California wines make more sense once you stop treating sunshine as the entire explanation. A warm inland site can ripen Cabernet Sauvignon genero
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How can one grape produce both a substantial red and a pale, sweet pink wine—and also turn up under another name in Italy? Zinfandel and Pri
Continue ReadingCabernet Sauvignon Explained: Bordeaux, Napa, and Beyond
Why does Cabernet Sauvignon often feel firmer than Merlot, and why can a Bordeaux blend taste different from a Napa Cabernet? Cabernet Sauvign
Continue ReadingChardonnay Explained: From Chablis to California
How can a crisp, lemony Chablis and a creamy California white both be Chardonnay? Chardonnay explained properly is a lesson in separating the
Continue ReadingThe Judgment of Paris: The Tasting That Changed Wine
For most of wine history, France did not merely make great wine. France defined great wine. Bordeaux meant serious red wine. Burgundy meant eleganc
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