Date: Apr-May 2022
Live Chat with Pat Henderson
MEMBERS ONLYLive chat with Pat Henderson, which took place May 25, 2022.
Live Chat with Wes Hagen
MEMBERS ONLYLive chat with Wes Hagen, which took place April 25, 2022.
Making Muratina Wine
FREEA group of wine lovers in Kenya turned to traditional winemaking when the world around them slowed to a crawl and imports of wines from Europe and the U.S. nearly stopped. Check out the story of muratina wine — a wine made from a potentially poisonous fruit.
Non-Conventional Yeast: Tailor-made solutions for new challenges
FREEMany of us in winemaking were trained to trust Saccharomyces yeast and not leave our wines to chance with wild strains. But winds of change are in the air and yeast companies are now turning to many non-Saccharomyces yeasts for certain purposes.
Delicious Endeavors: The science of food-wine pairings
MEMBERS ONLYApproaching food-wine pairings can be complex given the nearly endless options available . . . but there is a science to it. Learn the basics to matching a wine with a food course to impress even the sticklers in the group.
DIY Netting Applicator
MEMBERS ONLYVineyard netting is often critical to protect your grapes from birds and other predators; however, applying and removing it can be a real pain. Here is a solution for home winemakers with a utility vehicle that allows netting to mostly be installed by just one person without the net ever touching the ground.
Kimchi
MEMBERS ONLYAmong the few bright spots caused by the worldwide pandemic is that many people stuck at home got into home fermentations — and those aren’t limited to beverages. Kimchi is a Korean dish that gets the mouth watering and can spice up just about any dish. Learn how to make your own!
La Vie En Dry Rosé
MEMBERS ONLYPink wines may have gotten a bad rap due to sweet versions that dominated in the 80s and 90s, however, dry rosé is becoming more and more popular among winemakers and consumers alike. Whether a dry rosé was always the goal or you have grapes that better suit pink than red wine — we’ll supply the advice to craft an excellent summer sipper.
Inert Gases for Winemaking
FREEThere are four gases often used in winemaking, each with its own unique advantages. Learn what sets carbon dioxide, argon, nitrogen, and beer gas apart, and which is best for each chore where gas can be of assistance in the home winery.
Wine from Frozen Must: Tips from the Pros
MEMBERS ONLYWhen you want to make wines from grapes but it isn’t harvest season, one option home winemakers have is purchasing buckets of frozen must or juice. Three industry experts share their coolest tips.
Malvasia Bianca: A Greek grape that has gotten around
MEMBERS ONLYA grape of Mediterranean origins, Malvasia grapes spread throughout the region under the umbrella name. Get the scoop on this unusual family of grapes and the variety brought to North America under the title Malvasia Bianca.
Finding A Vinegar Storage Space
FREEYou got a chuckle out of me. Indeed, how dare you introduce vinegar to your wines! I’m actually very happy that you’re writing so you can learn how not to introduce vinegar
Tips For Making Cantaloupe Wine
MEMBERS ONLYBecause cantaloupes have high pH, my guess is that the red speckles you’re seeing in a layer on top of your wine are bacteria colonies and no, they are not to be expected. According to a fruit pH chart I found online from Clemson University, the pH of cantaloupes usually falls in the range of
Fermentation Completion, Vinegar Storage Space and Cantaloupe Wine
MEMBERS ONLYA winemaker is left scratching their head when a wine that seemingly has fermented dry is still producing bubbles. The Wizard also provides suggestions for vinegar storage and the possible cause of odd-colored speckles on a cantaloupe wine.
Judging Fermentation Completion
MEMBERS ONLYWhile the density of water at room temperature is 1.000 standard gravity, finished dry wine should be less dense than that. Photo courtesy of Tim Vandergrift It certainly sounds like you are getting into the dryness zone. Specific gravity is the ratio of the density of a liquid in relation to the density of water,
Prepping Wine For Competition
FREEIf you’ve got a wine aging in your cellar you would like unbiased, expert opinions on, then entering it in a competition for judging is one of the best options. Get some pointers for getting the best feedback.