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Vertical VS Horizontal Tasting: What’s the Difference?
There’s a popular joke among sommeliers: “We had a vertical tasting that eventually went horizontal”, meaning that the tasting has become a party. Actually there is much more meaning in these two terms. Lets’ disclose it once and for all.
Columns
Greg Somm: 7 Notable Facts About Château Pétrus
Petrus – the name itself determines the greatness of this wine. The name of the founder of the Holy See...
Greg Somm: Exploring the Greatness of Chambolle-Musigny
The location of this vineyard is very specific compared with other similar sites in other communes of the Cote de...
Bordeaux En Primeurs 2025: What to Expect?
The 2025 En Primeur campaign will happen in May-June of this year. Today, judging by the 2024 vintage reports, we...
Greg Somm: Tasting Big Wines For Earthly Prices
We continued with Richebourg 2017 from DRC. And here I would like to say that this is the most monumental...
Knowledge
Vertical VS Horizontal Tasting: What’s the Difference?
There’s a popular joke among sommeliers: “We had a vertical tasting that eventually went horizontal”, meaning that the tasting has...
5 Legendary Bordeaux Wines That Will Last Forever
When you buy top Bordeaux wines, you not only get the wine now – you get a wine for which...
A Wine for President: Which One?
Disclaimer: Donald Trump is a teetotaller, same as Joe Biden. But there were times when U.S. presidents did not mind...
Types of Champagne by Producer (NM, RM, RC…) – Explained
This indication system uses two capital letters and provides an insight into how and by whom the Champagne is made....
Quizzes
Quiz: How much do you know about Champagne?
10 questions for advanced lovers of the most stylish wine in the world. Check your knowledge!
Quiz: What Do You Know About En Primeurs?
Understand the nuances of en-primeur wine futures! All the information for the answers can be found in articles on symbolicwines.com/blogs/media
Quiz: Guess the Wine Person!
Can you identify the top wine persons? Here we gathered some of the most known and respected people of the...
NEWS
Battonage World Wine News: 02-07-2025
Wine production in the world is the lowest since 1961; LVMH’s wine sales plunge; California wildfires kill the wine industry;...
Battonage World Wine News 01-17-2025
Bordeaux En Primeurs; Burgundy’s 2022 and 2023 first tastings; California wildfires; ProWein Business Report 2025; New alcohol consumption guidelines from...
Battonage World Wine News: 12-20-2024
Global Wine Production Shrinks; Vega Sicilia Tops Liv-ex Power 100; Human Urine Fertilisers Come to Scene; Burgundy Prices Lower; New...
How wine is made
All You Need to Know About Malolactic Fermentation
Why do some wines have a creamy texture and buttery taste, while others are sharp? The secret lies in malolactic...
The mystery of Champagne making
The process of Champagne making, broken down into steps, types of Champagnes and the best examples of them – in...
How wine is made: rose wine
Rose wine may be very different – from deep-coloured and full-bodied, to light and pale. It all depends on the...
How wine is made: red dry wine
Guide to red winemaking. What defines red wine and how does the process of red vinification differ from white and...
Reviews
10 Wine Pairings For The White House’s New Year Recipes
We picked some of the most notable New Year’s dishes from the White House Cookbook and found the appropriate wine...
7 Uncommon Wines to Pair With Thanksgiving Turkey
In 1789, when George Washington declared a day of national thanksgiving, Americans were eating a lot of turkey but they...
9 mystic wines for a proper Halloween
#1 are thick, deep red wines that, if you will, represent blood and make you a classiest vampire in the...
5 Champagnes to Сelebrate Anything You Want
There’s no clear historical record of why and when humanity began to celebrate big dates with Champagne. Some say that...
Wine regions
Wine regions: Burgundy
Welcome to the detailed guide to Burgundy’s wines. Here you can find Burgundy’s ancient winemaking history, grape varieties, main AOCs,...
Wine regions: Bordeaux
Guide to Bordeaux: the left and the right banks, main AOCs, grape varieties and the most notable chateaux.
Grape Varieties
Grape Varieties: Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon Blanc is the most prominent and famous aromatic white variety. It’s origin is in Loire and Bordeaux but it...
Grape Varieties: Pinot Noir
Aromas, flavors, regions and styles of Pinot Noir – the most intelligent and hard-to-handle variety in the world.
Grape Varieties: Chardonnay
Chardonnay: variety description, main growing regions, food pairings, variety-defining aromas and flavors.
5 wine facts
5 reasons to appreciate wines of Pierre Girardin
He’s a rising star of Burgundy and so, the prices of his wines are rising like they did on Meursault's...
5 wine facts: the yeasts
The compact guide to wine yeasts – how do they work, why do they make wine and what does it...
5 wine facts: the storage
Storage is one of the crucial stages of fine wine’s life. If it has a great aging potential, it needs...
5 wine facts: the barrels
Kinds, shapes and sizes of wine barrels and how they influence the taste and aromas of your favorite wine.