Distinctions   
A distinction is what is different, or distinct, in wines by comparison, especially in regard to features and characteristics. Distinctions are also a recognition of quality. With wine distinctions, two wines of the same varietal, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, can differ significantly for example by:

• HOW the wine is blended,
• WHEN the grapes are picked,
• WHAT the weather climate offered and much, much MORE.

ONLY HW offers you a WINEMAKERS virtually guide you to enjoy a FULL wine experience. HW’s wine distinction DVD’s in EVERY wine shipment, brings your attention to the flavors, aromas, and distinctions -for the wines you will receive.

Terrior [tare-wah]
Terrior is a sense of ‘place’ that you taste in wine. It is the ambiance in the vineyard that pours into your glass. Terrior includes: soil conditions, weather temperatures, micro-climates, watering and drainage, as well as the Winemakers grape selection from the vineyard. Terrior gives character and flavor to the fruit. Terrior imparts a defining influence on finished wine.

Wine by Region

Wine has long been recognized by the region from which it has come. Many Wine-Explorers have had passionate affairs with the grapes of Burgundy, Rhône, and Bordeaux. Yet, as if fickle lovers, they always seem to want more. Today, contemporary wine explorers have become more adventurous with varietals from Italy such as Nebbiolo, and Sangiovese, the wine called the Italian temptress, and varietals from Spain including Malvasia, and Tempranillo, a wine that is thought to be a variant of Pinot Noir, and also wines of German descent including Rhine and Riesling. Today vineyards throughout California, and in fact the USA and world-wide, grow the European grape clones and more. Yet where the grapes are cultivated and how wine is crafted also create wine distinctions, as does the winemaker’s recipe, the soil, and the weather all affect flavor and character of wine.
Primary wine grape regions of France include:                                  

1. Burgundy [burr-gun-dee]
2. Bordeaux [bore-doe]
3. Rhône [rone]

Burgundy Region wine grapes

A Bordeaux wine is a wine produced with the grapes that originated in the Bordeaux region of France.  Today of course, these grape varietals are growing with success all over the world.
The two most Burgundy grapes and well recognized wine varietals are

1. Chardonnay (white) [shar-don-nay] and
2. Pinot Noir (red) [pee-noe - no-are]

A Bordeaux wine is a wine produced with the grapes that originated in the Bordeaux region of France.  Today these Bordeaux grape-varietals are cultivated in California as well as around the world.
The three most prominent Bordeaux wine varietals include:

1. Cabernet Sauvignon (red) [cab-burr-nay - sa-vin-yawn],
2. Merlot (red), [mer-low] and
3. Cabernet Franc (red) [cab-burr-nay  fraunk], and others include
4. Malbec (red) [mail-bek] and
5. Sauvignon Blanc (white) [sav-vin-yawn  blonk],

A Rhône wine is a wine produced with the grapes that originated in the Rhône region of France. 
The Rhône River Valley in France is divided into two sub-regions with distinct climates and viticulture: Northern Rhône and Southern Rhône. Today, wine-growing regions world-wide have these thriving varietals. The two most prominent wine-grapes from the Northern Rhone region are

1. Syrah (red) [sa-rah] also known as “Shiraz” [sure-raaz] in Australia.
2. Viognier (white) [vee-on-yeah]

Grape varietals that originate in Southern Rhone as well as Spain, Italy, and Greece include:

1. Grenache (red) [gren-aush], Grenache Blanc (white)
2. Muscat (red) [mus-kot], Muscat Blanc (white)
3. Petite Sirah (red) [pa-teet - sa-rah]

Exploring wines today exceeds the traditional boundaries and invites us to linger in new wines, new grape varietals and new wine regions, and if we are lucky, our exploration will offer us some new or even unexpected, wine delights to stretch our appreciation and understanding of wine.

Tannin
After pressing the grapes to extract the juice, the skin of the grape can immediately be separated off or it is a winemaking choice, especially in red wines, to crush the grapes and allow the grape skins to float to the top of the liquid to form a cap, and begin fermentation with the grape juice in contact with the grape skin. Both, contact with grape skins and aging wine in wooden oak barrels can increase the tannin characteristic in the finished wine. Tannins occur naturally in foods like tea and wine, fruits, chocolate etc. Tannin is an astringent that, in wine, can mellow or soften with aging. Tannins in wine may contribute to our well-being. Tannic affects in wine are associated with a dry or pucker mouth feel.