All About Bubbles

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QUESTION: We had two bottles of Champagne recently - a Blanc de Blancs and a Rose, both from the same vintage and the same Champagne house. The Blanc de Blancs had noticeably more bubbles. Why would that be?

ANSWER: The quantity of bubbles in a bottle of Champagne...

The 4-1-1 on M.W.

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QUESTION: I've seen the initials "M.W." appear after the name of the sommelier on restaurant menus. What do they stand for?

ANSWER: Master of Wine. And it's an impressive designation because qualifying for it requires about two years of time...

In Search of 'Less Harsh' Wines

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     QUESTION: We are new to wine, and find some of the red wines to be quite bitter. But we want to learn more, and were wondering what types of wine aren't so harsh.

     ANSWER: The bitterness you're experiencing comes from the tannin (or tannic acid) found in grape skins and oak barrels.

     When making red wines, it's traditional to leave the grape juice in contact with the skins, and most red wines...

The Early Years of a Grapevine

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     QUESTION: I've been told that it takes about three years for a vine to produce grapes that are good enough to be used for wine. Is this true, and if so, why does it take so long?

     ANSWER: It's true. When a grapevine is first planted...

Leaf-peeping in Wine Country

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      QUESTION: When visiting wine country, I've noticed that the grapevines have not only bunches of grapes, but also leaves. Do the leaves have a purpose?

     ANSWER: You bet. In fact, without leaves, it would be impossible for clusters of grapes to ripen.

     Put simply... because, quite frankly, that's the only way we know how to put it...

The Vinegar Conundrum

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     QUESTION: I enjoy vinegar dressings on my salad. What's a good wine to serve?

     ANSWER: When wine goes bad, it turns to vinegar. So, good matches are few and far between.

     Fortunately, better restaurants recognize this problem, and add ingredients to their salads...

Global Warming's Impact on Wine

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     QUESTION: Is global warming going to have any impact on wines from England? I have a friend who lives there, and she says the wines are getting better and better.

     ANSWER: She's right. As parts of the country get more days of sunshine, growing winegrapes becomes a...

The Great Glassware Debate

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    QUESTION: I've heard that I should use different glasses for red wines and white wines. Is this true?

     ANSWER: It's not absolutely necessary. After all, traditionally, Italians drank their wine in tumblers.

     That said, using the right glass for a particular type of wine definitely can enhance the...

A Wine Sweeter Than Sauternes?

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    QUESTION: I always had thought that French Sauternes was the sweetest wine in the world, but when we were dining out the other night, the server told me that's not so. Is she right?

     ANSWER: Yes. The sweetest wine is Tokay Eszencia, which is made each year in Hungary - but only in miniscule quantities.

     Whereas Sauternes has...

The Go-To Red Wine-and-Cheese Combination

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     QUESTION: What is the best kind of cheese to serve with red wine?

     ANSWER: That's a very broad question, but that said, red wine in general can be challenging to pair with cheese.

     But if there were one "go-to" combination, it...

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