Date: Jun-Jul 2012
Keys to a Healthy Canopy
MEMBERS ONLY“Grapevine Canopy: The above ground portion of the grapevine formed by the shoot system. It includes shoots (leaves, petioles, shoot stems, shoot tips, lateral shoots and tendrils) and the fruit, trunk and cordon canes. Dense or crowded canopies have excess leaf area and the fruit inside is heavily shaded. Open or low density canopies are
Simple Sulfite Wine Chemistry
MEMBERS ONLYThere is no denying: Sulfur dioxide (SO2) can be a source of headaches for winemakers — even without drinking any wine. Why does SO2 continue to be such a perplexing and confusing topic? All too often I am asked to help out with problems that seem completely unrelated to sulfite additions, though these are at
Modifying Wine Kits
MEMBERS ONLYThe two changes we are going to discuss in this article are alcohol levels and tannin. It’s important to remember before we start that any change you make is completely interconnected to the character of the wine in what can be very subtle ways.
Build a Wine Barrel Table
MEMBERS ONLYMaterials for Project: 1.) sand paper grits 40, 80, 120, 240 2.) matte black paint 3.) 3 or 4 coach bolts with washers and nuts 4.) drill and drill bits 5.) 3 or 4 wood screws 6.) small nail or tacks 7.) hammer 8.) jig saw (reciprocating saw) 9.) clean rags 10.) your favorite timber
Making Wines with Finesse
MEMBERS ONLYThe mantra for the quest for making a big blockbuster type of wine is “more is better” — more sugar in the grapes, more alcohol in the wine, more extraction, more color and more wood. (And in the commercial marketplace, usually more bucks per bottle.) So if that’s not your style, what’s the alternative? No,
Guide to Cleaning and Sanitizing Winemaking Equipment
FREEWe can probably all agree that readying equipment for winemaking is not exactly a carboy of fun; nevertheless, it is an absolutely crucial aspect of winemaking. Reports of wine gone bad and,
Oak Barrel Seepage
MEMBERS ONLYI’ve certainly had the odd leaker (or three) but I’ve never experienced trans-stave leakage of the scale that you describe. Before I delve any deeper, I first of all would like to say that your situation is unusual and one that warrants an immediate customer service call (read: complaint) to your barrel supplier. It is
Making Berry Fruit Wines:Tips from the Pros
MEMBERS ONLYCountry wines come in all different styles and varieties, but berry wines are perennial favorites. Summertime brings with it a bevy of fresh, ripe berry options to craft some fine berry wines. Two berry wine experts share some winemaking advice. Sandi Vojta, Winemaker at Prairie Berry Winery in Hill City, South Dakota. Sandi is a
Chocolate Wine
MEMBERS ONLYSo you want to put some chocolate flavor, texture and aroma into your wines, eh? My approach would definitely be to use the chocolate grace-notes as an ending treatment to your wine, as opposed to a fermentative one. This is how a “friend of a friend” of mine made something similar; they trialed in additives
To Malo Or Not To Malo?
FREEMany home winemakers are uncertain on whether or not to have their wines go through malolactic fermentation. This is not surprising since there is no “one size fits all” approach to the
pH Adjustments Post-MLF
MEMBERS ONLYAbsolutely, I would lower your pH prior to aging. No matter how high the TA is, if you’ve got a high pH as well, you are putting your wines at risk for premature oxidation and, most critically, are providing an environment that favors the growth of spoilage organisms. Bacteria enjoy higher pH environments, even with
Malbec: Beyond Bordeaux
FREEWhen we think of the great wines of the Bordeaux region of France the names of the Grand Cru châteaus of Lafite, Latour, Mouton-Rothschild, Haut-Brion or Cheval Blanc come up. Today, the
A Ranch In Wine Country: Dry Finish
FREEWhen Teri Kerns and Micole Moore moved to Ramona, California in 2004, just north of San Diego, they knew they wanted to live an agricultural lifestyle, but were not sure what exactly