Hogshead

A modern hogshead, quite a bit larger than a small barrel, holds 79.25 gallons (300 liters). Winemakers use hogsheads when they want the wine to be less stamped by oak, as may be the case with such delicate varieties as sangiovese and pinot noir.

The wire cage that holds a sparkling wine cork onto the neck of the bottle is called a:

A. Birdcage

B. Stall

C. Helmet

D. Muzzle

Known in French as a muselet or muzzle, the wire cage that holds a Champagne or sparkling wine cork in place is very important in opening a bottle of bubbly safely. The muzzle should not be removed before the cork is eased out. Rather, the muzzle should be loosened (about 6 turns will loosen it), and then the wire removed with the cork at the same time.

“Context is wildly underrated when it comes to enjoying wine. Where we are, whom we’re with, what time of year it is, what we are eating, when in the wine’s life—and ours—we are drinking it, and even how we are drinking it all influence our perceptions of wine.”

—Tyler Colman
A Year of Wine: Perfect Pairings, Great Buys, and What to Sip for Each Season

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