Late Harvest Wine – Too Late to the Party? Nope!
Late harvest is a term used to describe wines made from grapes that are allowed to remain on the vine longer than usual, resulting in a higher sugar content. These wines are characterized by their intense sweetness and rich, complex flavors. Late harvest wine is made from grapes picked later in the growing season. These […]
Lees – A By-Product of Wine Fermentation
Lees are the dead yeast cells, grape solids, and other particles that settle at the bottom of a wine barrel or tank during the winemaking process. Lees can significantly impact the taste, aroma, and mouthfeel of the resulting wine, and winemakers often intentionally leave the wine in contact with the lees to achieve certain desired […]
Malolactic Fermentation – Putting the Buttery into Chardonnays Everywhere
Malolactic fermentation (MLF) is a crucial process in winemaking that converts malic acid into lactic acid, resulting in a smoother and creamier taste and mouthfeel in the finished wine. Malolactic fermentation is a fancy word for a bacterial process that happens after the first fermentation in wine. This process changes the tart malic acid in […]
Meritage – Tale of the American Bordeaux
Meritage is a term used to describe a blend of two or more of the traditional Bordeaux grape varieties, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. The term was created by a group of American winemakers and marketers in the late 1980s who wanted to create a term to describe high-quality Bordeaux-style blends made […]
Methode Champenoise – Putting the Bubbles in Bubbly
Méthode Champenoise is a traditional method of making sparkling wine, particularly champagne, where the second fermentation occurs in the bottle. It is a labor-intensive and time-consuming process that requires significant expertise, but results in wines with complex flavors and delicate bubbles. The Méthode Champenoise is a hallmark of the Champagne region of France and has […]