IWA Wine Blog

How many glasses have you broken at parties, while hand washing them or simply knocking them over on the counter?  How much money do you spend replacing all those glasses in the long-term?  We think the answer to both of these questions are “a LOT” if you’re using some of the leading high-end European brands. [...]

Ever since glass-blowing technology allowed humans to begin storing wine in glass bottles (as opposed to terracotta amphoras and wooden barrels), they have been sealed with cork to safely age. Even with the invention of the screwtop, or Stelvin, closure, most tend to prefer the traditional “pop” of a cork when opening a bottle of [...]

Most experts agree that decanting a wine depends largely on the wine’s age and varietal characteristics. Most young wines, especially big, bold reds such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Barolo or Syrah benefit from decanting. Not because it helps to soften tannins, but rather by dissipating undesirable sulfer-based compounds it allows the fruit characteristics to concentrate and intensify [...]

It’s 70 degrees outside and rising. Do you know where your wines are? With spring here and summer coming up fast, the temperatures will start to climb. One of an aging wine’s worst enemies is temperature, specifically, fluctuating temperatures. Arguably, the single most important element of your wine cellar is the cooling unit. If you [...]

New Year’s Eve is just around the corner. (Can you believe it; it’s almost 2010.) And we all know that New Year’s Eve is synonymous with Champagne and sparkling wine. But do you know the proper way to open and serve sparkling wine? No worries, because I just produced this video to help you open [...]