Varietals and Wine Styles

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Notably Norton

A grape with a proud following regionally, Norton has roots that remain shrouded in a fog. Learn about its past, how to best tend to it in t

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Red Bordeaux-Style Blends: Tips from the Pros

Three pros making high-end red Bordeaux-style blends share their advice on crafting these complex, elegant wines.

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Verdant Verdejo

Spain’s fifth most planted white wine grape, Verdejo, enjoys warm climates while being able to retain some acidity. Learn the merits of th

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Graceful Garnacha: A grape with many facets

With origins in Spain, Garnacha grapes may now be more commonly associated with the Rhône and Languedoc-Roussillon region of France where i

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Group Winemaking

A group of winemakers create eight wines from the same grapes to explore the impact of each process.

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Classic Catawba: America’s first true wine grape

Some people have called Zinfandel “America’s grape,” others say it should be Concord. Chik Brenneman is here to make the case for the

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Cayuga White: Get hooked on its feeling

A hybrid grape that came out of Cornell University’s breeding program in the 1970s, Cayuga White has found great success while being made

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La Vie En Dry Rosé

Pink wines may have gotten a bad rap due to sweet versions that dominated in the 80s and 90s, however, dry rosé is becoming more and more p

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Malvasia Bianca: A Greek grape that has gotten around

A grape of Mediterranean origins, Malvasia grapes spread throughout the region under the umbrella name. Get the scoop on this unusual family

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Bonarda Argentine Or Douce Noir or Charbono . . .

Grape varietal names can be a confusing world, typically because one grape varietal may have over a dozen names based on location. But in th

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Drawing Inspiration from Valpolicella

Wineries can, and often do, create four distinct wines from a single vineyard in the Italian Valpolicella region. Amarone is the most famous

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Preserved in Amber

Orange wines, created by fermenting white grapes on the skins, are likely as old as winemaking itself. However, these complex and age-worthy

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Blaufränkisch or Lemberger: International grape of mystery

As with many Old World grapes that are grown widely, Blaufränkisch goes by many names. And thanks to its versatility in the winery and cool

Technique

Put Some Sparkle In Your Wines

There are several techniques a home winemaker can create bubbles for their wine. Learn about the methods for crafting a sparkling wine of yo

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Making Mulled Wines

As autumn rolls into winter, it’s time to heat things up with mulled wine. A holiday tradition around the world, mulled wines usually incl

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Flexible Frontenac: Making a case for this hybrid

Scattered throughout the Upper Midwest and Rockies, Frontenac wines are making waves as winemakers learn to coax a lot of flavor from this r

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The Illustrious Chardonnay: Fine-tuning the classic

The king of the white wines, Chardonnay can be expressed in a wide array of styles. Chik Brenneman takes readers on a journey through this g

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Pét Projects

Pétillant-naturel sparkling wines — which are bottled prior to the conclusion of fermentation — are having a moment. Without any requir

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Bold Brianna: A strong and healthy grower

Elmer Swenson’s grape breeding program has had a profound effect on the North American wine scene. One such grape to come from his program

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Melon De Bourgogne: Or Muscadet or just plain Melon

More commonly associated by the wine it produces, Melon de Bourgogne is the grape varietal behind Muscadet wines and the sur lie aging techn

Wine-wizard

Crafting a Buttery-Style of Chardonnay

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Colorful Carménère

Similar to a varietal like Malbec, Carménère has come to be identified with the wine growing regions of South America, but this grape actu

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Grenache Blanc: Some lessons from the Old World

Grenache Blanc is a grape from the northwestern region of Spain and, as the name implies, has evolved from Grenache Noir. Chik Brenneman pro

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Cinsault: The grape that could . . .

One of the mainstay grapes found in the heat-prone regions in the Rhône Valley of France is Cinsault. It often is utilized in blends to add

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LaCrosse or La Crosse? True diversity in a grape

Elmer Swenson helped revolutionize the greater wine world with his cold-hardy grape breeding program. One such grape varietal that emerged f