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What Is…? by Winexel

Winexel

The questions everyone secretly has about wine, such as 'What is Chablis?' answered straight, in 10-15 minutes, with no snobbery and no jargon. Hosted by Winexel founder Gavin Jones, joined by wine educator Chris Page and other expert guests. Join the free waitlist at winexel.com.

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S1 · E9
Tuesday · 16 min
What is Napa?
1. WHAT IT IS A small valley in Northern California, about 30 miles long and no more than five miles wide, between the Mayacamas Mountains and the Vaca Range. About 19,000 hectares of vines, roughly a sixth the size of Bordeaux, making only about 4% of California’s wine. Famous for Cabernet Sauvignon, but home to dozens of grape varieties. 2. HOW IT TASTES Cabernet Sauvignon: ripe blackcurrant and cassis, richness and polished tannins. Valley-floor wines are rounder; hillside wines are moreconcentrated, firmer, darker-fruited and longer-lived. Chardonnay ranges from fresh and crisp to rich and buttery. 3. THE LAND Cooler south, warmer north: fog and cool air from San Pablo Bay fade as you move up the valley; summer highs around 27°C in the south,up to 35°C in the north •Four zones: Los Carneros (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, sparkling); Oakville and Rutherford (classic Cabernet); St. Helena and Calistoga (Zinfandel, Syrah, Petite Sirah); the mountains above the fog, Mount Veeder and Howell Mountain • On the label: 17 AVAs (American Viticultural Areas) within Napa Valley, such as Oakville, Rutherford and Los Carneros 4. A LITTLE HISTORY George Yount planted the first vines in the 1830s, and Charles Krug opened Napa’s first commercial winery in 1861. Then Napa was nearly wiped out twice: by phylloxera, then by Prohibition (1920 to 1933). Robert Mondavi founded his winery in 1966, and in 1976 the Judgment of Paris helped put Napa on the map, when Chateau Montelena’s 1973 Chardonnay and Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars’ 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon beat the best of France. 5. FOUR TO KNOW • Cabernet Sauvignon: the star, from the classic heartland of Oakville and Rutherford • Chardonnay: from fresh and crisp in cooler Los Carneros to rich and buttery • Zinfandel: Napa’s first great grape; now about 3%, mostly old vines up north • Merlot: softer than Cabernet; its image was dented by the film Sideways in 2004 6. OUR RECOMMENDED PAIRING • The classic: Napa Cabernet Sauvignon with steak • Also great with: mushroom risotto or hard cheeses; richer Chardonnay with roast chicken, fresher Chardonnay with grilled fish • Names to look for: Robert Mondavi, Beaulieu Vineyard, Louis M. Martini, Duckhorn and Cakebread Cellars 7. FUN FACT Napa has half of the world’s 12 soil orders, an extraordinary range of soils in such a small valley. One reason the same grape can taste so different across the valley. 8. IN A WORD Iconic. A small valley with a world-famous name, from cooler, foggy Carneros to the warm north and the hills.
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S1 · E8
November 4 · 17 min
What is Tuscany?
1. WHAT IT ISCentral Italy’s most famous wine region, home to Florence and Siena, and the heartland of Sangiovese. About 60,000 hectares of vineyards, roughly the size of Rioja, with more than 12,000 producers. 2. HOW IT TASTES Sangiovese: bright red cherry, a savoury edge of herbs and tomato leaf, high acidity and firm, grippy tannins. Medium-bodied, made for food. Coastal Super Tuscans are riper, rounder and polished. 3. THE LAND •Two Tuscanies: the higher, cooler inland hills of Chianti, Montalcino and Montepulciano, and the warmer coast of Bolgheri •The grapes: Sangiovese in the hills; Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot thrive on the coast •On the label: IGT (broadest rules), DOC (stricter), DOCG (strictest); Tuscany has 11 DOCGs and 41 DOCs 4. A LITTLE HISTORY The Etruscans made wine here before the Romans. In 1716 the Grand Duke of Tuscany fixed the boundaries of Chianti, one of the world’s first wine-region laws. Then the rebels: Sassicaia (1968) and Tignanello (1971) broke the rules, were labelled humble table wine, and became the Super Tuscans. 5. THE FOUR TO KNOW •Chianti Classico: at least 80% Sangiovese; look for the black rooster. Annata, then Riserva, then Gran Selezione •Brunello di Montalcino: 100% Sangiovese, released after five years; Rosso di Montalcino is its affordable sibling •Vino Nobile di Montepulciano: at least 70% Sangiovese, named after the town, not the grape •Bolgheri: on the coast, home of the Super Tuscans 6. OUR RECOMMENDED PAIRING •The classic: Chianti Classico with tomato-based pasta or pizza •Also great with: a Florentine T-bone with Vino Nobile or Brunello; game and roasts with Brunello •Names to look for: Frescobaldi, Antinori, Ricasoli and Banfi 7. SAY IT RIGHT Sangiovese = “san-joh-VAY-zeh”. Chianti = “kee-AHN-tee”. Montepulciano = “mon-teh-pool-CHAH-noh”. 8. IN A WORD Savoury. Cherry-bright Sangiovese with a herbal edge and lively acidity, made for the table, not the sofa.
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S1 · E7
October 28 · 11 min
What is Sancerre?
1. WHAT IT IS A place, not a grape: a hilltop town and wine region atthe eastern end of France’s Loire Valley, two hours south of Paris. Its whites are 100% Sauvignon Blanc (about 80% of production); the restis Pinot Noir, for red and rosé. 2. HOW IT TASTES Pale, dry and crisp, with lots of acidity: lime, green apple and grapefruit, and a mineral, sometimes smoky edge. Restrained and elegant, unlike the riper, tropical style of New Zealand’s Marlborough. 3. THE LAND •Location: on the left bank of the Loire, closer to Chablis (about 100 km) than to much of the Loire, which stretches some 400 km west to Muscadet •Soils: three main types. Terres blanches (about 40%): white Kimmeridgian clay-limestone with fossilised oyster shells, giving fuller wines. Caillottes (about 40%): stony limestone, giving finer, fruitier wines. Silex (about 15%): flint, giving a sharper, smoky edge • The appellation: 14 villages, the best known being Chavignol; no hierarchy, so the producer’s name matters most 4. A LITTLE HISTORY Sancerre was a red wine region first. After phylloxera destroyed its vineyards in the 1880s, growers replanted on American rootstock and found Sauvignon Blanc thrived. Pouilly-Fumé was once the better known of the two; today Sancerre is one of France’s most famous whites. 5. SANCERRE AND ITS SIBLING • Pouilly-Fumé: just across the river on the right bank, about half the size; less rivals than “competitive siblings” • Same grape, different soils: both are Sauvignon Blanc, but Pouilly-Fumé’s flint(silex) soils give a smokier, flintier style • Explore further: Pascal Jolivet, our Featured Winery, on the Winexel website 6. OUR RECOMMENDED PAIRING • The classic: Crottin de Chavignol, the local goat’s cheese • Also great with: oysters, grilled white fish, prawns, crab, sushi, and even asparagus, a famously tricky match • Names to look for: Henri Bourgeois, Alphonse Mellot, Vacheron and Pascal Jolivet 7. SAY IT RIGHT Sancerre = “sahn-SAIR”. Pouilly-Fumé = “poo-YEE foo-MAY”. Loire = “lwahr”. 8. IN A WORD Mineral. Sauvignon Blanc with a sense of place: crisp, restrained and shaped by ancient seabed soils.
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S1 · E6
October 21 · 10 min
What is Prosecco?
1. WHAT IT IS A sparkling wine from north-eastItaly, made across nine provinces in two regions, Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia, between Venice and the Dolomites. Prosecco is a protected place name, not a grape: the wine is made from atleast 85% Glera. 2. HOW IT TASTESLight, fresh and fruity: green and yellow apple, pear, peach, citrus and melon, with fresh acidity, moderate alcohol and a light to medium body. Simple, clean and refreshing. 3. THE LAND -Prosecco DOC: about 85% of production, mostly from flatter land -Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG: the steep historic hills where Prosecco began, about 15% of production; a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2019 -Rive: 43 recognised hillside sites within the DOCG, picked by hand -Cartizze: the most prestigious hill, close to Valdobbiadene, the nearestthing Prosecco has to a Grand Cru 4. HOW IT’S MADE The tank method: the base wine has its second fermentation in a sealed, pressurised tank, notin the bottle as in Champagne. This keeps Glera’s fresh, floral, fruity aromas, and makes the wine more quickly and atlower cost. 5. READ THE LABEL Spumante: fully sparkling, atleast 3 bar of pressure; about 90% of Prosecco Frizzante: gently sparkling, about 1 to 2.5 bar Brut: drier and crisper, with more citrus; about a third of production and rising Extra Dry: slightly sweet, fruity and soft; about 60% of production. Yes, Extra Dry is sweeter than Brut 6. OUR RECOMMENDED PAIRING Brut and Extra Brut: oysters, prawns, grilled fish, fish and chips, sushi and sashimi, lighter cheeses, salty canapés Extra Dry: dim sum, mildly spicy Thai and Vietnamese food, Parma ham with melon, fresh fruit, and as an aperitif 7. SAY IT RIGHT Prosecco = “proh-SEK-koh”. Glera = “GLEH-ra”. Conegliano = “koh-neh-LYAH-noh”. Valdobbiadene = “val-doh-BYAH-deh-neh”. Cartizze = “car-T EET -zeh”. 8. IN A WORD Fresh. Prosecco is made to be enjoyed young, cold and without fuss.
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S1 · E5
October 14 · 11 min
What is Margaret River?
1. WHAT IT IS A small but celebrated wine region in the south-west corner of Western Australia, about 300 km south of Perth. It runs around 110 km from Cape Naturaliste to Cape Leeuwin, with ocean on three sides. Its 5,800 hectares of vines make it about a third the size of Napa and a small fraction of Bordeaux: a boutique fine-wine region, not a wine factory. Its Mediterranean climate and cooling ocean winds let the grapes ripen fully while keeping their freshness. 2. A BIT OF HISTORY In the 1960s, Dr John Gladstones’ research showed the area was ideal for premium grapes, especially the Bordeaux varieties. The first vines went in in 1967. The pioneers, Vasse Felix, Moss Wood, Cullen, Leeuwin Estate and Cape Mentelle, are still the region’s great names. Robert Mondavi’s advice to Leeuwin Estate in the early 1970s gave the whole region confidence. 3. THE GRAPES •Cabernet Sauvignon: the signature red. Blackcurrant, black cherry, plum and cedar; fine tannin, fresh acidity, ages well. Often blended with Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot •Chardonnay: the superstar white. Stone fruit and citrus, creamy texture, often oaked; today’s styles are fresher and more refined • Sémillon–Sauvignon Blanc (SSB): fresh and bright, the region’s “sunshine in a glass” 4. OUR RECOMMENDED PAIRING • Cabernet (16–18°C): roastlamb, beef ribeye, venison, mushroom dishes • Chardonnay (10–12°C): lobster, crab, grilled prawns and, above all, local marron, a sweet fresh water crayfish 5. MYTH OR FACT? • Australian Chardonnay is always big, buttery and oaky. Myth: Margaret River makes focused, restrained styles too • Australian Cabernet is huge and alcoholic. Myth: the best are fragrant, fresh and age-worthy • SSB is just a cheap wine. Myth: the best have real texture and complexity 6. WINES TO TRY • SSB: Cape Mentelle • Chardonnay: Vasse Felix; Deep Woods; Leeuwin Estate Art Series (the icon) • Cabernet Sauvignon: Moss Wood; Cullen 7. SAY IT RIGHT Leeuwin = “LOO-in”. Sémillon = “SEM-ee-yon”. 8. IN A WORD Balance. Ripe Australian fruit, with unusual freshness and elegance.
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S1 · E4
October 7 · 13 min
What is Champagne?
1. WHAT IT IS A small, cool region in north-eastern France, 140km from Paris, with 34,000 hectares of vineyards. Only sparkling wine made here can be called Champagne, mainly from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier. 2. HOW IT TASTES Fine bubbles, citrus and green apple, with brioche and toast notes from ageing in the bottle. Crisp and elegant. 3. THE LAND • Montagne de Reims – mainly Pinot Noir • Vallée de la Marne – mainly Meunier • Côte des Blancs – mainly Chardonnay • Côte des Bar - further south, Mainly Pinot Noir 4. HOW IT’S MADE First fermentation – still wines are made, then blended Second fermentation in the bottle – a little sugar and yeast create the bubbles Riddling and disgorging – the sediment is collected in the neck, frozen and removed Dosage – a touch of sugar sets the style, from Brut Nature (driest) through Brut to Doux (sweetest) 5. THE VILLAGES 319 villages may grow grapes for Champagne, each graded from 80% to 100%: • Grand Cru – 17 villages, graded 100% • Premier Cru – 42 villages, graded 90–99% • The rest – 260 villages, graded 80–89% (Anton’s “Mötley Cru”) 6. OUR RECOMMENDED PAIRING Serve well chilled, and open by turning the base of the bottle, not the cork. • Oysters and shellfish – the classic match • Fried and salty bites – tempura, even crisps • Soft cheeses – Brie, or Chaource from Champagne itself 7. SAY IT RIGHT Reims = “Rance”, not “Reams”. 8. IN A WORD Celebration. The wine of every toast – and, as Madame Bollinger showed, of almost every other moment too.
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S1 · E3
September 30 · 11 min
What is Rioja?
1. WHAT IT IS Spain’s most famous wine region, along the River Ebro in the north. Red Rioja is led by Tempranillo, traditionally blended with Garnacha. Look out, too, for white Rioja from Viura: fresh, textured and quietly having a revival. 2. HOW IT TASTES Red cherry and plum when young, moving towards darker fruit as the grapes ripen. The signature is oak: vanilla, coconut and sweet spice, with leather, tobacco and dried fruit as the wine ages. 3. THE LAND • Rioja Alta – high vineyards (around 400–800m), mostly Tempranillo; home to Haro, the main wine town • Rioja Alavesa – the smallest and coolest sub-zone; again Tempranillo-led • Rioja Oriental (formerly Rioja Baja) – lower, hotter and flatter, with fertile soils; more Garnacha 4. THE FOUR STYLES • Joven / Genérico (green) – no minimum ageing; usually young, bright, lively and red-fruit driven • Crianza (red) – two years’ ageing, at least one in oak; fruit with a touch of oak • Reserva (burgundy) – three years’ ageing, at least one in oak; leather and tobacco appear Gran Reserva (blue) – five years’ ageing, at least two in oak; dried fruit and real complexity, usually only made in the best vintages Look for the coloured seal on the back label – it tells you how long the wine has been aged: 5. A BIT OF HISTORY When phylloxera hit Bordeaux in the late 1800s, many of its winemakers moved to Rioja and helped establish the 225-litre barrique. Add Spain’s access to American oak, and the classic style was born. Today over 1.3 million barrels lie aging here. 6. OUR RECOMMENDED PAIRING Match the wine to the weight of the food: 7. SAY IT RIGHT Rioja = “ree-OH-ha.” The Spanish “j” sounds like a soft, breathy “h”. 8. IN A WORD Time. Rioja is the wine that does the ageing for you – and the label tells you exactly how long.
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S1 · E2
September 23 · 11 min
What is Cabernet Sauvignon?
“WHAT IS…?” SERIES Episode 02: “What is Cabernet Sauvignon?” Date: September 23, 2026 Hosts: Gavin Jones with Chris Page Recorded at: Winexel HQ, Hong Kong 1. WHAT IT IS The king of black grapes – the world’s most planted. Thick skins, small berries, deep colour, hardy in the vineyard. Born in Bordeaux, a natural cross of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc. Now grown almost everywhere. 2. HOW IT TASTES Blackcurrant and black cherry, front and centre. A green-pepper, herbal edge; often a hint of mint. Oak brings toast, spice, vanilla – and that famous “pencil lead” or cedar note. Cool climates: fresher, brighter. Warm climates: riper, jammier. With age: leather and dried fruit. 3. THE WINEMAKER’S HAND Climate calls the shots. Cool regions struggle to ripen – hard, bitter tannins – so winemakers blend in Merlot or others to soften, Bordeaux-style. Warm regions like Napa ripen fully: often 100% Cabernet. Big flavour that takes oak in its stride. 4. WHERE IT GROWS – AND WHAT TO BUY 5. A BIT OF HISTORY The Judgment of Paris, 1976 – fifty years ago this year. British merchant Steven Spurrier put top French wines, blind, against California upstarts. Napa won both colours. Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon 1973 beat Château Mouton Rothschild – and the wine world woke up. Retold, with a wink, in the film Bottle Shock. 6. OUR RECOMMENDED PAIRING 7. SAY IT RIGHT Cabernet Sauvignon = “cab-er-NAY so-vin-YOHN.” The “t” in Cabernet stays silent. 8. IN A WORD Icon. The world’s benchmark red – powerful, structured, ageless. Made at every price, found in almost every market. Entry level – Chile’s Central Valley, Pays d’Oc France, South Australia, California’s Central Coast. Inexpensive, easy, a good first taste. Step up – Margaret River, Coonawarra (that signature eucalyptus note), Stellenbosch. Real quality for the money. Top tier – great Bordeaux from appellations such as Pauillac and Margaux, and the finest Napa. Superb, priced to match. Good value tip – affordable Bordeaux (Supérieur, Cru Bourgeois): often Cabernet-dominant, a great window on the grape. A juicy ribeye – tannins slice through the fat. Lamb, game, hearty stews – anything with savoury depth. Mushroom risotto – the vegetarian pick (and great alongside the steak).
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S1 · E1
September 14 · 10 min
What is Chablis?
1. What It Is A place, not a grape. Chablis is a small town in northern France, around 180km south-east of Paris, making wine from 100% Chardonnay. But it's cool-climate Chardonnay - none of the heavy oak and butter the grape was once known for. 2. How It Tastes Crisp lemon, lime and green apple, zesty and bright, with high, piercing acidity, a chalky minerality, and a slight salty kick on the finish. 3. The Soil & Terroir The secret is underfoot. Around 150 million years ago this part of France lay under a shallow sea, leaving soils rich in fossilised oyster shells — the famous Kimmeridgian limestone. That, plus the cool northern climate, is what gives Chablis its unmistakable minerality and saline edge. 4. The Four Tiers The quality ladder, entry to summit: Petit Chablis — younger vines and flatter, cooler sites; fresh and unoaked, made for drinking young Chablis / Village — the classic, around 65% of total production Premier Cru — better-exposed slopes, more depth and concentration Grand Cru — the pinnacle, from the best southwest-facing hillside; around 1.5% of total production 5. A Bit of History First identified for quality by Cistercian monks in the 12th century. The region shrank from 40,000 hectares to just 500 by the 1950s — hit by phylloxera, frosts, and two world wars. Today it stands at around 6,000 hectares of quality vineyards, and the region is in very good health. 6. Our Recommended Pairing Shellfish and white fish — the classic squeeze-of-lemon effect Roast chicken — keep the sauces light Creamy pasta — the acidity cuts right through 7. Say It Right Chablis = shab-LEE. The s at the end stays silent. 8. In a Word Precision. Chablis is the world's benchmark for unoaked Chardonnay — the reference point everything cool-climate is measured against.
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