Curious

How to Decode a French Wine Label

Raise your hand if you’ve ever chosen a wine based on its label art. Yup, we thought so (and, for the record, we have too). There’s so much information to process on any given label that it’s normal to feel your eyes glaze over and your hand reach for the most eye-catching bottle. And when […]

Region in Focus: Burgundy

Burgundy is home to some of the best, most terroir-driven wines in the world. It was here, actually, that the concept of terroir was born; in the Middle Ages, Benedictine and Cistercian monks—the region’s first vignerons—studied and documented nuances in the soil. Burgundy’s prestigious bottles command high prices, and producers are fiercely protective of the […]

Do Old Vines Produce Better Wine?

When it comes to wine, old age has cachet. Bottles from centuries past are among the world’s most sought-after, but it’s also widely and wrongly assumed that all vino gets better with age. What about old vines or vieilles vignes? Is there any truth to the saying, “The older the vine, the better the wine?” Before […]

wine descriptors can be helpful when identifying wine.

Weird Wine Descriptors and What They Mean

Silky. Wooly. Velvety. Ever wonder why wine professionals describe wine like they would the contents of a sock drawer? It’s not winesplaining, it’s somm-speak, and it’s a useful language to know when tasting or purchasing wine. Incorporating zany descriptors like these into your vocabulary can help you remember distinctive flavors and more readily identify what […]

The Best Questions to Ask a Winemaker

Winemakers can be an elusive bunch. So on the rare occasion that you get face time with a vigneron during a tour or tasting, it’s normal to feel a little tongue-tied. But don’t let the intimidation factor hold you back—most producers are thrilled to field questions and share their passion. Plus, the more questions you […]

The Best Way to Learn About Wine

Let’s face it: diving into the world of wine can be overwhelming. With so much information out there, it’s difficult to know where to start and what to focus on. Should you home in on one region? Enroll in a WSET course? Blow your budget on a “research” trip to Burgundy? We put these questions […]

People

How We Source Our VIVANT Winemaking Partners

So much of the magic of VIVANT happens on screen. What members might not realize is all the effort, homework, and creativity that goes on behind the scenes. From mapping

Ask a Wine Advisor: Baudouin de Reviers

Baudouin grew up in the vineyards of Champagne. The five-hour French family lunch on Sunday is where he discovered fine wines at a young age. He spent years in Bordeaux

Ask a Wine Advisor: Laura Kamel

Laura grew up in France vacationing in vineyards with her wine-loving family. In a previous life as a lawyer in the wine sector, she traveled to the vineyards of Spain,

Jordan Lynn Traylor named Wine Unify Elevate Award recipient

Last month, the nonprofit organization Wine Unify named VIVANT wine advisor Jordan Lynn Traylor as a 2020 Elevate Award recipient. Wine Unify champions and promotes diversity in the wine business.

Ask a Wine Advisor: Megan Daily Flamant

Megan was a plastics engineer in Virginia where the local vineyards hooked her into the world of wine. She left everything behind and moved to Burgundy, France in 2004 to

Ask a Wine Advisor: Nicole Muscari

Nicole’s foray into wine started with a trip to Napa Valley for the 2014 harvest. Nicole loves the stories of the people and places that lie behind every wine label.

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Wine Education

How to Decode a French Wine Label

Raise your hand if you’ve ever chosen a wine based on its label art. Yup, we thought so (and, for the record, we have too). There’s so much information to

Region in Focus: Burgundy

Burgundy is home to some of the best, most terroir-driven wines in the world. It was here, actually, that the concept of terroir was born; in the Middle Ages, Benedictine