Pests and Pathogens: The Other Threats Every Vineyard Has to Watch Smoke gets the headlines. Flooding gets the dramatic photos, which is why we’ve already covered them. But ask any grower what actually keeps them walking the rows week after week, and the answer is usually smaller and quieter: insects and fungal spores. These pressures don’t arrive as a…

Every winemaker will tell you the same thing: wine starts with water. Not just rain and irrigation, but the whole relationship between a vine’s roots and the moisture in the soil beneath them. Too little water and the vines shut down, struggling to ripen fruit. Too much, and the vines can drown, rot, or fall prey to disease. At Katy…

  Decoding the Label: A Guide to Wine Quality Levels in Spain and Portugal If you’ve ever stood in a wine shop squinting at a Spanish or Portuguese label, you’ve probably noticed a cluster of letters — DOCa, DO, DOC, VR, IGP — and wondered what any of it actually means. The good news: once you understand the logic behind…

Ever stared at a German or Austrian wine label and felt like you were trying to solve a cryptic crossword? You’re not alone. For decades, these regions have used a mix of tradition, sugar levels, and private club acronyms to tell us what’s in the bottle. But as of 2026, the game has changed. We’re moving away from the old…