The British often call red Bordeaux claret. The word comes from the French “clairet”, meaning pale. The standard style of Bordeaux wine has not always been deep red, in fact, It used to be closer to a dark rosé, hence the term clairet to describe the light hue. Three hundred years ago, claret was the [...]

Capsule, or foil, made of tin or plastic. Space between wine and cork is called ullage. Slope or shoulder varies with bottle style. Neck label is not always present. Back label is optional, but often useful. Style of front label varies regionally and from one producer to another. Punt is most important for sparkling wine. [...]

The word “Alcohol” is derived from the Arabic language (al kohl or alkuhl). Consider the fact that a large proportion of the Arabic population is forbidden from consuming alcohol for religious reasons.

Happy 4th of July all our friends back in the States! This Independence Day, it might be amusing to give guests another option next to the coolers of beer by incorporating wine into the festive barbecue. Madeira, a fortified wine from Portugal, would be an excellent choice. Even Thomas Jefferson would agree. Thomas Jefferson was [...]