Tempranillo is a Spanish red grape variety whose name alludes to its nature of ripening earlier than the other Vitis vinifera of Europe (temprano = early). Tempranillo has a very, very long history in the Iberian Peninsula, and is most likely as old as the discovery of wine…
International Tempranillo Day
Cabernet Franc
Happy Cabernet Franc Day! And it couldn’t be at a better time of the year. Nothing sounds better than cozying up by the fireplace with a delicious glass of Cab Franc to help keep you warm. Cabernet Franc in the new world has an association with big heavy…
What is Carbonic Maceration?
Carbonic maceration is a process by which grapes are fermented in their skins in a carbon dioxide rich environment. The weight of all the grapes crushes the juice from the lower areas of the tank that holds the grapes and gas, and undergoes a somewhat more conventional fermentation…
International Albariño Day!
It’s International Albariño Day and what better way to celebrate than drinking some! Well, as Americans, it isn’t commonplace to have some just laying around the house or in our cellars – in fact, most supermarkets won’t have it in the wine isle, so let’s take a moment…
For Our Guests: About the Lot Series & More…
New customers are sometimes confused when they find out that a Lot wine is sold out “forever,” and not just awaiting the next vintage. Barring the rare occasion where we are able to source from the same winery again, the chances of finding that Lot wine you loved…
Decoded: Blends
Let’s talk blends, and what the language your local wine shop representative uses actually means. At the top of the blending language list we have Champagne and Bordeaux. The word Champagne is synonymous with being expensive, of quality, for celebrations, and from Champagne, France. Champagne is generally made…
Decoded: Blending
Blending is essential for all wines. It can be argued that if it were not for blending by way of cross pollination or grafting of rootstocks most varieties of grapes that wines were originally made from would have gone extinct at this point in time, replaced by a…
