Date: Dec 14-Jan 15
2014 Wine Label Contest Winners
FREEHere’s the winners of the 2014 WineMaker label contest.
Why The Tiny Bubbles?
MEMBERS ONLYThere are so many microbes that can produce tiny bubbles in new wines that perhaps your question should be, what microbes will not produce tiny bubbles in dry must? Everything from (of course) Lactobacilli (AKA LAB or lactic acid bacteria) to Acetobacter (which produce acetic acid) to spoilage yeasts like Brettanomyces will produce carbon dioxide
Softened Water, High Alcohol Wine, and Tiny Bubbles
MEMBERS ONLYWater softeners add another wrinkle, namely because they tend to add a lot of sodium.
A Family Tradizione
MEMBERS ONLYA Brattleboro, Vermont man carries on his Italian family’s home winemaking tradition.
Grape Growing Q&A
MEMBERS ONLYGrape growing questions answered!
Using Outside Labs to Run Analysis Tests on your Wine
MEMBERS ONLYThere is lots of information out there about how to run various juice and wine analytical procedures at home if you want to do that. If you do not want to run the tests but you are interested in the answers, you may live in an area that has a commercial or university laboratory that
A Year in a Home Vineyard
MEMBERS ONLYGrapevine Dormancy The beginning of the calendar year in my Hyde Park, New York home vineyard is when the vines are in dormancy. This is a period of time when the grapevine rests and reserves its stored energy for the upcoming growing season. After harvest, the grapevine’s focus turns to expanding its root system and
Tannin Additions in Wine Kits
MEMBERS ONLYYou might not achieve perfection on the first try, but it’s certain that changing up your game can make a huge difference to your finished kit wine. What kind of difference? You can make a difference so big that when you’re done it might seem like a completely different wine altogether. When you know the
Top 100 Wine Kits 2014
MEMBERS ONLYThis past April 2014, over 50 experienced judges evaluated a total of 1,460 wine kit entries as part of the 2014 WineMaker International Amateur Wine Competition. This large collection of kit entries was sent into the competition from across North America. The 1,460 wine kit entries were entered in 37 different categories and represented a
Vidal Blanc
MEMBERS ONLYVidal Blanc was originally develloped for Cognac production in the cold maritime regions of western France. Today it is a go-to grape in the US Northeast and Midwest as well as Canada. Plus, a recipe for Vidal icewine.
Softened Water In Wine?
MEMBERS ONLYThat is a wonderful question! It’s estimated that it takes anywhere from 2–10 gallons (8–38 L) of water to make a gallon (4 L) of wine. Most of that estimate is for sanitation but there’s no doubt a little bit gets mixed up in the wine when we rehydrate our yeast or dissolve tartaric acid.
Vineyard Winter Maintenance: Tips from the Pros
MEMBERS ONLYAll done using their energy to grow shoots, grapes and leaves, vines in the winter begin storing water prior to the first frost and then go into dormancy. That doesn’t mean those who look after the vineyard lay dormant though. Peter Brehm is the owner of Brehm Vineyards and also grows grapes at his White
Stopping Fermentation
FREELearn how to stop fermentation before reaching dryness, plus when and why a winemaker may wish to do so.
New World Winemaking Decisions
MEMBERS ONLYThere are competing images in the story of fine wine. One version goes something like, “get the best grapes you can and get out of the way.” It’s great advice and it often makes excellent wine. On the other hand, not every lot of grapes is wonderful and we now have techniques and products that
High Alcohol Wine
MEMBERS ONLYFrom personal experience I can tell you that red grapes from the warm (sometimes downright hot!) and dry region of Paso Robles always seem to “soak up” to a higher Brix then they sample in the field. For example, if I sample the vineyard the day before at 26.0 °Brix, I always assume that there
Troubleshooting Visual Defects in Wine Kits
MEMBERS ONLYThe old truism of the commercial wine industry is that people drink with their eyes first. This is natural since you’ll see your glass as it’s coming to your lips. No matter how a wine tastes, if it’s hazy, cloudy or (even worse!) lumpy, it’s not going to please the drinker. Wines made from kits