Video coming soon
Vineyard · 1 min
What is terroir?
Soil, slope, climate and the human habits of a place — explained without the mysticism.
Smart Wine School
Wine words without the nonsense.
One idea at a time, explained in a minute or two, by someone who has made the wine as well as photographed it.
Video coming soon
Winemaking · 2 min
Why does oak matter?
What a barrel actually does to wine, and why new oak is not a compliment.
Video coming soon
Harvest · 1 min
Why do winemakers pick at night?
Cold fruit, clean aromatics and less work for the cellar the next morning.
Video coming soon
Winemaking · 2 min
What happens during fermentation?
Sugar, yeast, heat and time — the least glamorous miracle in wine.
Video coming soon
Wine Language · 2 min
Reading a South African wine label
Wards, districts, vintages and what the small print is legally telling you.
Video coming soon
Wine Regions · 2 min
Cool climate explained
Why altitude, cloud and ocean matter more than latitude in South Africa.
Questions
Wine school FAQ
- Do I need any wine knowledge to start?
- No. Smart Wine School is built for people who enjoy wine and want to understand it. Every lesson starts from zero.
- How long are the videos?
- Most are between one and three minutes. One idea, explained properly, then done.
- Is this a formal qualification?
- No. It is practical wine education intended to make tastings, labels and wine lists make sense.
- Can a wine farm sponsor a series?
- Yes. Sponsored educational content is always clearly labelled, in line with our editorial policy.
Get smart about wine.
New lessons, new winemakers and new regions, sent occasionally.