The Basics | Wine Enthusiast

Grapes 101

A wine glass full of 3 types of wine — Getty Images

As Tastes and the Climate Change, Muscadine Wine ‘Deserves Respect’

Illo by Joao Neves — Illustration by Joao Neves

Where Gamay Shines Across the Globe

Illustration of Viognier grapes — Illustration by João Neves

3 Wine Regions Where France’s Viognier Grape Flourishes Abroad

Crush Gruner Veltliner — Illustration by Joao Neves

Austria’s Famed Grüner Vetliner Thrives in These Global Wine Regions

An close-up image of Ruchè Grapes — An close-up image of Ruchè Grapes. / Photo courtesy of Ruche Producers Association

Ruchè’s Revival: Meet Piedmont’s Secret Darling

Counoise neon sign with glass — Illustration by João Neves

Winemakers Are Catching On to Counoise

How To Taste

Hand holding up a wine glass with a large checkmark behind it. — Getty Images

A 4-Step Checklist to Assess the Quality of Wine

white wine grapes with 6 bottles of wine in the background — Getty Images

A Six-Bottle Masterclass to Albariño (Alvarinho)

Sangiovese tasting tips grapes on vine — Getty

A Six-Bottle Master Class to Sangiovese

Waiter offering cheese and grapes to people in wine tasting room. Waiter serving fruits and cheese to people in winery. — Getty

How to Find (Free!) Wine Tastings Everywhere You Go

Red Wine Information & Basics

White Wine Basics

Is Wine Vegetarian, Vegan or Neither?

When Should You Decant Wine?

How Long Can Wine Stay Open?

What are Tannins, Really?

Live: Wine Reviews & Ratings

Visual Guides

Drinks Terms Defined

a bunch of multicolored grapes representing veraison — Getty Images

What Does ‘Veraison’ Mean in Wine?

A bottle of wine split in half with a flint stone inside — Getty / Evan de Normandie

What Does ‘Flinty’ Mean in Wine?

A packet of Wine gum on a pink background — Illustration by Pablo Tesio

What Does ‘Chewy’ Mean in Wine?

a psychedelic wine glass surrounded by normal wine glasses on a purple background — Illustration by Jose Berrio

What Does ‘Lush’ Mean in Wine?

An abstract illustration of a grapes connect to molecules — Illustration by Jose Berrio

What Does ‘Mouthfeel’ Mean in Wine?

Glass of wine laying on velvet couch. — Illustration by Alyssa Nassner

What Does ‘Supple’ Mean in Wine?

Region Rundown

A wine glass in front of a map of Luxembourg — Getty Images

The Wines of Tiny Luxembourg Make a Big Impression

Georgia wine map — Getty

Georgia’s Ancient Wine Culture has Lasting Relevance

GOTG Petit Verdot Illo — Illustration by João Neves

There’s Nothing Petite About Petit Verdot

Lighter Side of Rhone bottles and glasses of white wine — Photo by Tom Arena

The History of Rhône Valley White Wines—Plus, Bottles to Try

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How It’s Made

Bottles of Ouzo with broken plates — Aerial View of Ouzo

Ouzo 101: An Introduction to Greece’s Celebratory Spirit

Beer faults — Getty

Five Common Beer Faults and How to Recognize Them

A hand squeezing grapes on a salmon colored background — Getty Images

What is ‘Free Run’ Wine?

shochu vs soju in glasses — Alamy

Shochu vs Soju: A Quick Guide

Yellow bubble floating up on a purple background. — Animation by Eric DeFreitas

Does Indigenous Yeast Really Exist? The Wine Community is Divided.

Free Range Flower Winery selection and Aaliyah Nitoto at Free Range Flower Winery, Livermore. — L-R: Free Range Flower Winery selection and Aaliyah Nitoto at Free Range Flower Winery / Photos by Aaliyah Nitoto and Sam Prestianni

Often Overlooked, Flower Wine Is in Full Bloom

How To Pair

A wine glass emerging from the top of a pile of cheese snacks — Images Courtesy of Getty Images

How to Pair Wine with Cheesy Snacks, According to the Pros

Ginger root — Photo Courtesy of Getty Images

How to Pair Wine and Ginger

mound of ricotta — Photo Courtesy of Getty Images

4 Ways to Pair Wine and Ricotta

Caprese Salad — Getty images

4 Easy, No-Cook Summer Meals with Classic Wine Pairings

How To Serve

A cork with a screw going through it next to a screw diver — Image Courtesy of Getty Images

How to Open a Wine Bottle Without a Corkscrew

Close up of a champagne bottle popping on a tan background — Getty Images

How to Open a Champagne Bottle

Crush Lambic Baskets — Bottle of Lambic resting on its side in a Lambic Basket / Photo by Brian Harrington

Lambic Beer Baskets Are Timeless, Functional And Trendy

Smiling man opening wine bottle at rooftop. — Getty

A Wine Lover’s Guide to BYO Etiquette

How to pour wine without spilling woman at counter — Getty

How to Pour Wine Without Spilling a Drop

How to remove broken cork from a wine bottle — Getty

How to Remove a Broken Cork from a Wine Bottle

Buying + Collecting

how to store liquor in shelves at home — Getty

Vodka In The Freezer? How To Properly Store Liquor At Home

Neal Rosenthal / Photo courtesy Neal Rosenthal

What Is a Wine Importer and What Do They Do?

Close-Up Of Wine Bottles On Rack_GettyImages_1920x1280 — Getty

You Don’t Have to Spend a Fortune to Fill Your Cellar with Ageworthy Wines

Cabernet Sauvignon

Merlot

Chardonnay

Sauvignon Blanc

Pinot Noir

Shiraz / Syrah

Malbec

Pinot Grigio / Gris

Riesling

See All Grapes

Advanced Studies

Cover Crop at Weninger Winery — Weninger Winery | Photo by Nicole Heiling

The Rise of Micro-Managed Cover Crops in the Battle Against Climate Change

A bunch of grapes laid over a Carmenere leaf on a dark purple background — Image Courtesy of Getty Images

Rediscovering Chilean Carmenère

3 tiers of the liquor distribution system on a designed background — Getty Images

The Highs and Woes of Alcohol’s Three-Tier System

a warped grape on a smoke background — Getty Images

Amid Smoke and Climate Change, Napa Embraces an Imperfect Red Grape

A fist holding a wine glass with a design treatment — Getty Images

How the Fall of the Soviet Union Changed Wine Forever

Loam soil wine glass with roots coming out of the bottom, going into dirt — Getty

Understanding Loam Soil in Wine