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The many wines of Chardonel

Chardonel, as the name implies, has Chardonnay as one of its parents and is used to make similar wine styles. Its popularity is largely along the East Coast and Midwest regions of the United States, but its wines stand up against those from any region.


Crafting Age-Worthy White Wines

A common perception about wine is that red wines should always be aged and white wines are intended to be consumed young. I won’t call this a total misconception — it is


Irrigating the Home Vineyard

Explore the three most common methods of irrigating a home vineyard, some of the more common myths surrounding watering grapevines, and if you need to even irrigate in the first place.


Lessons from Somms Who Make Wines

These three world-class sommeliers have taken the leap from designing restaurant wine programs and recommending bottles to growing grapes and making award-winning vintages of their own.


A Year in the Life of a Wine: Part I Starting in the vineyard

In the first installment of our new year-long series of how a homemade wine is made from homegrown grapes, we check in with the grapes at a most critical time — harvest.


Choosing Your First Wine Kit

Looking to buy your first wine kit? Here’s what you need to know before you start shopping.


A One-Vine Vineyard

After receiving little faith from his family, a man sets out to prove that he can make wine from the sole vine growing on their property. And so started a new hobby.


Brettanomyces

If you’ve ever tasted a wine that had a funky “barnyard” quality to it, you already know what Brettanomyces can do. Find out how to prevent it in your home winery.


2017 Wine Label Contest Winners

Here are the winners from the 2017 Label Contest.


Offbeat Reds

Getting sick of the same old Cab? Try a red wine that’s more out of the mainstream, like Carménère, Charbono, Dolcetto, Montepulciano, or Tinta Cão.


Year in a Life of a Wine: Part III (Testing & Adjusting)

In the third installment of our year-long series about how homemade wine is made using home-grown grapes in Upstate New York, we check in on batches of red, white, and rosé wines happily fermenting away.


Make Your Own Wine Vinegar

Winemakers spend a lot of time and effort preventing acetic acid from ruining good wine. But to make wine vinegar, Acetobacter is actually your friend. Find out how to make some wine vinegar at home.


Touriga Nacional

I was a late bloomer when it came to seeing the world. It wasn’t until 10 years ago that I had the opportunity to start traveling internationally. Despite growing up in an


Protein Stabilization

Get hot tips for protein stabilization.


Pirate Wines in Colorado

Robert Archibald was asked to make the wines for his daughter’s wedding. But there was a catch — the wines had to pair with the pirate theme of the happy couple’s big day. Ahoy matey, that sounds like a challenge!


Better White Blends

There are lots of reasons to try blending white wines, such as adding complexity, correcting a deficiency, or simply making something fun and new. Find out more about which white grapes work well together, and how to plan the perfect blend.


Year in a Life of a Wine Part V (Cellar Work)

In the fifth installment of our year-long series about how homemade wine is made using home-grown grapes in Upstate New York, the wines are put through malolactic fermentation and cold stabilized.


Sourcing Grapes from Vineyards for Home Winemakers

Sourcing fresh grapes directly from a grower can be a fun and rewarding experience for home winemakers. Get some tips for making the most of buying grapes straight from the vineyard.


Using a Hydrometer

Learn the basics of how and when to use a hydrometer in your winemaking process.


Pinotage in the Spring

Spring is here, and that means a new winemaking season is upon us! A couple of experienced winemakers share the joys that come with making wine from South America and South Africa, as they recall their recent experience making Pinotage wine from South Africa last spring.


Moving Wine with Pumps

Wine is frequently transferred or “racked” into another vessel to leave the byproducts of the process (known as lees) behind. If you make larger batches of wine at home, using a pump can make this process easier.


Balance in the Vineyard

Balance in a vineyard is defined as a vine that has enough leaves to ripen a small to moderate crop load. To achieve that goal, a good vineyard manager needs to pay close attention to what’s happening among the vines this time of year.


Creating Balanced Wine

There are many components in wine that all need to work together to create balance. Find out how to juggle acidity, alcohol, residual sugar, tannins, color, flavor components, and more.


Year in the Life of a Wine: Part IV (Good Fermentations)

In the fourth installment of our year-long series about how homemade wine is made using home-grown grapes in Upstate New York, it’s time to check on finished fermentations and prune the grapevines.


Cellaring Wines

Learn the basics of how and where to age your homemade wines.