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!
Cover Story: Top 100 Wine Kits. Also 15 tips for kits, recording wine like a pro, keys to tannin additions, grenache blanc, and oak dynamics.
Video Live Chat with Bob Peak, which took place on January 27, 2021.
Explore the additives and fining agents common in commercial wine production and available to home winemakers. These tannin additives and fining compounds may be used to modify the quantity of different phenolic species, and thus impact the color, bitterness, and astringency of the treated wine.
Answers to 15 of the most common questions winemakers ask about making wine from kits.
A grape’s tannin structure is impacted by varietal, terroir, and growing conditions. Sometimes, grapes lack the tannins desired, and when that happens winemakers have the option of techniques to maximize extraction, adding tannins, blending, and more. Three pros share their approach.
Port wines are famous for being able to last for decades, even centuries. But what about a failing country fruit wine that a winemaker tries to save by fortifying it? Here is a story of being reunited with such a wine 36 years later.
The role of oak in our wines can fall on a broad spectrum and the type of oak products used can change the dynamics. Make sure you’ve got the lowdown on the impacts of oak and how it can be manipulated.
For those that are regular winemakers, the accoutrements start to add up through the years. Here is a guide for folks to consider what things to keep in their “winemaker’s pantry,” their uses, and their shelf life.
Grenache Blanc is a grape from the northwestern region of Spain and, as the name implies, has evolved from Grenache Noir. Chik Brenneman provides instructions on making this grape shine, starting in the vineyard and taking it through to bottle.
A winemaker asks for some pointers on when to test for sulfite on their wines using their new sulfite testing kit. Also, learn about curing wine plating, basic equipment required for a winemaker making the jump from kits to fresh grapes, and preparing oak for wine.
Grape skins can be one of the most important components when creating some wines, while being detrimental to others. Scratch the surface of grape skins in this piece.
Keeping a very detailed log of each wine you make will allow you to track your wine’s daily progress from the vineyard to the bottle, and it is a great reference tool for the next time you want to make a similar wine or if you need to troubleshoot any problems.