One of the most frequent questions we are asked from readers and customers alike is, "What is the best way to preserve a bottle of wine after it is opened?" The issue comes up more frequently than ever as 1 spouse may drink red and the other white, or one spouse may not drink wine at all. While half bottles are a great option there is only a small subset of bottlings that are done in alternative formats like halves.

While we sell a number of different devices for pumping oxygen out of the bottle we find these to be of questionable usefulness, so we harken back to our time working in wineries and what we used then to not only keep tasting room bottles fresh overnight, but also what winemakers do to keep the ageing wine preserved in the barrel. At the wineries barrels and bottles are topped with Argonne, which is an inert gas that is heavier than oxygen therefore "pushing" the oxygen up off the wine and preserving it.

At wineries Argonne and other gases used in production are stored in huge tanks, not practical for home use, so for consumers we recommend Private Preserve for keeping your wine overnight. This product is a mix of Argonne and Nitrogen, both inert gases and both heavier than oxygen. It comes in an aerosol can and holds 120 applications for $12. It works better than any of the other devices we sell and will gain you an additional 24-48 hours of freshness on an open bottle of wine.

Another frequent question we get is about the names of grape varietals from around the world, and which ones are the same or different. Here is a quick rundown on varietal names that can help you navigate wine choices:

• Syrah and Shiraz - same grape.

• Petite Sirah is not related to Syrah at all, it is much closer to Cabernet Sauvignon in DNA tests.

• Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio - same grape, stylistically different.

• White Burgundy same as Chardonnay.

• Red Burgundy same as Pinot Noir.

• Mourvedre and Mataro - same grape.

• Zinfandel and Primitivo - same grape although there is some disagreement in the wine world about them being exactly the same.

• Grenache and Garnacha - same grape.

• Malbec and Cot - same grape.

One final note on grape varietal names and their presence on a label, in the United States for a bottle to be designated with the varietal name like Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay or any other grape type the wine must be a minimum of 75 percent of that varietal. Wineries are not required to disclose the remaining blend.

The exception is the state of Oregon, which requires 95 percent varietal composition to be designated on the label.

One "old school" question we get asked from time to time is on the "legs" wine displays in the glass and whether this is an indication of quality. The short or perhaps not so short answer to the question is no, the best indicator of quality is your own palate and the judgment it imparts. For a long time "legs" or the stream of wine down the side of the glass after swirling the wine or after taking a drink was mentioned by wine writers as indicative of quality. Technically though "legs" are only an indication of alcohol levels in the wine; the higher the alcohol the thicker or heavier the "legs" are on the glass. For some of us higher alcohol may equate to higher quality but we will leave that up to each individual consumer.

We always welcome your question either in the shop or via email and will continue to work to answer them on a regular basis here in the column. If you need an answer more urgently, give us a call here at the shop, stop by or consult your favorite wine professional.

If there is a topic you would like to read about or questions on wine you can email George@thedinnerpartyshop.com or make suggestions by contacting the Healthy Community section at the Coeur d'Alene Press.

George Balling is co-owner with his wife Mary Lancaster of the dinner party - a wine and table top decor shop in Coeur d'Alene by Costco. George is also the managing judge of The North Idaho Wine Rodeo and is the wine editor for Coeur d'Alene Magazine (www.cdamagazine.com). You can learn more about the dinner party at www.thedinnerpartyshop.com. You can get all of these articles as well as other great wine tips by friending us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/#!/dinnerpartyshop.