Category Archives: Technical Stuff

DID YOU KNOW … the correct amount of space between the wine and the cork?

Posted on October 30, 2011 by The Frugal Wine Snob

First used in the 15th century, the term “ullage” refers to the space between the bottom of the cork and the top of the wine. Typically there is about an inch of “ullage,” but give or take a quarter-inch is … Continue reading →

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RECOMMENDED: a movie! The documentary “Blood into Wine,” 2010. 99 minutes.

Posted on October 25, 2011 by The Frugal Wine Snob

Definitely quirky, highly informative, funny at times, tries too hard to be funny at other times. Still, definitely worth the time (99 minutes). The film offers a fairly in-depth look at rock star Maynard James Keenan (Tool, A Perfect Circle, … Continue reading →

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More on screwcaps. (I say YES!)

Posted on October 14, 2011 by The Frugal Wine Snob

Thanks Kris Chislett at BlogYourWine for this amazing report: http://www.blogyourwine.com/2011/03/14/leasingham-cork-closures-experiment/. To read an interview with Sparky Marquis (Mollydooker) about screwcaps, visit http://www.thefrugalwinesnob.com/?p=190

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DID YOU KNOW? 59 additives are permitted in the EU. In the U.S., only one group of these additives, sulfites, must be disclosed on the label.

Posted on October 9, 2011 by The Frugal Wine Snob

Here is a list of additives permitted in wine in the EU. Many are used in U.S. wines as well: http://www.morethanorganic.com/additives-in-wine Here is an in-depth list of additives, and what they’re used for, allowed in the U.S.: http://www.alicefeiring.com/blog/2010/11/-approved-wine-additives.html Blogger Alice … Continue reading →

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2011: A Great Year for California?

Posted on October 6, 2011 by The Frugal Wine Snob

Many of the major California wine-growing valleys have had a tough growing season, but the longer the grapes stay on the vines, the more flavorful they become. Word has it that this year is stacking up to be a remarkable … Continue reading →

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The Beauty of Veraison

Posted on September 27, 2011 by The Frugal Wine Snob

A beautiful, and surprising, shot of a cluster of Merlot grapes in the process of ripening (“veraison”). A rainbow of colors! Photo courtesy of Arrowhead Spring Vineyards via New York Cork Report, August 18, 2011.

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Wine Diamonds (White Flecks)

Posted on September 20, 2011 by The Frugal Wine Snob

Have you ever seen little white flecks in your wine, or little glass-like crystals on the bottom of a cork? That’s a GOOD sign! Check out this article: “Tartaric Crystals in Wine: the ‘Wine Diamonds’ of Quality.” According to the … Continue reading →

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Wine Labels

Posted on September 20, 2011 by The Frugal Wine Snob

Did you know … Each and every wine label must be approved by the U.S. government. The caption accompanying this photograph from the Frick Winery: “New Certificate of Label Approvals almost ready to take to the post office. Today was … Continue reading →

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Grape Shatter

Posted on September 20, 2011 by The Frugal Wine Snob

The wine grower is at the mercy of every vicissitude imaginable: heat, cold; moisture, drought; mold, disease; pests; government intervention; the economy; glut, scarcity; pollution, etc. This photograph of a cluster of Viognier grapes illustrates the phenomenon of “grape shatter,” … Continue reading →

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Ridge Vineyard’s Blog

Posted on September 20, 2011 by The Frugal Wine Snob

If you want to see an amazing, amazing mostly-pictorial post about how wine is processed, the Ridge Wine blog is well worth checking out.

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