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Writer: Alison Crowe

What could cause the acid levels in my wine to rise as it ages?

First, let’s look at your question about the pH of water. We all learned in high school chemistry that water has a pH of 7.0, which is totally neutral, neither acidic nor


I’ve heard both “yes” and “no” on soaking corks before bottling… So to soak or not to soak?

No commercial wineries that I’ve worked with soak their corks before bottling because it’s not necessary for larger-scale businesses. Commercial wineries buy corks by the thousands from reputable companies with high turnover.


A friend recommended microwaving corks in a bowl of water to sanitize them…

Corks seem to be on everyone’s mind as of late — it must be bottling time! As I think I’ve mentioned before in this column, it’s impossible to sterilize corks and it’s


Sanitation Sanity: How often should wine equipment be sanitized?

It is absolutely critical to have good winery sanitation as dirty equipment does nothing but invite bad-guy bacteria and unwanted yeast beasties to munch on our wine. However — there is a


What is the best way to store plastic fermentation tubs and keep them clean?

You’re on the right track — it’s not a good idea to mix chlorine bleach with winemaking because free chlorine molecules can, if the conditions are right, contribute to appreciable levels of


How long should I age wines made from fruit other than grapes?

The most general guidelines the Wine Wiz can give you for aging wines from fruits, vegetables and herbs are these: Always cellar any wine at least six months before opening the first


When using oak cubes in a recipe from concentrate, at what stage in the process should they be added?

Ah, the timeless pairing of American oak and Zinfandel. It’s a taste combination that’s got more than 100 years of history in U.S. winemaking and if the number of Zin labels that


Bulk vs. Bottle Aging

For those of our fellow grape nuts who don’t know, bulk aging refers to aging wines in vessels other than the final bottle whereas bottle aging refers to wines aged in their


I noticed an oily film on top of my Norton before I racked it. What should I be worried about and how do I fix it?

Norton is a fun variety of red wine to make and certainly is a big favorite in the Midwest. I’ve tried some good Nortons over the years and I can share your


I think I might have ruined 350 bottles of my Merlot when I stored it in a wine locker and the odor and taste changed. What do you think happened?

It’s hard to say “what went wrong” in this situation as the life of every wine is a fog of carefully guarded secrets that even my scrying glass can’t penetrate. However, the


The Pomace Predicament

Winemaking, like baking bread or beer brewing, is one of humankind’s most ancient food-manufacturing processes. And, just as baking and brewing leave behind cereal stalks and spent grain, winemaking produces one of


Is there any way to save a flat and watery wine I made?

Though making fruit-based wine is a little different from making grape-based wine, you always want to make sure you’ve got enough sugar, acid, tannin and aromatic and flavor compounds to result in


I made some wine using coffee as an ingredient and I was wondering what happens to the caffeine during fermentation?

Coffee wine, eh? I’ve heard of using strong black tea as a tannin additive and of using coffee in brewing recipes for a super-charged stout but I’ve never heard of making coffee


Could you provide me some ideas on an easy and cost effective way to properly frame a stand for my barrels?

Congrats on embarking on the ever-fascinating and (just as often) maddening adventure of using oak in home winemaking! You’ve discovered what many of your predecessors already have — that it is sometimes


How do you sterile filter your wine?

The short answer to your question is: 0.45 micron nominal filter pads are the industry standard for “sterile” filtration. These pads prevent all yeast and bacteria from getting through. So, if you


I made a mead that has a sour taste. Will this mellow out with age?

Congratulations for tackling one of the most interesting and esoteric of brews, the braggot (also spelled braggott or bragawd). A beverage that combines what some would say the best of what mead


Where can an amateur buy a larger sized cork for a 3-liter bottle?

Like you, many commercial wineries also feel that big bottles make great gifts. One can often see what the industry calls “large formats” displayed in restaurants that have done exceptionally well selling


Can you use a spare refrigerator on a low setting to store red wines?

Certainly, do put that extra fridge to good use and by all means store some of your collection in it! Extra refrigeration is a boon to just about any winemaker, wine collector,


Why does red wine give me a headache, but white wine doesn’t (assuming I haven’t had too much of either)?

The “red wine headache” is one of those wine questions that lies somewhere between legend and reality. However, there are some real answers. I’ll lay them out and you can decide for


If a yeast packet says it makes 1–5 gallons (3.8–19L) of wine, what would be the difference between using it for 1 gallon or for 5?

If you use a 1-5 gallon (3.8–19 L) yeast packet for 1 gallon as opposed to 5 gallons, it is likely that your fermentation will proceed faster, have a more yeasty aroma


Is there a way to stop corks from leaking?

Wine Wizard answers: Synthetic corks are becoming more and more popular as commercial and home winemakers alike seek to avoid the 5 to 15 percent of bottles that can be ruined due


I was thinking of adding oak chips in cheesecloth to a gallon carboy of red Zinfandel for one month; any experience with this?

I firmly believe that — much like Sauternes and foie gras, Port and blue cheese — oak chips and cheese cloth were always destined for each other. Many winemakers, from purveyors of


Can you remove excess sulfite from a batch of wine?

My, my, my! I sincerely hope you are joking about that lawsuit — first, because I certainly hope you are under no impending financial harm, but also because I’d assume no home


Do you have any suggestions for a wine that came out too “hot” with a higher than expected alcohol content?

Blending is fine; but if you don’t have enough suitable wine to lower the alcohol to a point you like, make it into a dessert wine. When faced with a 17 percenty


My wine has some kind of flies buzzing around the must. Do I need to throw this batch out?

My condolences on experiencing your first visitation by the ever present, but never welcome, Drosophila melanogaster — more commonly known as the common fruit fly. These prolific and pesky little airborne bugs


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