No-Fuss Guide · Every Monday
Grape of the week
Every Monday, one grape: where it comes from, three wines to start with and one word from the glossary. This week's is right below; the ones from past weeks, further down.
Malbec
Malbec is a red grape that makes very dark wine, leaning toward purple, with aromas of plum and blackberry and full body.
Read about the grapeTo start with, three price ranges (in Brazil)
- Trapiche Vineyards Malbecup to R$ 60checked Sep 2026
- Bodega Norton Malbec D.O.C.R$ 100 to 150checked Sep 2026
- El Enemigo MalbecR$ 200 to 300checked Sep 2026
Where most of its labels come from
Argentina · 280 labels with MalbecMendozaDesert, Andean snow and Malbec: the province with 7 of every 10 hectares of Argentina's vineyards.
Word of the week
- Corpo (body)
- The wine's “presence” in the mouth, from water (light) to whole milk (full-bodied).
Touriga Nacional
Touriga Nacional is the red grape Portugal shows off.
Read about the grapeTo start with, three price ranges (in Brazil)
- Esporão Alandra Tintoup to R$ 60checked Sep 2026
- Porto Ferreira Tawny PortR$ 100 to 150checked Sep 2026
- Quinta do Crasto Crasto Superior RedR$ 200 to 300checked Sep 2026
Where most of its labels come from
Portugal · 134 labels with Touriga NacionalDouroThe home of Port wine and full-bodied reds, planted on stone terraces in northern Portugal.
Word of the week
- Varietal
- A wine from (practically) a single grape, which carries its name on the label: Malbec, Chardonnay, Tannat…
Merlot
Merlot makes a soft red with ripe fruit and gentle tannin: it grips your mouth far less than Cabernet Sauvignon.
Read about the grapeTo start with, three price ranges (in Brazil)
- Concha y Toro Reservado Roséup to R$ 60checked Sep 2026
- Salton TalentoR$ 100 to 150checked Sep 2026
- Almaúnica Super Premium Quatro Castas BlendR$ 200 to 300checked Sep 2026
Where most of its labels come from
Brazil · 72 labels with MerlotSerra GaúchaSparkling wine, Merlot and an Italian accent: the home of Brazil's first wine DO.
Word of the week
- Food pairing
- A suggested match between food and wine. A suggestion. The jury is your palate.
Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon Blanc is the grape behind the white that wakes up your mouth: light body, high acidity and a smell that recalls passion fruit, lime and cut grass.
Read about the grapeTo start with, three price ranges (in Brazil)
- Mateus Brancoup to R$ 60checked Sep 2026
- Casillero del Diablo Sauvignon Blanc (Reserva)R$ 60 to 100checked Sep 2026
- Rutini Sauvignon BlancR$ 200 to 300checked Sep 2026
Where most of its labels come from
Argentina · 18 labels with Sauvignon BlancMendozaDesert, Andean snow and Malbec: the province with 7 of every 10 hectares of Argentina's vineyards.
Word of the week
- Acidez (acidity)
- What keeps a wine lively and makes your mouth water. High acidity = an “electric” wine, great with food.
Tinta Roriz
Tinta Roriz, Aragonez and Tempranillo are the same grape.
Read about the grapeTo start with, three price ranges (in Brazil)
- Miolo Seleção Cabernet Sauvignon-Tempranillo Roséup to R$ 60checked Sep 2026
- Porto Ferreira Tawny PortR$ 100 to 150checked Sep 2026
- Casa Ferreirinha Barca Velha Douroover R$ 300checked Sep 2026
Where most of its labels come from
Portugal · 99 labels with Tinta RorizDouroThe home of Port wine and full-bodied reds, planted on stone terraces in northern Portugal.
Word of the week
- Guarda (vinho de guarda: a wine to age)
- Made to improve with years in the bottle. A tiny minority: most wines are born to be drunk young.
Carmenère
Carmenère is a red grape that makes dark-colored wine with ripe fruit and a green touch reminiscent of bell pepper.
Read about the grapeTo start with, three price ranges (in Brazil)
- Santa Rita 120 Reserva Especial Carmenèreup to R$ 60checked Sep 2026
- Casillero del Diablo Carmenere (Reserva)R$ 60 to 100checked Sep 2026
- Almavivaover R$ 300checked Sep 2026
Where most of its labels come from
Chile · 33 labels with CarmenèreColchagua ValleyThe valley of Chilean reds: Cabernet and Carmenère at its heart, fresh whites near the sea.
Word of the week
- Filoxera (phylloxera)
- The American aphid that devoured the roots of Europe's vineyards at the end of the 19th century. The cure was grafting the European vine onto resistant American rootstock: almost every vineyard in the world is like that to this day. Chile escaped.
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon makes a dark, full-bodied red with firm tannin, the kind that gives your mouth a slight squeeze.
Read about the grapeTo start with, three price ranges (in Brazil)
- Quinta de Bons-Ventos Roséup to R$ 60checked Sep 2026
- Salton TalentoR$ 100 to 150checked Sep 2026
- Viña Vik Winery La Piu Belle RoséR$ 200 to 300checked Sep 2026
Where most of its labels come from
Argentina · 73 labels with Cabernet SauvignonMendozaDesert, Andean snow and Malbec: the province with 7 of every 10 hectares of Argentina's vineyards.
Word of the week
- Tanino (tannin)
- The astringency that “grips” the tongue, like strong black tea. It comes from the skin, the seeds and the wood. It mellows with time in the bottle and fatty food. Guide →
Syrah
Syrah is a red grape that makes very dark wine, with ripe fruit, firm tannin and, often, a smell of black pepper.
Read about the grapeTo start with, three price ranges (in Brazil)
- Esporão Alandra Tintoup to R$ 60checked Sep 2026
- Casa Geraldo Syrah do Gato ReservaR$ 100 to 150checked Sep 2026
- Viña Vik Winery La Piu Belle RoséR$ 200 to 300checked Sep 2026
Where most of its labels come from
Portugal · 38 labels with SyrahAlentejoHot plains, soft reds full of fruit, and talha wine, made in a clay pot.
Word of the week
- Casta / cepa (grape variety)
- Casta is what Portugal calls the grape (“castas Touriga Nacional e Tinta Roriz”). Cepa, in Argentina and Chile, is the vine, and on the label it means the grape too. Both mean variety.
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is the white grape that changes outfits depending on the winery.
Read about the grapeTo start with, three price ranges (in Brazil)
- Miolo Seleção Chardonnay-Viognierup to R$ 60checked Sep 2026
- Casa Valduga Sur Lie NatureR$ 100 to 150checked Sep 2026
- Casa Valduga 130 Special Edition Blanc de BlancsR$ 200 to 300checked Sep 2026
Where most of its labels come from
Brazil · 72 labels with ChardonnaySerra GaúchaSparkling wine, Merlot and an Italian accent: the home of Brazil's first wine DO.
Word of the week
- Barrica (barrel)
- The oak barrel. New wood marks a wine heavily; old wood, hardly at all.
Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Franc makes a lighter, more perfumed red than its famous daughter, Cabernet Sauvignon: less color, less weight, more aroma.
Read about the grapeTo start with, three price ranges (in Brazil)
- Peruzzo Cabernet FrancR$ 100 to 150checked Sep 2026
- Mosquita Muerta Blend de TintasR$ 150 to 200checked Sep 2026
- Almavivaover R$ 300checked Sep 2026
Where most of its labels come from
Argentina · 26 labels with Cabernet FrancMendozaDesert, Andean snow and Malbec: the province with 7 of every 10 hectares of Argentina's vineyards.
Word of the week
- Pirazina (pyrazine, the green pepper)
- The green-pepper smell of certain Cabernets, Carmenères and Sauvignon Blancs. It comes from a molecule in the grape (methoxypyrazine) that fades with sun and ripening: lots of green pepper usually means grapes picked early.
Touriga Franca
Touriga Franca is the most planted red grape in the Douro, in Portugal, and yet few people know its name.
Read about the grapeTo start with, three price ranges (in Brazil)
- Mateus The Original Roséup to R$ 60checked Sep 2026
- Porto Ferreira Tawny PortR$ 100 to 150checked Sep 2026
- Casa Ferreirinha Barca Velha Douroover R$ 300checked Sep 2026
Where most of its labels come from
Portugal · 115 labels with Touriga FrancaDouroThe home of Port wine and full-bodied reds, planted on stone terraces in northern Portugal.
Word of the week
- Porto (Port)
- The fortified wine of the Douro, in Portugal: halfway through fermentation, grape spirit goes in, stops the yeast and leaves the grape's sugar in the wine. Sweet and strong (around 20% alcohol). Ruby and tawny, LBV and vintage are the styles. Region →
Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir is the pale red with light body, little tannin and a smell of strawberry, cherry and raspberry.
Read about the grapeTo start with, three price ranges (in Brazil)
- Portada Winemaker's Selection RoséR$ 60 to 100checked Sep 2026
- Valmarino & Churchill Champenoise Natural Extra BrutR$ 150 to 200checked Sep 2026
- Casa Valduga Maria Valduga Brut Vintage Espumanteover R$ 300checked Sep 2026
Where most of its labels come from
Brazil · 57 labels with Pinot NoirSerra GaúchaSparkling wine, Merlot and an Italian accent: the home of Brazil's first wine DO.
Word of the week
- Método tradicional (traditional method)
- Second fermentation inside the bottle: fine bubbles, notes of bread and brioche. More expensive to make; it's the Champagne method.
Grape of the week, week by week
Every Monday, a new grape on the home page; the ones from past weeks stay here. Tap a grape to see its wines.
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