Wine guides
What is alcoholic fermentation in wine?
Alcoholic fermentation is one of the most important stages of winemaking. It is the natural process that transforms sweet grape juice into wine by converting grape sugars into alcohol and...
Wine bottle shapes explained
Why do wine bottles have different shapes? The first wine bottles were developed long before modern labels existed. Over time, each wine region adopted its own distinctive bottle shape based...
Oenologist, winemaker, sommelier, wine merchant: what's the difference?
One thing I've noticed after spending years in the wine industry is that people outside the wine world are often confused by the different job titles. And honestly, it's understandable....
CMS vs WSET: Which wine certification is right for you?
If you're looking to deepen your wine knowledge, you've probably come across two of the most recognised wine education programmes in the world: WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust) and the...
What Are CMS certifications? (Court of Master Sommeliers)
If you're interested in becoming a sommelier, you've probably come across the initials "CMS". CMS stands for the Court of Master Sommeliers, one of the most prestigious wine education organisations...
My 11 favourite wine books in 2026
My 10 favourite wine books (2026 Edition) Hi, I'm Léa Gatinois. I've worked in the wine industry for the past ten years, hold the WSET Diploma, and began my Master...
Best wine workbooks for holidays
Whether you're heading to the beach, spending a week in the countryside, or travelling through wine regions, holidays offer the perfect opportunity to deepen your wine knowledge. Unlike heavy textbooks,...
Global beverage trends 2025
Wine is history, deeply rooted and cultural, but slowly declining as younger people drink less and look for simpler, more flexible options. Beer is still the volume leader, steady and...
What is the minimum ABV to be considered a wine?
If you’re wondering what minimum ABV a drink needs to be legally called wine, the short answer is 8.5% ABV. Let’s break it down clearly. What Is ABV? ABV (Alcohol...
Global wine trends 2025
Who produces the most wine? (million hectolitres) Italy 47.4 France 35.9 Spain 29.4 USA 21.7 Australia 11.6 Who drinks the most wine? (million hectolitres) USA 33.3 France 23.0 Italy...
Sherry styles
All Sherries begin as the same base wine: a dry, neutral white wine from palomino grape variety fermented to around 11–12% abv. After fermentation, it’s fortified with grape spirit: to about...
Can wine freeze?
It’s a common question, in cold climates, when storing bottles outdoors in winter or in a freezer to cool them down quickly: can wine freeze? The short answer is yes....
