Articles

As a veteran winemaker, some of the initial joys of winemaking begin to fade, however as the winemaker understands more about the process and becomes more in tune with the wine, the potential for new astonishments arise.

You can never be too prepared in your winery when the grapes come in from harvest. Follow our guidelines for crush and press success.

When I started graduate school at UC-Davis in 1995, one of my first classes was a seminar series. Being the first session of the academic year, a round of introductions started the

In the final installment of our year-long series, the wines are bulk aged, oaked, and bottled.

A reader shares plans for his homemade wine press.

A Texas winemaker wanted to indulge a friend who has always wanted to make his own wine by buying a wine kit as a birthday gift. But little did she know all the choices she would need to make before settling on the right one!

You may have noticed the “orange wines” that have been popping up on trendy wine lists lately. These are white wines that are purposely exposed to skin contact and oxidized to produce wines that are quite orange in appearance.

Winemakers have to decide how long to macerate their grapes to make the best wine. But how? Too little skin contact and the wines can lack color or body; too much contact and you wind up with wines that are too bitter or astringent. Learn more about skin contact to make an informed decision.

Pat Henderson, Chief Winemaker at Sonoma County, California’s famed Kenwood Vineyards, shares some universal winemaking advice that he has learned over the course of his more than 35 commercial vintages, and from his early years as a hobby winemaker.

It is so wonderful to have such friends and colleagues at WineMaker magazine who keep inviting me back to speak at the annual conference (and I am looking forward to San Diego,

One of the most important measurements a winemaker must stay on top of from the time grapes begin to mature in the vineyard through the end of fermentation is degrees Brix. Brix,

A reader shares his journey down the road he traveled to produce a sacramental wine for his church. The lessons he learned during the production is of interest for all winemakers.

Most winemakers can trace their roots of making wine to either wine appreciation or their family. When the Milam family purchased a house with an established vineyard, the two themes combined, pushing the family from enophiles to dedicated vineyard managers and winemakers.

For one week in October, portions of California’s wine country were up in flames in what has been deemed the state’s most destructive and costly fire. Beyond the toll it took on countless families whose homes were destroyed and lives uprooted, questions also arose regarding the fire’s impact on the 2017 vintage.

All good things must come to an end . . . and that includes your winemaking equipment. Let’s run through the signs of when it’s time to replace equipment, when it can be restored, and how to best preserve it for a few more seasons.

Who says you need fresh apples to make ice cider? With a few adjustments, you can make this dessert-style cider from frozen apple juice concentrate (of course, you can add fresh juice too, if you like).

Produced from just a mother vine, grapevine clones are intended to assure growers the grapes produced will have a predictable characteristic. But is it really that simple? Wes Hagen weighs in on why clone selection may not be as important as varietal selection.

Sometimes, a wine you believed would be balanced during fermentation comes up a little short after fermentation is complete. Learn what you can do to restore it to an order of balance with these post-fermentation adjustments.

Many of your favorite winemaking retailers bring in grapes, juices, must, and wine kits from Chile, Argentina, and South Africa. Get to know these wine regions and the grapes they are known for as we prepare for the spring Southern Hemisphere harvest.

Can’t get your hands on the type of fresh fruit you seek for your next batch of wine? Consider making fruit wine from puree. There are many options available and the process is simple.

Although the best part of visiting a winery is the wine, I have to admit I love spending time in or near the actual vineyard. A vineyard in full leaf with beautiful

There are two common options to choose between when it comes time for home winemakers to press their grapes. Take time to weigh the benefits of a basket press and bladder press before the fall harvest and determine which one best suits your winemaking needs.

Do you know the difference between organic, biodynamic, and natural wines? Learn what differentiates each term, plus ways to cut down on the chemicals in your winemaking process.

Sure, what’s inside the bottle may be the most important part of winemaking, but the presentation of your homemade wines tells others that your wine is important to you, that you’ve spent

Tannat grapes are synonymous with highly phenolic and tannic must. Learn about this grape’s storied past and how to hit the sweet spot in the vineyard and the winery to tame this potent grape.