Date: Jun-Jul 2011
Chardonnay Choices, Fruit Wines: Wine Wizard
MEMBERS ONLYI have 7 gallons (26 L) of 2009 Chardonnay made from home-grown grapes. This was my first year of production from these vines and I did not use oak or MLF. Fermentation was normal and I clarified with bentonite, then cold stabilized. I recently tested it at 3.16 pH, 0.53 TA and 40 ppm SO2
Riesling: German nobility
MEMBERS ONLYTo this day, I consider that Riesling vintage one of the best wines I ever made, and I wish I could find a bottle or two in my cellar to taste what I had predicted to be a very graceful aging wine.
Are there any fruits that are taboo in country winemaking? What tests should I do to ensure nobody becomes ill from my country wines?
MEMBERS ONLYI wouldn’t worry too much about anyone getting sick from your wines as long as the water you use is clean and the alcohol is above 10%. As a professor of enology at UC-Davis used to always say in class, “No human pathogen can survive in wine.” Essentially this means that since wine (and she
How do you know if it’s too late to add MLF?
MEMBERS ONLYBefore you set about making any major changes to this wine, make sure that when you taste you are not tasting a sample that has a lot of dissolved carbon dioxide gas in it. Tiny bubbles can be refreshing in a white or pink wine, but they can contribute to a sense of sharpness and
Non-Grape Blends
MEMBERS ONLYCountry (non-grape) wines can be combined to create a blend that is better than the sum of its parts. More and more savvy winemakers are discovering an unexpected similarity between grape and non-grape wines. The best wines are invariably blends. A great many varietal grape and non-grape wines lack depth, breadth and complexity. Blending not
Urban and Suburban Vineyards
MEMBERS ONLYGrowing grapes on a farm isn’t easy. Even with tractors, spray rigs and workers to help, sometimes I feel overwhelmed by all the issues that arise during the growing season. Just when we think the frost season is over, the vines burst forth with a growth spurt and we’re behind on shoot positioning. The moment
Being a Wine Judge
MEMBERS ONLYWhen I was first asked to interview a certified wine judge at the 2011 WineMaker International Amateur Wine Competition, the largest competition of its kind, I will admit that I felt a little intimidated, and it was my first time attending the event. Nevertheless, I donned an apron and sheepishly carried my first flight of