Articles

Wine competitions aren’t just for bragging rights. Receiving medals is great, but the notes from the judges are often the most important thing to come from a competition, says one decorated winemaker who has continued to hone his craft through the feedback of experienced wine judges.

WineMaker readers recently joined Publisher Brad Ring exploring Spain’s Rioja wine region and either side of the Spain-France border in Basque Country. We share images and an overview from a trip of a lifetime.

Enter your home wine labels into WineMaker’s 26th Annual Label Contest!

There is a reason so many of the pros use oak barrels. Learn about the benefits of a barrel, as well as how to choose the right barrel for you, prepare it for wine, and get the most return on your investment.

Homemade liqueurs are both delicious and incredibly easy to make. Why spend top dollar for liqueurs from the store when you can make ones to your taste at home for a fraction of the cost? We share the techniques as well as six homemade liqueur recipes.

Winemaking clubs offer members opportunities to learn from others and share their passion for making wine with new friends. From feedback on your wines to shared equipment and access to grapes through bulk purchases otherwise out of reach, there is a lot of value in joining a winemaking club.

Armed with a Super Soaker, WineMaker’s publisher learned quickly not to bring a wine-filled water gun to a Spanish wine fight (where the locals show up with full buckets). That didn’t spoil the experience at this year’s La Batalla del Vino.

Fall is the most critical time in the vineyard. Preparing for and executing harvest are paramount. So is the cleanup and vineyard care afterwards. Wes Hagen lays out his advice for fall and winter care in a mature vineyard.

Sauvignon Blanc is one of the most popular white wines worldwide. Where it’s grown has a big influence on the resulting wine, but the winemaker also has a say in the final outcome based on the techniques used in the winery.

The Wizard offers advice on when and how to lower pH. She also suggests a remedy for thin country wines, explains why degree days are only part of the story when selecting grape varieties to grow, and whether chitosan is safe to use if one has a shellfish allergy.

If you don’t have a barrel to put your wine in, then put a barrel alternative in your wine. Two experts share advice for getting the most from chips, cubes, spirals, and other alternatives.

Wes Hagen lays out last-minute advice to maximize this make-or-break day as home viticulturists gear up for harvest.

Buying grapes from a supplier allows access to varieties from regions of the world that would otherwise be inaccessible to home winemakers. We lay out seven critical points to consider before making your purchase.

Going directly to the source to buy your grapes from local vineyards allows home winemakers to work with grapes harvested the same day, though it requires a lot of legwork at the quantities amateurs are after. Get advice to make the task easier.

Interested in trying a new type of fermentation? Try your hand at three easy-drinking, low-alcohol drinks that hit the spot in the summer sun or after a long day of harvesting: Tepache, ginger beer, and kefir soda.

Local wine professionals, industry experts, and top winemaking hobbyists gathered in the birthplace of American wine — Charlottesville, Virginia — to lead days of seminars and events at the 2024 WineMaker Magazine Conference.

The Wine Wizard fields questions on eliminating (and avoiding) browning in red wines, malolactic fermentation test strips, and techniques for making wine from maple sap.

Black Muscat first gained popularity in France and is gaining steam in California due to its great aromatics and versatility. Whether turning it into a red table wine, dry rosé, dessert wine, or even grappa, Black Muscat is a unique grape to consider.

Wine and coffee have a lot in common. Variety, growing conditions, terroir, and technique in the process of turning the raw material into the beverages we start our mornings with or end our evenings with play a huge role in the final outcome. Brothers who make wine and roast their own coffee found a unique way to combine the two with wine-infused coffee.

With so many wine certification programs available, how do you know which may be the best fit for you? We break down some of the differences in four of the most popular.

View the winners from the 2024 WineMaker International Amateur Wine Competition.

You can make wine from just about anything. From dandelions and roses to ferns and parsnips, we share advice and recipes for wine from flowers, ferns, and root vegetables.

Looking to enjoy some of your homemade wines a different way? Try using them as ingredients in wine-based cocktails! We share tips and recipes to make cocktails that are sure to be a hit at gatherings.

Pinot Grigio is often an introductory white wine for consumers — light, refreshing, though unremarkable. That doesn’t have to be the case, though! Learn from winemakers across the world how they craft Pinot Grigio that will rival any white wine’s complexity.

After pressing grapes for wine, a home winemaker decided seven years ago to add the pomace to their fresh-pressed apple juice to learn the impact it would have on cider production. They’ve continued this experiment every year since, with some variation, and are sharing the results.