Article

Lees: The Good, The Bad, & The Smelly

The benefits of aging white wine on the lees includes a softer mouthfeel, added weight and texture, added complexity, and a smoothing of the

Article

Understanding and Measuring Residual Sugars

Looking at Brix (or specific gravity) alone isn’t a great indicator whether a wine is microbially stable, and therefore determining if the

Article

Racking in Moonlight, Acetobacter, Fermenting “dry,” and White Winemaking

While there are a lot of urban myths surrounding winemaking, the one about racking under a full moon isn’t totally hogwash. Plus, what to

Wine-wizard

Acetobacter Infections

Wine-wizard

Determining when wine is “dry”

Wine-wizard

White Winemaking Advice

Article

Game-Changing Innovations

A number of innovative products well-suited for the home and small-scale winemaker have come to market in recent years. Explore these option

Technique

Making Age-Worthy Wines

Making a wine that benefits from long-term cellaring — be it red or white — requires high-quality grapes and a meticulous focus on the d

Technique

Mid-Winter Check-In

Harvest and the heavy lifting of crushing and fermenting your 2024 vintage are in the rearview mirror at this point. That doesn’t mean the

Article

It’s Better With Barrels

There is a reason so many of the pros use oak barrels. Learn about the benefits of a barrel, as well as how to choose the right barrel for y

Article

Master the Backyard Harvest

Wes Hagen lays out last-minute advice to maximize this make-or-break day as home viticulturists gear up for harvest.

Technique

Get the Most From Harvest Numbers

While taste should drive many decisions, the numbers can’t be ignored. Chik Brenneman shares the ideal statistics he looks for at harvest

Article

Apples, Meet Grape Pomace

After pressing grapes for wine, a home winemaker decided seven years ago to add the pomace to their fresh-pressed apple juice to learn the i

Technique

Boost Your Wines With Raisins

Raisins can be used to add body, flavor, sugar, and complexity to grape wines. They can add a wine-like character to fruit wines. And they c

Article

Sagrantino

Most readers are likely familiar with Amarone wines made from drying grapes to concentrate the flavors and sugars prior to fermentation, but

Wine-wizard

Tips For a Complete Fermentation

Article

Paths to Pinot Noir

It’s a legendary grape with a storied history and one of the most revered in the wine world. But it is also a cantankerous grape to grow a

Article

Underripe Red Grapes, Malolactic Tips, and General Fermentation Guidelines

In the face of a cool growing season, contending with underripe grapes can be a challenge. The Wiz has some ideas for one grape grower who j

Technique

To Saignée or Not to Saignée

Bleeding off a percentage of juice early during a red wine’s fermentation both concentrates the remaining juice and offers a chance to mak

Article

Balancing Wine Acidity

Acid is a critical building block in a wine’s structure. Learn how to balance acidity by testing, adjusting, and most importantly, tasting

Article

Groovy Gewürztraminer

While it may not look like a white wine grape, Gewürztraminer is well known to produce world-class white wines. Learn some best practices t

Article

Reducing Bitterness, Micro-oxygenation On A Small Scale, and Deacidification Tactics

Citrus fruits contain a lot of interesting flavors, but making wine with them can be a challenge. Get advice on removing the bitterness that

Wine-wizard

Over-Sulfiting Your Grape Must

Article

Rooted in History: Craft Your Own Alsatian-Style Wines

The Alsace Valley produces some of the world’s finest wines. Get pointers on making wines like the Alsatians.

Article

Causes and Treatments for Volatile Acidity

Winemakers always need to pay special attention to the possibility of rising volatile acidity and ways to stem its effects.