Oct-Nov 2019
Live Chat with Chik Brenneman
Live Chat with Chik Brenneman, which took place on November 20, 2019.
Live Chat With Dwayne Bershaw
Live Chat with Dwayne Bershaw, which took place on October 16, 2019.
Purchasing Grapes
As harvest kicks into full swing it is important for winemakers to know the right questions to ask and things to look for when purchasing grapes for this year’s fermentations. Get that
The Tale of the Stuck Fermentations
A fermentation is “stuck” when it fails to reach the desired conversion level of sugar, usually coming to a halt somewhere below 10 °Brix. It does not refer to a failure to start,
Less-Common Winemaking Pitfalls
A look at the causes and corrections winemakers can make for some of the less common, but still serious, winemaking faults.
How to Become a Wine Judge
He was about 55 years of age, short sleeve shirt, jeans, and a big grin on his face. He approached us, barely able to conceal a giggle. He had a humorous question;
The Many Sides of Chardonnay
If Cabernet is the King of Grapes, Chardonnay is probably the Queen. It’s the most popular wine among US drinkers with about 20% market share, and in California there’s more of this
When Life Gives You Lemons: Making wine from an invasive plant
An invasive cactus plant native to the Americas has caused decades of massive economic hardships for many pastoralists of Kenya. Explore how one permaculturalist turned this scourge of the region into a nascent wine industry.
Back To School: Q&A with Professor Hagen
It’s been a few years since we’ve run a Backyard Vines Q&A. Wes Hagen answers several hobby vineyardists’ questions. Learn about tackling black rot, sunburnt grapes, and hedging vines.
Ciao Vino! Home winemaking in Italy
Home winemaking in Italy traces its roots back to the pre-Roman Empire. While North American home winemaking roughly parallels how the Italians do it, Bob Peak got the chance to explore the winemaking techniques found in the Old Country.
Is MLF testing necessary?
You are absolutely right that most wines, especially those that are inoculated and have favorable conditions, will go malolactic (ML) complete within six or eight months of harvest. Even if your area
Troubleshooting Off-Odor in a Viognier
Viognier can be a bit of an odd duck. Like Riesling, it can get some of those weird petrol/gas like aromas, and that’s just natural, from the grapes. Like Sauvignon Blanc, it
A Corker Conundrum
I hope I’m assuming correctly, but I’m imagining that you’ve got the smaller, lighter-weight red metal corker with adjustable spring-loaded bottle base and plastic jaws, sometimes called a “Portuguese” corker. These are
A Corker Conundrum, Barrel Questions, MLF Testing, and Troubleshooting
Fresh off her winemakermag.com Live Chat, the Wiz continues to dish out advice on a wide array of topics including a misbehaving corker, barrel size considerations, malolactic advice, and troubleshooting off-odors in a Viognier.
Wine Acid 101
Balance is often the key to producing a winning wine. This means knowing how to measure and adjust acidity if needed. Learn the basics of wine acids.
Foxy Concord: Finding the sweet spot with this American classic
The grape of North America, Concord has come to dominate the grape juice and jelly markets, but making a solid wine with it can require a little more care than most vinifera grapes. Chik Brenneman digs deep to come up with a solid game plan to making a worthy wine from this grape variety.
Fresh Grape Supplier Directory
Looking for fresh grapes this harvest season? Here is a list of select fresh grape vendors you can purchase grapes from.
