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Wine Library
Explore the world of wine — regions, varietals, producers, winemaking, and much more.
Wine 101
View allGuides, explainers, and deep-dives on how wine is made, what makes it natural, and how to taste and enjoy it.
What Is Terroir? What the Science Says
Terroir is the way a place shapes a wine: its climate, soil, landscape and living things, and the knowledge the people there built up…
What Is Minerality in Wine?
Minerality is a word tasters use for wines that seem to taste of stone, chalk or salt. Wine experts do not agree on what…
What Is Lambrusco?
Lambrusco is a family of red grape varieties from Emilia-Romagna, and the lightly sparkling wine made from them, mostly red and frizzante. This guide…
What Is Orange Wine?
Orange wine is white wine made the way red wine is made: white grapes ferment with their skins for days, weeks or months, which…
Why Is Most Wine Dry?
Most wine is dry because yeast turns the sugar in grape juice into alcohol, and a fermentation left to finish usually keeps under about…
Is Natural Wine Faulty?
Some natural wine has faults, and it has always depended on the producer. Many natural producers add little or no sulfur dioxide, which leaves…
What Are Wine Faults?
A wine fault is a smell or taste the winemaker did not intend, caused by a microbe, a chemical reaction or bad storage. The…
Which Wines Are Lab Tested?
In the European Union, a wine sold under a protected name (DOCG and DOC in Italy, AOC in France, DO in Spain) has to…
What is a Pét-Nat?
A pét-nat, short for pétillant naturel, is a sparkling wine bottled before its first and only fermentation has finished, so the carbon dioxide from…
What is Grower Champagne?
Grower Champagne is Champagne made by the grower who farmed the grapes, rather than by a house that buys them. Two letters in the…
What is a Crémant?
Crémant is French sparkling wine made by the same method as Champagne, in one of eight French wine regions outside Champagne. The traditional method…
Best Pét-Nats to Try (2026)
The best pét-nats to try now: lively, low-intervention ancestral-method bubbles in every color, from house bestsellers to seek-out bottles.
What is Champagne?
Champagne is a sparkling wine made in one delimited region of northeast France, about 90 miles east of Paris, by starting a second fermentation…
What is Prosecco Col Fondo?
Prosecco col fondo is Prosecco that finishes fermenting inside the bottle it is sold in and keeps its lees, the yeast left behind by…
Best Chillable Reds to Try (2026)
The best chillable reds to try now: light, low-tannin natural reds built to serve cold. Lambrusco, Gamay, and carbonic-style bottles for easy drinking.
Best Orange Wines to Try (2026)
Orange wine is white wine made the way red wine is made. The juice ferments together with the grape skins for days, weeks or…
Best Natural Wines to Try (2026)
The best natural wines to try now, from crowd-pleasers like Gulp Hablo and Folicello Lambrusco to cellar bottles from Radikon and Frank Cornelissen. Customer…
How White Wine Is Made: The Complete Guide From Grape to Glass
A thorough journey through every stage of white winemaking, from the vineyard to the bottle and the decisions that shape every glass. Introduction White…
How Red Wine Is Made: The Complete Guide From Grape to Glass
A step-by-step journey through every stage of red winemaking, from the vineyard to the bottle and everything in between. Introduction Red wine has been…
Phenolic Ripeness in Grapes
A deep examination of how phenolic maturity shapes wine quality, from vineyard development to harvest decisions and cellar consequences. Introduction Every harvest decision comes…
What Is the Impact of Soil on Wine?
Soil affects wine through the water, warmth and nutrients it gives the vine. The grapes do not take on the taste of the minerals…
Sulfites in Wine: The Complete Guide
Sulfites are sulfur dioxide and its salts, used in wine as a preservative against oxidation and unwanted microbes. Every wine contains some, because yeast…
What Is Organic Wine?
Organic wine is made from certified organic grapes and vinified under organic rules that limit additives and sulfites. In the US, a wine labeled…
What Is Natural Wine?
Natural wine is made from organically or biodynamically farmed grapes and fermented with native yeast, with nothing added in the cellar except, at most,…
Wine Regions
Explore wine regions from around the world — from Burgundy to Barossa, Loire to Rioja.
Savoie | French Wine Regions
Savoie, nestled in the heart of the French Alps, represents one of France's most distinctive and dramatically beautiful viticultural landscapes. Bordered by Switzerland to…
Rhône Valley | French Wine Regions
The Rhône Valley, in southeastern France, borders the Alps to the east and the Massif Central to the west. The Rhône Valley is renowned…
Bordeaux | French Wine Regions
Bordeaux, located in southwestern France, is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west and nestled along the Garonne River. Bordeaux is renowned for…
Burgundy | French Wine Regions
Burgundy, situated in eastern France, is celebrated for its rich history, diverse cultures, picturesque landscapes, and stunning wines. Bordered by the regions of Champagne…
Provence Wine | French Wine Regions
Provence has a rich winemaking history spanning thousands of years with its fields of lavender, garrigue, rugged coastlines, and alpine scenery. This southeastern French…
Auvergne | French Wine Regions
Auvergne, a region in central France, is known for its rugged landscapes, volcanic formations, and rich cultural heritage. Nestled in the Massif Central, Auvergne…
Valpolicella: Terroir, Winemaking, Beyond Amarone
Valpolicella is versatility in a glass—cherry-bright Valpolicella, velvet Ripasso, and contemplative Amarone, all shaped by limestone and volcanic slopes from Classica to Valpantena. Explore…
Etna: Terroir, Contrade, Grapes & Styles
Etna is energy in a glass: Nerello Mascalese and Carricante channel lava flows, altitude, and contrade into wines of mineral drive, citrus, and spice.…
Barolo: A Terroir-Driven Guide to Nebbiolo
Barolo is Nebbiolo at its most articulate—perfume and power shaped by Tortonian and Serravallian soils across nine communes and 170+ MGAs. Our guide decodes…
Valtellina: Italy's Alpine Wine Region
Valtellina is Nebbiolo in alpine relief: chiselled acidity, fine tannins, and mineral lift from sunlit, terraced slopes. Our guide maps subzones—Sassella, Grumello, Inferno, Valgella,…
Molise | Italian Wine Regions
Molise, Italy's second smallest region, is a hidden gem with a rich cultural and natural heritage. Nestled between the Apennine Mountains and the Adriatic…
Valle d'Aosta | Italian Wine Regions
Valle d'Aosta, in the heart of the Italian Alps, is renowned for its stunning mountain landscapes, rich cultural heritage, and exceptional wines. Located in…
Rías Baixas | Spanish Wine Regions
Rías Baixas, located in northwestern Spain's Galicia region, has emerged as one of Europe's premier white wine regions, producing distinctive Albariño-based wines that have…
Andalusia | Spanish Wine Regions
Andalusia, Spain's southernmost autonomous community, stands as one of the world's most historic and distinctive wine regions. Bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the…
Rioja | Spanish Wine Regions
Rioja, nestled in north-central Spain along the Ebro River valley, represents the pinnacle of Spanish wine tradition and the country's most internationally acclaimed wine…
Catalonia | Spanish Wine Regions
Catalonia, situated in northeastern Spain along the Mediterranean coast, stands as one of Europe's most dynamic and innovative wine regions. Bordered by France to…
Burgenland • Land of Wine
Burgenland, the dynamic yet pastoral home to Austria’s great red wines, sits on a flat plain nestled between the foothills of the Austrian Alps…
Denominations & Appellations
View allDOC, DOCG, AOC, DO — the official wine designations explained, from Barolo to Champagne.
Chianti Classico DOCG
Chianti Classico DOCG is a wine made in the Chianti region of Tuscany, Italy. It is one of Italy's most famous and beloved wines,…
Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG | Italian Wine Guide
Amarone della Valpolicella is a type of red wine that is produced in the Valpolicella region of northeastern Italy. The wine is made from…
Montepulciano Colline Teramane DOCG
Abruzzo, a region in central Italy, produces the Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Colline Teramane DOCG wine. Before being made available for purchase, the wine must mature…
Grape Varietals
View allFrom Pinot Noir to Sangiovese, Chardonnay to Garganega — profiles of the world's most interesting grape varieties.
Trebbiano: The White Grape Also Called Ugni Blanc
Trebbiano is a family of white grapes, among the most planted in Italy. Trebbiano Toscano, the most common, is the same grape as Ugni…
Glera: The Grape Behind Prosecco
Glera is the white grape behind Prosecco. The grape itself was called Prosecco until 2009, when the EU renamed it.
Nebbiolo: The Grape of Barolo and Barbaresco
Nebbiolo is the red grape of Barolo and Barbaresco. It makes pale, high-acid, high-tannin wines that smell of roses and tar.
Barbera: Piedmont's High-Acid, Low-Tannin Red
Barbera is a red grape from Piedmont. Its wines have deep color, high acidity and low tannins, with red cherry and blackberry fruit.
Nerello Mascalese: The Red Grape of Mount Etna
Nerello Mascalese is the main red grape of Mount Etna in Sicily. It makes pale, high-acid reds with fine tannins and red cherry, herb…
Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio: One Grape, Two Styles
Pinot Gris, also known as Pinot Grigio, is a popular white grape variety renowned for its versatility and distinctive flavor profile. This grape produces…
Garganega: The White Grape of Soave
Garganega is a prominent white grape variety primarily grown in the Veneto region of Italy. Known for producing the celebrated Soave wine, this grape…
Sauvignon Blanc: From the Loire Valley to Marlborough
Sauvignon Blanc is a widely celebrated grape variety known for its distinctive aromatic profile and versatility. This grape produces a range of wine styles…
Chardonnay: The White Grape of Burgundy and Champagne
Chardonnay is one of the world's most popular and versatile grape varieties. Known for its adaptability and range of expression, Chardonnay thrives in diverse…
Cabernet Sauvignon: From Bordeaux to Napa Valley
Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world's most renowned grape varieties, celebrated for its versatility and depth. This grape has a fascinating history, distinctive…
Pinot Noir: The Thin-Skinned Red Grape of Burgundy
Pinot Noir is a red grape variety renowned for producing some of the world's most elegant and sought-after wines. This thin-skinned grape is native…
Montepulciano: Abruzzo's Red Grape, Not the Tuscan Town
Montepulciano is a versatile and widely planted red grape native to Italy. It's known for producing deeply colored, full-bodied wines with moderate acidity and…
Corvina: The Grape Behind Amarone and Valpolicella
Corvina (Corvina Veronese) is a red Italian grape from Veneto, the backbone of Valpolicella and Amarone. It gives bright cherry fruit, light tannins, and…
Sangiovese Grosso: The Grape of Brunello di Montalcino
Sangiovese Grosso, also known as Brunello, is a prestigious variant of the Sangiovese grape family. This grape variety is renowned for producing some of…
Producers
View allThe people behind the wine — winemaker profiles, vineyard stories, and interviews with the makers we love.
Maria and Sepp Muster
Maria and Sepp Muster farm ten hectares of Demeter-certified biodynamic vineyards above Leutschach in Southern Styria, crafting textural, mineral whites from the region's distinctive…
Possa
Heydi Bonanini practices heroic viticulture on terraced cliffs above Riomaggiore, producing Cinque Terre whites and the legendary Sciacchetra from rescued indigenous varieties.
Niklas
Weingut Niklas is a family-run Alto Adige estate in Kaltern where Dieter Solva farms 7 hectares of calcareous mountain soils to produce precise, aromatic…
Cruse Wine Co.
A molecular biology graduate turned sparkling-wine cult figure, Michael Cruse founded Cruse Wine Co. in Petaluma to make fresh, serious, distinctly Californian wine, including…
Toshokan
A Berkeley-based natural wine library curating single-vineyard bottles from across Northern California with minimal intervention and deep respect for place.
Clos Saron
A two-and-a-half acre Sierra Foothills outpost where Gideon Beinstock makes tiny lots of Pinot Noir and wild blends by feel, with a no-winemaking philosophy.
Conestabile della Staffa
Danilo Marcucci revived his wife's noble Umbrian estate near Lake Trasimeno in 2015, making zero-technology wines with no added yeast, corrections, or sulfur.
La Cave des Nomades
José Carvalho, a Portuguese musician turned winemaker, built La Cave des Nomades on three hectares of schist-rooted old vines in Banyuls-sur-Mer, creating zero-sulfur wines…
Gilles et Catherine Verge
From three hectares of ancient Chardonnay in the Maconnais, the Verges craft long-aged, additive-free, often boldly oxidative whites that defy appellation norms.
Weingut MG vom SOL
Michael Gindl farms Austria's Weinviertel biodynamically with horses and sheep, producing mineral-driven wines from a family estate his ancestors have worked since 1807.
Son Of Man
Jasper Smith and Ella McCallion founded Son of Man in Oregon's Columbia River Gorge to make Sagardo, Basque-style cider: wild-fermented, unfiltered, and bone dry,…
Alex Hudon
A former Quebec City sommelier who crossed the Atlantic and now bottles tiny cuvees from his own Cotes de la Charite vines and organic…
Siemàn
Three brothers -- a nurse, an engineer, and an accountant -- quit their careers to farm the Berici Hills of Veneto under biodynamic principles,…
Lammidia
Davide Gentile and Marco Giuliani started Lammidia in 2013 on a sun-blasted plateau at 700 metres in the Gran Sasso National Park, Abruzzo, producing…
Poggio delle Baccanti
A three-generation La Mura family winery on the Sorrento Peninsula crafts organic, low-sulfur wines from volcanic Vesuvian soils, led by Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio.
Bruno Verdi
Seven generations after Antonio Verdi left Parma for the Oltrepò Pavese, Paolo Verdi farms four plots around Canneto Pavese, led by the Cavariola cru.
La Biancara
Angiolino Maule traded his pizzeria in 1988 for volcanic hillside vines in Gambellara, Veneto, and has spent four decades making zero-sulfur Garganega wines that…
Tenuta Santa Lucia
A biodynamic estate in Mercato Saraceno, Romagna, producing skin-contact whites, sparkling wines, and Sangiovese from hand-harvested vines with zero added sulfites.
La Grange 476
Dimitri Vetois and Marion Valverde work four hectares of old Jura vines by horse in Menétru-le-Vignoble, making biodynamic wines from Savagnin, Chardonnay, Poulsard, and…
San Fereolo
Nicoletta Bocca left Milan's fashion world in 1992 for Dogliani, Piedmont, where she has spent three decades championing Dolcetto as a serious, age-worthy variety…
Vinca Minor
Berkeley winery founded in 2013 by Jason Charles, making small-batch natural wines from historic Northern California vineyards with a focus on old-vine Carignan and…
Jo Landron
A fourth-generation Nantais vigneron who converted his family estate to certified biodynamics, championing Muscadet as a serious, mineral, terroir-driven wine.
Domaine Mamaruta
On the salty Fitou coast, Marc Castan farms his grandfather's vines with a horse and a herd of Highland cattle, bottling pure seaside Mediterranean…
Glassmaker
Founded in 2015 by Jonathan Walton, Glassmaker makes spontaneously fermented, low-sulfur California wines from organically and biodynamically farmed vineyards.
Pairings & Recipes
View allWhat to drink with what you eat — food and wine pairing guides, recipes, and occasion-based picks.
What Wine Pairs With Chinese Food?
Sparkling wine, aromatic whites with a touch of sweetness and fruity, low-tannin reds such as Pinot Noir are the classic matches for Chinese food.…
What Wine Pairs With Indian Food?
Riesling, sparkling rosé and light, fruity reds such as Gamay are the classic matches for Indian food. Match the wine to the sauce: cream…
What Wine Pairs With Thai Food?
Off-dry Riesling, Gewürztraminer and lightly sweet sparkling wine are the classic matches for Thai food. A little sugar and a cold glass calm chili…
What Wine Pairs With Oysters?
Muscadet, Chablis and dry sparkling wine such as Champagne are the classic wines for oysters. Pick a crisp, dry, unoaked white for raw oysters…
What Wine Pairs With Mexican Food?
Riesling, sparkling wine and chilled light reds such as Beaujolais suit most Mexican food. They keep alcohol and tannin low, so chile heat stays…
What Wine Pairs With Cheese?
Dry white wine and sparkling wine suit the widest range of cheese, and orange wine handles salty aged cheese. Match by type: Sauvignon Blanc…
What Wine Pairs With Thanksgiving Turkey?
Light reds such as Pinot Noir, Beaujolais and Grenache, plus Riesling and dry sparkling wine, are the classic wines for Thanksgiving turkey. Pick wines…
What Wine Pairs With BBQ?
Zinfandel, Syrah, Grenache blends, Lambrusco and dry rosé are the classic wines for BBQ. Fruity reds handle sweet sauce and ribs, structured reds suit…
What Wine Pairs With Burgers?
Fruity, medium-bodied reds such as Garnacha, Zinfandel, Barbera, Beaujolais and dry Lambrusco pair best with burgers. The toppings decide the bottle: sweet ketchup wants…
What Wine Pairs With Chicken?
Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc are the classic wines for chicken. Roast chicken takes an oaked Chardonnay or a light Pinot Noir, and…
What Wine Pairs With Carbonara?
Crisp, dry Italian whites are the classic wines for carbonara, led by Frascati and other whites from Lazio, plus Verdicchio and Soave. A dry…
What Wine Pairs With Pesto Pasta?
Vermentino, the native white grape of Liguria where pesto comes from, is the classic wine for pesto pasta. Crisp, herbal whites such as Sauvignon…
Risotto all'Amarone • Veneto, Italy
Historical Context of the Recipe The origin of the dish traces back to the 1970s in Verona when a culinary expert sought to incorporate…
Recipe of the Month: Pasta alla Carbonara, Italy
PHOTO BY LA CUCINA ITALIANA A Brief History of Carbonara The origin of Pasta alla Carbonara is a matter of debate – as it…
Recipe of the Month: Vincisgrassi, Marche, Italy
INGREDIENTS (4 people) 1 lb lasagna sheets 1 lb ground beef 1 lb chicken livers, cleaned and chopped 1 onion, finely chopped 2 carrots, finely…