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I am new to homemade winemaking and I want to begin making Port-style wines.
FREEWelcome to the wonderful world of fortified winemaking! Making Port-style dessert wines is really fun. One of the side benefits of making these types of wines is that fortified wines are typically
I recently bottled a batch of Cabernet Sauvignon, which tastes fine but has an off odor.
MEMBERS ONLYI wish I could help you out with your off-odor issue a little bit more than I think I’ll be able to. Because you didn’t include many details about what your off odor smells like or any analysis or many winemaking details, it’s tough to diagnose from afar and help you treat this problem or
Tannin Myths and Methods
MEMBERS ONLYFrom modern wine chemistry labs to your home winery — what is known about tannins and how can winemakers control their impact on their wine? Research is debunking many widely-held beliefs about tannins, but there are still proven ways to get the structure you desire without excessive bitterness or astringency. Here’s a quick summary of
Seyval Blanc
FREESeyval blanc (say-VAHL blahnk) is a hybrid, the product of intentional breeding to blend and express desirable traits from the parent vines. And unfortunately, hybrids often get no respect in the world
Sensory Perspective
MEMBERS ONLYNot long after I got started making wine I realized I was relying more than I had expected on core sensory concepts like sight, smell and taste to guide my winemaking activities. I say that it was more than I had expected, but in fairness I hadn’t thought much about it. I’ve been cooking passionately
Are there any fruits that are taboo in country winemaking? What tests should I do to ensure nobody becomes ill from my country wines?
MEMBERS ONLYI wouldn’t worry too much about anyone getting sick from your wines as long as the water you use is clean and the alcohol is above 10%. As a professor of enology at UC-Davis used to always say in class, “No human pathogen can survive in wine.” Essentially this means that since wine (and she
How do you know if it’s too late to add MLF?
MEMBERS ONLYBefore you set about making any major changes to this wine, make sure that when you taste you are not tasting a sample that has a lot of dissolved carbon dioxide gas in it. Tiny bubbles can be refreshing in a white or pink wine, but they can contribute to a sense of sharpness and
Buying Fresh Grapes
FREEIf you are lucky enough to live on the West Coast of the United States, near a winegrowing region, getting grapes is relatively easy. However, living on the East Coast — or anywhere that is not near an established viticultural area — does not mean you cannot get quality wine grapes. Here are some keys to success when buying grapes shipped from a distant location.
Understanding Yeasts
FREEWithout yeast, there can be no wine. But the role of wine yeast goes well beyond alcoholic fermentation — the biochemical process of converting sugar into ethyl alcohol and carbon dioxide. Yeast
Choosing A Wine Yeast Strain
FREEYeast selection is one of the most important winemaking decisions as the chosen yeast strain is, to a large extent, what shapes the wine, influences organoleptic (sensory) qualities, and reduces the risk
Urban Growth: Dry Finish
FREEChris Henry in his San Diego “Urban Microvineyard.” The yard looks great. What are those?” inquires a woman from the sidewalk, looking in the direction of my four vibrant green grapevines. “Those
What is the film forming inside my bottles?
MEMBERS ONLYI am making wine from my own grapes in Alpine, California and have noticed that occasionally a light film forms on the inside of some bottles. I am very meticulous about keeping my winemaking area clean and sanitary. The bottles I use, if new, get a light sulfite rinse prior to bottling. If they are
Can I recondition old corks?
FREEI have a number of novelty corks I brought back from Europe in 1960. They haven’t been used since then, so they are quite dry. Can anyone tell me if there is
Non-Grape Blends
MEMBERS ONLYCountry (non-grape) wines can be combined to create a blend that is better than the sum of its parts. More and more savvy winemakers are discovering an unexpected similarity between grape and non-grape wines. The best wines are invariably blends. A great many varietal grape and non-grape wines lack depth, breadth and complexity. Blending not
Urban and Suburban Vineyards
MEMBERS ONLYGrowing grapes on a farm isn’t easy. Even with tractors, spray rigs and workers to help, sometimes I feel overwhelmed by all the issues that arise during the growing season. Just when we think the frost season is over, the vines burst forth with a growth spurt and we’re behind on shoot positioning. The moment
Being a Wine Judge
MEMBERS ONLYWhen I was first asked to interview a certified wine judge at the 2011 WineMaker International Amateur Wine Competition, the largest competition of its kind, I will admit that I felt a little intimidated, and it was my first time attending the event. Nevertheless, I donned an apron and sheepishly carried my first flight of
Can I Reduce Tannins in a Wine Kit Without Aging?
MEMBERS ONLYIt seems to me like your Carmenère is a candidate for one of the “Wine Wizard’s” cheapest, easiest and most favorite ways to improve a tannic wine; egg white fining! What could be simpler (or more traditional) than grabbing an egg or two from the fridge. Egg whites are mostly made up of a pure
Can I Salvage an Oak Barrel if I Burned a Sulfur Stick While the Barrel Was Wet?
MEMBERS ONLYI think your barrels should be salvageable. Since you fished out the sulfur stick and are aware that you might have some residual sulfurous acid hanging about, you’ve already won half the battle; you know you need to do something to neutralize any acid in there. I would imagine you could get rid of most
Making Ice Cider
FREEA good ice cider balances the line between tart and sweet and there is more than one way to produce them. Get the cold facts to making ice cider at home.
Tannin Chemistry
FREESoft, silky, velvety, youthful, puckery, aggressive, harsh, bitter, astringent: These are all adjectives used in winespeak to describe the many taste sensations from tannins in red wines. Learn about the science behind them
WineMaker to Winemaker: Dry Finish
FREEMy winemaking career all started with an issue of Wine-Maker. Seven years ago, I was working in high-tech marketing and business development in the Silicon Valley. One day I stumbled into a
The MLF manufacturer’s instructions say the wine should be less than 15 ppm. Isn’t that risking spoilage?
MEMBERS ONLYSince you don’t mention whether the 15 ppm is free or total SO2, it’s tough for me to refer specifically to either the instructions or your protocol. However, I routinely add up to 30–40 ppm total sulfur dioxide to my reds pre-primary fermentation and then inoculate with my ML bacteria after the wine is dry
Is the salmonella (commonly associated with eggs) a problem to consider when fining with egg whites?
MEMBERS ONLYEgg whites are an ancient, traditional and natural additive and are sometimes used to pull excessive tannins out of wine in a gentle treatment process known as “fining.” Practiced for centuries all over the winemaking world, a solution of egg whites, water and salt are stirred into the wine and allowed to settle out, pulling
Oak Barrel Chemistry
FREEThe benefits of fermenting or aging wine in toasted oak barrels are indisputable and unmatched by any other type of wood. Not only do oak compounds impart aromas and flavors as well
A Vineyard Education
FREEBack in 1995 I took my first viticulture course. I had returned from a short stint as a college instructor in Northern Minnesota, which proved a bit too cold for a third