Chik Brenneman

Article

Petit Verdot: The forgotten Bordeaux blend grape

Petit Verdot is one of the “big five” grapes that make up a Bordeaux blend. Learn more about this red blender.

Article

Vidal Blanc

Vidal Blanc was originally develloped for Cognac production in the cold maritime regions of western France. Today it is a go-to grape in the

Article

Albariño/Alvarinho: The wine of Galicia

Albariño/Alvarinho is the grape of the Spanish region of Galacia, and it’s catching on in the States too.

Technique

Zinfandel Wine Case Study

You’ve heard over and over the importance of taking notes during winemaking. But what do you do with those findings? Follow along with the p

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Müller-Thurgau: Germany’s other white grape

Prior to giving way to Riesling at the turn of the century, Müller-Thurgau was the most prominent white grape in Germany. It is still very

Article

The Many Shades of Muscat

Muscat is a complex family of grapes with a distinctive aroma tying them all together. There are hundreds of Muscat varieties, both white an

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Mourvèdre: A Tannic grape for many wine styles

Mourvèdre is a fine blending grape with significant tannins, but don’t overlook the varietal and rosé options.

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Symphony: 40 Years in the Making

Symphony is a white grape bred from Muscat of Alexandria and Grenache Gris by Dr. Harold Olmo. Grown in California, Symphony grapes are foun

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The many wines of Chardonel

Chardonel, as the name implies, has Chardonnay as one of its parents and is used to make similar wine styles. Its popularity is largely alon

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Touriga Nacional

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Ruby Cabernet

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Skin Contact Decisions

Winemakers have to decide how long to macerate their grapes to make the best wine. But how? Too little skin contact and the wines can lack c

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Traminette: Little Gewürztraminer grows up

Gewürztraminer is a white grape with origins in the Alsace-Lorraine departments of France recognized for its prominent terpenic aromatic ch

Article

Tannat: The Tannin-rich Grape of Legend

Tannat grapes are synonymous with highly phenolic and tannic must. Learn about this grape’s storied past and how to hit the sweet spot in

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Carignane/Mazuelo: A Spanish grape with many names

Many wine grapes have different names when grown in various parts of the world. That is especially true for Carignane, which is officially c

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Alicante Bouschet: An eccentric grape with a unique history

At one time, Alicante Bouschet was one of the most popular grapes planted in the United States. Learn about the history of this grape variet

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Black Spanish

This red grape variety has large to medium-sized loose clusters and can be quite vigorous and productive, producing large crops depending on

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Petit Manseng

Petit Manseng is a white grape, with small loose clusters and small thick-skinned berries. Traditional wines made from Petit Manseng are swe

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Aligoté

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Sémillon

American wine consumers tend to believe if a white wine has been bottled then it is ready to drink. But not all white wines are meant to onl

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Petite Sirah

The clusters are small and dense. When you crush and de-stem, the color almost immediately begins to release from the skins.

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Pinot Noir

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Malbec: Beyond Bordeaux

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Seyval Blanc

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Ways to Rosé

You have several options when it comes to making a rosé wine. Learn three of the most common techniques here.