Wine Basics
By Stacy Slinkard, About.com Guide
How to Read a Wine Label
Wine labels can be straight-forward or fairly tricky to decipher, depending on whose you're trying to read and where it's from. New World labels tend to be easier to read, with the varietal or blend clearly labeled, the producer, where the grapes were grown and the alcohol content right there in plain view. Old World wines have a reputation for being tougher to interpret. Instead of the varietal being the primary piece of information on the Old World label, it is the location - where the wine is from. Old World wines are heavily invested in their individual terroir, not necessarily the specific grape.
- How to Read a New World Wine Label
- How to Read an Alsatian Wine Label
- How to Read a French Wine Label (Burgundy)
- How to Read a German Wine Label
How Wine is Made
From grape to glass, winemaking is an arduous, year round process. The vineyards are a critical determinant in the end product wines for each and every vintage. Vineyards are like the wine's bassinets, where early grapelife begins and flourishes, for all wine is truly birthed on the vine. The vineyard's location, climate, terrain, soils, vines and rootstocks, irrigation systems and pest management controls all factor into the final product in one way or another.
- Grape to Bottle - Overview of Winemaking
- How Wine is Made (short video)
- The Harvest
- Oak - An Essential Part of the Winemaker’s Toolbox
Pairing Wine with Food
Like a good marriage, wine and food were meant for each other. Each enhances and strengthens the experience of the whole. Pairing wines and favorite foods should not be ultra complicated, if you keep a few tips in mind.
- Cooking with Wine
- Ordering Wine in a Restaurant
- Pairing Local Foods with Local Wines
- Pairing Wine with Cheese
- Pairing Wine with Chocolate
- Pairing Wine with Soup
- Pairing Wines with Pizza
- Pairings Wines Chili
- Pairing Wine with Food 101
- Sangria Recipes
- Wines for Christmas
- Wines for the Grill
Wine Tastings
Whether you want to learn to taste wines like the pros or host your own wine tasting party, we've got step-by-step guides to help you do either successfully!
- How to Taste Wine
- Selecting Wine
- Serving Wine
- Host a Wine Tasting Party
- The "Big Eight" Varietal Wine Tasting
- The Vertical Wine Tasting
- The Horizontal Wine Tasting
- Old World vs. New World Wine Tasting
- Wine & Cheese Tasting
- Wine Flavors: Where do They Come From?
- Wine and Oak: A Component Tasting
How to Store Wine
There is a reason that wine has been stored in wine caves and underground cellars for hundreds of years - the ideal storage conditions can be consistently met: cool, dark, humid and still surroundings. While, storing wine is not rocket science, there are a few key points to keep in mind that will help ensure your wine has the very best chance for long-term survival and optimal aging.