Technique

Vegan Winemaking Products

Manufacturers have recently released many plant-based or microbial-sourced products. Learn about these products, even if vegan isn’t your pr

Article

Chitosan: For more than just fining

Chitosan is a product every home winemaker should be familiar with, and likely has around their cellar. It is used to help clarify wine, but

Article

Racking in Moonlight, Acetobacter, Fermenting “dry,” and White Winemaking

While there are a lot of urban myths surrounding winemaking, the one about racking under a full moon isn’t totally hogwash. Plus, what to

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Racking by the Light of the Moon

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Determining when wine is “dry”

Technique

It’s All Fine and Good

There are many different types of fining agents available to home winemakers that fall into these four groupings: Mineral, polysaccharide, s

Technique

Making Age-Worthy Wines

Making a wine that benefits from long-term cellaring — be it red or white — requires high-quality grapes and a meticulous focus on the d

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Yeast Impact on MLF

Article

Dubunking Consumer Myths, Yeast Impact on MLF & pH Adjustments

If you sometimes prefer your red wines served a little on the cool side or are not afraid of buying high-end wines with screw cap closures,

Technique

Fermentation on the Mind

While the yeast technically does all the work, a winemaker has a lot of influence in the success of their fermentations. Understanding best

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Is chitosan safe for those with shellfish allergies?

Article

School of Thought

With so many wine certification programs available, how do you know which may be the best fit for you? We break down some of the differences

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MLF Test Strips

Technique

Special Purpose Wine Yeasts

Sometimes we want a wine yeast that will strictly ferment a wine dry in the conditions available to it, but other instances require special

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When to Add an Airlock

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Adding Skins to a Red Ferment

Q: How many grape skins would be too many to add to a Syrah must?

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Monitoring Malolactic

Technique

Bottling Basics

Familiarize yourself with the critical steps and equipment required to bottle your wine.

Technique

Whole Cluster Fermentation

Whole cluster fermentation — fermenting grapes without crushing and destemming them first — is a technique that has been around for ages

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Boosting Aromatics in White Wines

Technique

Barrel Fermentations

Barrel aging typically begins after alcoholic fermentation is complete, however, you don’t have to wait until your wine is dry to start ge

Technique

Boost Your Wines With Raisins

Raisins can be used to add body, flavor, sugar, and complexity to grape wines. They can add a wine-like character to fruit wines. And they c

Technique

Whole Cluster Fermentation Tips

Two pros share why they prefer whole cluster fermentations for certain varieties, the impact it has, and considerations home winemakers shou

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Tips For a Successful Malolactic Fermentation

When and to what container should I add the Opti’Malo plus™ Malolactic (ML) nutrient and then my dry-pitch ML strain?

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Thoughts for Underripe Red Grapes

I assume it’s possible to make a rosé from Syrah, right? How long on the skins should I leave it to get a good pink color?