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Live Chat with Dwayne Bershaw

Click on this link to view the recorded video of the Live Chat: https://www.crowdcast.io/c/21rykkt93bod


Live Chat with Frank Renaldi

Live Chat with Frank Renaldi that took place on September 28, 2023.


2023 WineMaker Magazine Conference Recap

Hundreds of home winemakers came to Eugene, Oregon, from June 1-4 for our 2023 WineMaker Magazine Conference. The conference featured local professional Willamette Valley winemakers, WineMaker writers, industry experts, and top hobbyists leading more


Rooted in History: Craft Your Own Alsatian-Style Wines

The Alsace Valley produces some of the world’s finest wines. Get pointers on making wines like the Alsatians.


Causes and Treatments for Volatile Acidity

Winemakers always need to pay special attention to the possibility of rising volatile acidity and ways to stem its effects.


The Sacramento Home Winemakers turn 50

Fifty years ago, a group of home winemakers in the Sacramento, California, area decided to make an official club dedicated to their hobby. In 2023, they celebrate their golden anniversary and want to raise a toast to mark the occasion.


Irrigation systems and strategies

Not all wine grape growers need to irrigate, but for those that do there are options available. Get a primer on what those strategies look like and some pointers to get going in the right direction.


Graciano

A grape variety that has recently garnered a following thanks to its tannic structure and ability to retain acidity in warm climates, Graciano was traditionally a blending grape. But when made into a varietal wine, it can show impressive complexity as well.


Screw-top Bottle Closures, Aging Temperatures and Blueberry Woes

A winemaker has saved up a bunch of commercial screw-cap bottles and wants to know what cork size fits best in that style of bottle. Learn why it is not a good idea to cork those bottles. Also get advice on aging wine temperatures and volatile acidity in blueberry wine.


Time for Class

Whether you are considering a career in winemaking or just want to further your knowledge, a formal education in enology and viticulture has its benefits. Here is what you should know before you enroll.


Finishing Wines with a Secondary Fermentation

Most red and some white wines are put through a secondary malolactic fermentation (MLF). The process converts malic acid to lactic acid, which smooths out harsh flavors while adding a richness on the palate, as well as contributing to the stability and aging potential of the wine. Learn when a wine should go through MLF, how to do it, and ways to test for it.


Practical Sulfite Management

The use of sulfites in wine — how much, or even if used at all — remains a contentious subject. WineMaker’s Technical Editor shares his own simple yet practical approach to sulfite management that works every time.


Call of the Wild

Wild fermentations can often bring a level of complexity to a wine not always found using commercial Saccharomyces strains. But the tradeoff for that complexity is higher risk. What if you could introduce the good microbes of a wild fermentation to your wine without the risk? There are techniques, along with new isolated non-Saccharomyces yeasts, that can do just that.


Live Chat with Maureen Macdonald

Live Chat with Maureen Macdonald that took place on June 28, 2023.


Family Business

When an amateur winemaker notices that his 6-year-old daughter is taking a keen interest in his hobby, he happily opens the door to his winery. Join in on a family winemaking adventure.


Cabernet Doré

A new flock of hybrid grape varieties in the market is turning heads, not only for their disease and cold tolerance in the vineyard, but also in the winery for the qualities that they can carry to the bottle. Meet Cabernet Doré.


Balanced, Low-Alcohol Wines and Reducing Water Consumption

There has been growing interest in reduced alcohol wines in recent years as the health benefits and caloric reduction is lauded by the medical world. The Wine Wizard offers tips to a home winemaker looking to produce their own lower-alcohol wine. Another winemaker is trying to find ways to reduce their water usage in the winery.


Bottle Capsules

Wine bottle capsules can take many forms. Reader Nicholas Cozzarelli takes us on a tour of the various kinds and how they are applied.


2023 WineMaker Amateur Wine Competition Results

2023 WineMaker Competition Results are in! From April 21 to 23, 2023, a total of 1,718 different wines were judged at the Grand Summit Resort at Mt. Snow in West Dover, Vermont.


Live Chat with Pat Henderson

Live Chat with Pat Henderson that took place on May 26, 2023.


¡Vamos Vendimia!

WineMaker readers and Publisher Brad Ring recently spent a week exploring beautiful wine regions in Chile and Argentina during harvest. We recap and share
pictures from the adventure.


Making Dessert Fruit Wines

If you have access to fresh fruit and a sweet tooth, then dessert-style fruit wines should be in your winemaking repertoire. An award-winning winemaker shares his secrets.


Award-Winning Fruit Wines

We share recipes and advice for four gold medal-winning fruit wines made by top amateur winemakers. Instead of just waiting for the grape harvest to roll around this fall, try your hand at one of these unique fruit wine recipes.


Sweet Finnish

When a home winemaker moves to Finland and finds that the grape winemaking he has come to know and love isn’t feasible there, he turns to the next best thing . . . berry winemaking. Now he is making waves on a global scale.


Water Works: Assessing irrigation needs

Not every location needs to irrigate their vines every year, but for those that do, advanced planning is key. Here is a walk through the factors that need to be considered when establishing a vineyard and irrigation needs.