Wine Guides
Expert guides for wine lovers
Wine reference: how it works, what the terms mean, what the numbers are
These pages exist to be checked rather than browsed. Each answers one question with figures attributed to the body that publishes them, and closes with a summary that stands on its own.
- Wine glossary: terms used on labels, lists and tasting notes This wine terms glossary explains terminology found on wine labels, restaurant lists and tasting notes.
- What you are actually paying for in a bottle of wine A wine price breakdown separates the shelf price into the liquid, glass, closure, packaging, transport, alcohol duty, VAT or sales tax, distributor margin and retail margin.
- How to read a wine label, element by element To read a wine label, separate identification, regulated disclosure and interpretation.
- Wine faults: symptoms, causes and what to do A wine fault is a quality failure with a recognisable sensory sign rather than a wine style that a particular drinker dislikes.
- Alcohol in wine: strengths, units and what a bottle contains Alcohol by volume is the share of a wine’s volume that consists of alcohol, and wine labels usually abbreviate the term to ABV.
- Wine bottle sizes: legal volumes, customary names and the 750 ml bottle Wine bottle size is the nominal quantity of wine stated on a prepacked bottle.
- Sulfites in wine: what EU rules say about limits, labels, organic wine and headaches Sulfites are sulphur-containing compounds covered by European Commission rules for EU winemaking.
- How long does unopened wine last by style? Unopened wine is wine in a bottle whose closure remains intact.
- Wine scores: what a critic’s rating actually means Wine scores explained: a wine score is a critic’s published judgement of a particular wine or tasting sample, expressed through the critic’s rating system.
- What changed in wine rules, and when? EUR-Lex publishes Regulation (EU) 2021/2117, which has applied since 8 December 2023 and requires an ingredient list and a nutrition declaration for wine sold in the EU.
- How a wine identifier app turns a photograph into a bottle A wine identifier app is software that turns visual evidence from a wine photograph into a ranked set of candidate bottle records.
- Crowd ratings and taste matching are not the same recommendation A wine recommendation app is a service that provides information intended to help a drinker choose wine.
- What to log in a wine tracker, and what logging actually gives you A wine tracker is a personal record of wines you drink and the circumstances in which you drink them.
- What can a wine app tell you, and what can it not tell you? A wine app is software that reads visible bottle information, searches a catalogue and presents stored information about a wine.
- How to photograph a wine label so it actually gets recognised A wine label scanner is a tool that uses a bottle photograph to suggest an identity from readable text, visual features, and catalogue records.
Grape Varieties
Complete guides to the world's most important wine grapes
Pinot Gris vs Pinot Grigio: Understanding the Key Differences
Explore pinot gris vs grigio: clear differences in style, region, tasting notes and food pairings from Alsace, Oregon and Italy. Read buying tips.
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Cabernet Sauvignon Grape: Your Complete Guide
Explore the cabernet sauvignon grape—history, flavors, regions, and pairing tips. Learn buying and aging advice on VinSip and choose the right cabernet wine.
Sauvignon Blanc Grape: Origins, Styles, and Pairings
Discover the sauvignon blanc grape — aromas, top regions, food pairings, and winemaking tips from Sancerre to Marlborough. Read on and pick your next bottle.
Muscat Grapes: Varieties, Wines, Regions and Pairing Guide
Explore muscat grapes—varieties, regions, tasting notes, and buying tips for Moscato, Moscatel and Muscat wine. Read on to choose your next bottle.
Malbec Grape: History, Regions, Styles and Food Pairing
Learn the malbec grape's origins, styles, and pairings from Cahors to Mendoza. Compare producers and vintages; start exploring bottles and tasting now.
Shiraz Grape: Origins, Styles, and How to Choose
Explore the shiraz grape: origins, styles, food pairings and shiraz vs syrah differences. Find top regions, producers and tips to pick your next bottle.
Types of Grapes for Wine: Varieties, Regions, and Pairings
Explore types of grapes for wine, from Cabernet Sauvignon to Chardonnay, with tasting notes, regions, and pairing tips. Read the guide to choose your bottle.
Zinfandel Grape: History, Styles, and How to Drink It
Explore the zinfandel grape: origins, red and White Zinfandel styles, old vine examples, tasting notes, and pairing tips. Read on for practical buying advice.
Riesling Grape: Complete Guide to Styles, Regions & Pairings
Discover the riesling grape: styles from bone-dry to lusciously sweet, top regions, food pairings, and buying tips. Scroll to find your next bottle.
Albarino Grape: A Complete Guide to Albarino Wine and Regions
Learn how the albarino grape shapes zesty Rías Baixas wines, top producers, tasting notes and food pairings. Read the guide and choose bottles with confidence.
Wine Styles & Types
From bold reds to crisp whites — understanding every style
Sweet vs Dry Wine: How to Taste, Buy and Pair with Confidence
Explore sweet vs dry wine—understand residual sugar, taste profiles and food pairings from Riesling to Cabernet. Read our guide and pick the right bottle today.
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A Practical Guide to Full Bodied Red Wine
Learn to identify, taste, buy and age full bodied red wine — grape varieties, regions, producers and food pairings. Explore recommendations and shop smarter.
Prosecco vs Champagne: Which Sparkling Wine Suits You?
Compare prosecco vs champagne: styles, production methods, typical prices and food pairings across Valdobbiadene, Champagne houses and Cava. Learn more.
Rosé Wine: Styles, Producers, Pairings and Buying Guide
Explore rose wine styles—from Provence rosé to dry and sweet options. Tasting notes, producers, pairings and buying tips. Read on to choose confidently.
Non Alcoholic Wine: Styles, Makers, Tasting and Buying Guide
Explore non alcoholic wine options — dealcoholized reds, zero alcohol whites and sparkling from Spain, California and Germany. Get tasting and buying tips.
Food & Wine Pairing
The best wine matches for every dish and occasion
Wine Pairing: How to Match Wine with Food
Master wine pairing for everyday meals and special occasions with practical tips, charts, and real examples from Bordeaux, Napa and Piedmont. Learn how — read now.
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Best Wine with Steak: Pairings for Every Cut and Sauce
Discover the best wine with steak: cuts, sauces, and top bottle picks from Napa Cabernet to Argentine Malbec. Read pairing tips and find bottles now.
Wine Pairing with Salmon: Practical Choices and Pairing Rules
Discover wine pairing with salmon: rules for seared, smoked and poached dishes, top picks like Pinot Noir, Chablis and Rosé, plus serving tips to try.
How to Choose the Best Wine for Thanksgiving
Discover the best wine for thanksgiving: smart picks for turkey, sides and dessert from Willamette, Napa and Loire. Read pairing tips and choose wines today.
The Definitive Guide to Wine Pairing with Pizza
Discover wine pairing with pizza for Margherita, pepperoni, and white pies. Learn bottle picks, serving tips, and elevate pizza night — read on.
Best White Wine for Cooking: Picks, Uses, and Swaps
Find the best white wine for cooking, with buying advice on dry white wine for cooking, sherry swaps and budget picks. Read practical tips and pairings now.
Buying Guides
Find great wines at every price point
Best Wine Under 20: Practical Picks and Buying Tips
Discover the best wine under 20 with curated picks from Rioja, Mendoza and Napa. Learn styles, food pairings and where to buy — start tasting smarter today.
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Best Affordable Champagne: Top Picks, Tips, and Where to Buy
Best cheap champagne picks—tasting notes, prices (including champagne under 30), and smart shopping tips for your sparkling wine budget. Buy confidently.
Best Cheap Red Wine: Top Affordable Reds and How to Buy Them
Find the best cheap red wine for everyday drinking — reviews, tasting notes, and top picks under $15 from Rioja, Mendoza, Napa and more. Shop smarter today.
How to Choose the Best Wine App: Scan, Rate, Buy
Compare the best wine app options to scan labels, identify bottles, and track ratings. Explore Vivino alternatives and download the wine scanner app today.
Health & Lifestyle
Calories, non-alcoholic options, and mindful drinking
How Many Calories Are in Wine? A Practical Guide
Learn how many calories in wine per glass and bottle, plus tips for lower-calorie choices, pairing and tracking. Read VinSip's practical guide Now.
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Low Calorie Wine: How to Choose Wines with Fewer Calories
Find practical tips for choosing low calorie wine, from dry whites and rosés to dealcoholized options. Read labels, compare ABV, and shop smarter.
Organic Wine: Labels, Producers, Buying and Tasting Guide
Learn what organic wine means, how it differs from biodynamic and natural wines, and which organic wine brands to try. Read our guide to shop smarter.
Vegan Wine: What It Is and How to Choose
Discover what makes wine vegan, how fining agents affect labels, and where to buy vegan wine from Napa, Rioja and Marlborough — practical tips and buying advice.
Wine Knowledge
Storage, serving, tasting, and everything in between
How to Store Wine at Home: Temperatures, Cellars, and Practical Tips
Learn how to store wine at home: ideal wine storage temperature, cellar tips, and short-term solutions for bottles. Read our guide to begin today.
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Wine Serving Temperature: When to Chill or Warm Your Bottle
Master wine serving temperature for reds, whites and rosés with a clear wine temperature chart, producer examples and quick serving tips. Learn how.
How long does wine last after opening?
Discover how long does wine last after opening, plus opened wine shelf life tips, wine preservation methods and quick fixes to keep flavor. Learn storage steps.
How to Taste Wine: A Practical Wine Tasting Guide
Learn wine tasting basics, steps, and how to write tasting notes with examples from Napa, Bordeaux and Burgundy. Read our practical guide to start tasting today.
Understanding Terroir Wine: How Place Shapes Flavor
Discover terroir wine—how soil, climate and vineyard practice shape flavor. Read regional examples from Burgundy, Napa and Rioja and taste with intention.
Wine Appellations Explained: What They Mean and Why They Matter
Understand wine appellation systems — what they mean and how AOC, DOC and AVA protect origin and quality. See Bordeaux, Burgundy and Napa examples.
Regions & Terroir
Explore the world's greatest wine regions
Bordeaux Wine: Complete Guide to Regions, Styles and Tours
Explore bordeaux wine: maps, grape varieties, tasting notes and top producers like Château Margaux. Practical visit tips and booking ideas—plan your trip.
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The Essential Burgundy Wine Guide
Explore burgundy wine: regions, top producers, tasting notes, food pairings, and travel tips. Read our guide to choose, buy and enjoy Burgundy today.
Tuscany Wine: Regions, Styles, Producers and How to Taste
Discover Tuscany wine: origins, styles, top producers like Antinori and Biondi-Santi, tasting tips, and Chianti wine tours. Read our guide for your tasting trip.
Napa Valley Wine: The Essential Guide to Wineries, Tasting & Tours
Explore napa valley wine with top wineries, tasting tips, tours food pairings, and buying advice. Read the guide to plan visits, tastings, and cellar purchases.
Douro Valley Wine: Tasting, Tours, Top Producers and Practical Tips
Explore douro valley wine: grapes, top producers, porto wine tours, and tasting tips. Plan tastings, book a porto wine tour, and buy bottles today.
Wine for Beginners
Start your wine journey with confidence
Wine for Beginners: A Friendly, Practical Guide
Wine for beginners guide: learn wine basics, tasting, buying and pairing with examples from Napa, Bordeaux and Rioja. Start tasting confidently today.
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Good Beginner Red Wine: A Friendly Guide for New Drinkers
Find a good beginner red wine—easy, smooth, light options from Beaujolais to Oregon. Read tips, picks, and buy suggestions. Start tasting today.
A Beginner's Guide to Sweet Wines
Discover sweet wines for beginners: tasting tips, sweet wine recommendations (Moscato, Riesling, Port, Sauternes), plus buying and pairing advice.
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