Firstly, let us explain GIs or ‘geographical indicators’. These are designated vineyard areas within a country and they can vary dramatically in size, covering an entire region (like Bordeaux) or just a single estate (like Bolgheri Sassicaia). In the EU, GIs are split into two categories – Protected Designation of…
Wine Education Wednesdays: The Phylloxera Outbreak We’ve got an interesting little history lesson for you today – all about how phylloxera, a 19th century vineyard pest, almost wiped out the entire population of European vines. Imagine a world without good wine! In 1866, an aphid known as ‘phylloxera’ was discovered in the vineyards of the…