Topic: Country-Winemaking
Making Berry Good Wines
MEMBERS ONLYRelative to grape wine, “berry wine” is a diverse category, encompassing anything from strawberries to blueberries to uncommon local berries few have heard of. The general idea is the same as making
Yeast choice for a fruit wine
MEMBERS ONLYYou want to know what my standard, go-to, never-fail, keeps-most-wines-happy yeast is? It’s called Prise de Mousse, EC1118, Davis 796 or Premier Cuvee. Why all the names? I guess so a lot
Blending Fruit Wines
MEMBERS ONLYHighlighting multiple fruits in a wine often brings more complex flavors and aromas to a bottle. There are multiple ways to make these wines — primarily fermenting fruits together or blending single-fruit
Off The Beaten Path: Spice, herb, and vegetable winemaking
MEMBERS ONLYPhoto by Charles A. Parker/Images Plus These wines are not common in the commercial marketplace where dry grape wines dominate. There are some fruit wines, of course, and a few novelty wines
Non-Grape Winemaking
FREECountry wine is the informal term that has been used for years to define fermented beverages made from ingredients other than grapes. This can include fruits, vegetables, flowers and herbs. Wine made
Making Raspberry Wine
FREECountry Wine Case Study: Ingredients 5.0 lbs. (2.3 kg) fully ripened or frozen raspberries placed in a fine mesh straining bag 7 pints (3.3 L) water 2.0 lbs. (0.91 kg) corn sugar
Passion Fruit Wine
MEMBERS ONLYWell, I will admit I have never made a passion fruit wine (living in Napa, those pesky grapes just seem to be the most convenient sugar source at hand) but I will
How To Date A Country Wine
MEMBERS ONLYWell well, what do you know? That’s a question I’ve never been asked before in all my years of writing this column! The spirit of the vintage laws for commercial wine is
Sediment In A Fruit Wine
MEMBERS ONLYI definitely would re-think your pre-bottling aging and fining procedures. Many wines, especially those made with fruit other than grapes, are susceptible to flocculation (a fancy term for sediment) and visible fallout.
Country Wine: Non-grape winemaking
FREECountry wine is the informal term that has been used for years to define fermented beverages made from ingredients other than grapes. This can include fruits, vegetables, flowers and herbs. Wine made
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.
Overspiced Wine Situation
MEMBERS ONLYThere’s nothing like a wine with what I call “the elbows sticking out” to ruin one’s mood. Especially frustrating is when one has followed a recipe or kit instructions to the letter
Aging Country Fruit Wines
MEMBERS ONLYWine is a dynamic chemical soup, constantly changing, evolving, reducing and oxidizing. From the moment it is made, its fate is sealed. Yes, it will improve, mature, reach a peak, and then
Fining Fruit Wines
MEMBERS ONLYThe short answer is that yes, I would absolutely cut down on the amount of clarifying agent you use if you don’t have enough wine volume for the recommended 5 gallon (19
Making Country Wine from Berries
MEMBERS ONLYSummer is the time for berries, and that means berry wines. Loaded with flavor and unique aromas, chilled berry wines on warm summer afternoons lend credence to the lyrics, “It’s summertime, and
Preparing Country Fruit
FREEHow should fruit be prepared before using it to make country wines? Let’s have a look…
Blending Fruit and Grape Wines
MEMBERS ONLY“Blending is a natural procedure, honest, necessary, and in accordance with historical events.” With that quote, eminent wine authority Emile Peynaud gives us permission to play with our wines. While he was
“Fruit Floaties” — Strawberry Wine
MEMBERS ONLYI just saw your picture and wow, that does indeed look like a floating brain — or two! Luckily, that is a great shot of what I would call typical “fruit floaties”
Making Tropical Fruit Wine
MEMBERS ONLYTropical fruit obviously are those native to the tropics. While the absolute number of fruit native to that area is disputed, at least 235 — more than twice that of the non-tropics
Balancing Fruit and Sugar in Country Wines
MEMBERS ONLYCountry wine is a term often applied to just about any wine made from something other than wine grapes. Most often, that means other fruits. Sometimes, country wine is made from vegetables
Using Pectic Enzymes
FREEWhen and how to use pectic enzymes.
Making Wine from Stone Fruit: Tips from the Pros
MEMBERS ONLYStone fruits (those with pits like cherries, peaches, plums, etc.) are generally off-dry to sweet wines that are easy to enjoy on a warm summer evening. Two pros share advice on making
Winemaking Outside of Harvest
MEMBERS ONLYLots of home winemakers concentrate their efforts in tune with the natural seasons. They make all of their wine in the harvest months of August, September, and October using seasonally available just-picked
Using Enzymes in Country Wines
MEMBERS ONLYBeyond basic pectic enzymes to increase juice yield and improve clarity, I have not seen much mention of enzyme use in country fruit wines. To be sure, most of the commercial enzyme
Fruit Wines from Puree
MEMBERS ONLYCan’t get your hands on the type of fresh fruit you seek for your next batch of wine? Consider making fruit wine from puree. There are many options available and the process is simple.