Browse, filter, or search our FAQ database.
The perfect cellar temperature is 12 °C, with an acceptable range of 10-14 °C. But here's the crucial point: stability matters more than the exact number. A cellar that stays at a steady 13 °C year-round is better than one that swings between 10 °C in winter and 18 °C in summer. In Belgium, a cellar dug at least 2.5 metres deep naturally achieves these conditions.
You can, and sometimes you should. Very old wines (20+ years) are often fragile — their complex aromas can vanish within minutes of aggressive air exposure. If there's no sediment, simply open the bottle 30 minutes before serving and pour directly into glasses. Let the wine breathe gently in the glass rather than risking it in a decanter.
Yes — and it's not just an expression. Wine literally becomes vinegar when Acetobacter bacteria convert alcohol into acetic acid. This happens when wine is exposed to too much oxygen: a dodgy cork, an open bottle left out for days, or storage in a warm spot. The telltale sign is a sharp, nail-polish-remover smell.
To store wine in an apartment without a cellar, find the coolest, darkest, and most temperature-stable spot — usually an interior closet without windows, away from the kitchen and heating. For more than 20 bottles or storage beyond 6 months, a compact wine fridge (from around €200) is the most reliable solution.
A magnum is 1.5 litres (two standard bottles). A jeroboam is where it gets confusing: in Bordeaux, it's 3 litres (four bottles), but in Champagne, it's 4.5 litres (six bottles). Both sizes age better than standard bottles because the wine-to-oxygen ratio is more favourable. They also look fantastic on a dinner table.
Three clear signs a wine needs decanting: tight, grippy tannins that make your mouth pucker (young tannic reds), visible sediment in the bottle (aged wines), or funky smells like struck match or rubber when you first open it (reduction). If the wine already smells great and tastes smooth straight from the bottle, skip the decanter.
It depends entirely on the wine's age and structure. Young, tannic reds need 1-2 hours to open up. Reds aged 10-15 years benefit from 30-60 minutes. Very old wines (20+ years) need only 10-15 minutes — or may not need decanting at all, as too much air can cause them to fade rapidly. Oak-aged whites: 15-30 minutes tops.
The waiter's friend (double-hinged sommelier corkscrew) is the gold standard — compact, reliable, and used by professionals everywhere. It costs EUR 10-30 and lasts years. For old bottles with fragile corks, get a two-prong 'Ah-So' extractor. For ease of use, a lever-style corkscrew (like Screwpull) works brilliantly but is bulkier and pricier.
Store champagne on its side in a cool (10-12 °C), dark, vibration-free spot with around 70% humidity. Non-vintage champagne is best enjoyed within 3-5 years of purchase. Vintage or prestige cuvées can age 10-20 years if stored properly. Don't keep champagne in the fridge long-term — the vibrations and dry air will do more harm than good.
With a good stopper and a fridge, most white wines last 3-5 days after opening. Light, crisp whites (Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio) fade fastest — 2-3 days max. Fuller, oak-aged whites (Burgundy Chardonnay, white Bordeaux) hold up better, sometimes 4-5 days. The key: re-cork immediately, use a vacuum pump if you have one, and always refrigerate.
Absolutely — and it might be even more important than decanting old wine. Young, tannic reds (think Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Nebbiolo) can taste tight and aggressive straight from the bottle. Pouring them into a decanter for 30 minutes to 2 hours lets the tannins soften and hidden fruit and spice emerge. The goal isn't to remove sediment — it's to wake the wine up.
When choosing a wine fridge, focus on five factors: purpose (short-term serving vs long-term ageing), capacity (plan for 1.5 times your current collection), cooling system (compressor for precision, thermoelectric for silence), number of temperature zones, and energy rating. A budget of €300–800 covers most home wine lovers' needs.
Beaujolais Nouveau is the world's most famous 'primeur' wine — a young wine released just weeks after harvest. It hits the shelves every third Thursday of November, barely 6-8 weeks after the grapes were picked. Made from Gamay grapes using carbonic maceration, it's light, fruity, and meant to be drunk immediately — no ageing required. Think of it as wine's version of fresh-baked bread: best enjoyed while it's still warm.
Different grapes produce different aromatic molecules — it's literally in their DNA. Pinot Noir and Gamay are rich in compounds that smell like strawberry and raspberry (esters like ethyl butyrate, plus a molecule called furaneol). Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah produce thiol compounds and damascenone that smell like blackcurrant and dark berries. The grape variety, ripeness level, and fermentation conditions all influence which fruit aromas end up in your glass.
A structured wine has a strong 'skeleton' — firm tannins, good acidity, balanced alcohol, and concentrated flavour all working together to create a solid framework. It's the wine equivalent of a building with good bones. Structured wines typically age well because that framework supports the wine as it evolves over years. Bordeaux, Barolo, and Burgundy Grand Cru are classic examples of structured wines.
Absolutely — and millions of people do. The key is being deliberate about it. Instead of just drinking wine, start paying attention: look at the colour, swirl and smell before sipping, and take notes. Compare wines side by side whenever you can. Use aroma kits to train your nose. Read books like Jancis Robinson's 'Wine Course.' You'll be surprised how quickly your palate develops with regular, focused practice.
'Gouleyant' (goo-lay-YAHN) is a wonderfully French word with no perfect English translation. It describes a wine that's so easy to drink it practically slides down your throat — fresh, fruity, light on tannins, and irresistibly quaffable. Think of it as the wine equivalent of a page-turner novel: you start a glass and suddenly the bottle's empty. Beaujolais, Gamay, and many natural wines nail this style.
That vanilla flavour in wine comes from oak barrels. When wine ages in oak, a compound called vanillin migrates from the wood into the wine — the same molecule that gives vanilla pods their scent. American oak delivers stronger, more obvious vanilla (and coconut) notes than French oak, which is subtler. The barrel's 'toast' level (how much it's charred inside) also matters: medium toast produces the most vanilla character.
A 'corsé' wine (full-bodied in English) is a big, powerful wine that fills your mouth with density and weight. Think of the difference between skimmed milk and double cream — that's roughly the difference between a light wine and a corsé one. These wines typically have higher alcohol (13.5-15.5%), generous tannins, and concentrated flavours. Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Barolo, Amarone, and Napa Cabernet are textbook examples.
A floral wine is one that smells like flowers — roses, violets, jasmine, orange blossom, honeysuckle, or acacia. These aromas come from terpene compounds (linalool, geraniol, nerol) naturally found in certain grape varieties. Gewurztraminer (roses and lychee), Muscat (orange blossom), Viognier (white flowers), and Torrontés (jasmine) are the most dramatically floral grapes. Even some reds, like Nebbiolo, carry beautiful rose petal and violet notes.