Wine. Vino. Vin.

Made from grapes; made with love.

Much like dark chocolate, red wine is good for the soul. Though some would argue chocolate and wine are forbidden friends, I invite you to be the judge of that.


Red Wine

Wine is a common actor at any Mediterranean table, they even have a name for it: table wine (a dry joke for those lovers of red). But not only is wine a fantastic companion to steak, fish, pasta, (everything?) it has also been proven to lower the risk of depression by 32% according to a review of studies published by the National Institutes of Health.

Globally, there are more than 10,000 varietals of grapes, with 13 of those varietals accounting for approximately one third of the global vine-print. Of those thirteen, we can further narrow down the list to the top 10 global varietals:

You will likely recognise a few of the varietals above. Thanks to the powers of marketing and branding, several of these would grace the shelves of your nearest supermarket. But how do they get there?

Provenance & Pairing

There are several methods for growing and harvesting grapes that involve training the vines to take a particular shape to suit the needs of the vineyard; and while most of them follow a common method, there are a few unique styles that stand out. In Northern Portugal for example, near the Atlantic Ocean where the winds are strong and breezes are crisp, vines are trained to grow short and close to the ground in man made terraces. The most common wine from this region is Vinho Verde or "green wine."

As the saying goes what grows together goes together, Vinho Verde pairs delightfully with salty foods such as seafood or goats cheese. This wine is dry, crisp and slightly fuzzy with the citrus notes strong and undertones of pear, it's even the perfect wine to compliment a heavily spiced dish.


Northern Portugal Vineyard

Wine from tough climates and soils often display deep characteristics, as if you can taste the adversities faced by the grapes throughout their life. Greek wine is a perfect example of this. The Greek island of Santorini is famous for producing a wine called Assyrtiko. The arid volcanic-ash-rich soil produces a wine that is zesty, crisp and acidic with potent notes of lemon or lime. This comes from the volcanic soil and extreme heat and wind. Common pairings for Assyrtiko again include salty cheeses such as feta or halloumi and even asparagus which is notoriously difficult to pair with.

The wind also shapes the way in which the vines are trained on the island, with strong gusts coming up from the Aegean, it is necessary for the vines to maintain a low profile, quite literally. For this reason, wine-makers on the island use a special vine-training method known as kouloura. These tightly-woven baskets protect the vines from the strong winds, and even the sun to a degree.


Santorini Vineyard

To find out more about your favorite wines and where to buy them, subscribe using the button below!

Coded by Shelby Leigh