Off The Beaten Path: Algeria

Algerian wine today is dying, almost dead completely in fact. There is an initiative to try and revitalize the Algerian wine industry, but to date, it hasn’t affected any revitalization or change, yet with time, that might change. This isn’t to say wine is not made in Algeria…

Off The Beaten Path: Tunisia

In our previous Off The Beaten Path post, we spoke about Corsican wines and the multitude of influences that created the modern day scene there.  If you noticed, there was one or two strange places to have brought winemaking influence to Corsica.  One of which was Tunisia. Sadly,…

Sugar dunes with sugar crystals pouring down like sands through an hourglass

What is Chaptalization?

Developed by (and named for) French chemist Jean-Antoine-Claude Chaptal, chaptalization is the process of adding sugar to unfermented grape juice to increase the alcohol percentage post-fermentation.  The added sugar is consumed by the yeasts and converted into alcohol. Chaptalization as a process does not increase the sweetness of the…

All About Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir (literally: Black Pine, due to the grapes color and cluster looking like a black pine cone), is one of the most globally popular grapes, has a long growing history pre-dating the Roman Empire, and could be upwards of 1,000 years older than the Cabernet Sauvignon grape. …

Many glasses of rose wine at wine tasting. Concept of rose wine

What Is Rosé?

It’s synonymous with summer.  It’s fashionable.  It’s crisp.  It’s light.  It’s not just your grandmother’s White Zinfandel anymore.  But what, exactly is Rosé? Speaking in broad general stokes, Rosé is not red wine mixed with white wine – The majority of France actually makes it illegal to do…

Red and white wine plus different kinds of cheeses (cheeseboard) on rustic wooden table

It’s National Cheese Day!

In honor of National Cheese Day, we’d like to take a little time to enjoy some cheese and wine!  A match made in heaven, but why?  What is it that makes this classic combination so enjoyable to so many people from all walks of life?  According to research,…