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Retsina Meets Rose: A Bold Blend That Defies Tradition

Jan

Wine FactsAoton, Christmas, Father, Lola, This

Retsina Meets Rose: A Bold Blend That Defies Tradition

Here’s something to stir your curiosity: A retsina that dares to blend with rose, crafting a wine that’s equal parts curious and compelling. The Aoton Lola 2020 is a retsina made from 74% Mandilaria and 26% Savatiano, but its character is anything but conventional. This isn’t your average Greek wine—it’s a collision of styles that challenges expectations. The nose opens with a bouquet of dried woody winter herbs: rosemary, sage, and even the faint whisper of Christmas stuffing. With air, it evolves into cranberry, strawberry, and blood orange, balancing tartness with a surprising sweetness. The finish is spicy but fleeting,…

A Young Chianti Classico That Drinks Like a Mature Vintage

Jan

By ADMIN@CoffeeWineTea.com

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Wine Factsacidity, Father, Riserva, Ruffino, This

A Young Chianti Classico That Drinks Like a Mature Vintage

Listen up: This 2021 Ruffino Riserva Ducale isn’t just another bottle from Costco—it’s a revelation in disguise. Priced to please, it’s a textbook example of how value and quality can coexist. Decanted slowly over an hour, the wine revealed layers that defied its youth. Medium to deep ruby hues hinted at a wine built for patience, while the nose delivered a symphony of black cherry, blackberry, and clove, with unexpected notes of sandalwood and wood smoke. It’s a rare balance of high acidity and silky tannins, making it both vibrant and polished. The real magic unfolded when paired with amatriciana…

A 25-Year-Old Chardonnay’s Quiet Revelation

Jan

By ADMIN@CoffeeWineTea.com

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Wine Factsacidity, Chardonnay, Father, This

A 25-Year-Old Chardonnay’s Quiet Revelation

Time to spill: A bottle of Mayacamas Chardonnay, buried in a fridge for two decades, emerged as a lesson in patience and the alchemy of time. Tasted recently, it delivered a nose of peaches, orange zest, and caramel, with a whisper of toffee. On the palate, it unfolded into a tapestry of green apple, almond, and that elusive balance between sweetness and acidity. It wasn’t vinegar—just a wine that had matured into something unexpected. The key? It wasn’t about forceful tannins or bold fruit; it was about the quiet evolution of flavors, letting the oak and terroir speak through the…

The Stemmy Truth: Why Whole Cluster Fermentation is Shaping Modern Wines

Jan

By ADMIN@CoffeeWineTea.com

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Wine FactsAmulet, Father, They, This, Whole

The Stemmy Truth: Why Whole Cluster Fermentation is Shaping Modern Wines

Let’s talk about the “stemmy” wines that have left many drinkers perplexed. The answer lies in a centuries-old winemaking technique called whole cluster fermentation—where grapes are fermented with their stems intact. This method, once a necessity before destemming machines, has resurged as a tool to craft wines with bold structure, herbal intrigue, and a unique interplay of acidity and fruit. But why does it often taste like a mix of greenery and candied sweetness? Let’s unravel the science and art behind it. Whole cluster fermentation isn’t just about stems—it’s about chemistry. Stems inject potassium, which alters the wine’s acidity and…

Jan

By ADMIN@CoffeeWineTea.com

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Wine FactsFather, Instead, Practice, This, What

The Art of Decoding Red Wine

Let’s talk about the silent conversation between glass and glass. Red wine isn’t just a drink—it’s a language, and mastering its vocabulary turns a casual sip into a sensory revelation. Whether you’re pairing it with dinner or savoring it alone, understanding its traits transforms uncertainty into confidence. Start by asking: What does this wine want to say? The foundation of red wine vocabulary lies in its elemental language: fruit, tannins, acidity, and structure. Think of fruit as the melody—blackberries, cherries, or plum notes that linger on the palate. Tannins, those astringent textures, act as the backbone, often derived from grape…

Jan

By ADMIN@CoffeeWineTea.com

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Wine FactsAgroforestry, Champagne, Father, Palmes, This

How to Unlock Champagne’s Hidden Layers

If you’ve ever wondered how a wine professional deciphers Champagne’s complexity, start with the bottle of Palmes d’Or—a prestige cuvée from Nicolas Feuillatte, the region’s largest cooperative. This Champagne isn’t just about bubbles; it’s a story written over years of aging. The secret? Tirage, the process of aging on the lees, which transforms the wine into a tapestry of toasted brioche, nutty richness, and caramelized depth. These flavors don’t emerge overnight—they demand patience, often eight or more years, to fully unfold. Tasting Champagne isn’t about sipping and moving on. It’s about slowing down. Begin by observing the effervescence—how the bubbles…

Why Your Wine is Turning Sour—and How to Stop It

Jan

By ADMIN@CoffeeWineTea.com

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Wine FactsFather, This

Why Your Wine is Turning Sour—and How to Stop It

Your wine isn’t turning bad—it’s being cooked by sunlight. The moment a bottle of wine is exposed to direct UV rays, its delicate balance of flavors unravels. What starts as a vibrant, aromatic sip becomes a punch of sulfur compounds that smell like wet dog, wet cardboard, and cooked cabbage. This isn’t a natural aging process—it’s a chemical assault known as light strike. The culprit? Ultraviolet light interacting with riboflavin and pantothenic acid in the wine, triggering reactions that produce volatile sulfur compounds. These molecules are detectable in trace amounts, meaning even a few hours of sun exposure can ruin…

A Global Wine Showdown Unfolds in Seoul’s Heart

Jan

By ADMIN@CoffeeWineTea.com

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Wine FactsFather, Korea, Seoul, South, This

A Global Wine Showdown Unfolds in Seoul’s Heart

The verdict is in: South Korea’s wine scene is no longer a footnote. In Seoul’s Gangnam district, over 80 DWWA 2025 award-winning wines unfolded in a tasting that blurred borders and redefined excellence. Decanter’s collaboration with Winevision, South Korea’s leading wine education hub, turned the event into a masterclass in terroir and technique. From Argentina’s bold Malbecs to Portugal’s aged Ports, the room buzzed with professionals and enthusiasts dissecting the nuances of 19 countries’ finest. This wasn’t just a showcase—it was a seismic shift. The ground floor brimmed with sparkling and fortified gems, including five Platinum-winning Australian Chardonnays and Spanish…

Peet’s Coffee Faces U.S. Store Closures Amid Parent Company Takeover

Jan

By ADMIN@CoffeeWineTea.com

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Coffee FactsArea, Bay, Father, Peet, This

Peet’s Coffee Faces U.S. Store Closures Amid Parent Company Takeover

Consider this your morning briefing: Peet’s Coffee is shuttering dozens of U.S. locations, including key Bay Area spots, as its parent company prepares for a $18 billion takeover. The closures, announced in late January, signal a seismic shift in the brand’s strategy as Keurig Dr Pepper moves to acquire JDE Peet’s, the parent company behind the iconic roast. This isn’t just about consolidating real estate—it’s about redefining the brand’s future in a market where convenience and scale are king. The move comes as Peet’s navigates a delicate balance between preserving its legacy and adapting to modern demands. Store managers in…

Stingless Bees Could Revolutionize Coffee Farming in Brazil

Jan

By ADMIN@CoffeeWineTea.com

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Coffee FactsBut, Father, Researchers, This

Stingless Bees Could Revolutionize Coffee Farming in Brazil

There’s something brewing in Brazil’s coffee fields—and it’s not just the beans. A new study reveals that native stingless bees might be the key to boosting yields without sacrificing pest control. Researchers found that coffee branches near colonies of Scaptotrigona depilis produced 67% more fruit than those farther away, hinting at a symbiotic relationship between bees and arabica plants. This isn’t just a lab experiment—it’s a real-world test on full-sun farms, where bees coexist with pesticides and conventional farming practices. The study, published in Frontiers in Bee Science, tracked six conventional farms in Minas Gerais and São Paulo, placing 10…