A team led by Penn State scientists has developed a way to chemically characterize and identify individual tannins — water-soluble compounds found in both wood and grape skins — in wine that come from oak barrels and contribute to its flavor profile.

The deeper, more inescapable force is climate change: a slow, uneven, and increasingly visible transformation of where grapes can ripen, how wines taste, and whether many classic regions can remain stylistically coherent. In regions such as Rioja, higher-altitude...

These expert-approved spots are worth a stop when you visit Napa Valley. Plus, where to stay and eat between tastings.