What are the "Big Six" wine grapes?

If you want to build a foundation in wine, you can’t avoid the so-called “Big Six” grape varieties. Think of them as the core curriculum of wine education — the grapes you simply must know if you want to understand most bottles you’ll ever encounter.

Why wine & grape varieties matter

Imagine if every bottle of wine tasted exactly the same — no surprises, no differences, no excitement. That would strip away most of the magic.

Hot to really get into wine (without feeling intimidated)

If you love drinking wine, you’ve probably had that little thought: “I wish I knew more about what I’m sipping.” And yet, so many people stop there. Why? Because wine often feels like a secret club with its own rules, strange words, and a reputation for snobbery.

The Origins of Wine: From Wild Grapes to Ancient Civilizations

The origins of wine are lost in the deep mists of prehistory. We may never pinpoint the exact place or the precise moment when humans first discovered the miraculous transformation of grape juice into an intoxicating drink.

From Vines to Villages: How Wine Shaped Human Culture

We often speak of “wine culture” — the traditions, rituals, and convivial moments surrounding wine and wine drinking. But rarely do we stop to consider that wine itself may not simply be part of culture — it may have helped create culture as we know it.

Role of Wine in Greek Philosophy with Plato & Socrates

If you think about Greek philosophy generally, or just Plato, Socrates, and other sitting around talking about morality, do you also think about them drinking liberal quantities of wine — even drinking wine to the point of getting drunk? Probably not.

Hidden Gems of Moldovan Wine Country

When people think of Europe’s great wine destinations, they often picture Bordeaux’s rolling vineyards, Tuscany’s sun-kissed hills, or Rioja’s rustic cellars. But tucked between Romania and Ukraine lies a small nation with one of the richest—and most overlooked—wine heritages in the world: Moldova.