TheDrinkSchool Blog

Grape Varieties - An Overview

Grape Varieties - An Overview

Each grape variety is associated with different flavour categories, but where do these flavours come from...? Is there some kind of mad scientist in the winery tipping apples, lemons and peaches into the wine to add those flavours?

How does taste work?

How does taste work?

On our palates (our tongues) we can taste 5 main things – sweet, salty, bitter, umami (savoury), and sour. Do you know the others?

What do we mean by the finish of a wine?

What do we mean by the finish of a wine?

What do we mean by the finish of a wine and is it the same as the length?

Acidity in wine - what does it do for us?

Acidity in wine - what does it do for us?

Acidity in wine is very important and knowing what styles of wine you like will help you to find others that will have a similar profile so you can explore more wines.

Alcohol in wine

Alcohol in wine

The more sugar the grapes have the higher the potential alcohol of the wine – this depends on many factors including but not limited to the grape variety, the climate and the winemaker.

Sweetness in Wine

Sweetness in Wine

Where does sweetness in wine come from and how does it affect the flavour of the wine?

What temperature should my wine be?

What temperature should my wine be?

Most people like to drink red wine at room temperature and white wine at fridge temperature – this is after all the temperature most of us drink wine at, either at home or when going out for a drink down the pub or a meal in a restaurant. But is this correct?

What do we mean by body?

What do we mean by body?

When we talk about the body of wine we mean the weight of the wine, this can also be described as the viscosity.

An intro to some Food and Wine (Beer) Pairing tips.

An intro to some Food and Wine (Beer) Pairing tips.

Matching your food offer with your drink is the perfect opportunity to create a more enjoyable experience for you and your friends.

How much does your wine really cost?

How much does your wine really cost?

The UK government charges £2.23 per bottle of wine in excise duty regardless of the final price of the wine. On top of that, there is 20% VAT which is £0.83 on a £5 bottle of wine.

A Traditional British Christmas Dinner with all the trimmings. But what should you drink with it?

What to drink with Xmas dinner?

In order to make sure you enjoy your Christmas dinner as much as possible I've created the below guide to take a small portion of the holiday stress off your plates. If you are unsure what to match your dinner with when it comes to wine then read on.

What are Tannins?

What are Tannins?

Tannins are a type of bitter and astringent naturally occurring compounds that occur in grape skins, seeds, and stalks they are scientifically known as polyphenols. Polyphenols bind with protein and other molecules causing them to precipitate. When they bind with the protein in human saliva, they give the sensation of

What does the colour of your wine really tell you?

What does the colour of your wine really tell you?

When judging the colour of your wine you need to pour a set amount into a glass (clear glasses are your best choice – those pretty pink ones might affect the appearance of the wine) and judge it against a white background – a white table, wall or piece of paper works

What are Legs and Tears? Do they really tell you anything?

What are Legs and Tears? Do they really tell you anything?

When you swirl your glass of wine this helps to release the aroma so you can identify the character of the wine. It will also leave behind a thin film of liquid on the outside of the glass, these are known as legs, tears, or arches. Very simply the alcohol

How to chose a wine if not by it's cover?

How to chose a wine if not by it's cover?

Choosing wine can be a veritable minefield for many people. With hundreds of bottles on a shelf or a wine list and in some cases very little information on the label or on the shop shelves. More traditional ways to buy wine.Add to that the British distaste for asking

San Miguel - it's all about the food!

San Miguel - it's all about the food!

Completely out of the blue I was approached to see if I would be interested in joining like-minded beer enthusiasts on a trip to Burgos, Bilbao and San Sebastian to see the San Miguel brewery and introduce us to the brand. What qualified me to be chosen for this trip?

The Science of Tasting

The Science of Tasting

The 5 (7) Senses So hopefully we can all agree that we have 5 Senses - I won't get into the wider discussion regarding the 6th and 7th senses. I'm not talking about ESP but about the Vestibular sense and Proprioception. If you wish to find out more about these