Date: Jun-Jul 2006
Locating Grapes & Cleaning Presses: Wine Wizard
MEMBERS ONLYDear Wine Wizard, I came back from Australia six months ago and was fortunate enough to visit the Hunter Valley. I brought back some wine and among the bottles was a Chardonnay/Verdelho blend that I had sampled and enjoyed. I opened it the other day and was again amazed at how good it was. Well,
How can I locate a specific variety of grapes to buy?
MEMBERS ONLYDear Wine Wizard, I came back from Australia six months ago and was fortunate enough to visit the Hunter Valley. I brought back some wine and among the bottles was a Chardonnay/Verdelho blend that I had sampled and enjoyed. I opened it the other day and was again amazed at how good it was. Well,
What is the best way to clean an old wine press I just acquired?
FREEThe Wine Wiz would first examine the press (especially the pressure-bearing bits, like the wooden side slats, the floor and any metal joiners) for wear and tear to make sure that, being
Planning the Vineyard Work Load
MEMBERS ONLYOne of my favorite Chinese proverbs is: “Many hands make light work.” It’s as true in the vineyard as anywhere. The vineyard is a place that traditionally brings people together — to till the Earth, to connect us to the natural world, to bind us to the movement of the seasons and, of course, to
Making Port-Style Wine Kits
FREE“Port is not for the very young, the vain and the active. It is the comfort of age and the companion of the scholar and the philosopher.” – Evelyn Waugh Drinking Port can
French Colombard: Varietal Focus
FREEFresh, floral, citrus flavors with crisp acidity at a value price are the benchmarks for Colombard (pronounced Cole-um-bar or kahl-um-BARRD). It was the most widely planted white grape vine in California until
Raspberry Wine: Tips from the Pros
FREESummertime is the season of fruits and berries. For winemakers on the professional and amateur levels, it is also the season for fruit and berry wines. There are as many country wines
Norton Grapes: An American Original
FREELearn about Norton grapes, an American original, plus how to make Norton wine.
Field Grafting Grape Vines
FREEIf you want to grow a new varietal, you have the option of grafting cuttings onto your existing rootstock, saving you the time of establishing a new root system. Also, if your
How Yeast is Made
FREEHome winemaking continues to gain in popularity. The quality of wines kits has greatly improved over the past several years and, as a consequence, the first experience of many folks curious about
What the Pros Think When They Choose Yeast
MEMBERS ONLYAccording to academics and professionals, if you want to pick the right yeast for your grape juice, knowing what questions to ask is essential. “I view it more as not who do I rule in, but more who do I rule out?” said Dr. Linda Bisson, professor of enology at University of California, Davis, whose
How Kit Manufacturers Choose Yeast
MEMBERS ONLYWine yeast — or Saccharomyces, which is Latin for ‘sugar-fungus’ — converts sugar into alcohol. While alcoholic fermentation is the most important aspect of winemaking, yeast does more than just bubble out happy-juice. It also produces compounds that influence flavor, aroma, body, structure and the finish of wine. Wine kit manufacturers are among the heaviest
10 Can’t-Miss Country Wine Recipes
FREEIf you have not tried making country wines — i.e. non-grape wines — this article’s sole purpose is to entice you to try. To do this, I’ve collected 10 sure-fire recipes just