Posts

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  Top 100 Wine Kits of 2021

  There were 499 kit wines judged in the 2021 WineMaker International Amateur Wine Competition. Many of these kit wines received medals and to

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  Turning Kits to Gold

  Wine kits come with all of the necessary ingredients to make a great tasting batch of wine. So how come all of these wines don’t come out

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  Live Chat with Jef Stebben

  Live Chat with Jef Stebben, which took place on October 29, 2021.

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  Spit Or Swallow? Health benefits from spitting wine

  One reader who is also a medical doctor discusses the potential health benefits of wine tasters who swish and spit their wines. It may be on

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  Evaluating Wine: Being mindful of the sensory experience

  Using all your senses when tasting wine is always encouraged by wine evaluation experts, but make sure that you are taking in the whole expe

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  Blaufränkisch or Lemberger: International grape of mystery

  As with many Old World grapes that are grown widely, Blaufränkisch goes by many names. And thanks to its versatility in the winery and cool

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  Uneven Ripening, Sensing Ripeness, and Killer Yeast

  It’s hard to get universal ripening of your grapes in a small vineyard with lots of variability. The Wizard provides some pointers as well

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  Live Chat with Hugo Picard and Anne Flesch

  Live Chat with Hugo Picard and Anne Flesch, which took place on September 27, 2021.

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  2021 WineMaker International Amateur Wine Competition

  An overview of this year’s wine competition, which received nearly 2,000 entries from across the U.S., Canada, and as far away as Australi

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  So, You Want to Go Pro?

  Many hobby winemakers spend evenings sipping their wine and wondering if their hobby could become a profession. If you are serious about it,

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  Distillation 101: When Wine Becomes Brandy

  When your wine is done fermenting, that doesn’t necessarily mean it has to be aged or packaged. Where legal, the next step may be distilli

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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 flip

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  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 incl

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  Distillation Guide

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

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  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 wh

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  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 r

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  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 c

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  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 o

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  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.

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  Live Chat with Dwayne Bershaw

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

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  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 challe

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  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 the

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  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 yo

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  Live Chat with Maureen Macdonald

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

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  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. L