WSET’s 3 Minute Wine School is a seven-part series hosted by internationally renowned wine communicator Amelia Singer DipWSET. It covers a range of key topics, from what makes a great vintage to why oak is used in winemaking. Subscribe to our channel and follow the whole series to help you feel more confident exploring and tasting wine.
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The 3 Minute Wine School series was produced in association with SommTV.
How do vines grow?
While you may be familiar with images of neat rows of vines in beautiful vineyards, a wild grapevine is actually quite unruly! In episode one, we explain how, with a little human intervention, vines can be tamed to produce great grapes for making fantastic wines.
What is the lifecycle of a vine?
If you've ever wondered what happens in a vineyard throughout the year, in episode two, we explain what happens to the vine, from showing its first buds and flowers to producing ripe grapes ready for harvest.
Why is oak used in winemaking?
Making oak barrels is a very specialist job, carried out by a 'cooper'. New oak barrels are incredibly expensive, so why is oak traditionally used in winemaking? In episode three, you'll also learn how oak wine barrels are made and how oak changes a wine's aromas and flavours.
What makes a good vintage?
When you look at the label on a bottle of wine, you’ll normally see a year. This is known as the vintage. It refers to the year that the grapes were picked. In episode four, we'll discuss the factors that determine the quality of a vintage and what makes one vintage better than another.
How does geography affect a wine's style?
Geography and wine are closely linked. In episode five you'll discover how where grapes are grown, and how they are able to ripen, determines so much about how a wine tastes.
What determines the colour of a wine?
While we are all familiar with red, white and rosé wine, have you ever wondered what makes them so different? In episode six you'll learn how winemaking techniques are used to create such an array of colours.
How are traditional method sparkling wines made?
Simply put, sparkling wine is a wine that has bubbles! Although there are different techniques for creating sparkling wines, some of the best-known, such as Champagne and Cava, are made by a process known as the traditional method.