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We review the top 100 wine kits of 2019. Plus, experimenting with bench trials, put the finishing touch on your kit, and making lower alcohol wines.
In this issue
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Cucumber Wine
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wine-wizard
Stabilizing Whites
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articleLive Chat with Alex Russan
Live Chat with Alex Russan, which took place on December 19, 2019.
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techniqueFinishing Wine from Kits
Get advice on how to “finish” your wine made from a kit — the steps near the end of the process and after the instructions that come with the kit come to an end that you can take to improve on them.
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techniqueIntro to Wine Kits: Tips from the Pros
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articleBench Trials and Tribulations
A home winemaker details the four bench trials he conducted to adjust the acidity of a low-pH Sauvignon Blanc to show how the process is done and share the impact each approach had on the wine.
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articleTop 100 Wine Kits of 2019
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articleLower Alcohol Wines
Rising temperatures have led to grapes that are higher in sugar and lower in acid at harvest. Winemakers are beginning to look at microbial strategies to help keep wines in balance with lower alcohol levels and increased acidity.
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articleUnited We Wine: Generations connect though the grapevine
Winemaking roots can run deep in some families and those roots can often get intertwined. The Walker family from Connecticut shares their appreciation of how their roots have ties to several other winemakers near and far.
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articleWhen The Acid Kicks In: Don’t just factualize, conceptualize acid in wine
Getting a wine’s acid levels right plays a big role in perception and profile, but numbers only tell part of the story. Don’t just use numbers to decide how you treat your wine — use some sense and your senses.
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techniqueClasses, Clubs, and Consultants: Getting expert help at home
Feedback is one of the quintessential parts of growing and learning in this hobby. There are many avenues a hobby grape grower and winemaker can take for evaluation and advice, so make sure that you’re looking in the right spots.
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articlePinot Meunier: The forgotten grape of Champagne
When it comes to the grapes found in Champagne, most casual wine drinkers can point to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, but Pinot Meunier is often left off that list. Find out about the forgotten grape of Champagne, its history, and why you may want to give it a try if you can.
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techniqueBacksweetening
Not all wines can or should be backsweetened, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t learn the process. Find out the basics of backsweetening.
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High-pH Wine, Stabilizing Whites and Cucumber Wine
Higher pH wine can be easily fixed . . . but the question is, should they be? As is often the case, the answer is sometimes. The Wiz digs deep into one reader’s pH dilemma as well as properly stabilizing a white wine and a fermentation question on a cucumber wine.