Technique

Pressing Matters

Pressing is not simply about extracting liquid—it is about managing the extraction of phenolic compounds, tannins, color, and other struct

Technique

Managing High-Protein Hybrids

Higher protein content in hybrid grapes binds tannins and reduces mouthfeel, potentially leaving these wines lacking. This can be mitigated

Technique

Balancing Must

Grapes aren’t always harvested with ideal numbers to be made into wine. Getting them often requires intervention by the winemaker. This co

Article

Pre-Fermentation Actions

From performing cold soaks, running lab tests, or making adjustments, don’t overlook the time between harvesting your grapes and the start

Wine-wizard

Relying on Pectic Enzymes

A reader asks if there is a downside to pre-treating all wines with pectic enzyme.

Technique

Delestage Demystified

Delestage is a multi-step “rack-and-return” technique intended for red wines when seeking brighter fruit character, softer tannins, a ro

Article

The Lighter Shade of Red

Grape selection and harvest timing are important to make more easy-drinking reds that are perfect for summer days, but techniques like secon

Article

Crafting Bold, Blockbuster Red Wines

Not all red wine grapes are destined to make a big, blockbuster wine. But even with the right grapes, a winemaker still needs to consider te

Article

Innovative Wine Products

Pro winemaker Maureen Macdonald shares some of her favorite enological and viticultural products available to home winemakers and grape grow

Technique

Carbonic Maceration Techniques

Used to emphasize fruity character or reduce earthy or “foxy” flavors, carbonic maceration is a red winemaking whole bunch fermentation

Article

Preparing White Wines for Bottling

A look at the steps required in making white wines through winter and spring and how the timing of each step impacts when the wine is ready

Article

An Organic Experience in France

A home winemaker interested in expanding her viticulture and winemaking knowledge interned for a week at an organic winery in France through

Wine-wizard

Press timing for rosé wines

Article

Creating a Field Blend

Explore the history, benefits, and drawbacks of field blends — where varieties are traditionally grown, harvested, crushed, and fermented

Technique

Fine Wine in Less Time

When you want a finished wine quicker, there are techniques and products to help speed along the process of wine from grapes without sacrifi

Technique

Chaptalization — How Far Can You Go?

Adding sugar to bring up the Brix is necessary in parts of the world, especially during vintages with heavy rain. A Virginia winery did a st

Technique

Skin-Contact White Wines

Orange wine is made by treating white grapes in a similar manner to red wine production, with fermentation conducted on the skins. Even if o

Technique

Chemistry of Must Correction

Clark Smith offers ways to extract the most from your grapes by digging into the chemistry of must correction — including methods to boost

Wine-wizard

Why does my wine require long decanting times?

I make dry red from my estate Petite Pearl. Why does 3-year-old wine take so long to “open up”?

Article

White Wines From Hybrid Grapes

Hybrid grapes are bred to combat growing conditions vinifera grapes have trouble with, including cold temperatures, diseases, and more. Hybr

Article

Experimenting With Ways to Craft Rosé

A pair of home winemakers share the results from trials they conducted this past harvest in techniques for making rosé. The results offer i

Wine-wizard

Racking by the Light of the Moon

Article

Sourcing Grapes from Grape Suppliers

Buying grapes from a supplier allows access to varieties from regions of the world that would otherwise be inaccessible to home winemakers.

Article

Sourcing Grapes Directly from Vineyards

Going directly to the source to buy your grapes from local vineyards allows home winemakers to work with grapes harvested the same day, thou

Article

Pinot Grigio: The Underrated Superstar

Pinot Grigio is often an introductory white wine for consumers — light, refreshing, though unremarkable. That doesn’t have to be the cas