Apr-May 2013
Barbera
Barbera frequently comes in with high acidity but, with the right winemaking approach, it makes a food-friendly red for people who drink wine every day.
Ripper Test On Red Wine
The short answer to your question: yes, if you dilute your wine sample before running a Ripper analysis for SO2, you then need to multiply your result by the dilution factor you
Wine Pump Options
Wow, can I fly to the Philippines for a little research and equipment-scouting trip? We can sample some of your wine, do a little research into tropical fruit winemaking, go see what
How To Date A Country Wine
Well well, what do you know? That’s a question I’ve never been asked before in all my years of writing this column! The spirit of the vintage laws for commercial wine is
Soapy Taste, Wine Pumps, and Testing Sulfite
I suspect you’ve got a fatty acid issue caused by your stuck/sluggish fermentation. S. cerevisiae can emit fatty acids when under fermentive stress . . .
You, the Connoisseur
Tim Vandergrift on you, the “connoisseur.”
Vigor in the Backyard
Vineyard vigor and how to keep it under control to grow the best grapes possible.
Understanding Oxygen and Oxidation in Winemaking
As budding winemakers, one important principle we heed is protecting juice (must) and wine from oxygen’s baneful effects. But then we learn that yeast needs a “little” oxygen for a good fermentation,
Small Scale Vineyard Spraying
This article will provide the backyard grape grower with a pragmatic guide to the use of pesticides on a small scale. I will cover an approach to developing a spray program for
Chardonnay Winemaking Tips from Burgundy
Being a lover of Pinot Noir, I am intrigued and mystified by Burgundy. During my visit to Burgundy as part of a film crew working on a television series about wine, I
Aging Country Fruit Wines
Wine is a dynamic chemical soup, constantly changing, evolving, reducing and oxidizing. From the moment it is made, its fate is sealed. Yes, it will improve, mature, reach a peak, and then
Gewürztraminer
Alsace vineyards are tucked into the predominantly east facing slopes of the Vosges Mountains . . .
Soapy Taste In Wine
Though tough to define as it can smell different to everyone, there is unfortunately no wine lab analysis panel you can run that says, “Yessir, you’ve got an over-abundance of Ivory Soap
Controlling Grapevine Vigor: Tips from the Pros
One of the biggest challenges to growing grapes — commercially or recreationally — is controlling vine growth, which is known as vigor. If the vines are too productive, or not productive enough,
Volatile Acidity
An introduction into volatile acidity (VA) and how to avoid it.
Managing Acid in Fruit Wines
Take a look at the sources of acid in fruit wines and steps that can be taken to bring levels into a desirable range for wine.
