Journal
Guides and short essays on wine and spirits: how they are made, how to read a label, and how to serve and enjoy them. New pieces every season.
Ningxia, briefly
China's most celebrated wine region sits in the dry foothills of the Helan Mountains, on the edge of the desert.
What ‘reserve’ actually means
A word that means something specific in Spain, almost nothing in California, and is up for grabs everywhere else. Here is what it does, and does…
Decanting, briefly
You probably don't need to. When you do, the rules are shorter than the ritual suggests.
A primer on Marselan, the grape China made its own
A 1961 cross from the Languedoc, planted as insurance, that has become the most interesting red grape in China.
On en primeur: a short explainer
How Bordeaux sells wine in barrel — and why the system survives.
How Champagne gets its bubbles
A short explanation of the traditional method, from second fermentation to disgorgement.
Reading a wine label, in five steps
The five fields that actually predict what is in the bottle.
On serving temperature
Cooler than you think for reds, warmer than you think for whites.
A short guide to Chinese wine regions
Five regions to know, in roughly the order you should taste them.
What ‘biodynamic’ actually involves
Beyond the marketing — the actual practices the Demeter standard requires.
A short history of the Bordeaux 1855 Classification
A list drafted in three weeks for a world's fair, that has barely changed in 170 years.
Glassware, briefly
Two glasses cover almost everything. The rest is for show.