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Winemaking from Down Under

Australia produces a lot more than Shiraz and budget wines with kangaroos on the label. Get an inside look at how Aussie winemakers are flipping the reputation of the wines from Down Under, with tips for creating their most touted styles in your home winery.


Making Mulled Wines

As autumn rolls into winter, it’s time to heat things up with mulled wine. A holiday tradition around the world, mulled wines usually include spices, citrus fruits, and wine served hot to take the chill away.


Distillation Guide

Check out the following programs and equipment to start your journey down the path to distilling.


Going Pro: Is the time and money worth It?

In our annual Reader Survey, hobby winemakers looking to go pro usually account for about 1 in 5 readers. Here is the story of one couple who made the leap and some of the details about how they’re making it work.


Flexible Frontenac: Making a case for this hybrid

Scattered throughout the Upper Midwest and Rockies, Frontenac wines are making waves as winemakers learn to coax a lot of flavor from this red grape. Chik Brenneman offers several tips and tricks to working with this hybrid varietal.


Preserving Oak Barrels, Oversulfited Wine, Film on a Carboy, and Beginner Tips

What is the best way to store oak barrels that don’t have wine in them? Get the answer from the Wine Wizard, as well as her advice for a case of oversulfited wine, removing white film from a glass carboy, and five tips for a rookie winemaker.


Honey-Based Wines

The earliest known alcoholic beverage uncovered on Earth was a mead from northern China. Get familiarized with the great and storied world of honey-based wines.


Live Chat Roundtable with Christina and Frank Musto and Frank Renaldi

Live Chat Roundtable with Christina and Frank Musto and Frank Renaldi, which took place on August 26, 2021.


Live Chat with Dwayne Bershaw

Live Chat with Dwayne Bershaw, which took place on August 3, 2021.


Save The Wine! An endurance challenge

Winemakers are known to sacrifice a lot in their pursuit to craft a quality wine. One winemaker found herself faced with an endurance challenge worthy of the show “Survivor” in order to save her babies (wines).


Maceration Considerations

As harvest nears it is time to make a plan of action for how you will proceed with each batch you plan to make this fall. With red wines there are many options. We take a closer look at cold soaking, extended macerations, and carbonic macerations.


Making Sausage at Home

Looking for another hobby that can enhance your passion for winemaking? Try making your own sausage! Not only does sausage pair well with your wines, but you can even use your wine in the recipes.


Live Chat with Maureen Macdonald

Live Chat with Maureen Macdonald, which took place on June 24, 2021.


The Alcohols

Ethanol may be the most prominent and well-known alcohol in wine, but it is not the only one to play a large role in a wine’s character. Learn about the various alcohols in wine.


The Illustrious Chardonnay: Fine-tuning the classic

The king of the white wines, Chardonnay can be expressed in a wide array of styles. Chik Brenneman takes readers on a journey through this grape’s story and tips to creating his favorite version of wine from Chardonnay grapes.


Top Me Off, Rules of Fining, and Achieving Cold Stable Wines

Get some pointers and considerations a winemaker needs to keep in mind when topping off your aging wine vessels. The Wizard also answers questions on fining agents and malolactic fermentation after cold stabilizing a wine.


DIY Bird Net Applicator

Bird netting is essential to protect your precious grapes form birds after veraison. However, anyone with their own backyard vineyard knows how difficult it can be to apply the netting and also role it up compactly for storage after harvest. With that in mind, a home winemaker came up with two DIYs to make the tasks easier.


Live Chat with Pat Henderson

Live Chat with Pat Henderson, which took place on May 26, 2021.


Sur Lie Aging

Aging wines on the lees can add aromatic complexity, soften tannins, enrich mouthfeel, protect it from oxygen, feed malolactic bacteria, and add longterm stability. Learn how to get the most from sur lie aging, and techniques for removing, storing, and reusing lees.


Rosehip Wine: My crown of thorns

A common sight in the coastal communities throughout the northeastern part of the U.S. and Canada, rugosa roses produce a rosehip that is commonly made into jam. One adventurous spirit opted to try making wine with it.


Maturation Intervention

No matter how much attention we give a wine, sometimes it will disappoint when tasted for the first time during aging. It may not be faulted, just lacking a desired characteristic. That’s when it is time to intervene. Qualities like flavor, aroma, body, color, or even tannins can all be improved with a little help.


Pét Projects

Pétillant-naturel sparkling wines — which are bottled prior to the conclusion of fermentation — are having a moment. Without any required riddling, disgorging, or extended aging, pét-nats are a perfect fit for home winemakers to try when getting into sparkling wines.


7 Country Wine Recipes

Fruit wines are generally the first thing to come to mind when we hear “country wine,” however the term is much more encompassing than that. We share seven recipes from Jack B. Keller Jr.’s new book release Home Winemaking: The Simple Way to Make Delicious Wine that illustrate just how broad an array of ingredients the term includes.


The ABC’s of MLF

If you make your own wine, no matter what kind, the concept of malolactic fermentation (MLF) should be well embedded in your mind. Learn some of the basics of MLF.


Bold Brianna: A strong and healthy grower

Elmer Swenson’s grape breeding program has had a profound effect on the North American wine scene. One such grape to come from his program is Brianna, a grape that required an estimated 93 crosses to produce. Learn about this grape’s heritage as well as how to best work with it.