Import Source: InDesign

Sulfur dioxide, or SO2, has many benefits in winemaking and has been added to wine for centuries to act as a preservative. When you add SO2 to your wine, part of it

Varietal wines are great, but there is only so much that can be done when working with a single grape variety. To create a truly complex wine, try blending multiple varieties that

You are already proud of the wine you made, but when it comes time to share or gift your wine, you want to be proud of the packaging too. Use these tips from label design pros to get you started.

Here are some of the best wine kit-related questions we’ve received from readers. Now, on to the questions! QUESTION: A kit I received as a gift instructs me to start fermentation at

In large wineries, functional spaces are usually separated. There may be a crush pad, one or more fermentation rooms, and a cellar or cave for barrel aging. Most of us at home

Is aging wine in a barrel that once held spirits totally off limits? One hobby winemaker made some experimental wines to test it out.

There once was a time when MLF only happened spontaneously in winemaking. These days, however, winemakers have more choices when it comes to performing MLF.

Four pro “Rhône Ranger” winemakers discuss making Rhône-style wines and decisions that work best on the small-scale.

Mourvèdre is a fine blending grape with significant tannins, but don’t overlook the varietal and rosé options.

The choice of bottle closure is a topic that winemakers the world over debate with regularity. Every time a new bottle closure or packaging method comes out (twist off? Glass? Stainless steel

An introduction to sur lie aging and why you may want to consider it for your next batch.

In January, Wes Hagen joined Los Angeles archivist Michael Holland to prune the historic 200-year-old Avila Adobe vine and explore the history of the city’s winemaking. The vine is located inside the courtyard of the oldest building in Los Angeles.

Once upon a time Joel Peterson was a hobby winemaker with dreams of going pro. Today, Ravenswood is one of the most recognizable labels in the world. Find out how he did it, as well as his winemaking philosophy and techniques.

If you’ve done everything right in the winery and your wine tastes great going into the bottle, you might scratch your head when you open that first bottle to find your wine muted and disjointed. Fear not — your wine is likely experiencing bottle shock.

Symphony is a white grape bred from Muscat of Alexandria and Grenache Gris by Dr. Harold Olmo. Grown in California, Symphony grapes are found in many wine kits.

Fermentation by itself is tricky but secondary fermentations for sparkling wines are especially so because your new yeast must fight against existing alcohol (which is toxic to yeast), depleted nutrition, and potentially

Growing grapes is a lot of work. In addition to wildlife, many varieties are susceptible to disease that, if unprotected against, can claim your vines very quickly. Two pros from different regions

Why it is important for winemakers to take notes, and what information should always be recorded.

Hosting a wine tasting party for a handful of friends is one thing, but it’s another to host 150 guests.

An amateur barrel maker shares his advice to build your own wine barrel at home.

Hot new winemaking products hitting the market in 2016.

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.

Like most everything in winemaking, the glib answer is, “It depends.” The real answer, however, is much more complex and as you intimate, experience can play a large part in fine-tuning your

There are many different techniques and styles to choose from when it comes to Chardonnay. Do you want a buttery, barrel-aged Chardonnay or a crisp, acidic one? When weighing your options, use

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