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Behind the Cork™ - Gaia Pinot Noir Rosé behind the cork

Behind the Cork™ - Gaia Pinot Noir Rosé

2020 Gaia Pinot Noir Rosé ($20) From Domaine Bousquet, Gaia Rosé is from the vineyards of Tupungato, high in Argentina’s Mendoza Uco Valley . This wine takes its name from Gaia, the ancient Greek goddess of the earth and an inspiration for the Bou...

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Behind the Cork™ - Frontera Cabernet Sauvignon behind the cork

Behind the Cork™ - Frontera Cabernet Sauvignon

Frontera Cabernet Sauvignon ($6.99) The Frontera variatal brand from Concha Y Toro has a newly designed label featuring the iconic Andes Mountain range for their well-known wine. This non-vintage (NV) Cabernet Sauvignon is from Chile’s Central V...

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Behind the Cork™ - Zardetto Prosecco Brut behind the cork

Behind the Cork™ - Zardetto Prosecco Brut

Zardetto Prosecco Brut NV ($17) This tasty Zardetto Prosecco comes from vineyards in the hilly part of the Veneto region of Italy. It’s produced from at least 85% Glera grapes with the addition of up to 15% Pinot Bianco/Chardonnay. The first f...

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Behind the Cork™ - Volver Tempranillo behind the cork

Behind the Cork™ - Volver Tempranillo

2018 Volver Tempranillo ($16) Bodegas Volver creates wines in regions of Spain such as Alicante, La Mancha, Jumilla, Rueda, Valencia and soon Rías Baixas. It is differentiated by its modern approach of working with indigenous varieties. The winer...

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The Fourth Fundamental Trait of a Good Wine - Sweetness

There are four fundamental traits that comprise a good wine and they all have to work together in balanced harmony. Previously we’ve explored Acidity, Tannin, and Alcohol . Let’s now take a look at Sweetness. Sweetness in wine comes from natural gra...

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Behind the Cork™ - Zenato Valpolicella DOC Superiore behind the cork

Behind the Cork™ - Zenato Valpolicella DOC Superiore

2017 Valpolicella Classico Superiore ($17) Since founding their winery in 1960, the Zenato family has been a pioneering family in Italian wine. A benchmark producer in the Veneto region, Zenato harvests fruit from steep slopes in the historical ...

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The Third Fundamental Trait of a Good Wine - Alcohol

As we continue through the four fundamental traits of a good wine, let’s now move on to alcohol. Wine is simply fermented grape juice. Alcohol is a byproduct of the fermentation process where yeast converts the sugar in the grape juice (the must) to...

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Behind the Cork™ - Vilarnau Cava behind the cork

Behind the Cork™ - Vilarnau Cava

Vilarnau Cava These two wonderful Cavas are from Vilarnau in Spain. The winery is a small, artisanal, hand crafted Cava house located outside of Barcelona that dates back to 1949. Made in the traditional méthode champenoise, the Vilarnau bottles h...

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The Second Fundamental Trait of a Good Wine — Tannin

Have you ever sipped a wine and immediately experienced a drying sensation in your mouth? That astringent sensation, generally associated with red wines, is associated with tannins. Tannin is a chemical compound (polyphenol) that occurs naturally in...

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Behind the Cork™ - Clean Slate Riesling behind the cork

Behind the Cork™ - Clean Slate Riesling

Clean Slate Riesling ($12) This Clean Slate Riesling is from Mosel, Germany. The Mosel region has a great wine growing tradition of more than 2000 years, taken there by the Romans. It is recognized as the home of Riesling. The soil’s thin slate st...

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