Article

Mastering Malolactic Fermentation: Tips from the Pros

Malolactic fermentation (MLF) may sound mysterious, but it’s a technique every home winemaker should master.

The Strain Game

You need to select the right kind of yeast for the style of wine you want to make. Yet choosing the proper yeast should not be a daunting ta

Wine-wizard

How can I best rid my wine of tartrate crystals?

Wine-wizard

A sediment like fine sand is appearing in my homemade wine after it is opened. Can you tell me what’s going on?

Technique

Adjust Wine Flavor in the Fermenter

No matter how fantastic your grapes or juice, rarely do you get the exact flavor you’re after without some kind of intervention. Here are so

Bottle Basics

Wine-wizard

What does “surely” mean when referring to winemaking? I can’t find a definition anywhere.

Article

The Fine Art of Fining

Article

Ferment Well: Tips from the Pros

Bob Pepi, the son of famed winemaker Robert Pepi, has been making wine for nearly two decades and offers advice for making award-winning win

Wine-wizard

Is it better to separate free-run wine from the pressed wine during fermentation and should they be blended before bottling if you are making Zinfandel?

Our Zinfandel wine is now in secondary fermenters, with free-run wine separate from the pressed. Do you have advice on allowing the free and

Wine-wizard

I did not rehydrate my yeast before I pitched it. How do I do this and what happens if I don’t?

Article

Blending to Improve Wines

Blending, in itself, is a physically simple task. You take one wine and stir it with another, and the result is a wine that tastes a little

Wine-wizard

I’ve heard homemade wines go bad after two years. What causes that and how can I prevent it?

Wine-wizard

There is a yellow ring around the top of the wine in my carboy, but the wine tastes and smells fine. What’s with the yellow ring?

Article

Flavors That Make Cabernet Great

A longtime pro winemaker shares his advice on evaluating Cabernet, with advice on crafting your own great Cab.

Wine-wizard

What is the best way for a home winemaker to make fortified wines?

Wine-wizard

What is the shelf life for dry yeast? Is there anything I can do to revive it and will it work?

Take Control of Must Temperature–And Reap the Benefits

Wine-wizard

How can I make homemade sparkling wine?

Article

Bottling, Start to Finish

The last step in making wine is putting it in the bottle. Learn the steps to do it safely and efficiently.

Article

Wine Tasting Made Easy

Homemade wines can benefit from systematic sensory evaluation just as much as commercial wines can. Learn how to evaluate your own wines to