Bottling and Closures Guide
How Long Does Wine Last After Opening? A Guide by Style
Opened wine has no single countdown: compare source-backed storage windows for sparkling, white, lighter red and fortified wines, with the conditions each requires.
Independent Wine Knowledge Guide
Koeppel on Wine
Wine explained from vine to bottle: varieties, aging, closures, labels and what happens on the bottling line.
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VARIETIES & STYLES
Wine Explained
Grape varieties, styles, tannins, acidity, and aging, explained clearly without tasting-note jargon.
Explore Guides →SEALING SCIENCEBottling & Closures
Corks, synthetic stoppers, screw caps, oxygen management, and sealing mechanics on the line.
Explore Guides →WINERY OPERATIONSLabels & Filling
Wine label rules, mandatory statements, and the filling and labelling steps at a winery.
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Wine Explained
What Is Wine Sediment Made Of? Crystals, Pigments and Lees
Wine sediment can contain tartrate crystals, pigments, tannins or yeast-containing lees. Compare the groups and the limits of identifying them by appearance.
Labels and Filling
Estate Bottled vs Single Vineyard: Two Different Wine Label Claims
Estate bottled is a defined US wine-label claim. Single vineyard is not defined in the TTB texts read here. Compare grape source, control and premises.
Wine Explained
Unfined vs Unfiltered Wine: Processes, Clarity and Label Limits
Unfined names a fining-agent step and unfiltered names a physical filter. AWRI pages read on October 11, 2026 keep the two apart. A clear glass does not prove either one.
Labels and Filling
Wine Vintage Dates: Harvest Year, Bottling Date and Unknowns
A wine vintage date is the harvest year on a US label. Separate it from bottling, release and an unknown date, and leave a missing bottling date blank.
Labels and Filling
The 75-85-95 Wine Label Rule: What Each Number Actually Measures
What the 75-85-95 wine label rule measures: US TTB minimums for a grape variety, a place name and a vintage year, with two hypothetical labels.
Labels and Filling
Champagne vs Prosecco vs Cava: Methods, Labels and Closures
How Champagne, Prosecco and Cava differ in where they come from, how the bubbles are made, what Brut or Extra Dry means in grams per litre, and why the bottles are sealed differently.