The Wine Lab
A sciency podcast series about wine, chemistry, flavor, smell and everything in between hosted by wine and sensory scientist, book worm and food aficionado, Andreea Botezatu.
- Update frequency
- every 5 days
- Average duration
- 9 minutes
- Episodes
- 12
- Years Active
- 2025
From Bark to Bottle: The Cork Chronicles
Cork is everywhere in the world of wine, from the quiet of a cellar to the noise of a celebration. But how did this small stopper come to influence the way wines age, the rituals of ope…
Sweet Lies and Dry Truths: Sugar in Wine
Is wine really “full of sugar”? What about those “zero sugar” labels, or the idea that wine is keto-friendly? In this episode of The Wine Lab, Andreea breaks down what you need to know…
Wine in Art – From Ancient Gods to Pop Culture
Wine shimmers across the history of art: painted on Egyptian tomb walls, poured into Greek amphorae, celebrated in Roman mosaics, lifted in Renaissance chalices, and glowing in Impress…
Headaches, Hipsters, and the Myth of Sulfite-Free Natural Wine
In this episode of The Wine Lab, host Andreea Botezatu unpacks the misunderstood world of sulfites in wine — what they are, what they do, and why that warning label exists. From antiox…
The Oldest Wines Ever Discovered – Stories from the Ancient World
From Neolithic pottery shards to golden amphorae sealed for millennia, the world’s oldest wines tell us more than just what ancient people drank — they reveal how wine shaped trade, rit…
Under Pressure: The Craft and Chemistry of Sparkling Wine. How do the world’s finest bubbles get into your glass? We explore the science, regions, and traditions of sparkling wine.
From royal courts in 17th-century France to today’s celebrations around the world, sparkling wine has captured attention for centuries. In this episode of The Wine Lab, host Andreea Bo…
Native Rebels and Cultured Icons: Yeast in the Cellar - How yeast drives complexity, unpredictability, and style in winemaking.
In this episode of The Wine Lab, we explore the unseen world of yeast—the microscopic winemakers transforming grape juice into wine.
From lab-selected commercial strains to wild, sponta…
Smells Like Wine Spirit: The Science of Aroma
Why does a glass of wine smell like blackberries, jasmine, or freshly cut herbs—when it’s made entirely from grapes?
In this episode, we explore the complex and fascinating science of w…
Malolactic: Magic or Mayhem?
In this episode of The Wine Lab, we swirl through the science of malolactic fermentation (MLF), the process that can soften wine and elevate complexity, but also invite spoilage and ins…
Sour Grapes, Sweet Solutions: How Verjus Could Help Winemakers Beat the Heat
Can a splash of sour grape juice make wines better in a warming world?
In this episode, we explore how verjus—juice from unripe grapes—can improve wine chemistry, reduce alcohol, and en…
Cluster Thinning and Wine Quality: Myth, Method, or Must?
Can fewer grapes mean better wine? In this episode of The Wine Lab, Dr. Andreea Botezatu explores the science behind cluster thinning, a time-honored but hotly debated vineyard practice…
Uncorking Haloanisoles in Wine
We’ve all heard of “corked” wine — but what if that wet dog smell isn’t the cork’s fault at all? In this episode of The Wine Lab, we explore the fascinating and frustrating world of hal…