Articles
Growing Rhône: Varietals to try in your backyard
An overview of the Rhone varieties you may be able to grow in your own backyard.
Chenin Blanc: The taste of terroir
Viticulturists in the Loire Valley tend to describe its flavor as an expression of the terroir of the land.
Prepping Your First Barrel
Tips for beginners on how to prepare their first barrel.
Vineyard Q&A (2012 Edition)
Wes Hagen answers your home vineyard questions.
Your First Mead
Tips for brewing your firs batch of mead.
Home Winery Names
What’s in a name? If it’s a homewinery, it could be almost anything. Home winemakers explain their winery’s name.
Cabernet Sauvignon: The king of red wine grapes
Cabernet Sauvignon is known for making some of the world’s most robust red wines.
You, the Connoisseur
Tim Vandergrift on you, the “connoisseur.”
Vigor in the Backyard
Vineyard vigor and how to keep it under control to grow the best grapes possible.
Gewürztraminer
Alsace vineyards are tucked into the predominantly east facing slopes of the Vosges Mountains . . .
Volatile Acidity
An introduction into volatile acidity (VA) and how to avoid it.
WineMaker Turns 15
A look at the numbers from 15 years of WineMaker magazine.
15 Grapevines to Try in Your Vineyard
Celebrating 15 years, here’s 15 grapes you should consider growing!
Cabernet Franc: The “other” Cabernet king
Cabernet Franc is thought to have originated in Southwest France, specifically in Libournais.
Choosing Your First Fermenter
Explore the options for your first fermentation vessel.
The Telling Room
An excerpt from Michael Paterniti’s new book THE TELLING ROOM: A Tale of Love, Betrayal, Revenge and the World’s Greatest Piece of Cheese.
Joining a grape growing community
Spending time with fellow amateur grape growers can improve your own vineyard.
Pinot Gris/Grigio The name says it all, or does it?
Unknown to the science at the time, these genetic mutations were first noticed hundreds of years ago in Burgundy, France, where the mutants grew side by side, and sometimes within the same plant as Pinot Noir.
Preparing Country Fruit
How should fruit be prepared before using it to make country wines? Let’s have a look…
Wine in Cómpeta
A New World home winemaker retires to Spain and gets in touch with the Old World ways of winemaking.
Chambourcin: A vigorous, dark hybrid
. . . (Chambourcin) does get a little more respect than other hybrids because of its ability to improve color in other wines without taking away from the other grapes’ varietal character . . .
Determining Ripeness
How do you know when it’s time to pull the trigger on harvest? Here’s an introductory look for your first harvest.
Questions in the Vineyard
Wes Hagen answers your home vineyard questions
Torrontés: An alternative to the common whites
I was particularly drawn to Torrontés because of the Muscat-like flavors, but another reason was because of the challenge it presents from a winemaking perspective . . .
What’s that in my Kit?
An introduction to what you’ll find in your first wine kit.
