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Ever Wonder Why Wines Turn Brown?

Have you ever opened a bottle of red wine that had turned brown? Or, seen a bottle of white wine that’s turned brown? Well, this is a real issue with wines - as they age. As wines age, they can become oxidized especially if the cork is not entirely...

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Ever Wonder? - What is Grappa? ever wonder

Ever Wonder? - What is Grappa?

* Photo by Connie Perez on Unsplash * Last time we looked at brandy. Brandy is made from distilling wine with or without the solid grape matter. Grappa, on the other hand, is made solely from distilling the ‘leftovers’ from making wine - the...

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Behind the Cork™ - Tempest Bay Chardonnay behind the cork

Behind the Cork™ - Tempest Bay Chardonnay

2018 Tempest Bay Chardonnay ($7.99) The Carneros AVA in California includes an eastern half in Napa and a western half in Sonoma. It’s known for producing high-quality wines, especially Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. And that’s why this wine caught my...

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Ever Wonder? - The Difference Between Cognac and Brandy ever wonder

Ever Wonder? - The Difference Between Cognac and Brandy

* Photo by Nika Benedictova on Unsplash * I was recently asked about brandy and Cognac and their various designations. So, let’s take a closer look at the similarities and differences between them. It’s easiest to start off with brandy. Bran...

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general

Some Fun Facts about Your Champagne for New Year’s Eve

Here are some fun facts about Champagne as we head towards New Year’s Eve: Champagne is not made from Champagne grapes Champagne is typically produced from three grapes — Chardonnay, Pinot Noir (Yes! A red wine grape!) and Pinot Meunier (another re...

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Behind the Cork™ - Pfendler Vineyards Chardonnay behind the cork

Behind the Cork™ - Pfendler Vineyards Chardonnay

2018 Pfendler Vineyards Sonoma Coast Chardonnay ($45) This 100% Chardonnay comes from Pfendler Vineyards which is located in the hillsides of Sonoma Mountain in the Sonoma Coast region. The Petaluma Gap is sub-region of the Sonoma Coast that has ...

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Behind the Cork™ - Panthera Chardonnay behind the cork

Behind the Cork™ - Panthera Chardonnay

2017 Hess ‘Lion Head Collection’ Panthera Chardonnay ($45) Here’s a returning star to Behind the Cork™. This 100% Panthera Chardonnay, from the Russian River Valley, is part of the Hess ‘Lion Head Collection’ of wines. According to the notes, “...

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Behind the Cork™ - Left Coast Blanc de Noir behind the cork

Behind the Cork™ - Left Coast Blanc de Noir

2013 Left Coast Estate Blanc de Noir ($55) Here’s just the bubbly for the holidays. This Left Coast Estate Blanc de Noir is made from 100% Pinot Noir (one of the components of French Champagne). It is fermented in 100% Stainless Steel to preserv...

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