Jun-Jul 2006
Locating Grapes & Cleaning Presses: Wine Wizard
Dear 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
How can I locate a specific variety of grapes to buy?
Dear 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
What is the best way to clean an old wine press I just acquired?
The 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
One 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
Making Port-Style Wine Kits
A wine kit can save you time and trouble and allow you to make a great batch of Port with little fuss. Most Port kits come in a half-batch size, 3 U.S. gallons (11.5 L), in either ruby or tawny styles, and yield approximately 14–15 750-mL bottles, rather than the standard kit size of 6 U.S. gallons (23 L).
French Colombard: Varietal Focus
Fresh, 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
Summertime 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
Learn about Norton grapes, an American original, plus how to make Norton wine.
Field Grafting Grape Vines
If 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
Home 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
According 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
How Kit Manufacturers Choose Yeast
Wine 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
10 Can’t-Miss Country Wine Recipes
If 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, we share 10 sure-fire recipes just about guaranteed to yield good to great results.
