The ability to accurately describe the flavors of a wine and distinguish between different grape varietals is not an innate gift granted to so-called “supertasters” at birth; instead, it is a learned ability that must be cultivated through study and
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Wine Basics Part III: Wine Stemware
You can drink wine out of virtually any vessel - an old goblet, a coffee mug, or even the bottle itself - but in order to have the best tasting experience, it is important to select glassware that highlights the characteristics of the wine you’re ser
Wine Basics Part II: Bottle Sizes
In today’s marketplace, wine bottles come in a wide variety of sizes for different occasions, but it’s not always apparent how and why these different vessels got their names. This guide is designed to demystify the terminology surrounding different
Wine Basics Part I: How to Read a Wine Label
Wine labels contain quite a bit of information, some of which is crucial to understanding what’s inside the bottle, and some of which is simply there to draw the eye of the consumer. Here’s a quick guide that will explain what to look for on a wine l
Wine as Art: A Lesson from Legendary Winemaker Serge Hochar
Wine is different from so many other investable assets because it’s more like a work of art than a commodity. Serge Hochar, a legendary winemaker who tragically passed away in 2015, pointed this fact out to us. His family’s winery, Château Musar, pr
The Parkerization of Wine in the 1990s and Beyond
The 1990s were an exciting decade for wine — particularly in the United States. During that decade, the industry saw a massive turnover of ownership from the post-War, post-Prohibition pioneers in California to their children. That new generation was
Tips for Proper Wine Storage
You’re ultimately responsible for storing your investment safely. Without proper cellaring, your wine can become worthless in short order. Storing rare wine requires long-term thinking that takes into account all worst-case scenarios. For starters,
Famous Wine Frauds Part II
In the fine wine marketplace, fraud is not limited to scurrilous collectors and resellers - as we will see below, winemakers themselves can perpetrate fraud on a grand scale:In 2008, six individuals were indicted on criminal charges in Italy in a
Famous Wine Frauds Part I
Sadly enough, all rare wine collectors today are at risk for fraud. It’s the role of a skilled broker to investigate the provenance and authenticity of any bottles you’re considering for purchase, in order to protect you and your money. There ar
Sweet Wine Basics
Sweet Wine BasicsHow It’s MadeWhen a winemaker decides to produce a sweet wine, he or she faces a dilemma: sugar is required to make the wine taste sweet, but the sugars in grape juice are converted into alcohol during fermentation. Because of this,