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Wine Department
If a wine is corked, the wine will give off a distinct aroma. Many people say this aroma smells like wet newspaper, a dank basement or a wet dog.
No. Only sparkling wine from the Champagne region of France can be called Champagne. Other names for sparkling wine are Prosecco, Corvina and American Sparkler.
Most wine will last another day open on the counter and up to a week if placed in the fridge. See our pointers for how to store wine.
No. Order what you want to pay. If you are at a good restaurant, every wine on the list should be good.
Absolutely. All red should be served with at least a slight chill of 60-70 degrees, but you can serve it colder, especially in summer. Some wines we always drink cold are Corvina and Dolcetto. See our temperature guide.
Our rule: drink what you like with whatever you are eating, but if you want to get technical, we like to pair wine with the flavors we are eating, not the protein.
Too much sugar. Sugar removes the water in our brain, and that gives us a headache.
Yes. There are many good bottles out there under $15.
The first rule is you should never buy cooking wine. The second rule is you should always cook with a wine you like to drink. For example, if the recipe calls for red wine, choose a red you love to drink on its own. Learn more here.
Yes. Boxed wine is a great buy if you never really drink more than a glass or two at night. It can last in the fridge for up to three months, and there is some really great wine going into boxes nowadays. A few brands we love are WineBerry, Public House and From the Tank.
Many glass companies claim different glasses allow you to experience different wines uniquely, but we don’t buy it. See our guide here on wine glasses.
Yes. In order to ensure you get a great kosher wine, make sure the label says Non-Mevushal.
There are no requirements when it comes to decanting wine, but any wine can be decanted. If you like how a wine looks in a decanter, decant away!
Red grapes were used to make the wine and a wine gets its color from its skins. When the winemaker crushed the grapes, they allowed the skins to come into contact with the juice for only a brief time, thus the color is pink, instead of red. Read more about Rose.
Most wines are between 12 and 15 percent in alcohol.
Nope! Just follow our steps and you’ll get the wine stain right out.
Choose a bottle that you enjoy, and that you think your host will enjoy. A general rule we follow is, if it is a nice dinner party, try to spend at least $20 per bottle. If it’s a more casual affair, $12 should do the trick.
No, they are actually excellent. They prevent a wine from every being corked. Lots of winemakers are using screwcaps for this very reason. They don’t signify that a wine is cheap.
The standard pour for glass of wine is 6 ounces. This means there are 4 standard glasses in every bottle of wine.
You don’t have to. Only spit if you don’t want to become too inebriated!
No, these are just what we call tasting notes. They are a guide for what the wine may taste like to you, but everyone actually tastes different flavors in wine.
Sugar. The more sugar in a wine, the more sweet it will taste.
Lots of countries have great values, even France! In France we love the Languedoc Rusillon region. We also love wines from Chile, Argentina, South Africa and New Zealand for great values.
Wine sediment is the grainy material which settles to the bottom of a wine container. It’s harmless!
Absolutely. Research shows that it’s not only good for your heart, but also your sperm count (obviously the latter applies exclusively to men).
You want wines that aren’t too high in alcohol, so people can have a good time without getting too drunk. We buy wines that are 13.5% in alcohol and lower.
California is the most popular wine region in America.
Cabernet Sauvignon in the most popular red wine in America. Read more about Cabernet Sauvignon here.
Chardonnay is the most popular white wine in America. Read more about Chardonnay here.
France is the most popular wine region in the world.
No. Wine fridges are great if you have more than a few bottles you want to store. If you only have two or three bottles of wine around at a time, the regular fridge is fine, but more than that and a wine fridge is a great call. They also make great gifts!
Every season is wonderful! Spring is when the vineyard is being prepared. In summer everything begins to bloom and ripen. Fall is harvest time and winter is the period for bottling and drinking. You can’t go wrong!
