Author Archives: Daniel Braun

Exactly what is claret wine? Put simply, claret is a term used for red Bordeaux in England. It is not a protected term in the United States so it is sometimes used to describe any red Bordeaux style blend. It is derived from the French word clairet which describes an old style of Bordeaux that […]

Firstly, I must point out that Moscato is the Italian way of saying Muscat. There are several selections of the Muscat grape and it is considered the mother of many grape varietals. Although Moscato and Muscat wines are often sweet, they do not have to be sweet. Muscat is a very aromatic grape that often […]

As we progress down the path of wine enjoyment it becomes easier and easier to pick out nuance and build an understanding of our own unique tastes. If you are having trouble with this it may be that you need some help learning or re-learning how to taste wine. There are two aspects to this […]

Working in fine restaurants, the most important thing I learned about cooking with wine is that you should not cook with a wine that you wouldn’t drink. I believe that is the biggest mistake people make. Any fault in the wine is transferred to the flavor of your dish. Most wine is reduced during the […]

Over the years I have helped many people pick out their wedding wine. My views on the right wines to pick have evolved over time. It wasn’t until my own wedding that I came to my current wedding wine philosophy. I used to try to please or try to help please too many people. Somebodies […]

Marsala is a region and a wine located in Sicily, an island that is just south and part of Italy. There is both red and white, sweet and dry Marsala, however it is the sweet red Marsala that is typically used in cooking. Marsala is in the category of fortified wines, like Port wine, which […]

Syrah or Shiraz? So, what is Shiraz wine anyway? Shiraz is the Australian way of saying Syrah. Syrah is a grape which is best known as the predominant variety of the northern Rhone Valley in France. It makes an appearance in the villages of Crozes-Hermitage, Hermitage, Cornas, and Core-Rotie to name a few. It has […]

What is port wine? Port wine is a fortified wine from the Douro region of Portugal. A fortified wine is a wine with alcohol added. With Port wine, a neutral grape spirit is added half way through fermentation to bring alcohol content to about 20% by volume. When the alcohol is brought to that level […]

Do you prefer dry wines? What are dry wines anyway? When helping a customer find the perfect wine for their dinner or special occasion there are a few questions that I ask to help determine to type of wine that they will enjoy. The dry question frequently comes up. In the world of wine terminology, […]