Articles

If a barrel isn’t in your immediate winemaking plans — or if your barrel has been filled so many times it has become neutral in oak character — there are many other options on the market in the forms of oak alternatives. Get to know the options to see which may be best for your cellar.

Riesling is one of the noble grapes of Germany and can produce a wide array of complex white wines. Learn some of the key elements and techniques that winemakers can utilize when crafting wine from these grapes.

The Wizard explores the many sensations that tasters experience as a wine goes from grapes, through fermentation, and into the early stages of aging; in order to be a better judge of a wine’s character when finished. Also, a reader has a question about properly adding acid to a barrel.

Owning your own oak barrel can yield great rewards when handled properly. We asked the advice of two professionals that know what it takes to care for a new barrel and keep them in tip-top shape.

Many winemakers and wine drinkers can get stuck in the mentality that wine is only made from Vitis vinifera grapes, and any other additions or deviations from this platform is a clear step down. But there is a whole world of wines outside of vinifera grapes.

Q How do I get copper sulfate in accurate diluted food grade form? I would like to treat 5 gallons (19 L) of stinky fruit wine to get rid of the rotten

The the purpose of this project was to minimize oxygen and achieve longer shelf life on fruit wines. One trick commercial folks use to increase shelf life is packaging under a vacuum.

Live Chat with Jason Phelps, which took place on February 13, 2019.

Get the latest winemaking news, products, and events happening in the hobby (& professional) world.

Q I am a novice home winemaker and have been contemplating making the move from carboy and bottle-aging to barrel-aging some of my reds. It is my understanding that a new barrel

Q I have been making red Zinfandel wine at home with juice concentrate. I‘ve noticed crystals forming inside and they stick to the bottle. When you shake the bottle they disappear, but

Q I have a question about sanitizing. I just mixed a fresh batch of potassium metabisulfite (1.5 oz. powder to 1 gallon water) to sanitize my equipment, and this latest batch has

People tend to stick to the familiar and pleasurable in life, and while there’s nothing wrong with enjoying your favorite Chardonnay or Zinfandel on a regular basis, remember the last time you

Live Chat with Bob Peak, which took place on January 16, 2019.

Want to plant grapevines, but not necessarily enough to warrant a full-scale trellis and all the work and expense that goes along with it? Here are two alternative DIY projects for small-scale vineyards.

Volatile acidity (VA) is a flaw that can ruin the aroma of a wine. Explore what exactly VA is, why it is such a problem, and techniques to avoid VA in the future.

View all of the winning labels from WineMaker’s 19th annual label contest.

Perfect for after-dinner treats, dessert wines are some of the most complex wines in the world. Get tips for making your own icewine, Sherry-style, and Port-style wines at home.

If you’ve ever visited Burgundy, France, then you likely know all about how important pairing the right wine and food dish are. Here, we share recipes for a three-course meal as well as their perfect pairings for your Burgundian-style wines.

Home winemakers are living in the golden age of the hobby. One reader sits down to reflect on the great resources that are available to those of us who appreciate the joys of crafting wine at home.

For viticulturalists, the time between budbreak and bloom is often a time to let the vines do their thing. But Wes Hagen explains that a little maintenance and care in this growth phase can save grape growers lots of time and hassle later in the year.

Sémillon is a grape variety that is used to produce some of the great white wines of Bordeaux. Learn about what makes this grape so versatile and one that breaks the conception that white wine should be consumed young.

Learn key tips to avoid common winemaking pitfalls.

A reader wonders about the usefulness of gum arabic in their winemaking process. The Wiz also talks about chilled red wines, the ups and downs of Pinot Noir, and increasing mouthfeel in your wines.

Live Chat with Alex Russan, which took place on December 12, 2018.