Articles

Making mozzarella is fast and easy once you get the hang of it. Here is an easy guide to get you going to mastering the art of making your own soft mozzarella. Your caprese salad will never be the same…

Q I’ve heard that a lot of wineries are using ozone for their sanitation programs. I make about ten barrels of wine a year — should I buy an ozonator machine? Bernice

Video Live Chat with Bob Peak, which took place on January 27, 2021.

Q I have been making wine at home for the past five years and my friends tell me I am pretty good! They like my wine and I thought about starting to

Twenty years ago his dad was featured here in the pages of WineMaker magazine. But now that he has joined the ranks of home winemakers it’s his turn to talk about his drive to make his own wine.

Have you ever visited a vineyard and wondered, “How did they do that?!” You know the place, where all the vines seem to be in sync and healthy. Wes found such a hobby vineyard and decided to interview the green thumb.

After years of making wine in various locations throughout my house out of necessity and lack of a dedicated space, I recently had to evaluate my process. For years I fermented grapes

It’s been said for ages — making wine is a balance of science and art. Today, however, we’re going to focus on art. That is, the art that wraps our precious bottles

Firstly let me define what I mean by “big batch” for this discussion. Let’s say a big batch is anything larger than a 6-gallon (23-L) carboy of wine. Many home winemakers begin

Making mead with fruit is a creative journey. What fruits and combinations you use, where and when you use them in the process, and what attributes of the fruit you work to express are all creative choices. Unlocking the secrets of all these different choices is the key to being able to mix them up to create your own hits.

Similar to a varietal like Malbec, Carménère has come to be identified with the wine growing regions of South America, but this grape actually was one of the classics of Bordeaux. Chik Brenneman explains the history of this varietal and how to tame this grape when it gets temperamental.

Sometimes we get several questions that revolve around a similar theme. The Wine Wizard had several questions this go-round on volatile acidity and malolactic fermentation. She provides some specifics for winemakers who have bigger picture problems on their hands.

Using egg whites Q I’m making a white wine and want to add egg white to help with the fining before my last racking. Is there any information on how to do

Live Chat with Alex Russan, which took place on December 18, 2020.

Live Chat with Chik Brenneman, which took place on November 19, 2020.

From August 21 to 23, 2020, a total of 2,519 different wines were judged at the Lincoln Family Summer Estate at Hildene in Manchester, Vermont. This year’s judging was postponed three earlier

Explore the additives and fining agents common in commercial wine production and available to home winemakers. These tannin additives and fining compounds may be used to modify the quantity of different phenolic species, and thus impact the color, bitterness, and astringency of the treated wine.

This past August, experienced judges evaluated a total of 767 wine kit entries as part of the overall 2020 WineMaker International Amateur Wine Competition that had a grand total of 2,519 entries.

Answers to 15 of the most common questions winemakers ask about making wine from kits.

Port wines are famous for being able to last for decades, even centuries. But what about a failing country fruit wine that a winemaker tries to save by fortifying it? Here is a story of being reunited with such a wine 36 years later.

Grenache Blanc is a grape from the northwestern region of Spain and, as the name implies, has evolved from Grenache Noir. Chik Brenneman provides instructions on making this grape shine, starting in the vineyard and taking it through to bottle.

A winemaker asks for some pointers on when to test for sulfite on their wines using their new sulfite testing kit. Also, learn about curing wine plating, basic equipment required for a winemaker making the jump from kits to fresh grapes, and preparing oak for wine.

Grape skins can be one of the most important components when creating some wines, while being detrimental to others. Scratch the surface of grape skins in this piece.

Q Though most of us think “grapes” when we think wine, I live in Michigan and can’t help but notice that wineries out here make wine out of a lot of other

Live Chat with José Pizarro, which took place on October 22, 2020.