Wine Start 37

Germany's two major growing regions for Riesling distinguish their bottles from one another by color. Wines from the Rhine usually come in brown bottles. What color bottles are used for Mosel wines?

Green

Winemakers who choose oak for fermentation and/or aging can use giant wooden tanks (foudres), small oak barrels (barriques) or both. What is the difference between the two in effect on the wine?

The correct answer is: Small barrels expose more of the wine to oak and oxygen.

This Austrian family business of 11 generations is at the forefront of glassmaking quality; it has produced different glass shapes to complement virtually every major wine type in the world.

Riedel

Which of these essential steps in a wine's development can ruin the wine if allowed to continue too long?

Ripening of the grapes Fermentation Aging

When making sparkling wine, the term dosage refers to what?

The answer is: The last step: adding wine and sugar to balance the wine's high acidity

Which basketball star turned to dunking grapes in his retirement, releasing his own Napa Cabernet in Nov. 2011 in his native country?

The answer is: Yao Ming

Most vineyards planted a century ago are "head-pruned." What does that mean?

The correct answer is: The shoots come directly from the head of the vine trunk

Malolactic fermentation is a bacterial process that converts malic acid in a wine into lactic acid. What is the effect on the flavor profile?

The correct answer is: The smoother, more buttery lactic acid flavors replace the tarter malic acid ones.

Sparkling wine bottles are usually heavier than still wine bottles. Why?

The correct answer is: Thicker glass better withstands the pressure of carbon dioxide in the bottle

Why are corks in sparkling wine bottles covered by wire cages?

The correct answer is: To further secure the cork against the extreme pressure inside the bottle

How do bubbles get into sparkling wine?

The correct answer is: Yeast and sugar are added to the still wine, creating a secondary fermentation.

The two traditional bottle shapes for red wine are Bordeaux and Burgundy. How do they differ?

The correct answer is: Burgundy bottles have lower, more tapered shoulders

2011 brought the release of perhaps the best-ever vintage, 2009, of which type of wine? One example, from Kosta Browne, was 2011's Wine of the Year.

The correct answer is: California Pinot Noir

Wine Spectator dubbed one season of 2011 the "Summer of Wine Crime" after a rash of law-breaking involving wine. Which wine was a darling of thieves in multiple different heists and cons?

The correct answer is: Château Pétrus

Which are the only vineyards in the Côte d'Or allowed to make both grand cru Pinot Noir and Chardonnay?

The correct answer is: Corton and Musigny

The CARE Act, potentially threatening direct shipment of wine, was introduced again in the U.S. Congress in 2011, though it never came to vote. What 2005 U.S. Supreme Court decision provided the basis for the current state of direct wine shipping?

The correct answer is: Granholm v. Heald

Beginning in the 13th century, wine played an important role in selecting new popes. How?

The correct answer is: If the conclave of papal electors deliberated too long, their food and wine rations were whittled down.

What is the safest method for opening a bottle of sparkling wine?

The correct answer is: Remove the foil, loosen the wire cage, keep your hand over the cork and slowly ease it out while twisting the bottle.

Large-format wine bottles (commonly up to 15 liters) are called by names like Jeroboam, Rehoboam, Methuselah, Salmanazar, Balthazar and Nebuchadnezzar. Which ancient book is the source of these names?

The correct answer is: The Bible

Petite Sirah was often interplanted in Zinfandel vineyards for what reason?

The correct answer is: To add tannins and a darker color to the wine

What is the largest American Viticultural Area (AVA), spanning 29,914 square miles and four states?

The correct answer is: Upper Mississippi River Valley AVA

Why are stainless steel containers now widely used for tasks such as fermentation and aging some wines?

They seal wine off from oxygen and prevent oxidization They are "neutral" and don't impart flavor to a wine They are more easily temperature-controlled than oak or concrete

2,4,6-trichloroanisole, known as TCA, is a chemical that can seep into wine through corks ("cork taint") or other plant-based materials. How can drinkers identify TCA taint?

The correct answer is: Musty, damp aromas and flavors in the wine, or a flat, muted taste

What color is the Zinfandel grape?

Red

South America's extreme vineyards

The intoxicating landscape of South America is diverse and extreme, says Alistair Cooper in this months magazine. Find out some of the most extreme vineyard sites... image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/10/South-America-extreme-vineyards-630x417.jpg extreme vineyards South America's extreme vineyard sites. Credit: Annabelle Sing TAGS: It is home to the world's longest mountain range, the largest river and the driest desert. It is this thrilling playground that is host to a growing band of intrepid winemakers who are stepping into the unknown in the pursuit of uniqueness and freshness. In recent years, new and existing regions have been explored at a backbreaking pace and boundaries have been pushed - with fascinating and exhilarating results. Outside these wild extremes lie swathes of vineyards in established regions with proven capability for quality wines. One may wonder, why risk moving beyond their relative security into the great wild unknown? Winemaker Marcelo Retamal explains: 'If you consider the great wines of the world - and I don't mean the most expensive - the most exciting wines are from areas that require risk-taking, always those that have good and bad years. The low-risk areas often produce uninspiring wines.' South America's extreme vineyard sites image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/10/Extremes-mountains-630x417.jpg extreme vineyards Design: Annabelle Sing The highest vineyards 3,111m The world's highest commercial vineyard: Colomé's Altura Máxima in Calchaquí, Argentina. (Nearby El Esteco's Chañar Punco is at 2,400m.) 2,450m Chile's highest vineyard is Ayllu, located in the Salar de Atacama. Ayllu is a fascinating social aid project, formed by the Chilean government in conjunction with chemical company SQM. In Toconao, the heart of the Atacama desert, 20 extremely smallscale producers produce individual wines under the shared brand name Ayllu. In 2015, just 7,251 bottles were made across all the producers. image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/10/Extremes-compass-630x417.jpg extreme vineyards Design: Annabelle Sing The furthest south 46°S Undurraga's experimental vineyard at Chile Chico is the world's most southerly vineyard. 45°S Spain's Miguel Torres continues a southern expansion in his Chilean business, driven by climate change predictions, recently acquiring 800ha in Aysén, close to Coyhaique. image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/10/Extremes-sun-630x417.jpg extreme vineyards Design: Annabelle Sing The driest vineyards Chile's Atacama desert is the driest place on earth. Some weather stations in the Atacama have never recorded any rainfall. Meanwhile, Argentina's Matías Michelini has recently started producing wines in Ica, Peru. Here annual rainfall is just 21mm per year. image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/10/Extremes-rain-630x417.jpg extreme vineyards Design: Annabelle Sing The wettest vineyards 2,100mm The average annual rainfall at Villaseñor's Pinot Noir vineyard in Puelo, Chile's most southerly commercial vineyard. Up to 2,500mm The annual rainfall that can be experienced at Chubut, in Argentinian Patagonia. image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/10/Extremes-heat-630x417.jpg extreme vineyards Design: Annabelle Sing The hottest 48.9°C The highest temperature recorded in Salta, Argentina (1904). 44.9°C The highest temperature recorded in a Chilean wine-growing region: Quillón, Itata (2017). image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/10/Extremes-snowflake-630x417.jpg extreme vineyards Design: Annabelle Sing The coldest -32.8°C The lowest temperature recorded in a South American wine region: Sarmiento, Chubut (1904). Alistair Cooper is a wine writer, broadcaster and consultant. This originally appeared as part of an feature in the October 2017 issue of Decanter magazine. Subscribe to Decanter here. More articles like this: Is snow good for vines? - ask Decanter The life cycle of a vine Read more at https://www.decanter.com/learn/south-americas-extreme-vineyards-377906/#PYPMMTDomGSYwB3s.99

What may be added to grape juice to start fermentation?

Yeast

How many years can a Zinfandel vineyard continue to be productive?

The correct answer is: 100 or more

After pressing or fermentation, the leftover grape skins, seeds, stems and pulp—the pomace—may be repurposed as what?

Fertilizer Livestock feed Base for distilling spirits

Freezing vines: What is the damage? - ask Decanter Read more at https://www.decanter.com/learn/advice/freezing-vines-ask-decanter-383617/#Dc2MVVgoie1shOFR.99

Does extreme cold damage vines in their dormant phase...? image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/04/champagne-frost-630x417.jpg climate change vineyards Frost in Champagne TAGS: Freezing vines - ask Decanter Edward Hylton, Surrey, UK, asks: Will extreme cold events damage vines in their dormant season? I've been following reports about the severe weather in New York State. Timothy E Martinson replies: Yes, extreme cold temperatures can injure grapevines - buds can even freeze. The temperature at which this happens varies according to the grape variety and the time during dormancy. See also: How do winemakers prevent frost? - ask Decanter Just published: Bordeaux counts the cost of frost for 2017 vintage For Vitis vinifera grapes such as Riesling, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc and Pinot Noir (all grown in New York State's Finger Lakes), temperatures that can cause bud injury in early January tend to be -21°C to -23˚C. We had significant injury in 2004, 2005, 2015 and 2016, but January lows this year have been -17°C to -20˚C, so we aren't too worried. During damaging temperatures, growers slice open buds to see what percentage are dead. If more than 20% bud death is noted, growers adjust their pruning by leaving more buds to compensate. This works as growers typically prune off 90% of dormant buds. Other ways growers cope is to have several trunks on each vine (they renew trunks every few years) or by mounding up dirt over the graft union ('hilling-up') to protect scion buds so they can train up new trunks. Timothy E Martinson is senior extension associate at the School of Integrative Plant Science's Statewide Viticulture Extension Program in Geneva, NY. This question is taken from Decanter magazine, subscribe to Decanter here. Got a question for Decanter's experts? Email us: [email protected] or on social media with #askDecanter. Find more wine questions answered here. Read more at https://www.decanter.com/learn/advice/freezing-vines-ask-decanter-383617/#Dc2MVVgoie1shOFR.99

Wine Spectator's Napa office tracks how many "corked" bottles have been tasted each year, and that number has steadily decreased. What percentage of California wines showed TCA taint in 2011?

The correct answer is: 3.8 percent

Wine may be fermented in many different types of containers. In which of the following would yeast not survive?

The correct answer is: An oven set at 425° F

Double decanting: When should you do it? - ask Decanter Read more at https://www.decanter.com/learn/advice/what-is-double-decanting-ask-decanter-382938/#b0jKRMPMaE2bZpb6.99

Double decanting is the process of decanting a wine twice; often the first into a decanter, and then back into the original - but now clean - bottle. But why do it? See below... image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2018/01/double-decanting-wine-630x417.jpg double decanting wine Double decanting can work well, but be careful with older, more fragile vintages. Credit: Sergio Azenha / Alamy TAGS: Stefan Neumann MS, head sommelier at Dinner by Heston in London, and a judge for the Decanter World Wine Awards, says there are three main reasons for double decanting wine: Opening up a closed, or shy, wine in a short period of time. Removing a large amount of sediment. Preparing wine for a large group of people in advance. Which wines are suited for double decanting? 'Rich concentrated, full-on reds with high levels of tannins and extract, like young Barolo or Barbarescos, young Napa Cabernets, or young bold Southern Rhône blends or intense youthful Malbec with substantial Oak ageing,' said Neumann. 'I wouldn't generally do it to a fragrant [or] delicate structure wine, like fruit-forward Pinot Noir.' image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/03/Double-decanting-630x417.jpg let wine breathe Double decanting wines at the Bordeaux Fine Wine Encounter 2017. Credit: Decanter. Margaret Rand wrote in Decanter magazine 'many in Bordeaux double-decant, serving the wine in the original bottle minus the deposit.' Wines are also often double decanted for masterclasses at Decanter Fine Wine Encounters, depending upon vintage age and style. 'It's good for the young vintages to do this, for more aeration,' said Pierre Grafeule, director of Léoville Las Cases, in his masterclass at the 2017 Bordeaux Fine Wine Encounter. 'It's definitely better to double decant if you can - give it at least one hour.' See also: Video: Decanting red wine How to let a wine 'breathe', and when Think about vintages image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/11/lynch-bages-old-wines.jpg lynch-bages wines, old vintages, bordeaux Old vintages of Château Lynch-Bages lined up for tasting attended by Jane Anson at Cafe Lavinal in Pauillac in 2017. Credit: Marina Cazes. 'Wines which are matured and going through a little dip in their ageing so are not particular showy or expressive in the glass and need a little help to wake up,' said Neumann. Watch out for particularly old vintages, though. 'I find older claret sometimes suitable, but only double decant them if under time pressure,' said Neumann. 'Generally I avoid it, because I think it's more beautiful to see them developing in the glass than pushing then so hard by giving them too much air so they fall apart.' What about white wines? 'Some whites like older Rhône or white Bordeaux can greatly improve,' said Neumann. 'But with lightly structured whites, there's normally no gain.' Neumann's final piece of advice: 'Last but not least, always trust your senses. If in doubt, don't double decant.' Got a question for Decanter's experts? Email us: [email protected] or on social media with #askDecanter. Find more wine questions answered here. Read more at https://www.decanter.com/learn/advice/what-is-double-decanting-ask-decanter-382938/#b0jKRMPMaE2bZpb6.99

The futures campaign for the 2010 vintage in Bordeaux was the priciest ever. What was the ex-négociant release price for 2010 Château Latour, the most expensive first-growth?

The correct answer is: 780 euros

Which of the following sparkling wine producers are located in Oregon and Washington?

The correct answer is: Argyle and Domaine Ste. Michelle

A sparkling wine cork, according to a German study, travels how many miles per hour as it leaves the bottle?

24.8

About how many wine growers are working in the entire Bordeaux region today?

8,700

Sparkling wine made from grapes is regularly produced in each of these U.S. states except one:

Alaska

What is Amarone wine? - ask Decanter Read more at https://www.decanter.com/learn/amarone-wine-ask-decanter-382575/#Auj1d9etKpKBzXgg.99

Have you tried Amarone della Valpolicella? Find out where and how it is made... image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2018/01/Amarone-630x417.jpg Amarone wine TAGS: What is Amarone wine? Amarone della Valpolicella is a wine made with partially dried grapes in Valpolicella, Veneto, North-east Italy. There are three geographical sub zones; Classico, Valpantena and 'Est', the extended zone. image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2018/01/Amarone-map-630x630.jpg Amarone wine map Amarone wine map. Credit: Decanter/ Maggie Nelson 'Each of the three geographical zones has its own identity,' said Michael Garner, in the 2018 Decanter Italy supplement. 'In broad strokes: Amarone from Classico tends to be the most elegant and aromatic, versions from the Valpantena are generally lighter and fruitier, while the so-called 'extended' zone (beyond Classico and Valpantena, bordering on the Soave) tends to produce richer, more muscular wines with a higher alcohol level.' In-depth: See our Amarone buying guide - For Premium members Grape varieties There are a few permitted grape varieties in Amarone wine - the main ones being Corvina, Corvinone and Rondinella, plus some lesser known ones. 'The aromas and flavours of Amarone are determined invariably by Corvina - and to a lesser extent Corvinone,' said Garner. 'Elegance and perfume (especially a telltale note of freshly ground black pepper) are hallmarks of the former, while Corvinone has deeper colour, more tannins and tobacco-like aromas.' 'Some growers talk up the current favourite Oseleta despite the low ratio of solid-to-liquid (skins and pips to must), which makes the variety a less suitable candidate for appassimento.' Appassimento Appassimento is the method of partially drying out the grapes, which are then slowly pressed, and slowly fermented, to make Amarone della Valpolicella. 'Amarone is about winemaking as much as anything else,' said Susan Hulme MW, in our 2017 panel tasting. 'Decisions around drying the grapes, length of appassimento, and time fermenting on skins make dramatic differences to style and quality.' What is the difference between ripasso and appassimento? Oak ageing 'Amarone spends a minimum of two years in wood, though can remain there for up to nine or 10 in rare cases (Quintarelli, Zyme). Barrels vary from French and Slavonian oak through to chestnut, cherry and even acacia,' said Garner. 'Newer, smaller barrels, usually oak, are commonly used and have a distinct effect on both aroma and texture (mouthfeel) in particular, though there seems to be a return to the more subtle and seasoned notes promoted by larger and older wood.' Got a question for Decanter's experts? Email us: [email protected] or on social media with #askDecanter. Find more wine questions answered here. Read more at https://www.decanter.com/learn/amarone-wine-ask-decanter-382575/#Auj1d9etKpKBzXgg.99

Wine is sensitive; its prolonged exposure to which of the following should be avoided?

Heat Light Air

Pomelo Sauvignon Blanc

Appellation: California Aroma: Fragrant white blossoms Taste: White peach, melon and ripe citrus Structure: Crisp and bright with a lovely lemon curd finish Varietals: 97% Sauvignon Blanc, 3% Chenin Blanc

Ca'Momi Rosso di Ca'Momi

Appellation: California Aroma: Ripe blueberries, subtle campfire smoke and blackberry Taste: Intense plum, blackberry pie and toasty spice Structure: Moderate tannins and a lingering finish Varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Merlot and Petite Sirah

After fermentation, some wines are left in contact with their "lees," the sediment of dead yeast and grape fragments. What beneficial effect does aging "sur lie" have?

The correct answer is: Adds complexity to the flavors and enhances the mouthfeel

According to a recent Wine Spectator poll, wines from this region are the most collected by the highest percentage of American collectors:

California

Wine undergoes "fining" to clarify and stabilize it. What substance may be used to bind with unwanted particles to separate them out of the liquid?

Casein (milk protein) Egg whites Isinglass (fish bladder)

Ten tips for visiting Champagne houses

Champagne houses hold many untold pleasures, but they can be a tough nut for tourists to crack. Avoid the pitfalls with Tyson Stelzer's 10-step guide and blend in with the chicest Champenois... image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/11/Veuve-house-1-630x417.jpg best champagne houses Make sure you arrive on time and dress the part in at Veuve Clicquot... Image Credit: lvmh.com TAGS: Top 10 tips for visiting Champagne houses 1. Always make an appointment well in advance. You'll be better looked after if you're expected, and most houses and growers don't accept visitors at all without an appointment. 2. Dress up. Visiting a Champagne house is a grand experience, so rise to the occasion. The Champenois dress up and it's respectful to do the same. SEE ALSO: Top Seven Champagne houses to visit 3. Book accommodation and top restaurants months in advance during the peak seasons of summer and autumn. 4. Start out in French. Every house and grower I've recommended here speaks fluent English, but they will always warm to any attempt to speak their language. image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/11/Ruinart-Tyson-Stelzer-630x417.jpg visiting champagne houses Make sure your Champagne knowledge is up to scratch when you step on the hallowed ground at Ruinart. Image Credit: Tyson Stelzer 5. Avoid weekends and public holidays - most estates only receive visitors on work days. 6. Allow plenty of time for appointments. Two to three houses or three to four growers a day is a busy schedule. 5. 9am is an early start in Champagne, and many prefer 10am appointments. Avoid 12pm-2pm, as everyone stops for lunch (as should you). You might have time for two appointments after lunch, and it's often fine to continue a visit into the early evening. SEE ALSO: What's the difference between Champagne and Prosecco? - ask Decanter 6. Arrive for appointments on time. The Champenois appreciate punctuality. Allow time to get through traffic in Reims and Epernay. 8. Champagne's cool northerly climate calls for a coat in the evening and layers during the day. Cellars maintain a cool 10ºC. During the day, wear shoes that are comfortable and practical. Cellar and winery tours are on foot and can include climbing of long flights of stairs and uneven surfaces. 10. Do your research and ask intelligent questions. This article was originally published in the December 2017 issue of Decanter Magazine. Click here to subscribe to Decanter Premium and get a first look at expert tastings and a digital copy of the magazine. Tyson Stelzer is an award-winning wine writer, presenter and author of The Champagne Guide 2018-2019. Click here to buy Original text by Tyson Stelzer and edited for Decanter.com by Laura Seal More wine travel guides: Travel inspiration: 8 of the best Italy wine holidays Château accommodation in Bordeaux - Living the dream Toulouse wine tour: Gaillac travel guide Read more at https://www.decanter.com/wine-travel/ten-tips-visiting-champagne-houses-379182/#IJVs0058VTVYi6mW.99

Which wine grape is most widely planted in the Finger Lakes region of New York?

Concord

What is the difference between ripasso and appassimento? - ask Decanter Read more at https://www.decanter.com/learn/advice/what-is-the-difference-between-ripasso-and-appassimento-ask-decanter-377975/#QDUALbPFKHUQKT2U.99

Confused by the terms ripasso and appassimento...? image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/10/ripasso-and-appassimento-630x417.jpg ripasso and appassimento Appassimento grapes at Agricola Masi TAGS: Ripasso and appassimento - ask Decanter Olivia Bolton, Newcastle, asks: What is the difference between ripasso and appassimento? Michael Garner replies: Both terms are common in the hills of Valpolicella north of Verona, though ripasso has much the more specific meaning. The word refers to the winemaking technique whereby a young Valpolicella is refermented on the lees of either Recioto or Amarone following their first racking. The technique has its roots in the feudal, mezzadria system (sharecropping or métayage), when nothing of any value was ever discarded. So the young Valpolicella would be given a boost by reworking those sugar-rich lees. Ripasso is now used to identify a category of wine made in this way and has its own official denomination. Appassimento refers to the process of drying grapes to make wine - it's carried out in Valpolicella on a much wider scale than anywhere else. Grapes are dried for a period of at least a couple of months and often as many as six, before being pressed and made into either Amarone or the region's original sweet wine Recioto della Valpolicella. These two wines therefore depend on the appassimento process for their singular style. In brief, ripasso is refermented on the lees of a wine made via the appassimento process. Michael Garner is an author and wine merchant specialising in the wines of Italy. To get your question answered, email us: [email protected] or on social media with #askDecanter More questions answered: What are lees in wine? - ask Decanter Read more at https://www.decanter.com/learn/advice/what-is-the-difference-between-ripasso-and-appassimento-ask-decanter-377975/#QDUALbPFKHUQKT2U.99

What are lees in wine? - Ask Decanter Read more at https://www.decanter.com/learn/advice/what-are-lees-in-wine-ask-decanter-377513/#YxspBxZYB7OFzXDX.99

Confused when a tasting note or description refers to 'lees'? And what sort of flavours do they produce? Our experts explain.... image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/10/lees-in-wine-630x417.jpg lees in wine A bottle of Muscadet labelled 'sur lie' (on the lees). Credit: Ian Shaw / Alamy Stock Photo TAGS: What are lees in wine? - Ask Decanter The lees in wine are essentially the dead yeast cells, leftover from the fermentation process. There are two kinds of lees; gross lees and fine lees. Gross lees refers to the sediment that forms in the wine, and tend to naturally fall to the bottom of the wine vessel. They are normally removed from the wine soon after fermentation has ceased. Fine lees are smaller particles that settle more slowly in the wine. They can also be filtered out of the wine, but some winemakers choose to leave them in for differing lengths of time in an effort to enhance the complexity of the wine. image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/10/lees-batonnage-burgundy-630x417.jpg stirring the lees A 'baton' used for stirring the lees in barrel in Burgundy, at Domaine Gachot-Monot. Credit: Per Karlsson, BKWine 2 / Alamy Stock Photo. The flavour of lees Leaving the fine lees with a white wine develops further flavours and adds body. Almond, hay and yeasty aromas and flavours can all be the results of spending some time 'sur lie' (on the lees). You can often find examples in still white wines from Muscadet and Burgundy. Latest: Tasting notes decoded Lees ageing or batonnage: Can you taste the difference? Lees in sparkling wines image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2016/12/riddling-racks-in-the-Krug-630x417.jpg riddling racks in the Krug cellars Riddling racks in the Krug cellars in Champagne. Credit: Krug. Champagne, and sparkling wines made in similar ways, can spend significant time on the lees. By law, a non-vintage Champagne must be aged for 15 months in bottle and spend at least 12 months on lees. A vintage Champagne must be aged on lees for three years minimum. Many houses age their best non-vintage and vintage wines for much longer than this. With traditional method sparkling wines, like Champagne, yeast cells dies in the bottle once sugar has been consumed, ending the second fermentation. This means that the wines come into close contact with fine lees left in the bottle and, over time, this creates autolytic flavours, like brioche, biscuit and bread. Removing the lees image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/07/Disgorgement-630x417.jpg A bottle of traditional method sparkling wine being disgorged by hand. The lees are removed in the process of disgorgement. It is becoming more popular for Champagne houses to produce 'late-disgorged' wines, meaning they have spent longer on the lees, or to include their disgorgement dates. Some Champagne houses now publish the date of disgorgement on bottle labels or via QR codes, too. Some winemakers remove the lees quickly from the wine, when they prefer a fruit-forward style of wine, with fewer secondary aromas. More questions answered: Do 'wine legs' mean a better wine? - ask Decanter When should I open my NV Champagne? - ask Decanter What's the difference between 'brut nature' and 'zero dosage'? - ask Decanter Read more at https://www.decanter.com/learn/advice/what-are-lees-in-wine-ask-decanter-377513/#YxspBxZYB7OFzXDX.99

The majority of sparkling wine in America is consumed during which period?

December

Studies published in 2011 concluded that which medical condition may be alleviated by drinking wine in moderation?

Dementia Diabetes Tremors

How to combat 'Prosecco teeth' - ask Decanter Read more at https://www.decanter.com/learn/advice/prosecco-teeth-how-to-combat-375405/#Fcc8gVVC4ALx1AqC.99

Dentists in the UK have warned of higher cases of 'Prosecco teeth', linking tooth decay to the surge in popularity for sparkling wine. Decanter.com gets expert advice ways to limit the damage, without cutting Prosecco or Champagne out of your life completely... image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/08/Prosecco-teeth-630x417.jpg Prosecco teeth TAGS: At a glance: How to limit 'Prosecco teeth' Drink less but better Drink with food, such as cheese, to reduce acid damage Take breaks and don't brush your teeth for at least one hour after drinking Drink your sparkling wine cocktail with a straw Full article Sparkling wines have been causing damage to our teeth, according to top dentists, warning against 'Prosecco teeth'; a condition where the tooth starts to come away from the gum, caused by the sugar, acidity and carbonation in the popular wine. 'Prosecco like other wines has a low pH i.e. (3.25) and this acidity can damage both the dentine and enamel in teeth,' Professor Damien Walmsley of the British Dental Association told Decanter.com. 'In addition, Prosecco contains sugar that feeds the harmful bacteria in your mouth, forming acids, and making the teeth more prone to decay.' How does it compare to other drinks? image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/08/sugar-in-wine.jpg sugar in wine The amount of residual sugar in wine is a hot topic covered by Decanter magazine's September 2017 issue. Credit: Mike Prior / Decanter. 'Every time you drink anything containing sugar, these acids attack the teeth and start to soften and dissolve the enamel.' 'These acid attacks can last for an hour after drinking Prosecco (or any food or drink containing sugars) before the natural alkaline compounds in your saliva cause the enamel to remineralise and harden again.' You could choose a low dosage sparkling wine, like brut nature Champagne, to minimise the amount of sugar consumed. Brut nature Prosecco also exists, although it's still a small part of the market. What's the difference between 'brut nature' and 'zero dosage'? Why does my 'extra dry' Prosecco taste sweet? Whilst high acidity wines cause some damage, like Chablis, the bubbles in sparkling wines can increase the harmful effects of the acidity. 'Coca Cola, and other carbonated soft drinks, also pose a risk to teeth since they are also acidic,' Walmsley added. How to limit the damage image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/08/prosecco-cork-1.jpg Drinking less but better quality, such as Prosecco DOCG, is one option. Credit: Cath Lowe / Decanter One obvious rule would be to cut down and drink better quality. But, Walmsley said that it's important to think about when and how you drink, not just how much. 'Your teeth are most at risk from prolonged exposure to acidic drinks - ie continuously sipping Prosecco over an evening means the teeth are continually being bathed in acid and sugar and the enamel doesn't have time to recover.' 'However, if it is drunk during a meal the acidic effect is diluted and the enamel has time to recover. 'Also a piece of cheese may help neutralise the acidic effect.' Drinking through a straw may reduce the effect 'but I'm not sure if your Prosecco drinkers would necessarily favour this', Walmsley told Decanter.com. 'Finally, people drinking Prosecco (or other fizzy drinks), should also wait for at least an hour before brushing their teeth to give the enamel time to harden up again.' More articles like this: Read more at https://www.decanter.com/learn/advice/prosecco-teeth-how-to-combat-375405/#Fcc8gVVC4ALx1AqC.99

Do 'wine legs' mean a better wine? - ask Decanter Read more at https://www.decanter.com/learn/advice/do-wine-legs-mean-a-better-wine-ask-decanter-376032/#ii1Ro0TlEKqHrxPa.99

Do 'wine legs' tell you anything about what's in your glass? We speak to the experts... image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/09/wine-legs-630x417.jpg wine legs Do legs or 'tears' mean better quality? Credit: PhotoAlto sas / Alamy Stock Photo TAGS: 'Wine legs: It's surely one of the most mythologised aspects of wine drinking.' What are wine legs? The 'legs' of wine are the droplets that form along the edge of your glass, when you swirl a wine. Some believe that the appearance of them reflects the quality of the wine in the glass. What do they tell you about a wine? 'In all the tastings I host, I get more questions about wine legs than any other,' said Matt Walls. 'It's surely one of the most mythologised aspects of wine drinking.' The reality is that 'legs tell you relatively little about the wine, and nothing about the quality of what's in the glass'. However, the myth lives on because of the real reason wine legs appear - and how difficult it can be to explain. 'It's essentially down to a process known as Marangoni flows,' said Walls. 'Tears are formed due to a combination of different forces - surface tension forces and intermollecular forces. It's essentially caused by the gradual evaporation of alcohol in a water/alcohol solution.' 'The only information that legs offer to the wine lover is that your wine contains alcohol. But you don't need legs to tell you that!' How they get there Jane Anson, in a previous article in Decanter magazine, said, 'When you swirl wine in your glass, alcohol will first gather at the sides, then start to evaporate, while the water (and other molecules in the wine) will turn into droplets that will crawl back to the glass, like raindrops on a window.' 'This also means the temperature and humidity of the room that you're tasting in will also affect the legs of the wine due to the evaporation rate of the alcohol.' Got a question for Decanter's experts? Email us: [email protected] or on social media with #askDecanter More questions answered: How to combat Prosecco teeth - ask Decanter Does putting a spoon in Champagne work? Read more at https://www.decanter.com/learn/advice/do-wine-legs-mean-a-better-wine-ask-decanter-376032/#ii1Ro0TlEKqHrxPa.99

The Truth Behind Your Favorite Wines

Even the savviest drinker may not know how many wines, like Cabernet Sauvignon, are actually made from grape crosses and hybrids. Here's your guide. BY MIKE DESIMONE AND JEFF JENSSEN When a family tree is really a vine / Collage by Matthew Dimas Name a popular wine grape. Odds are, it's the love child of two different varieties. Often, these parent grapes are ones you've heard of, like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Noir. But a number of well-known varieties are mixes that involve more obscure grapes many wine lovers are yet to be familiar with. In most cases, crosses and hybrids are bred for a specific intention, either to create a grape with better pest or disease resistance, or improved characteristics like flavor, color or yield. A "crossed variety" means a grape is bred from two different Vitis vinifera varieties, which include the most widely known and popular winemaking grapes. Grapes referred to as hybrids, meanwhile, are a crossing of Vitis vinifera and North American Vitis labrusca or (even lesser-known) Vitis riparia grapes. Many of the most widely grown European Vitis vinifera wine grapes are spontaneous field crosses, in which two species mated with the help of the birds and the bees, producing an entirely new variety. A "crossed variety" means a grape is bred from two different Vitis vinifera varieties, which include the most widely known winemaking grapes. Hybrid grapes are a crossing of Vitis vinifera and North American Vitis labrusca or Vitis riparia. A prime example of a well-known crossed grape is Cabernet Sauvignon, the offspring of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc. Its half-sibling, Merlot, is the product of Cabernet Franc and the unheralded Magdeleine Noire des Charentes. The terms "hybrids" and "crosses" are not interchangeable. While crossed grapes are grown throughout the world, hybrids were effectively prohibited in Europe for decades, though regulations have been relaxed somewhat. Want to out-geek your savviest wine-loving friends? Brush up on your crosses and hybrids, and order a glass or bottle next time you're out on the town. Two Polaroid photo frames and heart for valentines day hanging on vintage background with vintage toning When two grapes love each other very much... / Collage by Matthew Dimas Grape Crosses The Grape: Pinotage The Parents: Pinot Noir and Cinsault A cross of Pinot Noir and Cinsault, Pinotage was bred by Professor Abraham Perold in 1925 at Welgevallen experimental farm at the University of Stellenbosch. At the time, Cinsault was known in South Africa as "Hermitage," which prompted the moniker Pinotage. Popular since the 1960s, it has been called South Africa's signature grape. Expect ripe black-fruit flavors with notes of smoke and earth. Pinotage is a difficult grape to work with, but in the right hands, it can be excellent. In addition to South Africa, look for bottlings from California, Virginia, Australia, New Zealand and Germany. Notable Pinotage Producers in South Africa Kanonkop, Beyerskloof, Simonsig, Bellingham, Graham Beck The Grape: Marselan The Parents: Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache Named for the coastal French town of Marseillan, this cross between Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache was created by researcher Paul Truel in 1961, who hoped his experiment would produce large berries and higher yields. The crossing resulted in tiny berries, however, and the project was discontinued. Thirty years later, researchers who sought disease resistant varieties gave Marselan a second look due to its ability to evade mold and mildew. It's now grown in France's Languedoc and the southern Rhône as well as Spain, Israel, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and China, where it's become a winemaker favorite. With flavors of red plum and raspberry paired with moderate tannins, Marselan is a fairly easy-drinking red wine. Notable Marselan Producers France: Domaine Le Colombier, Domaine de Couron Israel: Recanati, Jerusalem Wineries, Barkan South America: Vinícola Salton (Brazil), Bodega Garzón (Uruguay) The Grape: Müller-Thurgau The Parents: Riesling and Madeleine Royale Müller-Thurgau was created in 1882 by Dr. Hermann Müller, from the Swiss canton of Thurgau, at the Geisenheim Grape Breeding Institute in the Rheingau. He crossed Riesling with an early ripening variety, Madeleine Royale, in the hopes to produce a grape with Riesling's flavor and complexity that would ripen sooner in the season. Today, it's the second-most planted variety in Germany, and it's also grown in Luxembourg, Austria, Switzerland, northern Italy, New Zealand, throughout Eastern Europe, and in Oregon and Washington State. Light in body with moderate acidity, Müller-Thurgau has flavors of apple, pear and citrus with soft floral notes. Notable Müller-Thurgau Producers Germany: Rainer Sauer, Karl Josef, Fritz Müller Italy: Tiefenbrunner Schlosskellerei Turmhof, Kettmeir, Abbazia di Novacella United States: Kramer, Sokol Blosser, Whitetail Ridge, Henry Estate, Season Cellars The Grape: Argaman The Parents: Souzão and Carignan Israeli researchers developed Argaman chiefly to add color to red blends. Its name is Hebrew for a shade of purple-crimson, but it's often referred to incorrectly as an indigenous Israeli variety. It's a cross between Portuguese grape Souzão, used mainly in Port production, and Mediterranean variety Carignan. Argaman was first used to make inexpensive blended wines. However, it's now being vinified by a handful of producers to make high-quality varietal bottlings. Flavors include black cherry, plum and spice in a deeply colored red wine. Notable Argaman Producers in Israel Jezreel, Barkan The Grape: Petite Sirah The Parents: Syrah and Peloursin Petite Sirah is a cross of Peloursin and Syrah that was created in an experimental vineyard operated by Dr. François Durif at the University of Montpellier in the 1860s. Durif took proper credit for the resulting vine and named it after himself. It's still called Durif in Australia, where it was originally used to create fortified, Port-style wines. What Does it Mean When the Same Grape has Different Names? The largest plantings are now in the U.S., particularly California, where the name Petite Sirah took hold due to early confusion with the Syrah grape. It even has its own advocacy group in California, PS I Love You. Considered an up-and-coming variety in Israel, Petite Sirah is known for its teeth-staining color and strong flavors of blueberry, plum and spice. Notable Petite Sirah Producers California: Bogle, Spellbound, Ravenswood, Concannon, Steele, Fiddletown Cellars, V. Sattui, Stags' Leap, Carlisle Israel: Recanati, Montefiore, Dalton, Vitkin Two different grapes in a locket Hybrids, when two grapes from different sides of the tracks meet / Collage by Matthew Dimas Grape Hybrids The Grape: Baco Noir The Parents: Folle Blanche (Vitis vinifera) and unknown species of Vitis riparia Baco Noir was born in France at the turn of the 20th century, when schoolteacher-turned-grape breeder François Baco crossed Folle Blanche with Vitis riparia pollen originally thought to be from Grande Glabre, but later believed to be a mix from multiple vines. In the wake of the phylloxera epidemic, Baco Noir had a brief period of popularity in France until viticulturists started to graft American rootstocks onto their own Vitis vinifera vines. It's now grown throughout the U.S., including the Northeast, Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions, as well as Nebraska, North Dakota, Montana, Oregon and eastern Canada. With flavors of cherry, raspberry and dried herbs, Baco Noir can be light and elegant like Pinot Noir, or deeply colored with cassis and cedar notes. Notable Baco Noir Producers New York: Hudson-Chatham, Benmarl, Bully Hill Oregon: Melrose, Girardet Ontario: Henry of Pelham Estate Winery The Grape: Seyval Blanc The Parents: Seibel 5656 and Rayon d'Or (Seibel 4986) Developed by Bertille Seyve and Victor Villard around the 1920s, Seyval Blanc is a descendant of at least one Vitis vinifera grape, Aramon. Its parents, Seibel 5656 Rayon d'Or (Seibel 4986), are two of many varieties forged by French viticulturist and physician Albert Seibel, who sought to develop disease-resistant varieties by crossing American and European grapes. It thrives in cold regions like England, New York State, Virginia, Ohio, Oregon and eastern Canada. It's known for citrus, apple and butterscotch flavors, and is made in dry, off-dry and fortified styles. Notable Seyval Blanc Producers New York: Knapp, Clinton Virginia: Veramar Vineyard, Bogati The Grape: Vidal The Parents: Ugni Blanc (Trebbiano Toscano) and Rayon d'Or (Seibel 4986) This grape was developed by and named for French viticulturist Jean-Louis Vidal in the 1930s. Its original raison d'être was for Cognac production, as one of its parents, Ugni Blanc, is the main grape used in Cognac. But Vidal displayed an incredible tolerance for cold weather, and it's found great success being used in ice wine and sweet, late-harvest wines. It's grown throughout Canada and in states like New York, New Jersey, Virginia and Michigan. There are also plantings in Sweden—yes, Sweden—where it's also used to make ice wine. Expect flavors of apricot, white peach and honey with soft floral notes. Notable Vidal Producers in Canada Ontario: Inniskillin, Reif Estate, Pillitteri, Peller British Columbia: Mission Hill

Based on experiments so far, wines bottled under screw caps fade with age much more quickly than wines bottled under cork.

False

Much as Syrah is known as Shiraz in Australia, Petite Sirah is just a different name used for Syrah in California:

False

Traditionally, Chianti was sold in a wide-bodied bottle fitted with a straw basket, which lent its name to an English word with a rather different meaning. What is the term for this bottle?

Fiasco

What is Satèn wine? - ask Decanter Read more at https://www.decanter.com/learn/advice/what-is-saten-wine-ask-decanter-383082/#Qoi4KDt43H70hCPL.99

Find out about this sparkling wine from the Franciacorta region, and see three to try from our tasters... image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2018/01/IPCIMMGLPICT000004224420-630x417.jpg Satèn wine Have you tried Satèn wine? Credit: Franciacorta Consortium TAGS: What is Satèn wine? - ask Decanter Satèn, meaning 'silk' in Italian, is unique to the Franciacorta region, and its come-hither style gives it the opportunity to stand out in a crowded wine market. Always produced from Chardonnay, Satèn is unlike other sparkling wines made in Franciacorta - or Champagne for that matter - as it has less pressure in the bottle: five bars compared with six. In order to achieve this, producers add less sugar in the liqueur de tirage: 18-20grams/litre as opposed to 24g/l for fully sparkling wines. SEE ALSO Spot the difference: Tirage and dosage in Champagne - ask Decanter Why does my 'extra dry' Prosecco taste sweet? - ask Decanter Franciacorta embraces new grape to fight climate change The lower level of sugar produces less alcohol and less carbon dioxide during the second fermentation, hence the lower level of pressure. The style is always brut (maximum of 15g/l). The resulting wine is gentle, creamy and - whether or not it is the power of suggestion - silky. Rebecca Gibb MW is an award-winning wine writer. Originally published as part of a feature in the Decanter Italy supplement 2018. Subscribe to Decanter magazine here. Three Franciacorta Satèn wines to try: image: https://decanter-prod-aws1-timeincuk-net.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/media/images/08-corte-aura-satn-brut-franciacorta-lombardia-italy-2010-5a2120a42b0de.jpeg Corte Aura, Franciacorta Satèn, Millesimato, Lombardy, 2010 Corte Aura, Franciacorta Satèn, Millesimato, Lombardy, 2010 Elegant, creamy, come-hither aromas of fresh yeast and ripe apple lead onto a stylish palate full of bright citrus fruit, honey and heather. There is a fine, persistent mousse and a drying, mineral edge on the finish. POINTS 95 image: https://decanter-prod-aws1-timeincuk-net.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/media/images/villa-franciacorta-franciacorta-satn-lombardy-2013-5a68502742eaf.jpeg Villa Franciacorta, Franciacorta Satèn, Lombardy, 2013 Villa Franciacorta, Franciacorta Satèn, Lombardy, 2013 Villa Franciacorta produces wines from 37 hectares of estate-owned vineyards. They undertook extensive soil analysis in the 1960s, which has led to their philosophy of recording a snapshot in time and place by only releasing vintage wines. This example, from 100% Chardonnay, has a crisp, steely, mineral character with green... POINTS 91 image: https://decanter-prod-aws1-timeincuk-net.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/media/images/bellavista-franciacorta-satn-2011-596f467eaf7a2.jpeg Bellavista, Franciacorta Satèn, Lombardy, Italy, 2011 Bellavista, Franciacorta Satèn, Lombardy, Italy, 2011 A 100% Chardonnay made in the locally termed satèn style, which means the fizz has a little less pressure akin to a crémant. It has a soft, gentle acidity with a deft, creamy roundness and light to medium weight and structure. It has apple and honeydew melon flavours with a... POINTS 89 More wine questions answered here. Read more at https://www.decanter.com/learn/advice/what-is-saten-wine-ask-decanter-383082/#Qoi4KDt43H70hCPL.99

The life cycle of a vine - ask Decanter Read more at https://www.decanter.com/learn/advice/the-life-cycle-of-a-vine-375831/#SgZbdbRRCZIEtmY8.99

Get to grips with the life cycle of a vine before the grapes are harvested, with help from some graphics from the Wine and Spirit Education Trust... image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/09/life-cycle-vine-630x417.jpg life cycle vine Understand the vine growing cycle TAGS: See this simple guide to the life cycle of a vine. Budburst Budburst is the beginning of the life cycle of a vine, and happens during the spring. The first buds of the vine begin to break, but are very delicate - which is why spring frosts have cause such problems in the vineyard. image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/09/LifeCycleVine02-630x630.jpg life cycle vine Early shoot and leaf growth The vines develop initial shoots and leaves on the vine. Leaves are required for photosynthesis. image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/09/LifeCycleVine03-630x630.jpg life cycle vine Flowering and fruit set The buds turn into flowers and small bunches of grapes begin to grow. Winemakers cross their fingers for good weather during the flowering period. Rain during flowering can lead to poor fruit-set, also known as coulure in French, which can impact harvest size and also quality further down the line. image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/09/LifeCycleVine04-630x630.jpg life cycle vine Véraison and berry ripening Véraison is when the grapes have finished growing and start to ripen. For red grapes, this is when the colour turns from green to purple. image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/09/LifeCycleVine05-630x630.jpg life cycle vine Harvest When the grapes are fully ripened, it is time for them to be harvested, to then start the vinification process. Depending on the winery and the location of the vineyard, this may be done by hand or by machine. If whole bunches are required, these generally must be picked by hand. Harvest can start even earlier than the months listed below, depending on the speed of that year's growing season. Grapes intended for sparkling wines are often also harvested earlier to retain higher acid levels. image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/09/LifeCycleVine06-630x630.jpg life cycle vine Winter dormancy During the winter months, the vines go dormant, and stop growing, until the next spring. In regions that often experience a particularly cold winter, vines may be buried for their own protection. This happens in the Ningxia region in China, where winter temperatures can reach minus 35 degrees celsius. image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/09/LifeCycleVine07-630x630.jpg life cycle vine Find out more about learning with the WSET Read more at https://www.decanter.com/learn/advice/the-life-cycle-of-a-vine-375831/#SgZbdbRRCZIEtmY8.99

Tasting notes decoded: Wood smoke in your wine? Read more at https://www.decanter.com/learn/advice/understand-tasting-notes-decoded-344920/#eUbeojAlHDkLs7cc.99

Get to grips with the some of the more obscure tasting notes used by wine experts, with graphics from Decanter's design team. This week we decode 'wood smoke'... image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2018/10/Wood-smoke-1-630x417.jpg tasting notes decoded How to understand tasting notes: The latest... image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2018/10/Wood-smoke-2-1.jpg tasting notes decodedWood smoke Whether it's from an autumn bonfire or a living room hearth, many of us will be familiar with the distinctive, lingering aroma of a crackling wood fire - but how does it make its way into wine? If a wine has wood smoke notes it generally indicates it has had some contact with oak, either during fermentation and/or maturation, in the form of barrels, staves or oak chips. The strength and character of these notes is determined by the type of oak used, how new it is and the level of toast. 'The toast of a barrel (done by lighting a fire inside the half-finished barrel) comes in different grades,' explained Margaret Rand in her article Cooperage: the art of oak ageing. The cooperage's process of burning wood releases aromatic compounds called volatile phenols, which are able to be infused into the wine, resulting in oak characteristics such as wood smoke. 'The heavier the toast, the more pronounced the flavours of chocolate, coffee and what the French call torrefaction,' said Rand. Torrefaction relates to roasted flavours, which can include charred wood and smoky notes. Toasting is complex business involving many different approaches, depending on the 'house style' required by the winemaker. But in general new oak with a heavier toast will impart more potent oak characteristics than older, used oak barrels with a light toast. Barrel size also affects how much of the wine is in contact with the oak. For example, a small barrique barrel provides a higher surface area to volume ratio than a large foudre. You can look for wood smoke notes in a wide variety of red or white wines with an oak-driven flavour profile. This could include classic red Bordeaux blends, such as the 100-point scorer Château Latour's Pauillac 1er Cru Classé 1982, which spent 18 months in new oak barrels, and was praised for its torrified aromas including burnt caramel and wood smoke. Typical white Burgundy wines made from Chardonnay are well known and loved for their oaky characteristics. A top example from the Côte de Beaune would be Olivier Leflaive's Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru 2014, scored 97 points and noted for its apple and woodsmoke aromas. Many fortified wine styles spend extended periods of time in oak and develop complex aromas as they continue to age in the bottle. A mature Madeira like Blandy's Bual 1969 is able to encompass wood smoke, hazelnuts, dried fruit fresh citrus and marmalade notes. Desirable wood smoke notes are different from the unpleasantly acrid smoke flavours or aromas caused by smoke taint. This is a wine fault that can be caused by fires in or around vineyards during growing season, particularly after véraison — when grapes change colour and ripen. Fruity image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/06/Apricot.jpg tasting notes, apricot Apricot 'Apricot' in a tasting note is in the spectrum of other stone fruits, such as peach, indicating a certain ripeness in the grapes, and used to describe white wines - although not as ripe as in hot climate wines, where the fruit descriptors become tropical, like pineapple and mango. In Decanter's How to read wine tasting notes, it says apricot 'denotes warm, summery ripeness.' Apricot is often associated with the grape Viognier, along with peach and blossom, found the in Rhône and increasingly in the New World like California and Australia. Richer Albariño, from North West Spain, is another fine white which regularly gets described with an apricot nose. Apricot is also an aroma often found in sweet wines; either as the fresh fruit, or dried apricot, which is sweeter and more intense. It can be found in sweet wines like Sauternes and Tokaji, and fortified wines, like in Tawny Port, along with other dried fruits. Dried apricot is not restricted to sweeter wines only, and is found in dry wines too, like Domaine de la Taille aux Loups, Les Dix Arpents 2014. SEE: Disznókő, Tokaji Aszú 5 Puttonyos 2006 | Zull, Weinviertel, Grüner Veltliner Klassik, 2016 | Château Coutet, Barsac, Bordeaux, France 2011 | Château Lamothe, Sauternes, 2eme Cru Classé, 2013 image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/06/banana.jpg tasting notes decoded Banana Ever caught the whiff of bananas when opening, sniffing or drinking wine? If you have, it could be for the following scientific reasons — please note there are almost certainly no actual bananas involved. One possible cause is the winemaking process carbonic maceration, commonly used in the production of Beaujolais wines, made from the Gamay grape. In this process, the grapes are sealed in a vessel filled with carbon dioxide prior to regular fermentation, which gives Beaujolais wines their distinctive juicy or subtly tropical flavours. The chemical compound behind banana's aroma is mainly isoamyl acetate, an ester that's also found in pears and bubblegum — another signature Beaujolais scent. It can occur in red or white wines as a natural by-product of carbonic maceration, or from the yeasts in regular fermentation. Interestingly, the same compound is released by the honey bees from their sting to alert fellow bees to danger. Banana's flavour profile is among the tropical fruits — notes like pineapple, passionfruit and lychees. Aside from Beaujolais, you can look for it in South African Pinotage. Or from aromatic white wines, especially those fermented at cooler temperatures, including Albariños like Martin Codax 2011 or Coto Redondo, Liñar de Vides 2011 both from the Spanish region of Rías Biaxas in Galicia. In other white wines, ripe banana notes are associated with richer fruit flavours and sweet blossom aromas. Such as Haridimos Hatzidakis, Assyrtiko, Santorini 2012 or aged whites like Colonnara, Cuprese, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi 1991. image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2018/06/Bergamot.jpg tasting notes decoded Bergamot Bergamots are citrus fruits that are commonly shaped like yellow or green dwarf pears with dimpled skins, but they are in fact a variety of bitter orange. Although edible, bergamots are rarely eaten fresh due to their intensely acidic and tart-tasting flesh, which is more palatable in marmalade or juice form. The incredibly aromatic essential oils in bergamots' skins makes them very popular in perfumes and it's also an important ingredient in Earl Grey tea. When it comes to wine tasting notes, bergamot is a useful citrus fruit descriptor for certain dry white wines, as it expresses a flavour or aroma that is more bitter than oranges but sweeter than lemons. Examples could include aromatic German Riesling wines, such as Dreissigacker, Bechtheimer Geyersberg, Rheinhessen 2014, noted for its 'powerful nose of bergamot and leaf tea' followed by floral flavours of rose and geranium. Or French Muscadet wines from the Loire Valley like the 96-point Pierre-Luc Bouchaud, Pont Caffino, Loire 2014, exuding complex aromas of 'golden pair skin and subtle struck match' alongside orange blossom and bergamot. Red wines with vibrant acidity could also express bergamot notes, such as Pinot Noirs like Bisquertt, La Joya Gran Reserva 2014 from Chile's Leyda Valley and Portuguese red blends from Douro Valley like Symington, Altano Organic 2015. image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/08/Olive.jpg understand tasting notes Black olive The colour of olives is generally related to how ripe they are: green olives are harvested before the olive has ripened, and black olives have been left to undergo ripening. During the course of ripening, polyphenol (aka tannin) levels drop. As a result, the astringency of the green olive relaxes into a more gentle and earthy tasting black olive. In wine tasting notes, black olive might be used to describe the earthy and subtly bitter edge found in some red wines. Syrah is a classic example, where black olive may be found alongside black fruit and black pepper notes. SEE: Wind Gap, Sonoma Coast, Syrah, California 2012 | Domaine Les Bruyères, David Reynaud, Crozes-Hermitage 2015 Californian Cabernet Sauvignon from cooler vintages might display black olive, as they are generally more savoury and less fruit-forward. For example, the Cabernet dominant blend of Opus One, Oakville, Napa Valley 2009. The primary flavours and aromas of Pinot Noir can also develop via ageing into earthy and vegetal flavours that might come under the black olive profile. For example Kutch Wines, McDougall Ranch, Sonoma Coast, California 2009 — where black olive blends with spice and forest floor flavours. image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/10/Blackberry.jpg understand tasting notes Blackberry Blackberries are soft, black-coloured fruit, commonly found wild in English hedgerows during summer months. They can be eaten fresh, cooked in puddings or made into jam. In the wine lexicon, blackberry belongs in the black fruit category, alongside similarly sweet and tart soft fruits, such as blackcurrants, blueberries and black plums. As you might guess from their appearance, blackberries are closely related to raspberries, although the latter is considered more tart in taste and less firm in texture. Leafy or brambly blackberry flavours might be used to describe a tannic, full-bodied red wine style that hasn't yet fully matured. Prominent blackberry with leafy notes could also hint that the grapes didn't fully ripen before they were harvested. SEE: Zanoni Pietro, Zovo, Amarone della Valpolicella 2011 On the other end of the spectrum, jammy blackberry notes describe the rich ripeness associated with fruit preserves, when heat and sugar are added to intensify flavours. If you see blackberry paired with words like cooked, stewed, jam or dried, it might be describing red wines with developed fruit flavours from controlled oxidation, a common feature of bottle-ageing. This could apply to classic Bordeaux or Rioja blends and Californian Cabernet Sauvignon, where blackberry primary fruit flavours can intertwine with oak influences like vanilla, cedar and chocolate. SEE: Château Palmer, Margaux, 3ème Cru Classé, Bordeaux 2012 | Contador, Rioja 2014 | Ridge Vineyards, Estate Cabernet, Santa Cruz Mountains 2008 As a typical black fruit flavour, blackberry notes are ubiquitous in red wine tasting notes — from Touriga Nacional wines from Portugal, to Nero d'Avola from Sicily. SEE: Aldi, Zom Reserva, Douro 2015 | Donnafugata, Sherazade, Sicily 2015 Look for them in certain Syrah wines from Barossa Valley and northern Rhône to compare how they interact with characteristic gamey, spicy, tarry or smokey notes to create complexity. SEE: Penfolds, RWT Shiraz, Barossa Valley 2015 | Delas, St-Joseph Rhône 2010 Bramble image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2018/05/Bramble.png tasting notes decodedThe official definition of bramble is a wild bush with thorns, usually genetically related to the rose family. As a wine tasting note, bramble generally refers to the most commonplace example: blackberry bushes, which can be cultivated for their fruit or found growing wild in hedgerows. Consequently, bramble is found in the black fruit category of the wine lexicon, alongside blackcurrant, blackberry itself, black cherry and black plum. Much like the term hedgerow (see below), bramble encompasses an overall sense of different natural flavour components. For this reason bramble makes for a very useful wine descriptor, because it can express conjoined black fruit, as well as herbaceous or even blossom notes. The choice to describe a wine as having 'bramble' notes, rather than simply 'blackberry' ones, could mean that the wine has a black fruit character plus an overtone of leafiness. In this way it can indicate desirable or undesirable characteristics, depending on the wine style. For example, in the case of a youthful cool climate Pinot Noir, such as Wakefield Estate, Fourth Dimension Pinot Noir, Adelaide Hills 2016, a 'spicy, almost tangy, red fruit and bramble character' is appropriate to the style that the winemaker is seeks to achieve. Or, Hahn, Lodi, Boneshaker Zinfandel 2014, where the herbaceous-fruity bramble note marries rosemary and menthol with the rich kirsch and chocolate. Other tasting notes might specify that it's the fruity element of bramble that's most prominent in the wine, such as Bodega Norton, Lote Negro, Mendoza 2015 - displaying 'inky bramble fruit' with plums and oak spice. Or in the powerful black fruit flavour profile of Nebbiolo wines such as Fontanafredda, Langhe Nebbiolo, Ebbio, Piedmont 2015, where a 'nose of hedgerow fruit leaps out of the glass, with berry and bramble flavours'. However, 'green' or 'leafy' aromas in some wines can also indicate underripe grapes. Candied fruit Candying is a preservation technique that involves coating any given piece of fruit, nut or ginger in a sugary glaze, sealing the fresh flavours inside for longer. image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2018/06/Candied-Fruit.jpg tasting notes decodedIn this way candied fruit retains more of its original fresh fruit flavours than dried fruit or jams, although they also become saturated with sweetness. The effect of intense fruitiness encased in sweetness makes candied fruit a useful tasting descriptor for a range of wines that present this flavour combination. Candied fruit flavours are perhaps found most prominently in fortified wines like tawny Port, where it often manifests as candied citrus, as in Messias, 20 Year Old Tawny and Marks & Spencer, 10 Year Old Tawny Port. You might find candied stone and tropical fruit flavours and aromas in sweet white wines like those of Sauternes, such as Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey 2013 and Château Rabaud-Promis' Promesse de Rabaud-Promis 2015. Subtle notes of candied citrus peel can also be found in the complex flavour profile of certain red Burgundy wines, such as Louis Latour, Romanée-St-Vivant Grand Cru 2016 and Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Romanée-Conti Grand Cru 2014. Some Brut Champagnes - although dry by definition - can still have hints of candied fruits. In the best examples these flavours are balanced by fresh acidity, to prevent any cloying sweetness. For example Krug 2004 is able to encompass 'candied fruits, gingerbread, white chocolate, caramel and marzipan' while remaining light, fresh and dry — resulting in a Decanter score of 97/100. ALSO: Bollinger, RD 2004 | Moutard Père & Fils, Brut 1992 image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/03/Cassis.jpg tasting notes decoded Cassis As a tasting note, cassis refers to ripe and concentrated blackcurrant flavours or aromas. It's often used to describe rich and full-bodied red wines, such as mature Bordeaux wines, or those made from earthy southern Italian varieties such as Nero d'Avola, Aglianico and Primitivo. The blackcurrant flavour profile belongs to a broader 'black fruit' category. Within that category, it's more aligned with the tartness of blueberries, and not with the sweetness of dark plum and blackberry flavours. The term can cover different forms of intense blackcurrant fruit flavours, from a large helping of blackcurrant jam, to a handful of the fresh berries. The tasting term is not to be confused with the wine region of Cassis in Provence, which is renowned for rosé wines that generally express red fruit rather than black fruit notes, and white wines of a mineral and citrus character. To fully comprehend the flavour, why not try the blackcurrant liqueur crème de cassis. This also goes well in a 'Kir Royale' cocktail — made by pouring a small measure into a flute and topping up with Champagne. Cherry Cherries have a distinctive fruit character, often replicated artificially for confectionery and liqueurs. When it comes to wine tasting notes, it's important to image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/06/cherry-wine-taste.jpg cherry wine tastedistinguish between different cherry forms and flavours. For starters, there are both sweet and sour cherries — think of the difference between maraschino and morello cherries. Red cherries are seen as part of the red fruit flavour profile, and black cherries are included in the black fruit category. In both of these, cherries might be seen as not so sweet or tart as the berries, yet more concentrated than fleshy plums, for example. In Decanter's How to read wine tasting notes, the general character of cherry is defined as, 'firm, vibrant fruit with a touch of acidity and none of the sweetness of, say, blackcurrants'. Wines that can carry notes of tart cherries include northern Italian reds, such Piedmont's Barolo and Barbaresco wines made from the Nebbiolo grape. Red cherry notes can be found in some Tuscan Sangiovese wines from Brunello di Montalcino and Chianti. SEE: Giovanni Rosso, Barolo, La Serra, Piedmont, Italy, 2010 | Pio Cesare, Barbaresco, Piedmont 2013 | Bottega, Il Vino dei Poeti, Brunello di Montalcino 2010 | Monteraponi, Chianti Classico, Tuscany 2014 Young Pinot Noir wines can encompass a range of cherry flavours from red to black, particularly those of New Zealand, where some of the best examples combine cherry with hints of jam or strawberry to offset earthy notes. Perhaps the wine most associated with cherries is Beaujolais, a red wine made from the Gamay grape. Cherry notes in these wines are usually the product of carbonic maceration, a process in which whole grapes are sealed in a vessel filled with carbon dioxide prior to regular fermentation. This helps to preserve the naturally juicy and fruity character of Gamay. SEE: Domaine Georges Descombes, Morgon, Beaujolais 2015 | Domaine de la Voûte des Crozes, Côte de Brouilly, Beaujolais 2015 image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/05/Citrus1.jpg tasting notes decoded Citrus As a tasting note, citrus is defined by high acidity and fresh fruit flavour; characteristics that can be found in many white wines. Although wine may not reach the acidity level of, say, lemonade, it can have a strong acidic structure that recalls sharpness of fresh lemon, lime or grapefruit on the nose and palate. It may also be found alongside notes like 'mineral' or 'steely', because certain high acidity wines can feel almost hard-edged in the mouth, lacking in sweet fruit flavours. Accompanying notes of more sour fruits, like green apples or pears, are relatively common. In wine, citrus is categorised as a primary aroma, because it relates to the flavour of the grapes themselves as opposed to winemaking or ageing processes. Examples of citrussy wines can include young dry whites like Vermentino, Verdejo, Albariño and Sauvignon Blanc. SEE: Uvaggio, Vermentino, Lodi, California 2013 | Beronia, Verdejo, Rueda, Spain 2016 | Eidosela, Albariño, Rias Baixas, Galicia, 2011 | Cloudy Bay, Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand 2016 | Domaine Guyot, Les Loges, Pouilly-Fumé, Loire 2015 Note: citrus can sometimes be detected as citrus peel or zest, which might suggest a more pithy and intensely aromatic character than citrus juices. This is because the pungent odour of citrus fruits comes from the chemical compound limonene, which is located in the peel. image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/05/coconut.jpg tasting notes decoded Coconut First things first, it's important not to confuse the flavour profile of coconuts with nuts. Coconuts are not nuts, they are drupes (stone fruits). Their distinctive flavour and aroma is distinct from either fruits or nuts, and can be found in products like coconut milk or oil, as well as the desiccated coconut you might have eaten in a Bounty bar. In wine, coconut generally manifests itself on the nose as a kind of dulled sweetness, which doesn't pique the senses in the same way as sweet fruit or honey flavours. Instead it is more heavily aromatic, which is why it's categorised among the 'kernels' such as almond, coffee and chocolate. Notes of coconut can come from esters, which are the chemical compounds behind many aromas. Specifically lactones, which are responsible for the peculiar sweet aromas associated with coconuts. Beverley Blanning MW goes one step further in her exploration of oak aromas: 'beta-methyl-gamma-octa-lactone - that's coconut aroma to you and me'. Coconut is one of the key aromas that distinguishes oaked wines, and it's usually counted as a tertiary aroma because it's related to the ageing process. Oak flavours can come from contact with wood chips, staves or barrels. Coconut is strongly evoked by American oak, along with vanilla notes. Wines with coconut notes can include oaky red Riojas with some years behind them, like La Rioja Alta, 904 Gran Reserva 2007 and Bodegas Muriel, Reserva 2008. As well as big Cabernet-dominated Australian reds like Wolf Blass' Black Label wines, aged for many months in American Oak. SEE: Wolf Blass, Black Label 1979 | Wolf Blass, Black Label 1974 | Wolf Blass Wines, Black Label 1992 image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/02/Cooked-Fruit.jpg tasting notes decoded Cooked Fruit A 'cooked wine' can be considered a fault. It can refer to a bottle that has been exposed to extreme heat. This can occur during shipping and is evident to the consumer as the cork can protrude and the wine quality will be greatly diminished. However, when a person refers to 'cooked fruit' when tasting, this means that the grapes have had too much hang-time on the vine or too much sun exposure and are in fact overripe or even sunburned. This leads to a wine that has lower total acidity, which will make it taste less fresh; it will usually have jammy characters. This jamminess can be coupled with a higher level of alcohol, which can create a flabby mouthfeel. image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2018/04/Cranberry.jpg tasting notes decoded Cranberry Cranberries are small and round red berries, which grow in clusters on low-lying evergreen shrubs. When fresh, the sweetness of cranberries is largely overwhelmed by their acidity, so they're usually cooked and sweetened into sauce, jam or juice form. Their sweet and tart flavour profile makes them a useful wine descriptor, and cranberries are found in the wine lexicon as part of the red fruit category. On the sweet to tart red fruit spectrum, cranberries probably sit between raspberries and redcurrants. You can look for cranberry notes in red wines with high acidity, like some young Pinot Noir wines from cool climates. For example, Fortnum & Mason, Axel Neiss, Spätburgunder 2014, from Germany's Pfalz region, has a nose filled with 'bitter cherry and cranberry' followed by tart fruit on the palate. Elsewhere, Soter Vineyards, Planet Oregon Pinot Noir 2015, from the US appellation of Oregon, has a 'vibrant acidity' and 'coats the mouth in flavours of red strawberry, cherry and cranberry'. As well as unoaked Pinot Noir styles such as Zinck, Portrait Pinot Noir 2015 from Alsace, expressing 'fresh cranberry and cherry fruit with velvety tannins'. In her article Sancerre: The French Pinot Noir you should be drinking, Decanter's Tina Gellie outlines how the 'bigger day-night temperature differences' in the Loire give rise to more 'crunchy raspberry- and cranberry-style' Pinot Noirs, compared to those from Burgundy. SEE: Domaine Vacheron, Belle Dame, Loire 2010 Younger Grenache wines can also have relatively high acidity and tart red fruit flavours, such as cranberry. For example, Momento, Grenache 2015, from Swartland is noted for its 'fresh acidity with tart cherry and cranberry fruit'. Willunga 100, Grenache 2014, from South Australia's McLaren Vale, displays 'juicy cranberry, cherry and raspberry on the palate'. A slightly more unusual style — also from South Australia — Alpha Box & Dice, Enigma, Adelaide Hills 2015 is a wine made from the high-acid Italian Barbera grape — resulting in tarry characters with a 'cranberry-laced acidity which runs through the centre'. Fig Figs are said to be some of the first fruits to be cultivated by humans; they have origins in Turkey, India, as well as many Mediterranean countries. image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2018/02/Fig.jpg tasting notes decodedGenetically, figs are related to the mulberry family, and they grow on trees or bushes. They're favoured for their smooth, syrupy fruit flavour and pulpy texture. Although often enjoyed fresh, figs are easily dried out into a chewier, sweeter form — as the fruit sugars become concentrated after the water content is decreased. It is in this form that they feature in the wine lexicon, alongside other dried fruits like dates, prunes and raisins. Due to their earthy and richly sweet flavour profile, dried fig notes are primarily found in full-bodied reds and fortified wines. This could include Portuguese red blends like Herdade de Malhadinha Nova, Matilde, Alentejano 2013 and JP Ramos, Alentejo, Marquês de Borba, Alentejo 2014 — both combining fig notes with spicy undertones. Or Primitivo wines from southern Italy, like Masseria Metrano, Primitivo, Salento, Puglia 2014, where fig mixes coffee and bitter herb aromas. Among fortified wines, you can look for fig notes in Tawny Ports, as well as mature Madeiras, such as HM Borges, 20 Year Old, Verdelho. Or Pedro Ximénez sherries like Bodegas Rey Fernando de Castilla, Antique Pedro Ximénez NV. In her article What is premature oxidation? Jane Anson identifies fig as a possible precursor to a wine becoming oxidised: 'In red wines, the warning signs come with prune, fig and other dried fruit aromas - these are positively sought in specific types of wines such as Amarone or Port, but would be a likely indication in a young dry red that the wine will not age as it should.' However, she warns that sensitive grapes with dried fruit flavours, like fig, are at more risk than more robust varieties: 'Some styles of dry reds - such as still Douro reds and some Languedoc wines - naturally have dried fruit aromas when young, and are made from grapes with high natural acidity and resistance to heat. 'But the danger comes with other grape varieties that are more susceptible to fluctuations in temperature.' Sources: britannica.com, decanter.com image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/12/Gooseberries-e1515170730252.jpg tasting notes decoded Gooseberries A traditional fruit of the English garden or hedgerow, hairy-skinned gooseberries are prized in baked desserts for their fresh and tart flavours. Genetically they're related to currants, although they are at the most sour-tasting end of the spectrum. They are most commonly green-coloured, although strains of red, yellow and pink gooseberries do exist. In the wine lexicon they belong in the 'green fruit' category, alongside green apple, pear and grape. These are generally less sweet than red, black or stone fruits, displaying a primarily tart character instead. Gooseberries are typically found in aromatic white wines, as their tart taste and slightly floral or tangy scent makes them a useful descriptor. Sauvignon Blancs may have gooseberry notes, particularly those made in cool climate regions like Marlborough in New Zealand or France's Loire Valley. SEE: Auntsfield, Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, Southern Valleys, Marlborough 2016 | Asda, Sancerre, Loire 2016 See Oz Clarke's description of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, when it first found its way onto the market in the 1980s: 'No previous wine had shocked, thrilled and entranced the world before with such brash, unexpected flavours of gooseberries, passion fruit and lime or crunchy green asparagus spears ... an entirely new, brilliantly successful wine style that the rest of the world has been trying to copy since.' Sauvignon Blanc to change your mind Another common, if strange-sounding, description of the smell of Sauvignon Blanc is 'cat's pee on a gooseberry bush' — denoting the austere urine or petrol-like aromas intermingling with the green fruit tartness of gooseberries. Gooseberry notes do not generally emanate from the grapes themselves, instead they are the result of yeast action during fermentation. Benjamin Lewin MW explains the science: 'The gooseberry and passion fruit aromas of Sauvignon Blanc come from sulphur-containing compounds that are released during fermentation from non-odiferous precursors in the grape.' Yeasts: do you know what's flavouring your wine? Alternatively, you can look for gooseberry notes in wines made from the Bacchus grape, a Riesling-Silvaner and Müller-Thurgau hybrid. Bacchus wines are sometimes likened to Sauvignon Blanc for their fresh, green character and high acidity. SEE: Sixteen Ridges, Bacchus, England 2015 | Chapel Down, Bacchus, Kent 2015 image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/07/Green-Apple.jpg tasting notes decoded Green apple Green apples are generally thought to be more tart and less sweet than their red or yellow counterparts. To test this, try biting into a granny smith followed by a gala or golden delicious apple. You should notice your mouth water more with the green apple, as you produce more saliva in response to the higher acid content. Specifically, malic acid which is derived from the latin word for apple, 'malum'. Wine also contains malic acid, which can give the impression of green apple flavours and aromas in your glass. Wines that are high in malic acid have more pronounced green apple notes, these include cool climate dry whites such as Chablis wines, as well as Riesling and Grüner Veltliner from Germany or Austria. In these wines, green apple might be found alongside other green fruits with a similar flavour profile, such as gooseberry or pear, as well as mineral or metallic notes. SEE: Domaine Jean-Paul et Benoît Droin, Valmur Grand, Chablis 2015 | Weinhof Waldschütz, Riesling Classic, Kamptal 2015 | Eschenhof Holzer, Wagram Grüner Veltliner, Wagram 2015 The effect of malic acid is not always desirable, particularly in some red wines and Chardonnays. It can be processed using malolactic fermentation, when bacteria break down the tart malic acid into lactic acid — the same substance that's found in dairy products. This might be used in Chardonnay wines to bring out more buttery flavours and give a more rounded creamy mouthfeel. Sources: The Persistent Observer's Guide to Wine: How to Enjoy the Best and Skip the Rest by J. P. Bary | Decanter.com image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/02/Jammy.jpg tasting notes decoded Jammy The term jammy is usually applied to red wines low in acidity but high in alcohol, such as Californian Zinfandel or Australian Shiraz. It describes ripened or cooked fruit, in which the pungency and sweetness is intensified compared to fresh fruit flavours. Jammy is associated with red fruits like strawberries and raspberries, as well as darker fruits such as blackcurrants and blackberries — essentially fruits you can imagine making into jam. As a fault, it can express poor growing conditions in which the vines are overexposed to heat and sunlight. This causes the grapes to ripen too quickly, and the resultant wines can develop a cloying jamminess with a flabby mouthfeel. Wine writer Robert Haynes-Peterson notes that Pinot Noir wines are most at risk, as these thin-skinned grapes are 'intolerant of high temperatures which results in jammy, rather than fruit-driven, wines'. Read more However, some people see jamminess as adding an enjoyably complex and concentrated fruitiness to wines; Matetic's EQ Syrah from the San Antonio Valley was praised by Decanter's James Button for its 'multi-layered jammy and savoury elements'. image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2018/01/juniper-berries.jpg tasting notes decodedJuniper berries Gin lovers will know the importance of juniper berries in relation to spirits, but they can also be a useful wine tasting note. Despite their name and appearance, juniper berries are actually the fleshy seed cones of a conifer shrub. How to taste gin like a professional They are far more bitter and peppery than actual berries and are rarely consumed fresh. Instead juniper berries are usually dried and used as a savoury spice, or a gin botanical. In the wine lexicon, the juniper flavour is found in the 'botanicals and herbs' category alongside lemongrass, as well as savoury herbs like sage and basil. You can look for juniper notes with a similar flavour profile to this category; that is, with a bitter herb and peppery spice character. This might include full-bodied red Syrah wines, like Peay Vineyards, Les Titans Syrah 2011 and Arnot-Roberts, Clary Ranch Syrah 2012, both from California's Sonoma Coast AVA. Juniper might feature in the complex aromas of Nebbiolo wines from Piedmont, including Gaja, Sorì Tildin, Barbaresco 2013, where it mingles with typical notes of black cherry and mint. As well as some of the bold and aromatic red wines from Portugal's Douro Valley, such as Quinta do Vale Meao, Meandro 2011, where it melds with garrigue and black fruit. A more unusual example might be Ao Yun's full-bodied Bordeaux blend from southern China's Yunnan province. Decanter's John Stimpfig noted the 'juniper, pepper and cumin' elements to the 2013 vintage. SEE: Ao Yun, China 2013 Aside from red wines, you might find juniper notes in some cool-climate dry whites, like Torrontés from the high-altitude terroirs of Salta in Argentina. SEE: Bodega El Porvenir, Torrontés, Salta 2015 And even sparkling wine - Furleigh, Estate's Blanc de Blancs 2009, made in Dorset, noted for its rich stone fruit character with 'a flash of juniper bitterness'. Kirsch image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2018/05/kirsch-1.jpg Kirsch, pronounced 'kee-ersh', is a dry cherry brandy from Germany - where it's full name is 'kirschwasser', meaning 'cherry water'. It's traditionally made using morello cherries, which are fermented whole including their stones, giving the resultant spirit a bitter almond edge. In the wine lexicon, kirsch is placed in the dried or cooked fruit category, as it corresponds to the concentrated fruit characteristics found among descriptors like jammy, stewed fruit and raisin. Kirsch's flavour profile of distilled cherry fruit flavours, plus a hint of bitter almond, makes it a useful descriptor for many dry red wines. You can look for kirsch characteristics in rich full-bodied reds such as Syrah wines from France's Rhône Valley, where it can compliment savoury notes like herbs, smoke, earth and pepper. New world Syrah, commonly called Shiraz, can express kirsch-like flavours too, such as examples from South Africa and Australia - although here it tends to meld with stronger hints of sweet spices. Other reds with a kirsch character could include fruit-forward Malbec wines from Argentina, which often mix kirsch with dark fruit and floral notes. SEE: Fable Mountain Vineyards, Syrah, Tulbagh 2011 | De Bortoli, Yarra Valley, Estate Grown Shiraz, 2013 | 55 Malbec, La Consulta, Tomal Vineyard, Teho, 2011 Dry red wines from northern Italy, made from Nebbiolo, Sangiovese or Barbera grapes, can also all display a bold cherry character that can sometimes express itself as a kirsch note. Similarly, the powerful dark fruit profile of some Bordeaux blends can manifest itself in cassis and kirsch-like flavours. SEE: Cascina Val del Prete, Roero Riserva, Piedmont 2013 | Château de Fieuzal, Graves, Pessac-Léognan 2015 image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2018/08/Kiwi-fruit.jpg tasting notes decodedKiwi fruit Kiwi fruit is also known as a Chinese gooseberry; despite its connotations with New Zealand, it originates from China. However, aside from their sour, fruity flavour and green flesh, kiwis have little in common with gooseberries. Kiwis grow on vines, contain black seeds and have a fuzzy brown skin. Kiwi is found in the tropical fruit category of the wine tasting lexicon, alongside pineapple, passion fruit and mango. However a kiwi's flavours are generally less intensely sweet and pungent than most tropical fruit notes, having more in common with the tarter varieties of melon and lychee. Wines that might display kiwi notes are mostly dry, fruit-forward whites with prominent acidity. Chenin Blanc wines often fit this description. These could be of the Loire Valley variety, such as Le Pas St-Martin, La Pierre Frite, Saumur 2015 - praised for its subtle blend of lime, kiwi, quince and green plum flavours. South African Chenins can also have kiwi character, like Ken Forrester Wines, Old Vine Reserve Chenin Blanc 2015, noted for its stone fruit and kiwi flavours, as well as complex vinyl and cassis leaf undertones. You might also find hints of kiwi in various unoaked white wine styles, such as Volpe Pasini, Pinot Bianco, Colli Orientali del Friuli 2013 from northern Italy and Alpha Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2014 from Amyntaio in Macedonia. Both of these wines were vinified in stainless steel to preserve their fresh fruit flavours. Loganberry Loganberries are a hybrid formed of blackberries and raspberries, and they have shades of both in their look and taste. Originating in California in the 1880s, loganberries have become a popular addition to berry desserts and preserves across the US, UK and Australia. image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2018/08/Loganberry-1.jpg tasting notes decodedThe fruit is a deep claret colour when ripe, meaning that it technically belongs to the red fruit category of the wine lexicon, alongside its parent fruit, raspberry. In wine tasting notes, loganberry is used to describe red fruit flavours that aren't as tart as raspberry and cranberry, whilst not reaching the sweetness levels of, say, strawberry. Possessing elements of both sweet and sour red fruit flavours, loganberry can be a useful tasting note for wines that have similar characteristics. These are generally dry red wines with a strong red fruit flavour profile combined with medium to high acidity, creating both sweet and tart elements. Many dry reds fit this description, including French greats from Bordeaux, Burgundy and the Rhône Valley. For example, our tasters have found loganberry notes in Château La Mission Haut-Brion 2015, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti's La Tâche 2015 and Clos St-Jean, La Combe des Fous 2016. Syrah/Shiraz wines can also display loganberry flavours, such as Rolf Binder's Heysen Shiraz 2013 from Barossa Valley, in which the tart element of loganberry balances denser notes of blackberry jam. Further south, Obsidian Reserve Syrah 2013 from New Zealand's Waiheke Island was praised by our expert panel for its aromatic blend of loganberry, cinnamon, mint and bay leaf. Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/12/Lychee-1-e1513352008995.jpg tasting notes decoded Lychee With their spiky red exteriors and translucent white flesh, lychees are one of the more exotic fruit varieties in the wine lexicon. They're defined by a mildly sweet fruit flavour, with an edge of tartness and a floral aroma. Their large central seed makes lychees look similar to stone fruits, but when it comes to wine they are classed among the tropical fruit flavours — joining mango, banana, passion fruit and pineapple. Lychee notes are typically found in white wines, often those with subtle fruit flavours and spicy or floral characteristics. A classic example is Gewürztraminer wine, described by Thierry Meyer, DWWA Regional Chair for Alsace, in Gewurztraminer to change your mind: 'It smells of ginger and cinnamon, fragrant rose petals and pot pourri with a dusting of Turkish Delight and tastes of deliciously exotic lychees and mango.' These wines are commonly made in cool climate regions like Alsace and Alto Adige in northern Europe, as well as Marlborough in New Zealand. SEE: Lidl, Gewürztraminer Vieilles Vignes, Alsace 2016 | Gewürztraminer, Alto Adige, Trentino-Alto Adige 2014 | Yealands Estate, Gewürztraminer, Awatere Valley, Marlborough 2010 Other aromatic white wines with lychee notes could include Sauvignon Blancs, such as Massey Dacta, Marlborough 2015, which combines minerality with tropical fruits. As well as Pinot Grigio, Prosecco and Soave wines from northern Italy, Austrian Grüner Veltliner and Torrontés from the lofty heights of Salta. SEE: Cantina Tramin, Unterebner Pinot Grigio, Alto Adige 2014 | Sommariva, Brut, Conegliano-Valdobbiadene NV | Bolla, Retro, Soave Classico, Veneto 2011 | Bodega Colomé, Colome Torrontes, Calchaqui Valley 2015 Marmalade image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2018/09/Marmalade-1.jpg tasting notes decodedMarmalade is a fruit preserve made of citrus peel that's been boiled with sugar, although the original Portuguese variety is made from quinces. As with other preserves, like jam, the flavours in marmalade are sweeter and more concentrated versions of the fresh fruit it's made from. Wines that display these intense, sweet flavours with a bitter citrus edge are commonly fortified reds, such as Port or Madeira wines, or white dessert wines like those from Sauternes or Constantia. These wines develop complex flavour profiles as they mature; fresh fruit notes evolve and intertwine with other influences like oak. For example, long-aged wines like Delaforce's Curious & Ancient 20 Year Old Tawny Port can express notes of fig, spice, coffee, cocoa, leather, spice, as well as marmalade. Madeira wines are also made to age for decades. Blandy's Bual 1969 spent 40 years in a cask before bottling, for example. The result is a nuanced wine with flavours starting with hazelnut and woodsmoke on the nose and progressing to marmalade on the palate. In these wines marmalade flavours are often accompanied by dried fruit notes, which express a similar sense of developed and sweetened fruitiness. In Sauternes wines, like Château d'Yquem 2015, marmalade characteristics might be caused by the onset of botrytis cinerea, or noble rot, which concentrates fruit flavours and sugars by dehydrating the grapes on the vine. Constantia, located just outside Cape Town, is famous for its sweet white wines made from 100% Muscat de Frontignan. This aromatic grape variety can develop zesty and slightly bitter notes reminiscent of marmalade, alongside zingy ginger or Turkish delight. SEE: Klein Constantia, Vin de Constance 2014 Marmalade is not solely confined to sweet wines and can appear in the tasting notes of certain aromatic dry white wines. For example, Palmetto's Riesling 2017 from Eden Valley or Vincent Pinard's Flores Sauvignon Blanc 2015 from Sancerre — both of these wines combine hints of marmalade with delicate floral notes. For something more unusual try an orange, or skin contact, wine, like Gravner, Ribolla, Friuli-Venezia Giulia 2007, described as having a 'marmalade-like quality of bittersweetness'. image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/07/Melon.jpg tasting notes decodedMelon Although there are many different types of melon - watermelon, canteloupes, crenshaw, hami to name a few - when talking about melon flavours in wine, we're generally talking about those associated with the honeydew melon. Do not confuse this with the French grape that makes Muscadet wines, Melon de Bourgogne, which actually has very little to do with melon fruit. In the wine tasting lexicon, Melon is found among other tropical fruits like pineapple, lychee and mango. The flavour profile of ripe melon is generally fruity, refreshing and sweet, although its sugar content is not normally as high as that of pineapple. Rosé wines can be a good place to look for melon flavours and aromas. This is particularly true for wines from Provence, like Domaine Gavoty 2013, as well as some 'provençal-style' Californian rosés, such as Picayune Cellars, Rosé, Mendocino County 2016 or Arnot-Roberts, Clear Lake Rosé, Lake County 2016. Melon can also be evoked by rosé Champagnes, made from varying ratios of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay. Including De Castelnau, Rosé Champagne NV, where fruity melon is balanced by floral beeswax notes. Elsewhere, you might also find melon notes in full-bodied white wines from warm climates, such as Chardonnay from Californian regions like Napa Valley and Sonoma County. As well as in some Italian white wines like premium Pinot Grigio, or fruit-forward Prosecco wines. SEE: Truchard, Chardonnay, Carneros, Napa Valley, California 2014 | Ronco del Gelso, Sot lis Rivis, Isonzo 2012 | Masottina Extra Dry, Rive di Ogliano, Conegliano-Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore 2010 Source: Decanter.com image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/10/Orange.jpg understand tasting notes Orange Oranges are a species of citrus fruit which branch into many varieties, whether it be your lunchbox satsuma or a red-fleshed blood orange. Despite its many forms, all orange varieties share a similar citrus character that's less acidic than lemon, lime or grapefruit and more fresh, fruity or tangy instead. The same chemical molecule is behind the aroma of lemons and oranges, known as limonene. But it exists in two slightly altered forms and interacts with our nasal receptors differently, resulting in the two distinctive fruit scents. Wine tasting notes might be more specific by naming which part of the orange fruit correctly describes the flavour or aroma found in a wine. For example, a wine could have notes or orange peel or zest, which indicates a more pungent orange aroma, because limonene is concentrated in essential oils given off by glands in the rind. This means that when you peel or grate the skin of an orange you release a stronger and more bitter odour than that of its flesh. Wines with orange zest or peel notes are generally dry white wines with mineral, green fruit or floral characteristics. These can include Fiano wines from Campania in southern Italy, Riesling from Australia's Clare Valley, or Californian Chardonnays — where orange zest notes might be intermingled with tropical fruit flavours. SEE:Pierluigi Zampaglione, Don Chisciotte Fiano, Campania 2011 | Wakefield Estate, The Exquisite Collection Riesling, Clare Valley 2016 | Fess Parker, Ashley's Chardonnay, Santa Rita Hills 2014 You may also see the tasting term 'orange blossom', referring to a very different tasting profile to orange fruits. Orange blossom is typified by a fresh white flower aroma, with a gentle bitter edge. You can look for orange blossom notes in white Burgundies such as Domaine Leflaive, Puligny-Montrachet Le Clavoillon 1er Cru 2015 or Greek white Assyrtiko wines like Ktima Pavlidis, Emphasis Assyrtiko Drama PGI 2013. Do not confuse orange descriptors in wine tasting notes with orange wines, which are made using white wine grapes which are macerated in their skins, giving them an amber hue. In this case term 'orange' is in reference to their colour and does not prescribe orangey flavours or aromas. Sources: Citrus: A History by Pierre Laszlo | Decanter.com image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2018/06/Geranium.jpg tasting notes decodedGeranium Geraniums are much loved for their vivid flowers, but it's the leaves that are responsible for their distinctive musky-floral aroma; something that is widely used in perfumes and aromatherapy. In the wine lexicon geranium is in the floral category of primary aromas, meaning it's usually created by the grape and alcoholic fermentation, rather than winemaking techniques or ageing. Within the floral category it can perhaps be thought of as more herbaceous than rose, though more floral than elderflower. Geranium aromas are most commonly found in aromatic whites, such as premium aged examples Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi, from the eastern Italian Marche region. Colonnara, Verdicchio, dei Castelli di Jesi Classico 1991 melds geranium with floral-sweet honey aromas and banana. Alternatively, you might find geranium notes in the floral aroma profile of German Rieslings, such as Dreissigacker, Bechtheimer Geyersberg 2014, exuding flavours of 'roses and geranium jelly'. image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2018/06/papaya-1.jpg tasting notes decoded Papaya Papaya, or pawpaws, are seeded fruits that come in sizes ranging from pear shaped to almost spherical. They have green flesh that turns a rich ochre yellow or orange when ripe. In the lexicon of wine tasting descriptors papaya belongs in the tropical fruit category, alongside notes like passion fruit, mango and pineapple. These descriptors capture the pungent and sweet fruity character found in some wines, often whites made from aromatic varieties with a ripe, fruit-forward flavour profile. For example a South Australian Riesling like Two Hands, The Boy, Eden Valley 2014, expresses 'ripe and soft papaya flavours' that are pleasantly counterbalanced by its vibrant acidity. Similarly, a Viognier wine like Elephant Hill, Te Awanga, Hawke's Bay 2010 might layer 'luscious stone fruit, papaya and apricot aromas' upon a strong backbone of acidity. Other examples could include Sauvignon Blanc from Bordeaux, such as Château Bauduc 2016, or South African Chenin Blancs like Spice Route, Swartland 2015 and David & Nadia Sadie, Hoë-Steen 2015. Tropical fruit flavours like papaya can also develop in wines made from late-harvest grapes that have been affected by noble rot, such as sweet wines from Sauternes or Tokaji. SEE: Château de Myrat, Barsac 2ème Cru Classé 2014 | Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey, Sauternes 1er Cru Classé 2017 Oaky or leesy flavours can sometimes give the impression of a tropical fruit tang. These flavours can arise from wines that have been either fermented or aged in oak, rested 'sur lie' (on their lees) or from bâtonnage (stirring the lees). This could apply to some Chardonnays from Burgundy, like Olivier Merlin, Sur la Roche, Pouilly-Fuissé 2016 and Domaine Sangouard-Guyot, Au Brûlé, St-Véran 2016. It can also apply to some of the more complex premium Champagnes, including Krug, Grande Cuvée 160ème Édition NV and Louis Roederer, Cristal 2000. image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2018/01/Passion.jpg tasting notes decoded Passion fruit Passion fruits are recognisable by their purple or yellow hard casing, which can be cut open to reveal the vivid yellow pulp and green seeds within. They are related to the berry family, which also includes grapes. They thrive in tropical climates and grow on vines; passion fruit plantations don't look too dissimilar to wine vineyards, with the plants commonly trellised in lines. Passion fruits are favoured in desserts and confectionery for their powerful fruity flavour, which is predominantly sweet with a slight sour tang. This flavour profile can emanate from wines too, and passion fruit is included in the wine lexicon in the 'tropical fruit' category, alongside notes like lychee, melon and pineapple. You can look for passion fruit notes in aromatic dry white wines, with high acidity. For example New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is known for its ability to produce an array of pungent fruit flavours, including guava, passion fruit and mango — as well as equally strong flavours in the vegetal department, like cut grass and asparagus. SEE: Opawa, Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough 2016 | Harrods, Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough 2015 | Tinpot Hut, Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough 2016 You can find similar examples of this herbaceous and tropical fruit hybridity in Sauvignon Blancs from South America too: Cono Sur's Reserva Especial 2014 from Chile boasts 'intense mango, passion fruit and fresh herbs'. Or Trapiche's Costa & Pampa Sauvignon Blanc 2016 from Argentina, noted for its heady mix of 'cut grass and passion fruit' aromas. Aromatic Pinot Grigio and Gewürztraminer wines from Italy's Alto Adige region are capable of displaying ripe tropical fruit notes, such as passion fruit, alongside floral and citrus characteristics. Certain South African Chenin Blancs, also have passion fruit flavours to match tangy acidity. SEE: Cantina Tramin, Unterebner Pinot Grigio, Alto Adige 2014 | Baron Widmann, Gewürztraminer, Alto Adige 2013 | Swartland Winery, Bush Vine Chenin Blanc, Swartland, 2015 image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/05/pineapple.jpg tasting notes decodedPineapple As you're probably aware pineapple is a tropical fruit, with sweet and juicy pungent flesh. It's this sweet pungency that's reflected in some wine aromas, though no actual pineapple is present. There is such a thing as wine made from pineapples instead of grapes, but we won't get into that here. As a tasting note, pineapple is aligned with other sweet-smelling exotic fruits like melon, banana, guava, mango and passionfruit. Its flavour profile is sweeter than the citrus fruits, but it has a freshness that distinguishes it from stone fruits, such as apricots and peaches. You can find pineapple notes ripe white wines, such as a Riesling like Tongue in Groove Waipara Valley, New Zealand 2013. Or you might find it in more traditional late-harvest examples, especially from cool regions like Mosel in Germany. It's generally ascribed to the influences of Botrytis Cinerea, or Noble Rot. Science: How noble rot influences wine flavour As a thin-skinned grape, Riesling is particularly susceptible to Noble Rot — a fungus that pierces the skin of grapes and lowers the water content, whilst maintaining sugar levels. Botrytis is able to invoke fruity notes because of chemical compounds like fureanol, which is also found in very ripe pineapples. Look for its pineapple influence in sweet wines from Sauternes too, such as Château Suduiraut 2013. Some oaky and ripe New World Chardonnays may also exude aromas of pineapple, as they tend to have a more exotic fruit profile, along with hints of sweet spices and a higher alcohol content. Typical examples are Californian Chardonnays, such as Fess Parker, Ashley's Chardonnay, Santa Barbara 2014 and Y Rousseau, Milady Chardonnay, Napa Valley 2012. image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/09/plum.jpg understand tasting notes Plum It's often hard to define a single position for plum in the tasting note lexicon, because it can appear to span stone fruit, red fruit and black fruit categories, depending on the variety and its level of freshness and ripeness. It is commonly associated with Merlot wines, particularly in their younger years, and may denote a fleshy character to the wine. You will often find plum in tasting notes for fruit-driven varietal wines dominated by black fruits, including Cabernet Sauvignon — but not exclusively. Sometimes tasting notes might specify 'black plum' or 'dark plum', denoting richer and sweeter flavours, as might be seen red wines from Douro, made with Portuguese varieties like Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca. SEE: Sainsbury's, Taste the Difference Douro 2015 | Casa Ferreirinha, Callabriga, Douro 2014 You can find plum flavours and aromas in other varieties, too, such as Syrah and Grenache blends, like Domaine de la Cadenette, Costières de Nîmes, Rhône 2015 and La Cabane Reserve, Grenache & Syrah, Pays d'Oc 2015. In Barbera and also some Nebbiolo wines from Piedmont, ripe red plum notes can be intensified by influences of sour cherry. SEE: Ciabot Berton, Fisetta, Barbera d'Alba 2011 | Fratelli Serio & Battista Borgogno, Cannubi, Barolo 2009 You may also come across 'plum jam' in tasting notes, referring to plums which have been heated with added sugar, creating more intensely sweet, complex flavours. In powerful Sangiovese wines like Capanna, Brunello di Montalcino 2010 and Il Marroneto, Madonna delle Grazie, Brunello di Montalcino 2010, plum jam notes may combine with flavours of spice. Source: Decanter.com Pomegranate Pomegranates can be recognised by their hard shiny exteriors, coloured red or yellow, which can be split open to reveal bright ruby-like seeds. They're image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2018/03/pomegranate.jpg tasting notes decoded said to originate from the Middle East, but today their juicy seeds are found in drinks and sweet or savoury dishes around the world. The tart taste of pomegranate seeds might be compared to that of sour cherries or cranberries, and it's a useful descriptor for wines with similar flavour profile. Pomegranate flavours can sometimes be expressed by fuller-bodied rosé wines, when their red fruit character is combined with high acidity. For example, Domaine des Tourelles, Rosé 2015 from Lebanon is made from a punchy blend of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault and Tempranillo, resulting in 'heaps of wild strawberries and red berries' plus 'an extra dimension of pomegranate-like acidity'. Spanish rosés, or rosados, often display these characteristics too, such as Pyrene, Rosado 2016 from Somontano - a blend of Tempranillo, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon that has 'pleasingly tart pomegranate and strawberry fruit', as well as 'zippy grapefruit acidity'. The robust acidic backbone and prominent fruit flavours of this style of rosé can make for great summer barbecue pairings. In her selection of great rosé wines with food, Fiona Beckett highlights Charles Melton, Rose of Virginia 2015, a Grenache rosé from Barossa Valley, for its 'perfumed cherry and pomegranate fruit' — a good match for lamb. Rosés aside, you can also look for pomegranate notes in red wines with vibrant acidity and a ripe red fruit flavour profile. This could include Cinsault reds, like Tenute Rubino, Lamo Ottavianello 2015, made in Puglia, noted for its strong aromas of 'red cherry and pomegranate fruit'. Or fruit-forward Carignan wines from California, such as Lioco, Sativa Carignan 2013, expressing 'mouth-watering tastes of rosehip and pomegranate'. image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2018/06/Prunejpg.jpg tasting notes decoded Prune Prunes are dried plums of any variety, typically blackish purple in appearance. Despite their shrivelled and wrinkly appearance, prunes are favoured in for their rich, sweet and juicy fruit flavours - making them a popular ingredient in jams, juices and Middle Eastern tagines. In the wine lexicon prunes are found in the dried and cooked fruit category, as they share common flavour characteristics with raisins, dates and fruit preserves. These descriptors have more concentrated sweet fruity flavours compared to fresh fruits, as sugars become concentrated through the processes of drying or cooking. You can look for prune flavours and aromas in many medium to full bodied red wines with concentrated fruit flavours, typically those that have spent some time in oak. For example fruit-forward, verging on jammy, Italian wines made from Sangiovese and Barbera grapes: Vignamaggio, Chianti, Classico Gran Selezione 2011, Poggio Ridente, San Sebastiano, Barbera d'Asti Superiore 2014. Or rich Syrah and Grenache wines from warmer French regions like Languedoc-Rousillon or southern Rhône. Tasting notes for these wines often contain clusters of multiple red, black, fresh, baked and dried fruit descriptors. Laurent Miquel, Larmes des Fées, St-Chinian 2014 was praised for its 'sweet plum and prune scents and exciting, generously fruity plum, blackcurrant and damson flavours'. Other examples could include Argentinean Malbec wines, such as Gauchezco, Oro, Paraje Altamira 2013, which combines liquorice and prune notes. In her guide on how to taste en primeur wines Jane Anson said 'fig and prune flavours can mean the fruit is slightly overripe' in new vintages of Bordeaux wines. image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/08/tnd-raisin.jpg raisin flavour in wineRaisin It might seem natural enough to find flavours of raisin in your wine, given that they're really just dried out grapes. Indeed some wines are made from desiccated grapes, like Amarone wines from Valpolicella (where grapes are dried for 100 days or more), or sweet wines such as passito or vin santo styles. In these examples grapes are simply air dried by being laid out on racks in well-ventilated spaces, or hung from the rafters. SEE: Tommasi, Ca' Florian, Amarone della Valpolicella, Classico Riserva 2009 | Romano Dal Forno, Vigna Sere Rosso, Veneto 2004 The taste of raisins is defined by the concentration of fruit flavours and sugars left over after most of the water is removed. This explains why styles made by lowering the water content of grapes prior to pressing can later express raisiny notes in the glass. Sweet wines made using the onset of botrytis cinerea (aka noble rot) are part of this category too, as the fungus pierces the skins of the berries, lowering water content whilst retaining sugar levels. This includes wines like Sauternes from Bordeaux and Tokaji from Hungary. Some sweet sherries are made from dried grapes too, namely those that use Pedro Ximénez or Moscatel grapes that have been left in the sun for several days. These berries make naturally sweet sherries that don't require artificial sweetening after maturation, and they often have raisin in their tasting notes. SEE: Maestro Sierra, Pedro Ximénez, Jerez | Osborne, 30 year old, Pedro Ximénez Venerable VORS, Jerez In the wine lexicon, raisin belongs in the dried fruit category alongside tasting notes like dates, sultanas, dried figs and prunes. It's not unusual to find dried fruit flavours alongside cooked or stewed ones, because the process of cooking can also concentrate sugars and flavours in a similar way to drying. Bear in mind that wines can display dried fruit flavours even if they aren't made from dried out grapes, because some intense, earthy or complex fruit flavours can seem raisin-like. For example, you may find raisin notes in Syrah wines from the Crozes-Hermitage or Saint-Joseph appellations in northern Rhône. SEE: Vidal-Fleury, Crozes-Hermitage, Rhône 2010 | La Tour Coste, St-Joseph, La Combe, Rhône, France, 2010 Sources: sherrynotes.com | Decanter.com image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/11/Raspberry.jpg understand tasting notes Raspberry One of the tartest red fruits, raspberry has a distinctive flavour and aroma that's relished in desserts and confectionery. Raspberries are genetically part of the rose family, alongside other soft hedgerow fruits like blackberries and loganberries (blackberry-raspberry hybrids). In the wine lexicon, raspberry part of the red fruit category — at the tartest end of the spectrum, next to cranberry. Although some notes may contain 'sour raspberry', 'tart' is a more specific adjective, relating to their acidic yet sweet, fruity nature. Given these characteristics, it's more commonly detected as a primary aroma in ripe and fruit-forward red wines with medium to high acidity. Many wines from around the world fit this description, but some typical grape varieties include Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Gamay and Tempranillo and Italian grapes like Nebbiolo, Sangiovese, Barbera and Primitivo. SEE: Collin Bourisset, Fleurie, Beaujolais 2015 | Tolpuddle Vineyard, Pinot Noir, Coal River Valley, Tasmania 2014 | E Pira and Figli, Cannubi 2006 | Bodegas Muriel, Taste the Difference Vinedos Barrihuelo Crianza, Rioja 2012 Lots of rosé wines typically have red fruit flavours and prominent acidity too, like Sacha Lichine, Single Blend Rosé 2016 from Languedoc-Roussillon. Or Graham Beck, Brut Rosé — a non-vintage sparkling wine from South Africa's Western Cape, which combines 'vibrant raspberry acidity' with a leesy 'brioche finish'. You may see 'raspberry jam' in tasting notes, and this suggests the wine has more condensed raspberry tones; because jam making involves the addition of heat and sugar, which intensifies sweet and fruity fla

What are the benefits of brett? - ask Decanter Read more at https://www.decanter.com/learn/advice/brett-wine-good-bad-ask-decanter-378778/#AjQXzguESGmjUD0b.99

Have you heard people talking about 'brett' in wine and are confused about whether it's good or bad? image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/10/Brett-wine-630x417.jpg Brett wine TAGS: What are the benefits of brett? - ask Decanter Jim Stokes, New Zealand, asks: Could you please explain when brett is a good thing in a wine and also when it is a bad thing? Justin Howard-Sneyd MW replies: Brett is the abbreviation of a spoilage yeast family called brettanomyces, of which there are at least four strains (B. lambicus being important in making lambic beers). As the yeast metabolises sugars left in the wine, or on the barrel, it produces aromas such as 4-ethylphenol (which smells of bandaids/plasters), 4-ethylguaiacol (cloves and smoked bacon) and isovaleric acid (leather and cheese). Latest: Tasting notes decoded The extent to which having notes of brett in wine is desirable is a matter of personal opinion, rather than a fact. While many (often New World) winemakers view any hint of brett characteristics as evidence of spoilage, others with a more traditional heritage accept - and appreciate - low levels as adding complexity and personality in the wine. If the wine is filtered so as to remove the brett yeast completely, then no further aromas will develop, and the wine can be stable; however, unfiltered wines with brett can rapidly evolve and lose their fruit. Justin Howard-Sneyd MW is a wine consultant and winemaker. Got a question for Decanter's experts? Email us: [email protected] or on social media with #askDecanter More articles like this: A guide to wine 'flaws' Do 'wine legs' mean a better wine? Ask Decanter What is chaptalisation? - ask Decanter Read more at https://www.decanter.com/learn/advice/brett-wine-good-bad-ask-decanter-378778/#AjQXzguESGmjUD0b.99

Decanting mature double magnums - Ask Decanter Read more at https://www.decanter.com/learn/decant-double-magnum-ask-decanter-402012/#7E3uyJPF8rp0XYvh.99

How long should you let this wine breathe...? image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2018/10/decant-double-magnum-630x417.jpg decant double magnum How long should a mature double magnum wine breathe? Credit: ignazuri / Alamy Stock Photo TAGS: Decanting mature double magnums - Ask Decanter Sterling DePew, by email, asks: We recently enjoyed a double magnum of 1982 Mouton Rothschild, removed from the cellar and immediately decanted. It had been perfectly stored and the colour was youthful. How long would you allow this wine to breathe either in the glass or decanter to maximise its beauty? Jane Anson, Decanter's Bordeaux correspondent, replies: Decanting older wines is tricky, because often the main argument for doing so is to remove sediment, rather than to allow the wine to open up. A wine at 30 years old can have a delicate aromatic structure that you want to preserve, rather than allow it to escape into the room; as a result, decanting for too long is not advisable. image: https://static.apester.com/js/assets/loader_100x100.gif Subscribe to Decanter Premium for exclusive tastings content and over 1,000 tasting notes a month Having said that, Mouton 1982 is still a richly tannic, relatively young wine, and in double magnum will have retained much of its fruit and power. Part of your enjoyment will be in seeing how the wine evolves in the decanter and glass over a few hours. Decanting it just an hour or so before service should be enough, but take your time and observe how its flavours deepen and evolve. I wouldn't be surprised if the wine still tastes beautiful a full 24 hours after decanting. This question first appeared in the November 2018 issue of Decanter magazine. How quickly should you drink wine after decanting? How to let a wine breathe, and when Read more at https://www.decanter.com/learn/decant-double-magnum-ask-decanter-402012/#7E3uyJPF8rp0XYvh.99

How common are multi-vintage blends? - Ask Decanter Read more at https://www.decanter.com/learn/multi-vintage-blends-ask-decanter-381431/#loXEuMIrqSodOCOX.99

John Stimpfig explains who is doing it... image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/10/g3-vintages-630x417.jpg penfolds g3 wine Penfolds g3 combines three Grange vintages. Credit: Penfolds TAGS: Phil Potter asks: I recently read on about Penfolds' new G3 wine, which is a blend of three Grange vintages. Are there any other examples of this kind of vintage blending? John Stimpfig replies: The most obvious example is non-vintage Champagne, which is more accurately described as a multi-vintage blend. Then there are fortified wines such as Sherry and tawny Port, which are also blends of several vintages. However, there are very few still wines which adopt this practice. The well-known exceptions to the rule include Chris Howell's Cain Cuvée (Napa), Vega Sicilia's Reserva Especial (Ribera del Duero) and Valdivieso's Caballo Loco (Chile). But change may be afoot as more winemakers are starting to experiment with this multi-vintage concept. These include, in South Africa, Ryan Mostert's Smiley White. And there are others in Spain, California and Argentina. Originally published in Decanter magazine. Premium members can now read a full feature on this issue here Got a question for Decanter's experts? Email us: [email protected] or on social media with #askDecanter. Find more Ask Decanters here Read more at https://www.decanter.com/learn/multi-vintage-blends-ask-decanter-381431/#loXEuMIrqSodOCOX.99

Many old Zinfandel vineyards would have been pulled out if they had not been saved by:

Jug wines like Hearty Burgundy The popularity of the rosé white Zinfandel

Which pioneering California sparkling wine house was founded in 1882 by two Czechoslovakian brothers?

Korbel

At ancient Greek soirées, participants dipped their cups into large wine bowls, punch-style. What was the Greek word for these bowls?

Krater

Master of wine vs Master sommelier: What's the difference? - ask Decanter Read more at https://www.decanter.com/learn/advice/master-of-wine-master-sommelier-difference-374802/#QJTuXk9aiviuRhH4.99

Matt Stamp MS speaks to Gerard Basset MW MS OBE, one of the very few people in the world to hold both master sommelier and master of wine titles... image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2016/04/Best-Sommelier-of-the-World-competition-2-630x417.jpg sommelier quiz, world's best sommelier Judges pretend to be restaurant diners at the 'world's best sommelier' competition in Mendoza, Argentina, 2016. TAGS: MS and MW: how do they compare? This article was originally published in decanter magazine in 2013 and has been updated and edited by the Decanter.com editorial team. Awarded an OBE in 2011 for his services to the hospitality industry, Gerard Basset MW MS OBE is the former holder of the Best Sommelier in the World title after winning in 2010. image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2013/07/Gerard-Basset-MS-MW-DAWA.gif DAWA vice-chair: Gerard Basset MS MW Gerard Basset judging as vice-chair at the Decanter Asia Wine Awards. This year's judging will be held in Hong Kong in September 2017. He is also one of only three people in the world to hold both the Master Sommelier title (acquired in 1989) and equally demanding Master of Wine qualification (1998). 'There's a cloud of mystery surrounding both qualifications,' he says. 'Both test candidates on wine knowledge and tasting skills but in a very different way.' SEE ALSO: Quiz: Could you get onto the master sommelier programme? What does it take to become a sommelier? Latest: China gets first master sommelier as three new contenders make grade Which path to choose... 'Inevitably, those in the catering industry will benefit most from the MS and if they work on the floor of a restaurant it should be easier for them to prepare for as it is more linked to what they do every day,' Basset says. 'For those in the wine trade and with a more academic mind, the MW is a more logical choice. However, I know many MSs who now work with great brio in the wine trade and a few MWs who operate with success in a restaurant; there's nothing abnormal about either situation.' image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2013/04/mastersommelier.jpg master sommelier The red pins for passing the Master Sommelier exam. Credit: Court of Master Sommeliers. 'For me, the gap of almost a decade between acquiring the two qualifications is key to my experience. I'd certainly not have passed the MW in 1989 - I wasn't ready to take this exam, and my English wasn't yet good enough,' Basset adds. 'Indeed, the fact that I left school aged 16 meant that it took some time to master the skill for the MW of essay writing, and in English. With the MS, on the other hand, many fear the practical tests, but I was a full-time sommelier then and so didn't find that too difficult. Obviously if you work in a wine shop instead of a restaurant floor, it would be harder.' 'What is important, is that each plays a crucial part in increasing wine knowledge and tasting skills. They are superb tools to improve standards and the image of the wine industry. Even talented wine professionals who do not take these exams will indirectly benefit, as they will exchange ideas with candidates and holders of such titles. So it is vital that these qualifications continue to exist, improve and adapt to the inevitable evolution of our industry.' What you need to know for the MS exam image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2013/04/Master-Sommelier-exam.jpg The blind tasting exam. Credit: of Master Sommeliers Wine laws, must weights and organoleptics: studying for the MS The nature of the Master Sommelier exam's actual content remains a guarded secret, and the Court of Master Sommeliers does not release past exam material. Candidates receive only general suggestions of scope: 'Speak with authority on the wine areas of the world,' or: 'Demonstrate courtesy and charm'. The CMS requires a 75% mark or better in each of the three sections to pass, but candidates never receive an official score and the pass rate is notoriously low. Mosel: An example of what to learn image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2016/07/Graach-Vineyard-in-Mosel.jpg German Riesling Graach Vineyard in Mosel. Credit: WikiCommons/Roger Wallstadt. The following is an example of one wine region - the Mosel in Germany - and some of the information I considered essential in my preparations for the exam: Knowledge of Mosel history, geography, soil and climate Memorisation of winemaking villages and vineyards General attributes of Riesling wines from important sites Understanding of winemaking techniques and effects of botrytis Knowing organoleptic differences in kabinett, spätlese, auslese, BA, TBA, trocken, halbtrocken and grosses gewächs Rieslings Identification of Goldkapsel wines Solid understanding of German wine law and minimum mustweight requirements Solid understanding of the VDP wine association, including both pre- and post-2012 terminology (grosses gewächs, grosse lage, etc), minimum ageing recommendations, yields, sugar levels, etc Familiarity with top producers and their individual styles: JJ Prüm, Egon Müller, Zilliken, Dr Loosen, Karthäuserhof, etc Understanding of vintage character from the 1970s to the present General familiarity with German terminology, from einzellage (vineyard site) to anreicherung (chaptalisation) Multiply the above by 13 - the number of German anbaugebiete (winegrowing regions) - and repeat for every major winemaking country in the world. Devote similar attention to spirits, beers and saké, and you will be in good shape for the Master Sommelier exam. Gerard Basset is now co-chair of the Decanter World Wine Awards. This was taken from a feature in the March 2013 issue of Decanter magazine. Edited for Decanter.com by Ellie Douglas. Got a question for Decanter's experts? Email us: [email protected] or on social media with #askDecanter More on sommeliers: Read more at https://www.decanter.com/learn/advice/master-of-wine-master-sommelier-difference-374802/#QJTuXk9aiviuRhH4.99

What is Fumé Blanc? - ask Decanter Read more at https://www.decanter.com/learn/advice/what-is-fume-blanc-ask-decanter-387348/#dGQ8l2XPUsYy2Zx6.99

Most wine lovers know that Fumé Blanc refers to Sauvignon Blanc made in the United States, and has likely gone through some oak ageing. But is Fumé Blanc always 'oaky'? And where does the name come from? image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2018/03/Fume-blanc-630x417.jpg Fumé Blanc What is Fume blanc? Credit: Ian Shaw / Alamy Stock Photo TAGS: The origin of Fumé Blanc - ask Decanter Sauvignon Blanc arrived in North America in the late 1800s—in one version of the story, the variety was first taken from Sauternes estate Château d'Yquem. But, the potential of the grape was arguably not truly recognised until Robert Mondavi decided to produce a quality dry Sauvignon Blanc in 1960s. At that time, Sauvignon Blanc was considered as a boring variety, mainly used for sweet wine production to feed the sweet-toothed US market. In order to avoid the negative image of the variety name 'Sauvignon Blanc', Mondavi decided to invent another name for the variety. He took the French word 'Fumé', referring to a smoke-like vapour or substance and also enshrined in the name of Pouilly-Fumé of Loire Valley, and the French for white, as in 'blanc'. Ageing Sauvignon Blanc with oak In order to differentiate his Sauvignon Blanc from those from other wine nations, Robert Mondavi decided to age this variety in oak barrels. Mondavi didn't register the name as his own trademark, 'so more people can use this name', according to the winery. More producers started ageing their dry Sauvignon Blanc in (old and new) oak barrels, and selling it as 'Fumé Blanc'. Therefore, the name has been more commonly associated with oak-aged Sauvignon Blanc from the US ever since. The Sauvignon Blanc quiz - test your knowledge But is Fumé Blanc always oaked? Fumé Blanc is not necessarily oaked. To begin with, Robert Mondavi 'only intended to find an alternative name for Sauvignon Blanc, without any indication of the production method and style,' according to the winery. Currently the two terms 'Sauvignon Blanc' and 'Fumé Blanc' are deemed as synonyms in US law. In the Sonoma region, Dry Creek Vineyard was among the first to produce a 'Fumé Blanc' in California without any use of oak. Inspired by the mineral, lean and fresh Sauvignon Blanc from Sancerre of the Loire Valley, the owner David Stare decided to make a unoaked 'Fumé Blanc' in 1972, according to the winery. By early 2000s, the winery wanted to make another Sauvignon Blanc. The variety was blended with its highly aromatic clone Sauvignon Musqué and Pinot Gris to make a fuller and richer wine—again without any oak aging - but the winery decided to name it 'Sauvignon Blanc'. 'When we came to the decision to make a second Sauvignon Blanc, (for the name) it was an easy choice, because we already have a Fumé Blanc,' said Tim Bell, winemaker at Dry Creek. 'It does take a little bit of explanation for people to understand, but once they try the wine, it's clear that they are different.' Read more at https://www.decanter.com/learn/advice/what-is-fume-blanc-ask-decanter-387348/#dGQ8l2XPUsYy2Zx6.99

What is claret wine? - ask Decanter Read more at https://www.decanter.com/learn/advice/what-is-claret-wine-ask-decanter-378401/#r5HEpEjH1u2F5Bm5.99

Not sure what people mean when they've used the term claret? Confused about where the term came from? Here's some background. image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/10/Decanter-Bordeaux-Encounter-11-630x417-630x417.jpg claret wine TAGS: What is claret wine? - ask Decanter A brief history of claret Claret is a traditionally term used for Bordeaux wines in Britain. It can be traced back to the 12th century and is believed to be linked to the French term 'clairet'. As Oz Clarke notes in his 'History of Wine in 100 Bottles', claret originally referred to very light red wines from Bordeaux. 'The local Bordeaux wines were a bit insipid and needed beefing up with wines from places like Cahors and Gaillac inland.' The marriage of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine in 1151 influenced a trade relationship between Bordeaux and England, in which huge amounts of wine - claret - were shipped to ports in the UK. This helped establish 'claret' as 'the Englishman's drink,' says Clarke. Claret today image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/10/claret-montrose-630x417.jpg bordeaux claret Claret is a British term and has expanded to refer to all Bordeaux red wines. The term claret remains predominantly British in usage. But it is now used more frequently as a blanket description for red wines from Bordeaux, even if they are heavier in style than the lighter reds originally denoted by the word. Some have questioned claret's staying power in the vocabulary of 21st century wine lovers. 'Claret has slipped from unfashionable to almost irrelevant for most drinkers now,' said Jane Anson, Decanter's Bordeaux correspondent. 'Very few will even associate it with red Bordeaux. So perhaps it is ready for a revival?' To get your question answered, email us: [email protected] or on social media with #askDecanter More articles like this: How Britain shaped the wine world The birth of claret Sir Winston Churchill: Quotes on wine Read more at https://www.decanter.com/learn/advice/what-is-claret-wine-ask-decanter-378401/#r5HEpEjH1u2F5Bm5.99

Spot the difference: Tirage and dosage in Champagne - ask Decanter Read more at https://www.decanter.com/learn/advice/what-the-difference-between-tirage-and-dosage-in-champagne-382613/#mdrzIqKlFmAlVURg.99

Not sure what they mean? John Stimpfig explains... image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2018/01/tirage-dosage-630x417.jpg tirage dosage Champagne before disgorgement. TAGS: Difference between tirage and dosage Ben Jenkins, Sidmouth, asks: What is the difference between tirage and dosage in the production of Champagne? John Stimpfig replies: Both additions are key elements in the winemaking process for Champagne and all bottle-fermented sparkling wine. Liqueur de tirage is a liquid solution of yeast, wine and sugar that is added to the still base wine in order to create the secondary fermentation in bottle. The amount of sugar determines the level of dryness in the wine as well as the atmospheric pressure in the bottle. The dosage is the amount of sugar in the liqueur d'expedition (a mix of sugar and wine), which is added just after disgorgement. This not only tops up the wine, it also helps balance the acidity and add sweetness - depending on the style (see below). SEE ALSO: What's the difference between 'brut nature' and 'zéro dosage'? Why does my 'extra dry' Prosecco taste sweet? - ask Decanter As all the yeasts have either been consumed or expelled at the point of disgorgement, there is no chance of a third fermentation in bottle. Some Champagnes are now labelled as non-dosé, zéro dosage or brut nature (the official term), which means that no sugar was added to the liqueur d'expedition. Brut Nature: no added sugar and less than 3 grams/litre of residual sugars Extra-Brut: between 0g/l and 6g/l of residual sugars Brut: less than 12g/l of residual sugars Extra Sec/Extra Dry: between 12g/l and 17g/l of residual sugars Sec/Dry: between 17g/l and 32g/l of residual sugars Demi-Sec: between 32g/l and 50g/l of residual sugars Got a question for Decanter's experts? Email us: [email protected] or on social media with #askDecanter Read more at https://www.decanter.com/learn/advice/what-the-difference-between-tirage-and-dosage-in-champagne-382613/#mdrzIqKlFmAlVURg.99

Many wines are fermented and/or aged in barrels of "new oak," "old oak" or some combination of the two. What is the difference?

Old oak barrels have been used in vinification of wine previously. Old oak barrels impart less oak flavor and tannins to the wine.

Despite the recent surge in the popularity of screw caps and other wine closures, most bottles are still topped with natural cork, which comes mainly from which country?

Portugal

The 2011 growing season provided plenty of headaches for winemakers in the Northern Hemisphere, but not in every region. Which of these had an especially good crush season?

Portugal

Wines to pair with Christmas duck and goose Read more at https://www.decanter.com/learn/food/christmas-duck-goose-wine-pairing-347368/#Vq84x9WgeLHAjW3m.99

Rich, fatty meats such as duck and goose demand more from a wine. See our recommendations and tips for a perfect pairing... image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2016/12/roast-goose-alamy-BJN7GB-630x417.jpg christmas goose, wine pairing Roast goose is making a comeback on the Christmas dinner table. Credit: Bon Appetit / Alamy TAGS: Updated in 2017 with fresh wine recommendations. Goose and duck are both richer alternatives to the much more popular turkey at Christmas. Goose is the traditional English bird for Christmas dinner, although it began to lose out to turkey in the UK during the Victorian era of the 19th Century. Today, Britons collectively consume around 10 million turkeys at Christmas. But, alternatives to turkey have made a comeback in recent years, partly fuelled by celebrity chefs and also by retailers in both the US and UK stocking more alternatives. Whereas goose can feed your extended family with leftovers to spare, duck suits the more humbly-sized gathering while still offering rich flavours. Scroll down for our wine pairing picks When looking for wines to pair with these rich, fatty birds, you should focus on complex whites that can 'cut through' with their acidity, and medium bodied reds that favour fruit over tannin. We have made some great suggestions below but if you are set on picking something already in your collection, our tip would be to pick a mature Burgundy of either colour; Premier Cru level or above. White examples Aim for whites from cooler climates, which will have higher levels of acidity. Some residual sugar can help the wine to match the richness of the bird. Puligny-Montrachet (Burgundy) Oaked Chardonnay (Victoria) Off-dry Riesling (Mosel) Vouvray (Loire) Red examples Aim for reds that showcase losts of red fruit flavours, have lower levels of tannin and retain good levels of acidity. Morgon (Beaujolais) Chambolle-Musigny (Burgundy) Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir (Australia) Dolcetto d'Alba (Piedmont) Oh, and if you go decide to go for a rosé, pick something with bolder, juicy fruit flavours. The delicacy of a Provence rosé will not work here, whereas something Pinot Noir or Grenache based should do a much better job. Christmas duck & goose wine picks: image: https://decanter-prod-aws1-timeincuk-net.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/media/images/yabby-lake-single-vineyard-mornington-peninsula-2013-58173783224dc.jpeg Yabby Lake, Single Vineyard, Mornington Peninsula, 2013 Yabby Lake, Single Vineyard, Mornington Peninsula, 2013 Serious, sensual and sinuous with an attractive mulberry aroma. The palate has densely packed fruit buried among the classy tannins, and a gentle caramel underlay. Complex, controlled and ageworthy. POINTS 91 image: https://decanter-prod-aws1-timeincuk-net.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/media/images/paringa-pinot-noir-59f3558767049.jpeg Paringa Estate, Mornington Peninsula, The Paringa Pinot Paringa Estate, Mornington Peninsula, The Paringa Pinot Since planting Paringa Estate in 1985, Mornington Peninsula pioneer Lindsay McCall has picked the eyes out of his vineyard for this muscular flagship Pinot, which... Join to see score and tasting note JoinLog in image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2015/11/decanter-placeholder.png Crittenden Estate, Mornington Peninsula, Peninsula Crittenden Estate, Mornington Peninsula, Peninsula White peaches, crisp apples, soft toasty spice are followed by subtle nuts and a lean, fresh, zippy finish. POINTS 88 image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2015/11/decanter-placeholder.png Stonier, Mornington Peninsula, Reserve Chardonnay, 2014 Stonier, Mornington Peninsula, Reserve Chardonnay, 2014 Oak on the nose is followed in the glass by an exotic and juicy fresh pineapple fruit quality whose citric acidity brings a lean and zesty fresh streak to this wine. POINTS 89 image: https://decanter-prod-aws1-timeincuk-net.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/media/images/domaine-bachelet-monnot-les-folatires-puligny-montrachet-premier-cru-2014-58172f298602e.jpeg Domaine Bachelet-Monnot, Puligny-Montrachet, 1er Cru Domaine Bachelet-Monnot, Puligny-Montrachet, 1er Cru Lean citrus and pear nose, quite toasty and elegant. Fresh, limpid, and luminous, not a very weighty style but has tension and clarity. This is linear and pure, and needs more time to fill out on the palate. Exquisite now and very long, but balanced and with ageing potential. POINTS 94 image: https://decanter-prod-aws1-timeincuk-net.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/media/images/olivier-leflaive-puligny-montrachet-les-pucelles-1er-cru-burgundy-2008-591c5f9c1ccf2.jpeg Olivier Leflaive, Puligny-Montrachet, 1er Cru Les Pucelles, Olivier Leflaive, Puligny-Montrachet, 1er Cru Les Pucelles, Olivier Leflaive's Pucelles reveals a rather extrovert nose of smoke, Cantaloupe melon, preserved citrus and a framing of toasty oak. On the palate the wine... image: https://www.decanter.com/wine-reviews/assets/img//vivino_powered.jpg Join to see score and tasting note JoinLog in image: https://decanter-prod-aws1-timeincuk-net.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/media/images/albert-bichot-les-charmes-morgon-2015-59886f6ba4447.jpeg Albert Bichot, Beaujolais, Morgon, Les Charmes, 2015 Albert Bichot, Beaujolais, Morgon, Les Charmes, 2015 Pronounced vanilla-oak scents amid glossy blackberry and floral-toned fruit. Powerful, smooth and mouth-filling with alluring damson fruit partnering a mineral thread onto the finish. Wait a while. POINTS 90 Related content: Wine with Christmas turkey Christmas party wines Le Cordon Bleu: Wine & Duck Read more at https://www.decanter.com/learn/food/christmas-duck-goose-wine-pairing-347368/#Vq84x9WgeLHAjW3m.99

Which of these California sparkling wine producers is not affiliated with a Champagne house?

Schramsberg

Times were tough for small businesses in 2011, and family-owned wineries were not exempt; which Sonoma producer known for Zinfandel was sold to Crimson Wine Group?

Seghesio

Serving Thanksgiving wine: Pitfalls to avoid

So you've made it all the way through to Thanksgiving day and now all you have to do is ensure that everybody has a good time. Wine can help, but here are our tips on how to make it work. image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/11/wine-toast-630x417.jpg serving thanksgiving wine Don't stress over wine this Thanksgiving. Credit: Tatiana Badaeva / Alamy TAGS: If by some chance you are still looking for wine and are reading this ahead of the big day, then see our recommendations on what styles of Thanksgiving wine to buy. Otherwise, there's plenty to consider - and good times to be had - so here are some things for wine lovers to think about to help the day run smoothly. 1. Temperature Your kitchen is going to become a cauldron, so beware the heat. One of the worst things you can do is constantly expose wine to wildly fluctuating climates. See our advice on serving temperatures for wine here. A couple of hours of chilling should do the job for Champagne and sparkling wines, and remember that 'room temperature' for fuller bodied reds is only supposed to be around 65 degrees Fahrenheit (18 Celsius) - maximum. What winemakers and sommeliers are drinking this Thanksgiving 2. Special bottles On Decanter's staff, we've collectively spent many hours ruminating on the best time to open one of those special bottles sitting in the bottom rung of our cellar racks. It's easy to leave them for too long. Thanksgiving is an obvious opportunity, but - a bit selfishly - consider how many glasses you need to fill and whether or not you'll be silently choking on your yams if any of your family and friends do not express adequate admiration for a wine so lovingly chosen and cared-for. If you've weighed all that up and it still makes sense, then go for broke. It is, after all, great to share fine wines with close family and friends... Read John Stimpfig's experience of this dilemma 3. Food pairing etiquette As Ray Isle notes in his article on choosing Thanksgiving wine, you've got almost no chance of continuously matching wines to the array of foods on the table. Remember that acidity is always your friend in such situations, and don't pick anything that's overly heavy. Oregon Pinot Noir is likely to trump a big, oaky Cab on this occasion. Then, know your audience. You might love that natural wine produced in Qvevri from Georgia, but realistically your aunt will probably snub the birthplace of wine for something a little more mainstream. Have a decent bottle of Chardonnay on-hand, for example, alongside something more adventurous. Only chill the Chardonnay to between 50 and 57 degrees Fahrenheit if it's reasonably full bodied. 4. It's a marathon Carson Demmond reminded us last year of the importance of treating Thanksgiving as more of a marathon than a sprint. Read her 'survival guide' advice from 2016 on low-octane wines that you might want to try. 5. Don't fall foul of common wine myths Mainly, pulling the cork and expecting the wine to 'aerate' is a bit like asking a person to breathe only through a straw with the diameter of a lapel pin; it's not going to work very well. Generally, for a fine red wine, decanting one hour before serving will be adequate, according to Clément Robert MS. Vintage Port should always be decanted to get rid of the sediment. And leaving a spoon in a bottle of Champagne overnight won't stop the wine going flat. Read more about Thanksgiving wine tips DON'T MISS DECANTER'S NEXT LONDON EVENT Taste more than 600 fine wines at Decanter's flagship Fine Wine Encounter on Sat 3 & Sun 4 Nov 2018, London, 11am - 5pm. Tickets only £80 - book today Read more at https://www.decanter.com/learn/advice/serving-thanksgiving-wine-pitfalls-avoid-380249/#z4BejbgcW3tvfCGF.99

Increasingly, wine is being packaged in materials other than glass bottles. Which of these is NOT a popular new type of wine container?

Sock

The runner-up on the TV show The Bachelorette (and star of The Bachelor in 2012), Ben Flajnik, is a winemaker in which region?

Sonoma

Wine with Christmas Turkey - Food Matching Read more at https://www.decanter.com/learn/food/wine-with-christmas-turkey-food-matching-285778/#8LPercQK66uZj6V0.99

Tannin is the enemy, argues Decanter's Harry Fawkes. Here's his guide to wine with Christmas turkey and all the trimmings. Updated with new wine recommendations. image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2015/12/osh-Sticky-Glazed-Stuffed-Roast-Turkey-Time-Inc.jpg Wine with Christmas Turkey - Food Matching TAGS: Wine with Christmas turkey: It would not be Christmas without turkey. It's a traditional favourite in the US and the UK since as far back as the 16th century, although it was the Victorians who really cemented its place at the festive lunch table. Scroll down to read more and for wine recommendations Search all Decanter's wine reviews here See all Decanter.com's Christmas wine advice here Cheese and wine: The ultimate guide Value: All supermarket wine recommendations Turkey is not a powerful meat Turkey is not a powerful white meat and has a low fat content - the reason why it can dry out if not cooked carefully. With this in mind, your wine matches should ideally be either a full-bodied white wine, or a medium bodied red, with low to medium tannin and relatively high acidity. Click on the turkey and wine pairing graphic below to see a full-size version image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2016/12/turkey-with-wine.jpg turkey with wine, decanter Tips on matching Christmas turkey with wine. Credit: Annabelle Sing / Decanter Tannin is the enemy Tannin is your Christmas banquets enemy. It is at odds with the lack of fat on the plate, leaving nothing to soften the tannins. This can lead to accentuated, harsh tannins in a wine, whilst the saltiness of the turkey can also make tannin taste more bitter. If that wasn't enough to think about, there is also the complexity of the accompaniments to your lunch; cranberry, bacon, parsnips, stuffing and brussel sprouts to name a few. Wine with Turkey: The Reds A medium tannin red, for me, points towards top quality, robust Pinot Noirs or a Beaujolais Cru. Pinot Noir from muscular Burgundy Crus such as Gevrey-Chambertin or Pommard stack up exceptionally well - if you can stretch to the Grand Cru of Chambertin even better. The lighter, elegant Burgundian areas such as Volnay may be overpowered by all those accompaniments, so be careful. Pinot from Sonoma will also work extremely well along with Pinot Noir from Victoria, Australia. image: https://static.apester.com/js/assets/loader_100x100.gif If you are not a Pinot fan, a mature Bordeaux, Chianti or Rioja would work well too. The tannin in red wine can soften and integrate with age, allowing them to be matched with Turkey. A Decanter Panel chose white Burgundy as their best match with Turkey Wine with Turkey: The whites Sometimes ignored at Christmas lunch, a full-bodied Chardonnay can be an enchanting accompaniment to your turkey, especially with traditional sides such as bread sauce. Oaky richness gives sweet spice notes, while creamy lactic acid really helps out with a meat that can sometimes be on the dry side. Good Chardonnays, in general, are found in the same geographical areas as good Pinot Noir. White Burgundy from the Côte de Beaune will work well at almost all levels; upgrade where you can to something like a Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru or a Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru. The high levels of minerality and acidity in these wines help to cleanse the palate, allowing you to wade through all the trimmings effortlessly. Other wonderful examples can be found in Victoria, Sonoma and New Zealand. The Kumeu River Chardonnays from near Auckland are extraordinary wines, offer fantastic value for money and impressed us in 2015. Top tip for cooking turkey: 'Take off the legs and cook them separately from the crown,' says Stephen Harris, chef at the Sportsman in Whitstable, kent. 'It's easy to overcook the breast otherwise. I like to confit the legs in goose fat and last year I sous-vided the breast, which worked well.' Wine with Christmas turkey : Recommendations image: https://decanter-prod-aws1-timeincuk-net.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/media/images/henry-fessy-brouilly-5817353666f5b.jpeg Henry Fessy, Brouilly, Burgundy, France, 2012 Henry Fessy, Brouilly, Burgundy, France, 2012 Smooth, balanced and from a property whose founding owner's moustache was so famous they even put it on the bottle label, where it remains to this day. This cru Beaujolais is alive and refreshing, with silky tannins and plenty of food-matching potential. POINTS 90 image: https://decanter-prod-aws1-timeincuk-net.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/media/images/joseph-drouhin-rully-2012-583c66db7c4c1.jpeg Joseph Drouhin, Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru, Joseph Drouhin, Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru, A concentrated wine with grace and intensity. Subtle layers of minerals, nuts, spices and stone fruits that are finely woven together. Lovely flavour definition and... Join to see score and tasting note JoinLog in image: https://decanter-prod-aws1-timeincuk-net.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/media/images/carpe-diem-chardonnay-anderson-valley-california-59db7f581a2be.jpeg Carpe Diem, Anderson Valley, Chardonnay, California, 2014 Carpe Diem, Anderson Valley, Chardonnay, California, 2014 An assertive and austere style of Chardonnay which at first seems quite challenging until fresh dry fruit emerges alongside a clean minerality and a long, crisp, saline acidity. POINTS 92 image: https://decanter-prod-aws1-timeincuk-net.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/media/images/domaine-faiveley-les-rugiens-58173391cec4c.jpeg Domaine Faiveley, Pommard, 1er Cru Rugiens, Burgundy, 2011 Domaine Faiveley, Pommard, 1er Cru Rugiens, Burgundy, 2011 Recommended A gentle Pommard with velvety tannins, lovely red berry flavours and sweet spices with a fairly long finish. POINTS 89 image: https://decanter-prod-aws1-timeincuk-net.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/media/images/altano-organic-new-5a315ad9bf60a.jpeg Symington, Altano Organic, Douro, Portugal, 2015 Symington, Altano Organic, Douro, Portugal, 2015 Fans out with intense aromas of plums, dark cherries, blackberries and bergamot. Voluptuous and opulent in the mouth with dense dark fruit, a firm backbone and zesty acidity. Will reward cellaring. POINTS 90 image: https://decanter-prod-aws1-timeincuk-net.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/media/images/paringa-estateestate-pinot-noir-mornington-peninsula-581735de78685.jpeg Paringa Estate, Estate Pinot Noir, 2010 Paringa Estate, Estate Pinot Noir, 2010 Warm, resonant, lifted and fragrant. It tapers beautifully with the refined liquorice- tinged fruits very classy indeed. Poised, pure, long, lots of currant fruit and very intense. Stylistically impeccable. Bravo! POINTS 95 image: https://decanter-prod-aws1-timeincuk-net.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/media/images/pata-negra-reserva-2010-581734b6348e8.jpeg Garcia Carrion, Reserva, Pata Negra, Rioja, 2010 Garcia Carrion, Reserva, Pata Negra, Rioja, 2010 Garcia Carrion has been keeping Spain and export markets supplied with drinks for more than a century. The company started in wine and is a brand leader in Spain, but it is also a significant producer of fruit juice. The Pata Negra brand covers five DOs and this Rioja Reserva... POINTS 95 image: https://decanter-prod-aws1-timeincuk-net.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/media/images/domaine-colin-delegar-5817330a04ff7.jpeg Domaine Colin-Deleger, Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru, 2011 Domaine Colin-Deleger, Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru, 2011 Gentle and delicate wine that opens up on the palate with amazing depth and persistence. A lovely Chevalier-Montrachet with delicacy, finesse and detail. Join to see score and tasting note JoinLog in image: https://decanter-prod-aws1-timeincuk-net.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/media/images/la-rioja-alta-904-gran-reserva-2005-583c66d11e907.jpeg La Rioja Alta, Gran Reserva, 904, Rioja, 2005 La Rioja Alta, Gran Reserva, 904, Rioja, 2005 It's rare to see mature wine at this price tag; it is even rarer at this quality. Rated as an exceptional vintage, this 2005 is... Join to see score and tasting note JoinLog in image: https://decanter-prod-aws1-timeincuk-net.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/media/images/patricia-green-ribbon-pinot-59f9e19351e6c.jpeg Patricia Green, Willamette Valley, Ribbon Ridge, Estate Old Patricia Green, Willamette Valley, Ribbon Ridge, Estate Old Jim Anderson has noticed that his Pinot Noir vines produce distinctly different fruit once they reach 20 years of age, hence this cuvée. Notes of... Join to see score and tasting note JoinLog in image: https://decanter-prod-aws1-timeincuk-net.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/media/images/chteau-de-pitray-castillon-ctes-de-bordeaux-2012-5a26a42fa8777.jpeg Château de Pitray, Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux, 2012 Château de Pitray, Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux, 2012 Castillon is a great place to look for affordable right bank Bordeaux. Right in the heart of the appellation is the picturesque Château de Pitray, which owns 36 hectares of vines planted on clay-limestone soils. The blend of the wine reflects the plantings - mostly Merlot, with around a quarter... POINTS 88 image: https://decanter-prod-aws1-timeincuk-net.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/media/images/marques-de-murrieta-reserva-5817317908d51.jpeg Marques de Murrieta, Reserva, Rioja, Mainland Spain, 2005 Marques de Murrieta, Reserva, Rioja, Mainland Spain, 2005 Murrieta Reserva offers a reliable taste of classic Rioja. This has had about 22 months in American oak, the traditional wood for ageing in the region, giving a superb slick of vanilla and adding richness to the cherry fruit. The ripeness of 2005 makes it ready to drink now, though... Read more at https://www.decanter.com/learn/food/wine-with-christmas-turkey-food-matching-285778/#8LPercQK66uZj6V0.99

While Zinfandel is considered a uniquely California grape, DNA testing has found it is identical to:

The Primitivo grape found in Puglia, Italy The Crljenak Kastelanski grape found in Croatia

After years of confusion, DNA testing demonstrated that most Petite Sirah in California is really:

The answer is: A French variety called Durif, whose parents are Syrah and Peloursin

Which of these grapes is NOT typically used to make California sparkling wine? Cabernet Sauvignon Sauvignon Blanc Sangiovese All of the above

The answer is: All of the above

Cream sherry is:

The answer is: Darker, sweet Sherry, in the oloroso style

This Burgundy-inspired winery introduced temperature-controlled stainless steel fermenting tanks and small French oak barrels to California; its original 1953 Chardonnay and Pinot Noir plantings are still in use, making it the oldest such vineyard in the state:

The answer is: Hanzell Vineyards

This late California wine legend lived in style, but his house proved a difficult sale, finally netting a buyer in 2011 in star wine couple Jean-Charles Boisset and Gina Gallo:

The answer is: Robert Mondavi

What do most winemakers add to wine in small quantities to reduce the risk of bacterial spoilage and oxidation?

The answer is: Sulfur dioxide

Posted November 21, 2007 This white shows bright, tangy grass, chive, lime and flint notes backed by a lingering hint of gooseberry. Has fine cut and the finish is long and pure.

Varietal Determining this wine should be fairly straightforward as long as we pay close attention to its distinctive, vibrant flavors and chiseled structure. Of particular interest are the chive and grass notes. Our wine's flint character speaks to a strong minerality, while its fine cut and finish indicate that it has good acidity. Let's start with the most well-known grape on our list, Chardonnay. A versatile grape, which has many faces depending on where it's grown and how it's produced, Chardonnay is often rich, sometimes creamy and commonly shows notes of pear, citrus, apple, toast (from oak) and butter. None of these descriptors match our wine, and the grape rarely if ever shows flavors of grass, chive or gooseberry. Sémillon is also easy to eliminate. When made in a dry style, the grape is known for making medium- to full-bodied, rich wines, with fig, tangerine and peach notes—not a fit with our wine's structure and flavor profile. Pinot Grigio, the Italian name for Pinot Gris, is a dubious match as well. Grown in several different wine regions, Pinot Gris usually shows pear and apricot fruit flavors, and though its acidity can be crisp, it's rarely so very tangy and well-defined as our wine. We can move on. Riesling is a very distinctive grape that is made in a range of styles, from dry and off-dry versions to decidedly sweet dessert wines. It is known for its high acidity and lean frame, like our wine. Looking at the flavor profile, lime and mineral flavors are common expressions of Riesling; however, chive and grass are not. Again, we move on. This leaves us with Sauvignon Blanc, which is easily recognizable by its telltale grassy aromas, racy acidity and bright citrus and gooseberry flavors. A widely planted grape, it can express a strong mineral side when grown in certain regions. This wine is a Sauvignon Blanc. Country Sauvignon Blanc grows well in a variety of locations throughout the world, so narrowing our options can be a difficult task. The keys here are the chive and flint notes. These are regional characteristics of the grape, only found in specific locales. Germany and Italy are the first countries removed from our list. Sauvignon Blanc is rarely grown in Germany, where it is called Muskat-Silvaner, making it an unlikely choice. In Italy, the grape is gaining popularity in the northeastern regions of the country, and classic Sauvignon Blanc flavors can shine in these wines. But we can eliminate this country, as a chive note would be unusual in an Italian Sauvignon Blanc. Sauvignon Blanc does have a presence in Australia, but the country is better known for its Riesling and Chardonnay. Also, the flint and chive notes are not common descriptors for Aussie Sauvignon Blanc. This leaves us with a tough choice between New Zealand and France. Sauvignon Blanc is New Zealand's most well-known and most widely planted grape variety. It produces bracingly fresh and aromatic wines with flavors of gooseberry, grass and citrus. Mineral or stone notes are also common descriptors. This sounds very close to our wine, but a flag should go up in your head for two reasons. First, chive is an uncharacteristic flavor for New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Second, and more important, our wine is missing the tropical notes (guava or nectarine) so common to New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs. Therefore, we can eliminate New Zealand from the list. Our last and best choice is France, where Sauvignon Blanc is a key player in two of the country's major wine regions—Bordeaux and the Loire Valley. Though we find differences in the style and production of Sauvignon Blanc between the two regions, the flavors and structure of our wine firmly point to a French version of the grape. This Sauvignon Blanc is from France. Age In general, Sauvignon Blanc is at its best when young and fresh. Sauvignon Blanc's vibrant flavors and aromas are the most pronounced and energetic when the grape is still in its youth, usually within one to two years of bottling. This makes determining our wine's age fairly easy. We can forget the two oldest age categories, as a wine six years old or more would not show the vibrant flavors of our wine. Similarly, our wine's fine cut, bright flavors and long finish would suggest that it is still too young for the 3- to 5-year-old category. This leaves us with the youngest category, 1 to 2 years old. Considering the 2006 and 2005 vintages in France, we find that 2006's rainy growing season was not ideal for Sauvignon Blanc. On the other hand, 2005 was warm and dry, with good weather, producing Sauvignon Blancs with well-defined structure and a minerally profile similar to that of our wine. This French Sauvignon Blanc is from the 2005 vintage, making it two years old. Appellation We have two French appellations to choose from, Graves and Sancerre. Graves is a large wine region along the left bank of the Garonne River in Bordeaux. Here Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon are blended together to make dry white wines. Although there are some wines that use a greater percentage of Sauvignon Blanc for the blend, Sémillon is more widely planted and features more prominently in most of Bordeaux's white wines. Another key feature of the whites from Graves is the use of oak during fermentation or aging. An oaked white would probably show a bit more body than our wine, and we would expect to see some hint of the oak in the flavor profile. Sancerre is one of the top areas for growing Sauvignon Blanc in the Loire Valley, the grape's traditional home. Located on the left bank of the Loire river, near the eastern edge of the Loire Valley, the appellation is named after the hilltop town of Sancerre. This area is well-suited to the production of Sauvignon Blanc due to its limestone soil, which produces wines with racy, mineral-driven structures and notes of gooseberry, flint and chive. Sound familiar? This 2005 French Sauvignon Blanc is from the Sancerre appellation. Wine It's the Domaine Laporte Sancerre Domaine du Rochoy 2005, which scored 91 points in the Nov. 15, 2007, issue. It retails for $25, and 225 cases were imported. 2005 was an outstanding vintage in the Loire, producing wines with good balance and concentration. For more information on the 2005 Sancerres and other Loire Valley wines, see James Molesworth's Loire tasting report in the June 15, 2007, issue. —Augustus Weed, assistant tasting coordinator

Posted November 09, 2007 Dark in color, showing fabulous aromas of crushed blackberry and raspberry, with a hint of honeysuckle. Full-bodied, with layers of polished, velvety tannins and bright acidity and fruit. Very long and concentrated, yet refined and caressing.

Varietal Sounds like a nice wine, no? Lots of fresh berry fruit and a well-structured palate, with fresh acidity. Let's see what's in there. Not Tempranillo, for a start. This Spanish variety is known for its cherry and plum character, with a signature tobacco or leather note. Likewise Syrah, whose licorice, olive and/or pepper notes are missing in our wine. Pinot Noir sounds more likely. The berry and floral character suits, but the structure and body are a misfit. Pinot Noir generally rides on a more medium body and shows less color than we have here. Zinfandel comes in many shapes and sizes, so it's not so easy to dismiss it as a possibility. We have the berry fruit, acidity and full body that we might expect from a Zin, but not the red or black licorice note nor the riper, sometimes jammy fruit character. So we move on. That leaves Sangiovese, whose berry fruit is often accompanied by a floral note and bright acidity. This wine is a Sangiovese. Country Sangiovese has been tried and tested in many countries of the wine world. However, little Sangiovese is planted in Australia, France and Spain, so we can quickly eliminate these countries from our list. California and Italy are the only real contenders here. But most attempts from California have been unremarkable to date, and so we look to Italy. For a really top Sangiovese, such as our note describes, our best bet is the variety's homeland, Italy. This Sangiovese is from Italy. Age The bright acidity and fruit here point to a youthful wine, probably no more than three years old, when we might expect some hint of secondary aromas to make a first appearance. But the tannins are polished and velvety, usually a sign of some aging in oak, so it's unlikely this is only a year old. This leaves us with a wine from either the 2004 or 2005 vintages. In both summers, the weather was bright and hot. However, in 2005, the weather turned damp and cool from mid-August on, interrupting the natural flow of the harvest and giving the wines fresher acidity than in the previous year. The key point here is the mention of "bright acidity and fruit," matching it to the vintage character of 2005. This Italian Sangiovese is from the 2005 vintage, making it 2 years old. Appellation We have two Tuscan appellations here. The Colli della Toscana Centrale IGT covers the hills of central Tuscany. It stretches from the province of Arezzo to the hills around Pisa, with the Chianti Classico region at its core. Sangiovese plays a major role throughout the area. In Bolgheri, on Tuscany's coast, the hotter and drier climate gives Sangiovese less of a chance to perform well. Instead, producers here favor international varieties, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Hence the best-known wines of the area, such as Sassicaia and Ornellaia, are Bordeaux-style blends. This 2005 Italian Sangiovese is from the Colli della Toscana Centrale appellation. Wine It's the Antico Podere Gagliole Colli della Toscana Centrale 2005, reviewed at 96 points in our Oct. 15, 2007, issue. 710 cases were made, and a 10 percent dash of Cabernet Sauvignon boosts the color and backbone of this wine. This is the best wine ever from this estate, located in the heart of the Chianti Classico region. The vineyards are planted at 1,600 feet above sea level, facing south-southwest, an ideal location to perform well in 2005. For more information, check out associate editor Mitch Frank's profile of Gagliole's owner, Swiss businessman Thomas Bär, in the Nov. 30, 2007, issue. —Jo Cooke, tasting coordinator

Posted September 13, 2007 This powerful red shows a decadent meaty aroma, with rich, ripe flavors of dark plum, mineral, garrigue and hints of smoke. The intense finish is tightly wound with raspberry, black pepper and cocoa powder, followed by notes of iron and stone.

Varietal There are more than 20 key words in this tasting note describing our complex mystery wine. Such complexity will lead some enophiles straight to Pinot Noir, a grape known for its alluring layers of fruit and terroir. But the descriptor "powerful" is enough to tell us that we are looking for something more full-bodied than Pinot Noir, which is typically lighter and more elegant in style. Merlot and Tempranillo are a step up in body, and the best examples of each could demonstrate such complexity. But both normally produce medium-bodied wines. In addition, the meat and iron notes describing our wine are out of character for these two grapes. The small, concentrated berries of Cabernet Sauvignon consistently produce full-bodied wines, but we're missing its calling-card fruit characteristic: currant. Mourvèdre is similar to Cabernet, but its small, dark berries require even more sunshine and warmth to fully ripen. The resulting wines have deep concentration and complexity. Also, its textbook flavors include sanguine meat and iron notes. This wine is a Mourvèdre. Country Small amounts of Mourvèdre are grown on the west coast of the United States, but it's mostly used as a blending grape to add flesh and depth. So, we'll focus our attention on Spain and France. Mourvèdre is originally from Spain, where it's known as Monastrell. Here too it is widely used as a blending grape, but in some of the country's emerging wine regions, such as Jumilla, top producers have pushed it to the forefront. Mourvèdre is also widely planted in the warmer regions of southern France stretching from the Rhône Valley to the Mediterranean Sea. Again, Mourvèdre is used as a blending grape here, but many producers also make bottlings dominated by this variety. Our key to determining the country is the garrigue note. Garrigue is a distinctive note of the wild underbrush of herbs and flowers found in the Rhône and the south of France. This Mourvèdre is from France. Age There is no indication that this is an older red wine. If it were, we would expect to see developed characteristics such as leather, cedar or mushrooms. We can therefore rule out the two older categories. This wine is also no spring chicken. Young red wines tend to feature a flavor profile dominated by dark fruits, and they can be tight and unexpressive. The 1- to 2-years-old category can be crossed out. We can settle on the 3- to 5-years-old category since our wine is young, but also shows some red fruit, terroir and complexity. This French Mourvèdre is from the 2004 vintage, making it 3 years old. Appellation We have two appellations from the south of France to consider. Cornas is located inland, near the town of Valence in the Northern Rhône. While Mourvèdre might play a significant role in the neighboring wines of the Southern Rhône, Syrah is the only legally allowed red grape in Cornas and the other appellations in the north. We'll have to go to Bandol, the other French appellation, to find Mourvèdre and our wine. To get to Bandol from Cornas, we head south along highway A7, through the entire Rhône Valley and down to the port town of Marseille. Once we hit the Mediterranean coast, we have only to travel a few miles east to find Bandol and vineyards full of Mourvèdre. Here the grape ripens in the long, hot Provençe days, reaching its full potential as the appellation's signature varietal. This 2004 Mourvèdre is from the Bandol appellation of France. Wine This is the Bandol La Tourtine 2004 from Domaine Tempier, which was rated 93 points in the July 31, 2007, issue of Wine Spectator. It retails for $47, and 249 cases were made. Domaine Tempier produces four red cuvées. The La Tourtine vineyard sits atop a hillside where the vines get additional exposure to both the sun and the Mistral winds, producing a wine with both power and balance. —Nathan Wesley, assistant tasting coordinator

Posted September 27, 2007 This deeply colored dry white is loaded with layers of star fruit, grapefruit, rose, cream and spice, all underscored by a lightly smoky mineral element. The firm structure and defined acidity are filled in by the fleshy texture, with a lingering finish of white pepper and sweet fruit.

Varietal This week our wine is a bit off the beaten path, with interesting notes that should help us discover our mystery wine. Let's start with Chardonnay, which we can easily cross off our list. Although Chardonnays can be deeply colored and have cream, spice and smoke notes, they seldom feature the star fruit or white pepper described here. Riesling is next to go. While grapefruit and white pepper notes are found in many examples, this grape variety typically features apple, pear and lime flavors. It also rarely shows the rose and cream notes of our wine. White pepper and grapefruit both ring true for Grüner Vetliner, but we are missing the classic lentil and peach notes that are found in the best examples. Chenin Blanc is the last to be eliminated. This grape can be rich and creamy, but it usually produces a racy wine and our wine's flavor profile doesn't really match. Peach, fig, quince or ginger would be far more likely from Chenin Blanc than star fruit, grapefruit and rose. This wine is a Gewürztraminer. Country Gewürztraminer is grown to a certain extent in all the countries and regions listed, but some have more success with the variety than others. While New World producers in Australia, California and Washington have created good examples from the grape, the warmer climates in these regions make it hard to produce wines with good acidity—a quality our wine has in spades with its firm structure and defined acidity. Gewürztraminer naturally tends toward higher alcohol levels and, without a healthy dose of acidity, the wines can end up too fat and oily. Also, the variety can be difficult to grow and is not as productive as other grape types. It is perhaps for these reasons that we find only a limited number of top-quality Gewürztraminers from these New World regions. All in all, it's safe to eliminate Australia, California and Washington. Most of Austria has the benefit of a cool climate where Gewürztraminer can do well. But producers in this country concentrate their efforts on Riesling and Grüner Vetliner, and Gewürztraminer is often relegated to lesser vineyard sites. These areas typically produce fairly straightforward examples of the grape with cream, spice and floral notes. It would be rare to find a Gewürztraminer that displays such fine balance between flesh, sweet fruit and well-defined acidity. This Gewürztraminer is from France. Age Everything about this wine, except its color, suggests youth. It shows fresh fruit flavors of star fruit and grapefruit, as well as a firm structure and a good backbone of acidity. From any of the three older age ranges, 3 - 5 years old, 6 - 9 years old and 10 or more years old, we would expect to see more integrated structure and acidity and more dried fruit flavors. The deep color as an indicator of age can be dismissed; with its thick skin, Gewürztraminer is often richly colored right from the start—a prominent characteristic of the grape. This French Gewürztraminer is from the 2005 vintage, making it 2 years old. Appellation There are two appellations in France on our list. Only one is home to Gewürztraminer. Montlouis is a burgeoning region for Chenin Blancs of great distinction, but Alsace is where Gewürztraminer thrives and produces world-class wines. The area's long and cool growing season and its clay-based loam soils create an ideal home for Gewürztraminer. This 2005 Gewürztraminer is from the Alsace appellation of France. Wine It's the Zind-Humbrecht Gewürztraminer Alsace Wintzenheim 2005, which rated 92 points in our Sept. 30, 2007, issue. It retails for $40, and 1,316 cases were produced. For more information, see Bruce Sanderson's Alsace tasting report in our Oct. 31, 2006, issue, and look for Alison Napjus' tasting report in our Nov. 15, 2007, issue. —John Siudut, assistant tasting coordinator

Posted October 25, 2007 This white is dry and rich, with an almond note weaving through pear, dried papaya, licorice and cardamom flavors. A hint of mushroom indicates some age, but this still shows good balance and vibrant acidity. The lingering finish is lightly mouthwatering.

Varietal This wine, with its distinctive flavors (almond, licorice, cardamom and mushroom) and good balance between richness and juicy acidity, should be easy to identify. Chardonnay can certainly be both juicy and rich, but we're missing the typical Chardonnay flavors of pear and apple. Albariño, Chenin Blanc, Pinot Gris and Riesling all fit the bill in terms of acidity, but their flavor profiles don't match our wine. We're missing Riesling's distinct peach and mineral notes, Albariño's floral and mineral character and Chenin Blanc's quince and melon flavors. This leaves Pinot Gris, and it's the best fit. It's an aromatic varietal that's often described as juicy, and all the flavor descriptors match. Pear and papaya are common for Pinot Gris, and the licorice, cardamom and mushroom flavors are also possible. Finally, the best examples of Pinot Gris are often dry, rich and mouthwatering in style, and backed by vibrant acidity. This wine is a Pinot Gris. Country Looking through our list we can immediately cross off South Africa, where little to no Pinot Gris is grown. But Pinot Gris is grown in all of the other wine regions on our list. We find it in Austria (where it is called Grauburgunder), Italy (where it's known as Pinot Grigio), both Oregon and California, and finally in the area it's probably best known from, France's Alsace region. Outside of France, Pinot Gris is made in a variety of styles: Light and crisp in Italy, fruit-forward in California and Oregon, and the best versions from Austria are typically those made in a dessert style. None of these sound like our wine, and so we turn again to France. Pinot Gris from France's Alsace region are generally richer in style and take on aromatic nuances, such as we see here. This wine is from France. Age With almond, dried papaya and mushroom flavors, this note definitely indicates that our wine has some age, so we can rule out the one- to two-year age range. But the vibrant acidity here suggests that it's unlikely to be significantly older, so we can rule out the two oldest age ranges. This leaves us in the three- to five-year timeframe. Looking at recent vintages, 2002 sticks out as an exceptional year for Alsace, known for ripe, vibrant wines with high acidity. 2003 was an extremely hot and dry year, generally producing flabby wines that lack the backbone of acidity we see here. 2004 was also an outstanding vintage for top producers, but these wines typically show more elegance and finesse. Considering our wine's mouthwatering acidity that balances good richness, and the fact that there's clearly a bit of bottle age here, we can safely assume this wine is from the 2002 vintage. This wine is five years old. Appellation As mentioned above, Alsace is the region where Pinot Gris does best. The cool climate allows for the vibrant acidity, and the dry autumns and long growing season contribute to the richness. Alsatian Pinot Gris is also uncommonly spicy; the licorice and cardamom notes make sense. This Pinot Gris is from Alsace. Wine It's the Paul Blanck Pinot Gris Alsace Grand Cru Furstentum 2002, which rated 91 points in the Nov. 15, 2007, issue of Wine Spectator. The wine retails for $45 and we recommend drinking it now through 2017. See the Alsace tasting report in the Nov. 15, 2007, issue for more information on the wines of Alsace. —MaryAnn Worobiec, tasting coordinator

Posted October 12, 2007 A rich, massive yet elegant style that packs in lots of ripe currant, blackberry and black cherry fruit that's pure, focused and persistent, ending with ripe tannins and a flash of heat. There's also a burst of fruit, mocha and ripe, integrated, structured tannins. Needs decanting.

Varietal We're dealing with a huge red wine here, displaying purity of fruit, along with structure for the long haul. Let's begin by whittling down our list of grapes. Tempranillo is first to go because it rarely reaches this level of weight or density. Also, cherry is a usual descriptor, but typical tobacco or vanilla notes are missing while unusual currant and blackberry flavors are present. Malbec can achieve this richness, but again, we're missing some of the grape's telltale characteristics of boysenberry, minerality or a graphite edge. If we're talking about Grenache from the Southern Rhône, there are definitely some similarities in regards to structure and tannins. These Grenache-based wines are meant to age for long periods of time, and one might often find a recommendation for decanting in a tasting note. Yet again, we're missing some of the flavor profile expected from top Southern Rhône Grenache: raspberry, fig, garrigue, mineral or graphite. Finally, we're left with Nebbiolo and Cabernet Sauvignon. Some of the most structured wines you'll find are the great Nebbiolos of Italy's Piedmont region. They're extremely tight when young and often require decanting in advance of drinking. However, Nebbiolo is well-known for notes of tar and roses, classic flavors that we don't see here. This wine is a Cabernet Sauvignon. Country While Cabernet Sauvignon grows in all the countries listed, the richness of the tasting note implies it's from a country that specializes in the growth of Cabernet Sauvignon first and foremost. Countries like Spain and Argentina grow regarded Cabernet, but they are far better known for their Tempranillo and Malbec grapes, respectively. And although some of Italy's super Tuscans rely on Cabernet for their base, it's most often found as a blending grape and therefore it is better to look elsewhere on our list. This leaves us with two countries that are world renowned for their Cabernet Sauvignon: California and France. France produces their version in Bordeaux, where Cabernet's true notes sing. While Cab from Bordeaux often shows intense currant, plum, and dark fruits, other flavor profiles start to emerge from these famed soils. Cabernet usually takes on more vegetal notes in Bordeaux, such as sage or bell pepper. And there's a certain graphite smell to them as well, similar to pencil shavings. From the burst of plush, ripe fruit and the weight of the wine, we can speculate that we're dealing with a wine from an even warmer and sunnier area of the world. This Cabernet Sauvignon is from California. Age Right from the start, it is evident that the flavor descriptors here revolve around a powerful wine full of fruit and tannins. So much so that the wine should be decanted. Decanting is usually reserved for wines of age that require separation from floating solids or young wines that need breathing. But we can disregard the notion that the wine is being decanted for age and eliminate the two oldest age categories. Our description does not show any signs that the wine underwent significant aging or developed secondary flavors of leather, earth or dried fruits. However, the majority of ageworthy wines require some age in either barrel or bottle in order for the tannins to become integrated as we see here, so an age of 1-2 years is out of the question as well. This Cabernet is from the 2004 vintage, making it three years old. Appellation Knowing that our tasting note is from California, we can eliminate all of the appellations except Napa and Sonoma. While these two regions are geographically close to each other, they can still be worlds apart. Napa Valley's reputation for its powerful Cabernets has solidified it as the state's benchmark for all other Cabs. The valley floor's climate reaches extremely high temperatures during the grapegrowing season, allowing grapes to reach maximum ripeness, a process that Cabernet handles particularly well. To the west, the Mayacamas mountain range divides Sonoma from Napa, giving Sonoma a more coastal climate, with milder summers and winters. Due to Sonoma's proximity to the Pacific Ocean, cooling winds off of the water play a significant role on the area's Cabs. Ultimately, the major clues that lead us to the correct answer are the "flash of heat" and the lack of any vegetal notes, which we would expect to see from cooler climate Sonoma reds. The sense of heat from alcohol would accompany a wine whose grapes have been allowed to reach a high ripeness level, eventually turning this extra sugar into higher alcohol during the fermentation process. Napa plays to this beat. This Cabernet is from Napa Valley. Wine The wine is the Lewis Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Hillstone Vineyard 2004, which was rated 95 points in our June 15, 2007, issue. It retails for $80 and there were only 47 cases produced. For more information on California Cabernet Sauvignons, see James Laube's tasting report. —Nick Suarez, assistant tasting coordinator

How to hold a wine glass - ask Decanter Read more at https://www.decanter.com/learn/advice/how-to-hold-wine-glass-ask-decanter-380547/#3SGFYHysosgiRTof.99

We ask the experts about wine glass holding etiquette. image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/12/wine-glass-holding-630x417.jpg wine glass holding It's all about the stem. Credit: Decanter TAGS: How to hold a wine glass - ask Decanter Does how you hold your wine glass have an impact on the wine? The reason wine glasses are designed with stems is to 'keep the glass free of fingerprints, and to ensure that you don't warm the glass and subsequently the wine,' said Xavier Rousset MS. If you hold it by the 'bowl', the wine will warm up - particularly a problem when drinking sparkling wines or fresh white wines, which need to be served the coolest. 'You can better appreciate the colour of the wine and give the wine a more dynamic swirl to release aromas and flavours - and that's where the magic really starts,' said Sarah Ahmed, regional chair for Portugal at the Decanter World Wine Awards. 'For fresh, aromatic wines in particular, it's best to hold the stem - but sometimes you want to warm up the wine, so cuddling the bowl is a quick way to do that!' 'For me the most important function of a wine glass is to help release the wine's aromas, so a good-sized bowl is the most important thing,' said DWWA judge Matt Walls. 'If it has a stem, so much the better - it makes it easier to swirl.' What about stemless glasses? There is a growing trend towards stemless wine glasses, although Rousset says he's 'not sure there's any benefit to them.' image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/02/stemless-glasses-630x417.jpg stemless glasses Ahmed recognises some advantages to them. 'Less breakages for a clumsy clot like me - especially at a crowded dinner table,' she said. 'They're also great for travelling - holiday cottages with good glassware are few and far between!' 'Stemless glasses do have one major benefit,' said Walls. 'You can avoid any use of that toe-curlingly awful term 'stemware'!' Wine tasting etiquetter - ask Decanter Does putting a spoon in Champagne work? ask Decanter Got a question for Decanter's experts? Email us: [email protected] or on social media with #askDecanter. Find more Ask Decanters here Read more at https://www.decanter.com/learn/advice/how-to-hold-wine-glass-ask-decanter-380547/#3SGFYHysosgiRTof.99

What happens during véraison?

What does it mean for the grapes...? TAGS: image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/08/Tablas-Creek-Cali-YES-630x417.jpg véraison Tablas Creek, Paso Robles. What happens during véraison? Véraison is an important moment in the growing cycle of wine grapes; when red grapes turn from green to dark, and when the grapes become sweet. Scroll down to see grapes in véraison It marks the beginning of the ripening phase for the grapes. It's currently happening in many vineyards across the northern hemisphere, and in a few months time, the grapes will be ripe and ready for harvest. 'Reports of véraison have started to come in, and the upcoming warm weather will surely accelerate ripening. Crop size seems healthy, and we are hopeful for another outstanding vintage,' said Matt Reid, winemaker at Benessere Vineyards in Napa Valley. In southern hemisphere regions, like ones in South America and Australia, this happens around December, ahead of their harvest in the spring. Does soil contribute to the flavour of wine? - ask Decanter How old is too old for vines? - ask Decanter How to tell if a wine ifs warm or cool climate - ask Decanter Below are a selection of photos from wineries of it in action, from California to Italy to England... image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/08/Quinney-Bordeaux-YES-630x417.jpg véraison 1/7 Bordeaux, France Merlot grapes changing colour at Château Bauduc in Bordeaux. Credit: Gavin Quinney, Château Bauduc image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/08/Tablas-Creek-Cali-YES-630x417.jpg véraison 2/7 Paso Robles, California Mourvèdre grapes changing colour at Tablas Creek in Paso Robles. Credit: Tablas Creek image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/08/Redhill-UK-YES-630x417.jpg Kent, United Kingdom 3/7 Kent, United Kingdom Grapes at Redhill Farm Estate in Kent, United Kingdom. Credit: Redhill Farm Estate image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/08/Sordo-Wine-Barolo-YES-630x417.jpg Véraison 4/7 Barolo, Italy Véraison in Barolo, Piedmont, at Sordo Wine Estate. Credit: Sordo Wine image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/08/veraison-cyprusgrapes-marathetiko-002-630x417.jpg véraison 5/7 Cyprus Maratheftiko grapes turning red at Ezousa Winery in Cyprus. Credit: Evoinos, Ezousa Winery. Credit: Evoinos, Ezousa Winery image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/08/Veraison-Napa-Benessere-Vineyards-630x417.jpg Napa Valley, California 6/7 Napa Valley, California Grapes ripening and changing colour at Benessere Vineyards, in Napa Valley. Credit: Geoff Hansen Photography image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/08/Chateau-Bo-Long-Bao-Beijing-630x417.jpg veraison 7/7 Beijing, China Nearly all of the grapes have changed colour here at Chateau Bo Long Bao, in Beijing Read more at https://www.decanter.com/learn/what-happens-during-veraison-373752/#2wgJOemfoSgJxl5z.99

Serving wine at Christmas - dilemmas solved Read more at https://www.decanter.com/seasonal/wine-at-christmas-guide-ask-decanter-380620/#b35IFuJmZx3BucOp.99

What kind of sparkling should you choose for your party - and where from? Should you let the wine breathe on Christmas day? When should you start chilling it? And what to do with any leftovers? We've got your questions answered with our wine at Christmas guide... image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2016/11/white-wine-christmas-15-630x417.jpg White wine for Christmas under £15 TAGS: Wine at Christmas guide - dilemmas solved Click on the links below to read the full articles. See also: Wines to pair with turkey at Christmas How do I chill wine in a hurry? image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2016/07/cool-wine-cava-630x417.jpg cool wine Credit: Decanter/ Ellie Douglas The neighbours are coming round for a last minute festive drink, but there's nothing cool in the fridge. What to do? Xavier Rousset MS suggests a bucket of icy water with a bit of salt - and make sure the bottle is submerged. Should you put wine in the freezer? There's nothing wrong with that - and wrapping in a wet cloth will speed it up. Just make sure you don't forget about it! How to get the serving temperatures right on Christmas day image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2016/12/wine-serving-temperature-alamy-F66AJF.jpg wine serving temperature Let us help you to chill this Christmas. Credit: Sergiy Tryapitsyn / Alamy. Should you put ice cubes in wine? image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2016/07/ice-cubes-in-wine-Alamy-630x417.jpg ice cubes in wine Should you put ice cubes in wine? Credit: Simon Littlejohn / Alamy Stock Photo Although you're free to enjoy wine how you'd like, the problem with ice cubes in wine is that as it melts, it dilutes the wine. Try keeping some grapes in the freezer and popping those in your glass instead. How long should I chill my Champagne for? image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2016/12/Chill-Champagne-630x417.jpg chill champagne When chilling Champagne for Christmas day, it's worth remembering that your fridge is probably stocked full with food. Therefore, it's a good idea to get the bottle in there the night before, says Decanter tastings director Christelle Guibert. Does putting a spoon in my sparkling wine keep it sparkling? image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2016/12/spoon-in-Champagne-630x417.jpg spoon in champagne Credit: Gunter Kirsch / Alamy Stock Photo There's no real evidence to support this idea - really it's just another wine myth. Get yourself a Champagne stopper if you think there'll be leftovers. Should you decant your white wines? image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2013/05/00000579d-5_VolcanicTasting_Decanter_7May13_8410-630x420.jpg Decanter Volcanic Wines of Italy tasting 2013 image: https://static.apester.com/js/assets/loader_100x100.gif Steven Spurrier personally decants white Rhônes and aged Alsace Rieslings. But remember, if you do decant a white wine, don't give it a chance to warm up. Should I let my wine 'breathe'? image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/03/wine-breathe-630x417.jpg wine breathe Just taking the cork out early won't do anything. Either decant fully if it's needed, or open when it's time to drink it. Follow the Decanter guide to getting it right on Christmas day, from Champagne through to sweet wines. And after the festivities... How long can I keep wine open? image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/03/keep-wine-open-630x417.jpg keep wine open It will last longer than you probably think it will - most still wines can last between three to five days. See Christmas wine suggestions and food pairing advice Read more at https://www.decanter.com/seasonal/wine-at-christmas-guide-ask-decanter-380620/#b35IFuJmZx3BucOp.99

Which styles are best in a white wine sauce? - ask Decanter Read more at https://www.decanter.com/learn/advice/white-wine-sauce-ask-decanter-377265/#1H7wQpbyG0Q3qeuD.99

What wine is best for creating a white wine sauce? And is there much of a difference between styles? We speak to the experts... image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/09/white-wine-sauce-630x417.jpg white wine sauce What is best to use in your cooking? Credit: moodboard / Alamy Stock Photo TAGS: What to use in a white wine sauce? - ask Decanter 'The basic rule is don't use anything you would not be happy to drink,' says Rosi Hanson, author of Recipes from the French wine harvest. 'It does depend on what you are cooking, and how long the sauce will simmer and reduce.' Most versatile 'In most sauces, the most important thing is to consider the sweetness and acidity,' said Pete Dreyer, food writer at Great British Chefs. 'As you cook off the alcohol and reduce the wine, both will become more pronounced, so you're best off sticking to dry whites, with a reasonable amount of acidity.' 'The most versatile wines are crisp, dry, unoaked whites, like a Pinot Grigo,' says Fiona Beckett in her new recipe book, Wine Lover's Kitchen. Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay are also reliable choices for most sauces. 10 rules of cooking with wine Styles of sauce 'Obviously it depends what kind of sauce,' said Hanson. 'A beurre blanc originates in the Loire and wines of that style - dry, not the sweeter ones - work well in this rich, butter sauce, in which you can reduce a small amount of white wine and cook shallots in it as the basis.' 'If you are thinking about the kind of sauce where, after sautéing something, you deglaze the pan, I usually use a Chardonnay because I don't want high acidity which will be emphasised by boiling it down.' Use your better wines for quickly de-glazing a pan, says Beckett, who is also Decanter's chief restaurant critic. 'You can use less good wine for a slow-cooked dish like a stew.' Wines to avoid 'Personally, I would avoid oaked Chardonnays, but opinion is divided on whether it makes a difference or not,' said Dreyer. 'Avoid anything medium/sweet, as the sugars will caramelise and intensify, giving you a very sweet sauce.' Beckett adds in her book, 'Wines with a pronounced aromatic character such as Riesling or Gewürztraminer may be less flexible, but could still be delicious with, for example, a creamy sauce.' Most importantly, don't be afraid of experimenting. Fiona Beckett writes about food and wine on Matchingfoodandwine.com More articles like this: What to do with leftover wine Nightmare food and wine matches - from the sommeliers Wine and charcuterie pairing Read more at https://www.decanter.com/learn/advice/white-wine-sauce-ask-decanter-377265/#1H7wQpbyG0Q3qeuD.99

Is wine gluten free? - ask Decanter Read more at https://www.decanter.com/learn/advice/wine-gluten-free-ask-decanter-374755/#E2tc1IQ6Tzq2Sskh.99

Whatever your position on the current vilification of gluten, its presence in food and drink is a serious issue for millions of coeliac disease sufferers. We ask experts whether there is any link between gluten and wine. image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/08/gluten-free-wine-alamy-D3R48Y-630x417.jpg gluten free wine Most wine should qualify as gluten free. Credit: Givaga / Alamy Stock Photo TAGS: Gluten is a protein found in some grains and cereal, notably wheat. Put simply, wine is generally classed as gluten free, because it is produced from grapes. Most wines contain fewer than 20 parts per million gluten, which is a legal requirement in the UK and the US for food to be labelled as gluten free. Above this level, producers would have to alert wine lovers on bottle labels. Gluten is a potential allergen, like sulphites. Ageing and fining are two instances where gluten could come into contact with wine, but generally not at levels considered harmful to the majority of coeliac sufferers. SEE ALSO: Sulphites in wine - Friend or foe? How can gluten get into wine during ageing? image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2016/10/Toasting-oak-barrels.jpg toasting oak barrels 'Wine could be contaminated if the winemaking team uses flour-based paste to seal barrels,' said Michael Apstein, MD, assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and a freelance wine writer. This has now become very uncommon, because most producers use paraffin wax to seal the barrels, he said. Fining and gluten Gluten can get into your wine during fining, the process which flushes out un-wanted particles and helps to ensure wine is clear. 'The most common fining agents in wine are gelatin and isinglass, but this can obviously cause issues with guests who are looking for a vegetarian or vegan wine,' said David Lapsley, sommelier at The Taynuilt: Etive Restaurant with Rooms, in Scotland. 'Gluten, which is a very efficient fining agent, does have its limitations. It does allow for vegan friendly wine, but in turn raises concerns with coeliac sufferers. You can use a centrifuge to remove the gluten after the fining process, but this would add expense and the concentration of gluten in wine after fining is below harmful levels.' Tony Milanowski, a lecturer of winemaking and oeneology at Plumpton College in southern England, said, 'With fining you add a variety of different agents to wine. Classically, it's gelatine, for example. 'A while back, people were looking at alternatives to animal products. Looking at vegetarian opportunities, they had a look at a whole raft of different additives. One of them was a wheat-based fining agent. They found that certain types of gluten could be used in fining and they could do a reasonable job. 'However, they haven't really taken off, because of the risks associated with intolerances. Most of the work in terms of animal-based alternatives is going on pea and potato products.' What about wine based drinks? Unlike wine, you can't be so sure with wine coolers and other wine-based beverages, because they may contain a variety of different ingredients. However, allergen labelling rules would still apply. What if I am extremely sensitive? 'Some patients with coeliac disease are extremely sensitive, even to concentrations of less than 20 ppm,' said Apstein. This includes patients who have refractory coeliac disease. 'Wine would be low down on my list of sources of gluten, but nothing is off the list for that small subset of coeliac patients.' Got a question for Decanter's experts? Email us: [email protected] or on social media with #askDecanter More Ask Decanter articles: Read more at https://www.decanter.com/learn/advice/wine-gluten-free-ask-decanter-374755/#E2tc1IQ6Tzq2Sskh.99

How much wine does a vine produce? - ask Decanter Read more at https://www.decanter.com/learn/advice/much-wine-vine-produce-ask-decanter-380985/#8S2Ldr2FPcfxp0tJ.99

Whether you've pondered this question in theoretical manner over dinner or you've got grand designs for a patch of land in your garden, here's the expert view on what you can make from a single vine. image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/12/wine-vine-630x417.jpg wine vine TAGS: How much wine does a vine produce? - ask Decanter See also: How old is too old for vines? - ask Decanter Holly Richards, Deal, asks: How much wine does a vine produce? Simon Woods replies: There's no simple answer. Grape varieties vary in vigour and soils in fertility, plus grape growers differ in how they cultivate their vines. You also need to consider how much irrigation the vines receive and whether they are healthy. So for wines of comparable quality the answer could be two bottles, while in others it could be eight. Let's look at extremes. At the lower end, each vine at the Sauternes premier cru supérieur Château d'Yquem yields just one glass of wine. At the upper end, in the more industrialised, heavily irrigated vineyards around the world, 24 bottles of wine per vine is not unheard of. That's 150 times more wine per vine than at Yquem! Simon Woods is the author of 101 Wine FAQs (£9 Amazon UK, www.simonwoods.com) Got a question for Decanter's experts? Email us: [email protected] or on social media with #askDecanter. Find more Ask Decanters here Read more at https://www.decanter.com/learn/advice/much-wine-vine-produce-ask-decanter-380985/#8S2Ldr2FPcfxp0tJ.99

Debunking wine myths: What to look out for Read more at https://www.decanter.com/learn/advice/debunking-wine-myths-378364/#8HhGbLk0K0GG3mAf.99

Why they may not be true after all.... image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2016/05/Pouring-Wine-630x417.jpg Pouring Wine TAGS: Debunking wine myths Myth: Wine legs mean a better wine image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/09/wine-legs-630x417.jpg wine legs Do legs or 'tears' mean better quality? Credit: Credit: PhotoAlto sas / Alamy Stock Photo The reality is that 'legs tell you relatively little about the wine', says Matt Walls. Myth: Putting a spoon in Champagne keeps it fizzy image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2016/12/spoon-in-Champagne-630x417.jpg spoon in champagne Credit: Gunter Kirsch / Alamy Stock Photo Really, there's no evidence that proves this. You're better off using a Champagne stopper. Myth: Sulphites cause hangovers image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2016/03/Sulfur-diozide-630x417.png Sulfur dioxide Although a few people are allergic to sulphites, in most cases, hangovers are caused by dehydration from alcohol, not the sulphites in the wine. Myth: A wine punt means a better quality wine image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2016/09/wine-bottles-punt-630x417.jpg wine bottles punt This is not a universal rule, and some styles - like Riesling, for example - never have a punt. Myth: White wine doesn't go with red meat image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2016/07/Cordon-Bleu-Red-meat-White-Wine-630x417.jpg red meat with white wine, cordon bleu Red meat with white wine? Do it, says Matthieu Longuère MS. Credit: Le Cordon Bleu London Take other factors in to consideration - like acidity, age, oak - rather than just the colour of the wine. Myth: Only white wine pairs with fish image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2016/07/wine-quote-Bond-630x532.jpg james bond, wine quote, decanter 'Red wine with fish. Well, that should have told me something.' James Bond in 'From Russia with Love' in 1963. Credit: Pen. Again, there are other factors to consider. The main rule is don't go for anything too tannic with fish. Myth: Pale rosé wine is better image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/07/rose-wines-with-food-630x417.jpg pairing rosé wines with food Pale, delicate coloured roses from Provence have grown in popularity, and it's become a trend for winemakers to try and keep the colour very pale. But that doesn't necessarily mean that deeper coloured roses are worse quality wines. Myth: Red wine should only be served room temperature image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2017/06/cool-red-wines-630x417.jpg best reds to chill Credit: Mike Prior/ Annabelle Sing/ Decanter There are plenty of lighter style red wines that benefit from being lightly chilled - especially in the summer months. Myths: All Champagne should be kept to age image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/2015/07/Champagne-cellar-2-630x420.jpg Champagne cellar Credit: Cath Lowe / Decanter Non-Vintage Champagne is generally made to be ready-to drink. Our experts say you can keep it a couple of years but not much longer. Vintage Champagnes are the ones that benefit from some cellaring. Find more wine questions answered here. Read more at https://www.decanter.com/learn/advice/debunking-wine-myths-378364/#8HhGbLk0K0GG3mAf.99

In the late 1800s, many vineyards were planted with "field blends" of different grape varieties, such as Zinfandel, Carignane and Petite Sirah. Why were field blends so prevalent then?

Wineries were small and poorly equipped so the blending was done in the field Without DNA testing, it was difficult to distinguish one grape from another