What are Tannins?
What are Tannins?Defining tannins can be tricky even for seasoned wine enthusiasts. According to the dictionary, tannin is a yellowish or brownish bitter-tasting organic substance found in various plant tissues, commonly …
Articles
Growing Grapes without Irrigation
In 2015, California’s Governor Jerry Brown issued an executive order that included a mandatory 25% water reduction. Not surprisingly, the news went national; this was a first in America. Future …
The Top BYOB Restaurants in Philly
BYO culture in Philly is unique among American cities. It came about due to the influence of the PLCB and high rent in Center City’s restaurant district. For most chefs, the …
The Big Money Wine Myth
Is Expensive Wine a Waste of Money?Several studies have been released recently that call into question a basic premise of wine buying. Most wine drinkers assume that the more expensive a …
Health Benefits of Red Wine
Study Pinpoints Health Benefits of Red Wine Over the past few years, many studies have been published drawing a link to drinking red wine and decreased morbidity rates. The organic compound cited in all studies …
Local Wine Events
One dude changed how America thought about wine and changed it for good. Eric V. Orange didn’t mean to, but that’s how history often works. This interview happened in 2012. Promoting …
Pennsylvania Wines
PA wines are slowly finding their footing. High-quality wines are supplanting the preponderance of sweet pink trash. However, the history of these wines is just being written. This article covers what …
The End of a Wine School
How Reviews Killed a Chicago Wine SchoolHow Krunch Went YelpA small wine school in Chicago gained significant attention in 2012, illustrating how social media can destroy a small business. The story …
What is a Supertaster?
What is a Supertaster?What is a supertaster? Though not exclusively about wine, being a supertaster changes how a person perceives bitterness, a significant component of red wine. The story starts with …
Good Cheap Wine
There are plenty of well-made wines that are also cheap. Here are 10 of our favorite cheap wines, but these are a sampling of the best of the best. Even better, …
A Career in Wine?
From Radio to WineIf you jumped back in time to 1996, you would find me pounding back espressos in my glass-enclosed office at a National Public Radio station. If it were …
Sicilian Wine Reviews
A recent trip to Persephone’s island allowed tasting dozens of wines made from indigenous varietals, all of which captured Sicily’s sun-drenched, arid landscape and gave evidence of the cultural and ecological …
In Praise of Cheap White Wine
And now the time has come to praise cheap white wine. Or, to be accurate, green wine. I recently returned from a trip to Portugal, and much to my wife’s chagrin, …
Blind Tasting Wine
Blind tasting wine can be more challenging than a 1950s quiz show but also more fun. For many wine enthusiasts, it’s a humbling and educational experience. The Challenge of Blind Tasting …