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Port

Port is Portugal’s most famous fortified wine and one of the world’s most admired. The vineyards and some of the maturation facilities are in the Douro region; the trade is based in the cities of Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia. Vila Nova de Gaia, situated just south of Port, is also where the historic Port maturation lodges are located. Unlike Sherry, Port is always sweet and based on a blend of red grapes, which results in a purple, ruby, or tawny color depending on the aging process. Five red grapes used to produce port, Touriga Nacional (the finest), Touriga Franca (the most widely planted), Tinta Roriz (also known as Tempranillo), Tinta Barroca and Tinta Cão. A small quantity of white Port is also produced from white grapes.

Sherry is one of the ‘big three’ of the fortified wine world, along with Port and Madeira. It is produced in southern Spain in the coastal area around the town of Jerez de la Frontera. Most of the vineyards for Sherry are planted on the chalky albariza soil.

Rosé’s popularity seems unstoppable, and consumers today can choose from an increasingly wide range of rosé from around the world. Europe, particularly France, Spain, and Italy, accounts for the lion’s share, with over half of the rosé wine produced globally.

Vega Sicilia is unquestionably Spain’s most iconic estate, and it is universally considered Spain’s First Growth. Unico, a mythical wine with over a century of history and tradition, is the estate’s flagship wine. It is produced from the estate’s best parcels and released only after an extensive aging process that provides a distinctive identity to the wine and its legendary aging potential. Unico is, without doubt, one of the world’s greatest reds. Not surprisingly, Unico means “unique” or “the only one.”

Prosecco is today the world’s most popular sparkling wine, but contrary to what most people think, not all Prosecco is created equal. The most obvious distinction is between the higher-quality Prosecco Superiore DOCG and the simple, entry-level Prosecco DOC. Even within the Prosecco Superiore category, additional top-quality tiers exist that are worth knowing as they may point consumers towards some of the most exciting Prosecco wines on the market.

Join our Level 3 Educator and Stage 2 Master of Wine Candidate Brian Browning, as he shares strategies for staying  focused while studying from home, no matter what level or exam you are studying for!

Ice wine, or Eiswein, is sweet wine that is produced from frozen grapes. In areas where it is cold enough, healthy grapes will freeze when it gets below 32 degrees Fahrenheit or 0 degrees Celsius. 

Providing nutrients is critical to maintain a healthy, productive, and sustainable vine which directly correlates to quality grape production. Supplying certain nutrients in appropriate levels encourages photosynthesis, and in turn healthy growth. Macronutrients, and some micronutrients, are necessary to quality grape production by encouraging and sustaining a healthy and productive environment. These essential nutrients can be found in soil and the use of fertilizers can reduce or eliminate deficiencies in the vine and encourage quality grape production.

Beaujolais Nouveau is the first wine of the season, made to be consumed young and fresh. This style of wine is an inexpensive, cheerful wine made to celebrate the end of harvest season.

Climate change continues to be at the forefront of conversation around the world. Scientists and governments are working aggressively to understand how and why this is happening and ways humans can adjust to a warming global climate. In the wine world, this has been a major concern in how fruit will develop, evaporation of water, and even determining wine regions and boundaries

Whether you are looking for your first job in the industry, or looking to change it up, there any many different jobs out there. 

An organized and realistic study plan is one of the most important building blocks to successfully completing your course.