Three reasons to start drinking Albana, Romagna's signature white grape

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• news2026-10-10

  A Tour of Wine Grapes: Tannat

  Tannat 🍷 Photo by Doris Schneider on Wikimedia Commons The Tannat ( tahn-naht ) grape originated in the Madiran region of South West France, where it has been grown for centuries. In the late 19th century, Basque immigrants carried the vine to Uruguay. Today, Tannat is the national signature grape of Uruguay, thriving in its coastal climate and producing softer styles of wine than its French counterparts. It is also grown in smaller amounts in places like California, Virginia, and Australia. Tannt’s name comes from the local French word for "tanned," referencing both its dark skin color. Wines made from Tannat will have aromas and flavors like blackberries, dark plums, and black currants. Additionally, there may be hints of dark chocolate, licorice, spices, and smoke. Because it naturally contains a very high amount of seed and skin compounds called tannins, the wine can feel quite drying in your mouth when it is young. This high amount of tannins gives Tannat an exceptional ability t

  by Marc Kirkpatrick3 views
  grape-varieties
• news2026-10-03

  A Tour of Wine Grapes: Syrah

  Syrah 🍷 Photo by Stephan Ridgway on Wikimedia Commons The Syrah ( Sih-RAH ) grape was originally linked to ancient Persia or Egypt. However, DNA testing in 1998 proved that Syrah originated in France. It naturally occurred when two grape varieties from southeastern France, Dureza and Mondeuse Blanche, naturally crossed. Today, Syrah is grown all over the world. Its traditional home remains the northern Rhône Valley in France. It is also grown in Australia, where winemakers call it Shiraz. There, some of the oldest continually producing Syrah vines in the world can be found, with some planted back in 1843. You can also find it growing in large quantities across California, Washington state, South Africa, Chile, and Spain. Wines made from Syrah have aromas of dark fruits and may also include dried herbs, black pepper and licorice. On the palate, wines made from Syrah can have flavors of dark fruits like blackberries, blueberries, and black plums. They can also have notes of black pepper

  by Marc Kirkpatrick6 views
  grape-varieties
• news2026-09-19

  A Tour of Wine Grapes: Semillon

  Sémillon 🥂 Photo by Alison Parks-Whitfield on Wikimedia Commons Sémillon ( seh-mee-yohn ) is a yellow-skinned grape native to Bordeaux, France, where it has been grown for hundreds of years. The name likely comes from the local pronunciation of Saint-Émilion (san-tay meel-yohn). By the 1800s, the grape traveled to South Africa and Australia, where it quickly became a major crop. France remains the top producer. Australia’s Hunter Valley is another major region, famous for crisp, single-variety Semillon. You can also find this grape in Chile, South Africa, Argentina, Canada, and the United States, mostly in California and Washington. Sémillon wine has aromas and flavors of lemon, lime, green apple, and pear. Sweeter versions, or those from warmer climates, taste like honey, apricot, peach, and mango. If aged in oak barrels, the wine takes on flavors of vanilla and toasted bread. Sémillon is also used in creating sweet dessert wines through a helpful fungus called noble rot. This fungus

  by Marc Kirkpatrick14 views
  grape-varieties