* Wine consumtion dates back thousands of years.   People are supposed to enjoy red wine at room temperature but “room temperature” in a castle was 55-60 degrees, much cooler than your home!   It is best to serve red wine at 55-60 degrees because the heat (alcohol) is not as prevalant.

* Pinot Noir is arguably the toughest wine grape to grow.   After the movie Sideways, Pinot Noir exploded in popularity!   Pinot production went up, and many wineries in areas with less than optimal conditions for Pinot Noir started producing it anyway.   With so much Pinot on the market these days, it is more important than ever to look at regions and make sure you are getting good juice!

* French and Italian wines are made to be paired with food.   Drinking a Barolo without pairing it with a delicious Italian dish does it an injustice.  New World (Americas, New Zealand, Australia) wines are much more approachable on their own.

* The older the wine, the more important it is to decant it – let it breathe before consuming it.

* Prior to swirling the glass, wine is like a rose that hasn’t opened yet.   Swirling the glass opens up the aromas of the wine.

* Which country has the largest per capita wine consumption?  ITALY!

* Grape vines are capable of producing grapes for more than 100 years.

* Drinking a glass of red wine per day is scientifically proven to benefit your health