Time is running out to enter the 2026 WineMaker International Wine Competition. Get expert feedback on your wines from experienced judges and compete for medals in the world’s largest competition for home winemakers.
Click here for full competition rules and a downloadable entry form. But don’t wait – the entry shipping deadline is March 13 so get your wine entries sent out by that date!
Pinot noir: Techniques to master the heartbreak grape. Plus, how to choose the right yeast, and importing juice vs. fresh grapes.
I prefer to have as much information as I can about where my raw material is coming from, and being able to handle the actual grapes is one way to help you get there.
Try some new grape varieties similar to the tried and true varieties you already know you enjoy drinking.
Bob Peak digs into how much sugar is needed to get the desired alcohol level, and how much fruit is needed to offer a pleasing profile and aroma, flavor, and appearance when making country wines.
Four Pinot Noir pros share their best advice for crafting the “heartbreak grape.”
Prior to giving way to Riesling at the turn of the century, Müller-Thurgau was the most prominent white grape in Germany. It is still very popular as an everyday drinking wine enjoyed young.
Pectic enzymes are often required when making fruit wines, but also come in handy in certain situations when making wine from grapes. Learn more about the benefits of pectic enzymes.
It starts with great fruit, but to make age-worthy red wine the winemaker must also consider acidity, tannins, sulfur dioxide, oxygen, cellaring conditions, and how all of these factors (and others) relate to each other.
For tips on selecting the best strains to get the job done, we asked four experts with various wine and yeast-related backgrounds to give us a hand.