Topic: New-to-WineMaking
The Basics Of Racking Wine
FREEFor anyone that has been in the hobby for a while, you’ve seen the instructions, “Siphon wine into a vessel for aging,” or some variation of that. But tips and tricks to
Grape Skins: Start to finish
FREEGrape skins can be one of the most important components when creating some wines, while being detrimental to others. Scratch the surface of grape skins in this piece.
Oak Yeah!? When and why to add oak to wine
FREEAdding oak to a wine can add an amazing depth of character or it can detract from the fruit. Learn some keys to managing the oak in your wine.
The Importance of Temperature Control in Winemaking
FREENot properly controlling the temperature of your grapes, must, juice, or wine can have lasting impacts. Learn when and how to take control.
Getting Closure: Corkers and Cork Sizing
FREELearn about the various factors that affect a home winemaker’s decision when choosing cork size and corkers.
Grape Expectations
FREEHaving trouble trying to commit to starting into the hobby world, or looking for next steps in your journey into winemaker. We’ve got a few suggestions for those folks.
Backsweetening
FREENot all wines can or should be backsweetened, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t learn the process. Find out the basics of backsweetening.
Wine Acid 101
FREEBalance 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.
Getting Hardcore with Apples
FREEGet some basic pointers for making hard cider or apple wine.
Let’s Get Macerating
FREEThe concept of maceration is a rather simple one: Take crushed grapes (or fruit) and allow the grapes — skins, seeds, and stems — a period to soak with the grape juice.
Widen Your Winemaking Spectrum
FREEMany winemakers and wine drinkers can get stuck in the mentality that wine is only made from Vitis vinifera grapes, and any other additions or deviations from this platform is a clear
Avoiding The Winemaker’s Pitfalls
FREELearn key tips to avoid common winemaking pitfalls.
Keys To Great White Wine
FREEA beautifully crafted white wine is a thing of beauty. If done well, a winemaker can be drinking a very nice example 8 months after harvest, plenty enough to be sipping one
Fortify It! Adding Spirits To Your Wine
MEMBERS ONLYYour first fortified wine can be a little intimidating. What method are you going to utilize? Sweet or dry? What type of spirits are you going to use? Then again, maybe you’re
The Pearson Square
FREEThe Pearson Square is a tool to calculate the number of parts of two different solutions with different concentrations that are required to bring one of the solutions to a desired concentration. The Pearson Square can be intimidating to newbies, but when dissecting it piece by piece it is relatively straight-forward, and understanding it will pay dividends.
Wine Fermentation 101
FREEFermentation is a chemical reaction that takes place when yeast turns sugar into carbon dioxide and alcohol. Obviously, this is a critical part of the entire process. A yeast cell will turn
Malolactic Fermentation
FREEMalolactic fermentation (MLF) is a secondary fermentation occurring when malolactic (ML) bacteria become active in the presence of malic acid. Bacteria may be present naturally in fresh grape juice or wines. It
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
From Grape to Glass
FREENothing feels as satisfying and authentic as making your first batch of wine from fresh grapes. And there’s no better time to try it than in early autumn, when grapes all over
Seven habits Of Successful Kit Winemakers
FREEIf you want your kit wine to turn out great every time, and avoid the pitfalls that crop up time and again, here are the seven highly fermentative habits you need to
Wine Kit First Aid
FREEYour wine won’t ferment. It ferments too quickly. It ferments too slowly. It won’t quit fermenting at all! The wine won’t clear in the carboy. No, wait: It’s clear in the carboy
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
Good Oxygen
FREEPositive affects of oxidation? How can that be? Wine-makers know that oxygen negatively affects wine. A little oxygen, however, can actually be beneficial to your homemade wine. Two common winemaking practices that
Bad oxygen
FREEWe often read that air (and especially the oxygen it contains) is a wine’s worst enemy. Oxidized wine becomes devoid of subtle and fruity aromas that make it seem tired, as if
Aging Potential: Understanding the lifespan of your wine
FREEFor many wine lovers, the subject of a wine’s aging potential can be intimidating or seem like artful science that is best left to the wine gurus of the world. Some are