Category: Wine & Grapes

Italy produces more sparkling wines from more grape varieties than any other country. Continue reading →

Grenache resembles an actor who just misses in a solo leading role, but consistently shines in an ensemble cast. Continue reading →

California, epicenter of image, got it wrong with Petite Sirah. Big, bold, black, loaded with tannins—there is nothing petite about Petite Sirah wine.

It’s not Sirah, either, but a cross between Peloursin (mother, a humble Rhone grape) and Syrah (father, the bedrock Northern Rhone grape) created by in the early 1880s by Dr. Francois Durif. First notable because of resistance to powdery mildew then ravaging the Rhone, the new variety failed to produced distinguished wines. As a result, Durif (as it is still called in France) never made it big in its country of origin. Continue reading →

Syrah dates to Roman times, but the grape’s fame begins in 1700s in the northern Rhône region of France where it is the main wine grape. Continue reading →

If you are relatively new to wine—experienced enough to search for alternatives to Chardonnay, not ready for big, bold reds—suggestion: Viognier. Continue reading →

Sauvignon Blanc is one of three major white wine grapes—Chardonnay, Riesling are the others—and one that pairs best with garden salads and fish. One of few wines that shines with sushi. Continue reading →

Chile provides some of the best wine values today; Carménère is Chile’s signature grape. Continue reading →

Malbec: immigrant grape that found fame and glory in the Americas. Continue reading →

Sangiovese grapes produce superb wines. They also can make shrill swill that gave wicker baskets a bad name. Continue reading →

What’s in a name? In the case of Champagne, a bubbly brouhaha. Continue reading →