Known as Albariño in Spain and Alvarinho in Portugal, this white wine grape has an increasingly global profile. Grown from Uruguay and Japan to California, Albariño (the name commonly used abroad) produces aromatic, dry white wines with fresh, often saline flavors. An ancient grape, Albariño originated along the Iberian Peninsula. Today, it grows throughout the […]
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Whether you forgot about a bottle you slid into the freezer to cool or want to transform leftover rosé into frosé, and there comes a time when you think, “Wait. Does wine freeze?” The short answer is yes. If kept below a certain temperature for enough time, wine freezes. “Wine, like all liquids, will change phases […]
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While some of the best-known examples of sparkling wine hail from France, you don’t need to search overseas for an exceptional bubbly. All across the United States, you’ll find bottles made with an array of grapes that may rival some of the best offerings abroad. Here are some of our favorite American sparkling wines. Photo […]
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Whether concerned about our warming climate or a desire to produce fresher wines, California vintners are fascinated by growing grapes as close to the Pacific Ocean as possible for all kinds of reasons. With most vineyards located less than six miles from the shore, the recently approved San Luis Obispo Coast appellation emphasizes this quest. […]
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Imagine growing up in a family whose name is one of the most famous in the entire world. For Carlo Mondavi, grandson of Napa luminary Robert Mondavi, success is about more than what’s in the bottle. “Both my father and grandfather had and still have an immense impact on me,” says Carlo Mondavi, grandson […]
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Austrian wine has made its definitive statement with Grüner Veltliner. The common cliché is that Grüner is a refreshing white with aromas and flavors of citrus and white pepper. However, in the right hands, Grüner transcends the character of the terroir and the winemaker’s personality. It’s little wonder it has long been Austria’s signature […]
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After many years living in and traveling around Italy as an American, just trying to understand the wine, a few keys—yet unanticipated— habits rubbed off on me. The biggest one: How to drink wine like an Italian. If you ask an Italian, there is a certain ceremony and order. I did not. But I might […]
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Chenin Blanc is a versatile white wine grape from the Loire Valley of France. Excellent examples of this wine are grown worldwide and made in an array of styles. The Loire Valley’s cool climate allows winemakers to create some of the world’s most coveted Chenin Blanc. Producers in this region use the grape to make […]
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Chenin Blanc is a chameleon. Dry, sweet, or sparkling, it excels in all three styles. And there are three distinct areas for high-quality Chenin Blanc in the Loire Valley, where it can make some of the finest examples. In Touraine, lay the twin appellations of Vouvray and Montlouis-sur-Loire, close to the city of Tours, the […]
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Back in the 2010s, it was a problem to find a decent rosé in most wine shops and restaurants. Now that rosé has taken over the world, however, the problem is the opposite: how do you choose from so many good options? One good way to do it is by grape varieties used to make […]
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