Shop for home wine cellar supplies online:
	Int. Wine Accessories	Wine Enthusiast

Perhaps a wine cabinet is not for you or you want more storage capacity. The only remaining option for you is to build a home wine cellar. There are three major components to your wine cellar: construction of the room, the refrigeration unit, and the racks that hold your wine.

Wine Enthusiast will help you design your home wine cellar
so you can feel confident in your investment.

The Construction of Your Cellar Room

Your wine cellar needs to be well-insulated, at least R19 (more would be better) all the way around. Pay particular attention to the insulation on the top of the cellar. In warm climates most of your energy loss is through the ceiling/roof. And don’t forget the door — it needs to be insulated also.

Cellars need a vapor barrier all the way around to prevent condensate from forming in your walls. In many states, the building code requires that “green board” be used in the construction of wine cellars. These same states also require that outdoor paint be used inside the cellar, since it is formulated to prevent molds and mildews from developing. It is wise to paint the space in advance and allow it to air out before “sealing up” the wine cellar. Otherwise, it can take weeks/months for the cellar to stop smelling from the outdoor paint.

Home Wine Cellar Cooling Units

The chilling unit for your cellar is a very important consideration. Most of the cellar chilling units are made by Whisperkool or Breezeair — IWA has a large selection of home wine cellar cooling units. There are three basic designs: self-contained, split refrigeration, and split air handling.

The self-contained systems are the most basic, and they are designed to fit through a standard wall. The unit produces air that is 30 °F colder than the air in the room outside the cellar. This means these units have to vent indoors in warm/hot climates, because of the outside temperature. In a Texas summer, that would mean that one would struggle to keep a cellar below 70 °F. The exhaust for my unit goes into a heated and cooled store room. Keep in mind these systems can make quite a bit of noise.

Split refrigeration systems work the same way, except the condenser can be located separately in another part of the house. These units still have the same temperature restrictions as the self contained unit, so condenser placement is an important consideration.

Split air handling systems are similar to central air conditioning units. Both split systems require more calculations to determine what unit you need and they are more difficult to install compared to the self contained units. For many home owners, however, they represent the only option without major renovations.

Whisperkool has recently released their Extreme series. These self-contained units can be exhausted to the outdoors and still generate 55 °F air. The Extreme series costs about twice as much as Whisperkool’s other self-contained systems.

Wine Racks for Home Wine Cellars

Finally, wine cellars must have wine racks to hold the bottles. There are lots of manufacturers, but they all offer four basic options: two types of wine racks, standard and custom; and two materials of construction, wood and metal. Metal racks are typically restricted to 705 ml bottles and they cost more per bottle for storage.

Wooden racks are by far the most common. They are offered in a variety of standard configurations, such as individual bottle column racks, “cubes and bins”, corner racks, magnum racks, etc. You select the standard configuration based on the size and shape of your cellar and the type of wine you like to collect.

The bottle type (size and shape) of the wine you collect can make a big difference. For example, the individual bottle column racks will not accommodate all fat bottomed bottles, such as New World Pinot Noirs. Cube and bins are sized for a typical bottle, if yours are not the bottles may be unstable in the rack. Standard wine racks are available on the web.

Of course, there are also custom rack options. If you want to have someone build racks specifically for you, you will need to take measurements of your cellar after it is completed. Then the vendor will use these measurements to construct your racking system. Custom racks are at least twice as expensive as standard racks, but like all custom things, they can cost whatever you are willing to spend.

Of course there are services that would be more than happy to help you design and build your very own personal wine cellar. If you have the money, some of these services do amazing work.

	Shop for home wine cellar supplies online:
	Int. Wine Accessories	Wine Enthusiast

Each wine tasting has a list of wine suggestions. Most of the suggested wines are widely distributed and should be available in your area. If not, you might consider ordering the wine over the internet.

We recommend these web sites that sell wine online:

• Wine.com (frequently offers one-cent shipping deals)
• My Wines Direct (always free shipping for packages of six bottles)
• Morrell
• Wine Messenger

Storing Your Wine Before the Tastings

Once you get it home, it is important to store your wine correctly. The best place to store white wine before a tasting is in the refrigerator. Whites should be served at about 45 ºF, and it takes about two hours in the refrigerator to get there.

If you are tasting red wines, store them in a cool, dark place, perhaps the bottom of a closet. People generally think that red wines should be served at “room temperature”. In fact, red wines should be served at a temperature of about 63 °F.

So red wine benefits from 30 minutes in the refrigerator before serving. It’s not a bad idea to set a timer – you don’t want it too cold.

What Does Wine Tasting Even Mean?

The thing that separates wine tasting from wine drinking with friends is that when you taste a wine you try to describe your experience. Putting your taste experience into words takes practice. To make it a little easier, we’ve prepared a “tasting kit” for each wine tasting, which includes a tasting guide, placemats, wine tasting note form, and our aroma chart.

The tasting guide takes you through each wine and highlights characteristics and wine words for you to focus on as you taste the wines. The placemat helps to keep the wines in order and contains additional information about the wine styles you are trying. The tasting notes form will help you organize your tasting notes. Making a few notes will help you remember the wines later. Lastly, the aroma chart will help to identify the different smells that wine can produce.

Getting Ready For the Tasting

To get ready for your tasting, you should cool/chill the wines, get your wine glasses and opener ready, and print out the tasting guide, placemats, tasting notes form and aroma chart. Be sure everyone has a pen or pencil and a glass of water.

The best way to conduct a tasting is for each person to have a glass for each wine. In this case, open and pour all the wines you are tasting at the same time.

Drink Wines from Lightest to Fullest

Begin each tasting with the lightest wine. Our Wine 101 styles are listed from the lightest body to the fullest. So, for example, if you taste Smooth and Bold wines (Wine Tasting #1) you would start with the Smooth wine.

For a traditional tasting, the standard pour is about 1 ½ ounces of wine. If you do not have enough glasses to pour all the wine at once, start with the lightest wine and taste it completely before moving on to the second wine.

Food Makes it a Party

Each tasting can be completed in as little as 15 minutes, but we stretch them out.

If you have the time, we suggest that you plan a dinner or pot luck for after the tasting, so you can try each wine when it is paired with food. It is not uncommon for wines to taste differently when combined with certain foods.

• Read about fruity wines
• Read about earthy wines
• Read about smooth wines
• Read about bold wines

(You can also read about the white wine styles.)

You can learn what your favorite style is with our Wine 101 tastings. Then search for wines by the wine style at our wine reviews section.

Fruity red wines

Most fruity wines are from the New World, are light-to-medium bodied, and most are made from Pinot Noir grapes. You’ll often hear these wines described as fruit-forward, the alcohol level can be 14% alcohol or more. Fruity wines come from warm weather climates that produce grapes with relatively high levels of sugar and low levels of acid and tannins. They are definitely a “love it or leave it” kind of wine.

Fruity wines are mostly from California, but they can also be produced in Oregon. Keep in mind, though, that there are Pinot Noirs from Oregon, Washington, and Northern California that are not fruity wines. These wines are from colder climates and are more acidic with more earthy flavors and darker fruit. (back to top)

Earthy red wines

Earthy wines are generally made using Pinot Noir, Grenache, and/or Syrah. Earthy wines are medium to medium-full bodied, with more acid than you will find in other red wines. The alcohol level for these wines is typically a little bit lower than fruity wines, averaging around 13% alcohol.

Earthy wines express aromas of cherry, berry, earth and even sometimes barnyard. Typical flavor profiles for earthy wine can vary from red cherries to dark fruit. Other flavors typical of earthy wines include herbaceous, dried fruit, and smoke. Earthy wines are produced in the French regions of Burgundy and Rhone. Earthy Pinot Noirs are also produced in Washington, Oregon, and New Zealand.

Many earthy wines, particularly those from Côte d Nuits and Côte du Beaune in Burgundy, can age for decades. In fact, some of the wines from these regions need the age to produce an enjoyable wine. Earthy wines are particularly food friendly. (back to top)

Smooth red wines

Smooth wines are the largest category of red wine. Smooth wines are medium-full to full bodied wines, and they offer the much of the complexity found in bold wines without all the extras. Smooth wines have less acid than earthy wines and slightly more alcohol, starting around 13.5% alcohol.

The range of aromas offered by smooth wines is huge. Most of the berry smells in smooth wines are dark, including blackberry, dark cherry, and blue berry. Other aromas associated with smooth wines include pepper, cigar box, and vanilla. The taste of smooth wines follows their aroma profile with plenty of berry, cherry, and dried fruit.

Smooth wines occupy the area in the wine taste map that bridges the gap between earthy wines and bold wines, offering plenty of flavors without all the tannin and alcohol of most bold wines. Smooth wines are also a little more acidic than bold wines, giving them an advantage when it comes to paring with food.

Smooth wines are made from dozens of different grapes including Syrah, Zinfandel, Grenache, Pinot Noir, Merlot and Malbec. The wines are produced in all major wine producing areas including France, Italy, Spain, Argentina, Chile, New Zealand, Australia and America. (back to top)

Bold red wines

Bold wines are the biggest wines of the red wine world. These full bodied, often over-the-top wines, are mostly the product of the New World (California and Australia), but there are bold wines being produced in all winemaking regions.

The most common grape used to make bold wines is Cabernet Sauvignon, but Syrah and Zinfandel can also be used to make some really big wines. Cabernet Sauvignon is often blended with other grapes such as Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec or Petite Verdot. Grenache and/or Merlot is sometimes blended with Syrah to make some bold wines from Australia.

Whatever the grapes, the unifying characteristic of bold wines is the shear size and complexity of the wine. Bold wines are highly extracted wines with deep, dark color, frequently opaque. The extraction process also pulls lots of tannins from the grape skins into the wine, giving the bold wine more body and texture, and well, more tannins.

The aroma profile for bold wines depends somewhat on the primary grape that is used. For Cabernet Sauvignons and their blends, common smells are cassis, blackberry, vanilla (from the oak), spice and cigar box/smoke/tobacco. The aroma profile for bold wines derived by Syrah is similar, but with a greater emphasis on spice and black pepper. In the mouth, all of these big wines bring loads of dark fruit, licorice and chewy tannins.

Bold wines come from warm/hot climates, and therefore have plenty of sugar to convert to alcohol. The % alcohol for these wines can range from 13.5% to almost 17% alcohol!

Examples of bold wines include American and Australian Cabernets and Cabernet blends, some Australian Shirazs, American Syrahs and a small fraction of American Zinfandels. (back to top)

• Read about crisp white wines
• Read about sleek white wines
• Read about soft white wines
• Read about rich white wines

(You can also read about the red wine styles.)

You can learn what your favorite style is with our Wine 101 tastings. Then search for wines by the wine style at our wine reviews section.

Crisp white wines

Crisp wines are white or rose wines with a light to medium body. They are light in color and have plenty of acid, which makes your mouth water.

The aromas of crisp wines include green apple, lemon, citrus, and honey. Common flavors include green apples, grape fruit, lemon, lime and citrus. The % alcohol for crisp wines is typically 12.5% or less. Common descriptions of crisp wines include refreshing and light.

Examples of crisp wines include Rieslings from France, Germany and New Zealand; unoaked Sauvignon Blancs from New Zealand, Sancerre France, and Washington State; and Pinot Gris from New Zealand and the Pinot region of Italy. (back to top)

Sleek white wines

Sleek white wines have less acid and more body than crisp wines. In other words, sleek wines are medium bodied wines that (literally) won’t make your mouth water.

Typically, sleek wines are made from either Sauvignon Blanc, Rieslings, Chardonnay or Pinot Gris. They are rarely treated with oak, but if a sleek wine is oaked, the oak will be French, perhaps air dried before being used. Sleek wines maybe treated with malolactic fermentation.

The aromas from sleek wines include apple, pear, and peach. Some may also express minerals or wet rocks. The flavor profile for sleek wines includes red apples, pears, and spice.

Examples of sleek wines include un-oaked Chardonnays (Chablis), new world Rieslings, Pinot Gris from New Zealand, and some Pinot Grigios from Italy. (back to top)

Soft white wines

Soft white wines are medium bodied wines with a mellow palate, and a slightly richer texture than sleek wines.

Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay grapes are use to make most soft wines. Soft Sauvignon Blancs are treated with oak and are typically subject to malolactic fermentation. This wine making technique turns maleic (think tart green apple) into lactic acid (think subdued red apple), softening the wine and adding body.

Examples of soft wines made from Sauvignon Blanc grapes include Pouilly-Fume from France, as well as most Californian Sauvignon Blancs and “Fume Blancs”. Soft wines made from Chardonnay grapes include the classic example of Pouilly Fuisse from France. (back to top)

Rich white wines

Rich wines are the biggest white wines. All rich wines are full bodied, and they have the highest % alcohol for white wines. (Some rich wines can have 14% alcohol or more.) They are all very big in the mouth and have a long finish, but after that comparison there are more differences in aroma and taste in rich wines than most people can imagine.

Several grapes can be used to make rich wine. Chardonnay is the by far the most common, but the Viognier grape and the Chenin Blanc grape (in France) also make some very full-bodied wines. Rich wines are always treated with oak, either as a part of the fermentation process, aging process, or both. They also undergo malolactic fermentation, producing rich, often buttery texture and flavors.

Some rich wines are aged on their lees, which are the yeast and other biological stuff left over after fermentation. This treatment produces a flavor most often associated with white wines from Burgundy in France.

Examples of rich wines include Californian and Australian Chardonnays (those treated with wood), Grand and Premier Cru wines from Chablis, and wines from the Cote d’ Or and Cote de Beaune in France. (back to top)

There are four styles for red, and four styles for white wines. Based on a particular wine’s most distinguishing characteristics, we classify it according to the wine styles listed below (follow the links to learn more about each one):

We believe that these wine style categories are sufficient to describe most wines you’ll run across while you’re learning to drink wine. Wine is certainly more nuanced than eight styles, but they are a great starting points for keeping track of wines in your head.

It’s worth pointing out that these styles say nothing about quality — wines that fall within each style can be awful or great.

People generally seem to like most wines that fall in their favorite style(s). So if you figure out which wine style you like the most, you can easily find other wines of the same style to taste by using our wine reviews section.

The wine tastings listed at the bottom of the Wine 101 homepage will help you learn which style you prefer.

Wine Words in Wine Tasting #5
Body, Oak, Malolactic Fermentation

This tasting features these styles of white wine, Soft and Rich, and it centers around the use of oak in making wines. Sleek wines are almost never treated with oak in the wine making process. Soft wines, on the other hand, are almost always treated with oak. This tasting will let you try some of today’s most popular white wines, and it will help you see the difference in wine style that a little wood makes.

To prepare for the tasting take a quick look at how to organize a wine tasting. If you are ready to buy wine, the suggested wines for this tasting can be found by searching our wine reviews section for Sleek wines and Soft wines. Be sure the wines are chilled before starting your tasting.

Tasting the Sleek Wine

Sleek white wines are pale yellow to straw in color. They can be made from several different varietals, but most are made from Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. If you selected an unoaked Chardonnay for this tasting, the aroma will be mostly apples. Sleek Sauvignon Blancs, on the other hand will display red apples, melons, and maybe pears.

Give the Sleek wine a taste. In the mouth, Sleek Chardonnays will taste “clean” with simple apple and a little richness from the malolactic fermentation. Sleek Sauvignon Blancs might express flavors such as apples, pears, and melons.

What is the body of the Sleek wine? Sleek wines tend to have medium body. Some Sleek wines will display a some acid.

Tasting the Soft Wine

Now we are going to try the Soft white wine. Remember the Soft wines are treated with oak, which frequently makes white wine a little darker in color or a little more golden. Is that the case with the Soft wine you are tasting?

Take a sniff of the Soft wine. Can you smell the oak? Oak tends to make a wine mellow, softening the fruit and adding toasty notes and spice. Do you smell any of these oak effects?

Oak also affects the flavor profile of a wine. Do you detect butter or a little richness? Oak treatment enhances the richness imparted to a wine by malolactic fermentation. What fruit flavors do you notice? Typical flavors include apple, baked apple, and melon.

What is the body of the Soft wine? Soft wines tend to have a little more body than Sleek wines. The extra body comes from the oak and (sometimes) a slightly higher alcohol content compared to Sleek wines.

What do you think about oak now? Oak has been used in wine making for hundreds of years. Not only does it make a good barrel, but it also adds things to wine that people have liked for a very long time.

What to Do Next…

Now that you have tasted these two wine styles side by side, which do you like better? Search our wine reviews section for either Sleek wines or Soft wines. Also, you can continue on and do the other wine tastings.

Wine Words in Wine Tasting #1
Body, Dry, Tannin,

To prepare for the tasting take a quick look at how to organize a wine tasting. If you are ready to buy wine, the suggested wines for this tasting can be found by searching our wine reviews section for Smooth wines and Bold wines.

Tasting the Smooth Wine

When everything is set, start with the Smooth wine. Take a look at the wine. Can you see through it? Smooth wines are dark, sometimes even inky.

Take a good sniff of the Smooth wine. The fruit aromas you might detect include blackberry, black cherry, blueberry, or plum. Other aromas include pepper, cigar box, and vanilla. Pay particular attention to the intensity of the aroma. You will want to compare this to the intensity of the Bold wine’s aroma.

See if you can feel the alcohol evaporating from the wine. If the % alcohol is around 14% or more, you might feel the evaporating alcohol vapors tickle the inside of your nose (similar to the sensation from smelling a glass of whiskey).

Now taste the Smooth wine. What tastes do you notice? Typical Smooth wine flavors include: blackberry, cherry, plum, vanilla, and spice.

Does the wine make you pucker? This sensation is caused by tannin. A good way to asses the tannin in a wine is by swishing the wine around in your mouth, over your tongue. If you do this you will notice a texture develop in your mouth — a sensation created by the tannin. Some people incorrectly use the word “dry” to describe this feeling. Technically, dry refers to a wine without detectable residual sugar. (Almost all red wine is dry.)

What is the body of the Smooth wine? How heavy is it in the mouth? If you are not clear about the term, try again after tasting the Bold wine. The difference in body between the two wines might help illustrate the meaning of the term.

Tasting the Bold Wine

When you are ready, try the Bold wine. Look at the color. Bold wines are typically darker than Smooth wines, tending towards opaque.

When you smell in the Bold wine? Vanilla, cassis, black cherry, chocolate, tar, and coffee are all common aromas. How do the aromas of the two wines compare? Can you detect alcohol in the Bold wine?

When you taste the wine, what flavors are there? Black cherry, blackberry, plums, and stewed fruit are common descriptors. Does the Bold wine feel bigger or heavier in your mouth compared to the Smooth wine? The overall feel of a wine in your mouth is referred to as the body of a wine. Bold wines are very full bodied, whereas many Smooth wines are medium to medium-full bodied.

Check the tannin level for the Bold wine. Typically Bold wines have more tannins than Smooth wines. Compare the feel of the tannins between the two wines.

What to Do Next…

Now that you have tasted these two wine styles side by side, which do you like better? Search our wine reviews section for either Smooth wines or Bold wines. Also, you can continue on and do the other wine tastings.

Wine Words in Wine Tasting #2
Body, Tannin, Acid

This tasting features these great styles of red wine, Earthy and Smooth. These are wines for drinking and pairing with food. To prepare for the tasting take a quick look at how to organize a wine tasting. If you are ready to buy wine, the suggested wines for this tasting can be found by searching our wine reviews section for Earthy wines and Smooth wines.

Tasting the Earthy Wine

Starting with the Earthy wine, take a look at the color. Generally, Earthy wines are lighter than Smooth wines. Shades of ruby and garnet are common.

Pay particular attention to the nose of the Earthy wine. Aromas of red cherry, cranberry, damp earth, and barnyard”are common. Note the intensity of the aromas. If you did Tasting #1 you probably notice that the aroma of the Earthy wine is less intense. You may also notice that many Earthy wines from Europe do not have a pronounced aroma of oak or vanilla.

The flavor profile for Earthy wine includes red cherry, strawberry, raspberries, and licorice. Does the wine make your mouth water? Some Earthy wines, particularly those made with Pinot Noir grapes, have enough acid in them to trigger your saliva glands. This acid also makes these wines very food friendly.

Can you detect the alcohol in the Earthy wine? Alcohol levels below 12.5 to 13% usually do not tickle your nose.

What do the tannins feel like? Frequently the tannins in Earthy wines are described as silky. Think back to the Bold wine from Tasting #1. How do the tannins of the Bold wine compare to the Earthy wine?

What is the body of the Earthy wine? Earthy wines are typically medium to medium-full bodied.

Tasting the Smooth Wine

Take a look at the Smooth wine and compare it to the Earthy wine. Smooth wines are typically darker than Earthy wines.

The flavor profile for Smooth wines includes blackberry, cherry, plum, vanilla, and spice. Does the Smooth wine make your mouth water? Smooth wines do not have enough acid to trigger your saliva glands.

What is the texture of the tannins in the Smooth wine? The texture of tannin in most Smooth wine ranges from silky to velvety.

How does the body of the Smooth wine compare to the Earthy wine? The body of these two wines is probably similar. The main differences between these wines are their flavor profiles and acid levels.

What to Do Next…

Now that you have tasted these two wine styles side by side, which do you like better? Search our wine reviews section for either Earthy wines or Smooth wines. Also, you can continue on and do the other wine tastings.

Tasting wine is simply drinking wine while paying attention at the same time.

If you’re learning how to drink wine, take a look at our wine styles. We’ve divided the different red and white wines you’ll encounter into four different styles each. Learn your favorite style with our wine tastings, and then find other wines you like in our wine reviews section.

The Five Ss of Wine Tasting

The next five sections roughly correspond to the five S’s of wine tasting: sight, swirl, sniff, sip, and savor. (Wine geeks would say spit instead of savor, but we’re not trying that many wines!)

Wine Tasting S Number 1: Sight

Sight refers to looking at the color and clarity of the wine, which can tell you a lot about a wine. For example, the darker the wine, the more body it will typically have. To assess the color of the wine, tip the glass slightly, and look at the color against a white background. Notice how the color changes near the edge of the glass.

Wine Tasting S Number 2: Swirl

Then swirl the wine in the glass. Practice this, because it’s important to wine geeks. It’s a good way to make people think you know more about wine than you do. The point, however, is to get aroma molecules heading out of the glass, so you can smell them. Give the glass a good swirl, and then smell it quickly.

Wine Tasting S Number 3: Sniff

When you sniff the wine, you may notice lots of individual smells such as fruit, smoke, or vanilla (or you may not). If you can’t figure out what you smell, you might take a look at our chart of aromas in wine. Aroma charts have many of the common wine smells grouped into the most common combinations found in wine. Seeing the words may give you the hint you need to figure out what it is that you smell.

Wine Tasting S Number 4: Sip

Now, sip the wine. Of course, now you are actually tasting the wine, and we want to try and describe the various tastes that we find. First we decide, “Is the wine sweet or dry”? Which means do you taste residual sugar or not. (Most wines that Americans drink are dry.)

Next, taste for the acid in the wine. You feel, more than taste, the acid in wine on your tongue, and it can make your mouth water. Don’t confuse acid or the idea of “dry” with the pucker sensation in some red wines, which are caused by tannins.

Tannins are an important part of the flavor profile for red wines. You cannot taste tannins, but you can feel them. Swirling red wine in your mouth is an excellent way to “feel” the tannin in your mouth.

If you are having trouble putting your tastes into words, you might refer to the aroma chart again. Frequently, the aromas are flavors as well.

Wine Tasting S Number 5: Savor

The last act of “tasting” a wine is savoring it. Contemplate the aromas, tastes, and the way the wine feels in your mouth. You are looking for the overall experience the wine has to offer.

Did you like the wine? What did you like about it? What did you not like about the wine? Would you buy the wine again? These are the kind of questions that you should try to answer to get your overall impression of the wine.

We have also developed a simple guide called How to Taste Wine to prepare you for the “rigors” of wine tasting. Finally, if you’re going to have a formal wine tasting, take a look at Organizing a Wine Tasting Party for hints on the mechanics of hosting a successful one.

Use the Wine 101 Styles to Think about Wines

There are thousands of different wines on the market, and it is hard to know where to start. Wine 101 simplifies the problem by grouping all wines into one of eight wine styles. Our eight wine styles were created by grouping wines with similar characteristics. This approach allows you to learn about what to expect in lots of different bottles of wine, while only tasting a few.

Learn Your Favorite Style with Our Tasting Series

Wine 101 presents the eight wine styles in six separate wine tastings. Each wine tasting consists of two bottles of wine, and each is designed to familiarize you with some of the most common wine grapes and their wines. Tasting two wines side-by-side makes it easier to recognize the unique characteristics of each wine style. You’ll also learn important wine words along the way.

If six wine tastings are more than you can commit to, that is okay. Pick any of the wine tastings that interests you and give it a try. The important thing is to start learning about (and drinking) wine.

What to Do Next…

Read a brief explanation of the eight Wine 101 styles. After you have decided which wine style you would like to try, start with that tasting. Then, once you learn your favorite wine style, find others of that style to try in our wine reviews section.