Wondering what the 101 questions are in my new book? Wonder no more…
the origins of wine
1) When was wine first made?
2) Which country makes the most wine?
3) Which country drinks the most wine?
4) What are the 10 best-selling wines in the world?
5) What’s your favourite wine?
6) What is “fine” wine?
how wine is made
7) How is wine made?
8) Why are wines aged in oak?
9) What is organic wine? And biodynamic?
10) How is rosé wine made?
11) How is sparkling wine made?
12) How is sweet wine made?
13) What is fortified wine?
14) Are wines made from one grape variety better than blends?
15) This wine is 8% alcohol, yet this one is 15% – why?
16) What gives a full-bodied wine its body?
17) Does wine contain anything apart from grapes?
18) Are small independent wine producers going to survive in the next ten years?
what wine is made from
19) Can wine be made anywhere in the world?
20) Why do wines from different places taste different?
21) How does climate affect the flavours of wine?
22) What effect do other natural factors have on a wine?
23) What is “minerality”?
24) What effect is global warming having on wine?
25) What’s the difference between different grape varieties?
26) Are vines better grafted or on original rootstock?
27) How much wine does a vine produce?
28) Is old vine wine better than young vine wine?
29) Is there any difference between wine from irrigated and unirrigated vines?
30) Which part of the world harvests first?
where wine comes from
31) Which are the most reliable wine regions in the world?
32) Where is the best value wine made?
33) Are the great wines of France still holding their own?
34) What will be the Next Big Thing, the next “IT” wine?
buying wine
35) How does a novice choose from 100s of bottles on the shelves?
36) Why shouldn’t I just drink the same wine all the time?
37) Why should I bother with any wine that’s not on special offer?
38) Is price an indicator of quality, or do some wines trade on their reputations?
39) Why do the British have to pay more for wine than they do in other parts of Europe?
40) Where is the best place to buy wine?
41) Are own-label wines good value?
42) This wine is covered in scores and medals – should I take any notice of them?
43) Are there any good non-alcoholic wines?
wine labels and bottles
44) Why are wine bottles the colour, size and shape they are, and does this affect the wine?
45) Is there a problem with wine in plastic bottles or other packages?
46) Which is better, screwcap or cork?
47) How can I navigate my way through a wine label?
48) What does Appellation Contrôlée mean?
49) Why are some wines labelled by origin and others by grape variety?
50) What is a “dry” wine?
51) What does “vintage” mean?
52) How much notice should I take of the year on a bottle?
tasting wine
53) Do I need to do all that swirling and sniffing?
54) Can I tell anything about a wine by its appearance?
55) Why do wines taste like strawberries or peaches or blackberries if they’re only made from grapes?
56) Why can’t I smell all those blackberries and wet dog that they seem to do on TV?
57) This wine tastes bad – why?
58) Why does this wine dry my mouth out so much?
59) This wine is tart – why?
60) What is “corked” wine?
61) Do critics prefer certain wines to punters?
62) Do women make better wine tasters than men?
63) Does wine taste different when we get older?
keeping wine
65) Should I lay some wine down for when my (god-) Son/daughter turns 18?
66) What’s the best wine to buy as a present?
67) Is it worth investing in wine?
68) How long does wine last?
69) This one is older than that one – does that mean it’s better?
70) How can you spot a wine that will age well?
71) How should I store my wine?
serving wine
72) At what temperature should wine be served?
73) Do I need different glasses for different wines?
74) You haven’t filled my glass up to the top – why not?
75) Those bits in my wine – what are they, are they harmful, and how do I deal with them?
76) What is “breathing”? Why should I decant wines?
77) I’ve got a really old bottle of wine, should I decant it? And if so, how far in advance?
78) What’s the best way to cool down wine quickly?
79) Can I add things to my wine?
80) What’s the best wine to serve at weddings?
81) Once it’s open, within what length of time should a bottle of wine be drunk?
food and wine
82) What are the best food and wine combinations? And the worst?
83) What is a “food wine”?
84) In what order should wines be served at a meal?
85) Why is wine so expensive in restaurants?
86) What are the best wines to order in a restaurant?
87) I get embarrassed trying to pronounce all those foreign names – anything I can do?
88) Should I buy wine by the glass in a restaurant?
89) How should I taste a wine in a restaurant?
90) Why does the waiter keep filling up my glass?
91) Does it matter which wine I use to cook?
wine and health
92) Is wine good for your health?
93) How many calories are there in a glass of wine?
94) How many glasses of wine can I drink if I’m going to be driving?
95) Which are the best wines for avoiding headaches and hangovers?
practical wine matters
96) Where do I go to learn more about wine?
97) What are the best wine regions to visit?
98) What is the best way to travel with wine?
99) I’ve inherited some wine – what’s the best thing to do with it?
100) How do you prevent wine staining your teeth?
101) How do you get wine stains out of a carpet or shirt?
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