Articles
Practical Advice For Oak Chips and Volatile Acidity
MEMBERS ONLYQ I am using Flextanks and oak chips for my wine and am really liking the results. However, I put the oak chips in loose and they clog up the tubing and pump when I rack. I was thinking of making some bags out of mesh to put the oak chips in, but was wondering
2022 WineMaker International Amateur Competition Results
FREEFrom April 22-24, 2022, a total of 1,772 different wines were judged at the Mount Snow Grand Summit Lodge in West Dover, Vermont. This year’s competition was again the largest wine competition
Live Chat with Pat Henderson
MEMBERS ONLYLive chat with Pat Henderson, which took place May 25, 2022.
Four ‘Cellos
MEMBERS ONLYLimoncello is the most popular citrus-flavored liqueur, but they can be made from other citrus fruits as well. Learn to make four citrus liqueurs: Limoncello, limecello, arancello, and mandarincello.
White Wine Case Study
MEMBERS ONLYAs an agricultural product, the steps to make that perfect wine may be unique every year due to differences in the fruit. The most challenging growing seasons really force winemakers to test their skill as they face tough, on-the-fly decisions. One winemaker takes us behind the scenes during one such vintage.
Fruit & Grape Blends
MEMBERS ONLYWhen a wine comes up lacking, the solution may just be blending a totally different type of wine with it. Grape wines and wines made from other fruits often have complementary characteristics that lend themselves as a key ingredient in the other.
2022 Wine Education Guide
FREELooking to advance your winemaking knowledge? Check out these wine education programs to start your journey down the path to a higher education in winemaking and the business of wine.
Boysenberry Wine: My “out-of-season” winemaking adventures
FREEA winemaker and his brother team up to create a boysenberry wine. Join along on their adventure to crafting the perfect summer sipper.
Cayuga White: Get hooked on its feeling
MEMBERS ONLYA hybrid grape that came out of Cornell University’s breeding program in the 1970s, Cayuga White has found great success while being made into a wide array of wine styles. Learn about its qualities plus a recipe to craft your own at home.
Malolactic-palooza and The Importance Of pH
MEMBERS ONLYMalolactic fermentation can be finicky even for professional winemakers, but there are protocols winemakers can follow to help avoid the headache (and heartache). Learn those along with best practices for a post-fermentation acid adjustment.
Stone Fruit Wines
FREEAlso known as drupes, stone fruits offer some advantages over some other types of fruit for making wine. Learn some basics of making stone fruit wines.
Live Chat with Wes Hagen
MEMBERS ONLYLive chat with Wes Hagen, which took place April 25, 2022.
Live Chat with Jenne Baldwin-Eaton
MEMBERS ONLYLive chat with Jenne Baldwin-Eaton, which took place March 29, 2022.
Making Muratina Wine
FREEA group of wine lovers in Kenya turned to traditional winemaking when the world around them slowed to a crawl and imports of wines from Europe and the U.S. nearly stopped. Check out the story of muratina wine — a wine made from a potentially poisonous fruit.
Non-Conventional Yeast: Tailor-made solutions for new challenges
FREEMany of us in winemaking were trained to trust Saccharomyces yeast and not leave our wines to chance with wild strains. But winds of change are in the air and yeast companies are now turning to many non-Saccharomyces yeasts for certain purposes.
DIY Netting Applicator
MEMBERS ONLYVineyard netting is often critical to protect your grapes from birds and other predators; however, applying and removing it can be a real pain. Here is a solution for home winemakers with a utility vehicle that allows netting to mostly be installed by just one person without the net ever touching the ground.
Kimchi
MEMBERS ONLYAmong the few bright spots caused by the worldwide pandemic is that many people stuck at home got into home fermentations — and those aren’t limited to beverages. Kimchi is a Korean dish that gets the mouth watering and can spice up just about any dish. Learn how to make your own!
La Vie En Dry Rosé
MEMBERS ONLYPink wines may have gotten a bad rap due to sweet versions that dominated in the 80s and 90s, however, dry rosé is becoming more and more popular among winemakers and consumers alike. Whether a dry rosé was always the goal or you have grapes that better suit pink than red wine — we’ll supply the advice to craft an excellent summer sipper.
Inert Gases for Winemaking
FREEThere are four gases often used in winemaking, each with its own unique advantages. Learn what sets carbon dioxide, argon, nitrogen, and beer gas apart, and which is best for each chore where gas can be of assistance in the home winery.
Malvasia Bianca: A Greek grape that has gotten around
MEMBERS ONLYA grape of Mediterranean origins, Malvasia grapes spread throughout the region under the umbrella name. Get the scoop on this unusual family of grapes and the variety brought to North America under the title Malvasia Bianca.
Fermentation Completion, Vinegar Storage Space and Cantaloupe Wine
MEMBERS ONLYA winemaker is left scratching their head when a wine that seemingly has fermented dry is still producing bubbles. The Wizard also provides suggestions for vinegar storage and the possible cause of odd-colored speckles on a cantaloupe wine.
Live Chat with Jason Phelps
MEMBERS ONLYLive chat with Jason Phelps, which took place February 24, 2022.
Live Chat with Bob Peak
MEMBERS ONLYLive chat with Bob Peak, which took place January 26, 2022.
Gold Anniversary: Celebrating 50 years of fine winemaking
FREEFifty years ago a hobby winemaker decided to “go pro” by opening his own home winemaking supply shop. To attract customers, he started a winemaking club. The Purple Foot Wine Club is still going strong and wants to raise a toast to mark the occasion.
Bonarda Argentine Or Douce Noir or Charbono . . .
MEMBERS ONLYGrape varietal names can be a confusing world, typically because one grape varietal may have over a dozen names based on location. But in this case, one grape name has an array of grape varietals. Get the scoop on Bonarda Argentine, one whose history is finally making sense thanks to DNA analysis.