Commonwealth Wine School

08/31/2026

Hey friends! 👋🍷 We're back with another Region vs. Region wine quiz!

This week, we're heading to the Pacific Northwest for a showdown between two standout wine regions.

Both experience cool nights and produce exceptional wines, but their climates, geography, and terroir create some fascinating differences in the glass. One is known for bold, structured reds, while the other is celebrated for elegant, cool-climate wines.

But can you figure out which region is which?

🍇 Region A: Warmer, drier conditions with a reputation for Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah.

🌧️ Region B: Cooler, maritime conditions and a strong reputation for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Think you know the answer? Drop your guess in the comments! 👇 We'll reveal the two regions and explore what makes their wines different on Thursday!

08/28/2026

What makes Champagne’s soils so special?

Champagne is famous for its chalk, but the region’s geology is much more diverse.

Chalk dominates areas such as the Côte des Blancs and parts of the Montagne de Reims. Its porous structure provides excellent drainage while holding water that vines can access during dry periods.

Travel through the region and you’ll also find limestone, marl, clay and sand. In the Côte des Bar, Kimmeridgian marl—a combination of limestone and clay—plays an important role.

A simple way to remember Champagne’s soils:

Côte des Blancs — chalk + Chardonnay
Montagne de Reims — chalk and limestone + Pinot Noir
Vallée de la Marne — clay, marl and sand + Meunier
Côte des Bar — Kimmeridgian marl + Pinot Noir

Champagne is not one soil, one grape, or one terroir. Its diversity is part of what makes the region so fascinating.

What to learn more? Join our October Champagne Specialist class in Boston and San Francisco 🍾

08/27/2026

Thursday Answer Reveal! 🍷✨

The answer to this week’s wine grape quiz is… Montepulciano 🇮🇹🍇 — the rich and approachable Italian red grape known for its deep color, juicy fruit, and smooth character.

Most famously grown in Abruzzo, Montepulciano thrives in the region's warm, sunny climate, producing wines with flavors of black cherry, blackberry, plum, violet, and earthy spice, balanced by moderate acidity and soft-to-medium tannins.

Its best-known expression is Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, while the more structured Colline Teramane offers greater depth and aging potential. The grape is also used to make Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo, a vibrant, deeply colored rosé.

And here's the fun part: Montepulciano the grape has nothing to do with the Tuscan town of Montepulciano! Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is primarily made from Sangiovese, not Montepulciano. Same name, completely different wine story!

Montepulciano is a great reminder that Italian wine can be bold, flavorful, approachable, and incredibly food-friendly. Did you guess correctly? 👏🍇 Let us know!

08/27/2026

08/26/2026

We loved meeting people at TexSom, tasting spectacular wines, sharing some wine trivia, and pouring blind wines. We’re already excited about next year. Hope to see you there. Thanks to the organizers James Tidwell and Amie Hendrickson and all the for the fantastic event. And thanks to Vineyard Brands, Wine Australia, Gregory + Vine, Grandes Pagos de España and the German Wine Collection for your lovely wines. They showed beautifully at the table!

08/26/2026

Preparing for your WSET Level 3 exam? Start small.

Don’t overwhelm yourself by trying to tackle the entire textbook at once. Begin with just 10 pages a day. You can even break it down into two manageable sessions: 5 pages in the morning and 5 pages in the evening.

Build the habit first. Once you’re consistently reaching that goal, move on to the next stage of your exam preparation.

Small steps. Consistent progress. Stronger results.

Good luck with your WSET Level 3 exam, and stay tuned for more exam tips from Commonwealth Wine School!

08/25/2026

Happy National Whiskey Sour Day! 🥃🍋✨

A perfect balance of spirit, citrus, and sweetness, the Whiskey Sour is a classic cocktail for a reason. Its simple recipe showcases how just a few ingredients can come together to create something beautifully balanced.

Want to learn more about the spirit at the heart of this classic cocktail? Explore whiskey, distillation, and the world of spirits through Commonwealth Wine School's WSET Spirits Certification classes.

Cheers to classics worth knowing—and sipping! 🥃

08/24/2026

Hey friends! 👋🍷

This week, we’re heading to Italy to discover a red grape known for its deep color, juicy dark fruit, and smooth, approachable character. Think black cherry, blackberry, plum, and a touch of earthy spice.

This grape is especially associated with Abruzzo, where it produces rich, food-friendly reds that offer plenty of flavor without overwhelming tannins. It also shares its name with a famous Tuscan wine town—but they are NOT the same thing!

🍇 Can you guess the grape? Drop your answer in the comments! 👇

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08/21/2026

Harvest 2026 in Napa Valley is shaping up to be a story of lower yields but exceptional quality.

This year’s crop is estimated to be about 30% lighter in many vineyards, largely due to rain during flowering, which contributed to poor fruit set and shatter.

The good news? The fruit that made it through is in pristine condition. With smaller yields and beautiful, healthy clusters coming into the wineries, winemakers across the valley are optimistic about the quality of the 2026 vintage.

Less fruit, but potentially an exceptional year in the making.

NapaValleyWine

08/20/2026

Answer Reveal — Napa Valley vs. Sonoma

Hey friends! The answer to this week’s Region vs. Region wine quiz is… Napa Valley 🇺🇸 vs. Sonoma County 🇺🇸! 🍷⚔️

While these neighboring California wine regions are close in distance, their climates, geography, and terroir create distinctly different wine styles.

☀️ Napa Valley is best known for powerful, structured Cabernet Sauvignon. Its warm, sunny climate, mountain influences, and diverse soils help produce wines with ripe blackcurrant and blackberry, rich texture, firm tannins, and excellent aging potential.

🌫️ Sonoma County has greater influence from the Pacific Ocean, with cool temperatures and coastal fog creating ideal conditions for varieties like Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Its wines often show bright acidity, fresh fruit, elegance, and distinctive terroir.

Although both regions produce exceptional wines, Napa is often associated with power and structure, while Sonoma is celebrated for freshness, diversity, and cooler-climate expressions. 🍇✨

Fun fact: In some areas, Napa and Sonoma are only a few miles apart—but the Pacific Ocean's influence can create surprisingly different growing conditions! 🌊🍇

So, did you guess correctly? 👀👏
Which would you choose: Napa's bold Cabernet or Sonoma's elegant Pinot Noir?

See you next week for another Region vs. Region showdown! Happy Tasting! 🥂✨