Chik Brenneman

Posts

• Technique

  Managing Acidity Through MLF

  Professional winemaker Chik Brenneman shares how malolactic fermentation (MLF) impacts wines, when it may be necessary, and why winemakers 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

• Technique

  Get the Most From Harvest Numbers

  While taste should drive many decisions, the numbers can’t be ignored. Chik Brenneman shares the ideal statistics he looks for at harvest

• Article

  Sagrantino

  Most readers are likely familiar with Amarone wines made from drying grapes to concentrate the flavors and sugars prior to fermentation, but

• Article

  Paths to Pinot Noir

  It’s a legendary grape with a storied history and one of the most revered in the wine world. But it is also a cantankerous grape to grow a

• Article

  Groovy Gewürztraminer

  While it may not look like a white wine grape, Gewürztraminer is well known to produce world-class white wines. Learn some best practices t

• Article

  Rooted in History: Craft Your Own Alsatian-Style Wines

  The Alsace Valley produces some of the world’s finest wines. Get pointers on making wines like the Alsatians.

• Article

  Graciano

  A grape variety that has recently garnered a following thanks to its tannic structure and ability to retain acidity in warm climates, Gracia

• Article

  Cabernet Doré

  A new flock of hybrid grape varieties in the market is turning heads, not only for their disease and cold tolerance in the vineyard, but als

• Article

  Vermentino

  With its home along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, this white grape is starting to find its way to the U.S. for good reason. Learn abo

• Article

  Aglianico

  Hailing from the southern regions of Italy, Aglianico is revered as producing big and bold red varietal wines. It is finding its way across

• Article

  Notably Norton

  A grape with a proud following regionally, Norton has roots that remain shrouded in a fog. Learn about its past, how to best tend to it in t

• Article

  Live Chat with Chik Brenneman

  Live Chat with Chik Brenneman that took place on November 30, 2022.

• Article

  Verdant Verdejo

  Spain’s fifth most planted white wine grape, Verdejo, enjoys warm climates while being able to retain some acidity. Learn the merits of th

• Article

  Graceful Garnacha: A grape with many facets

  With origins in Spain, Garnacha grapes may now be more commonly associated with the Rhône and Languedoc-Roussillon region of France where i

• Article

  Classic Catawba: America’s first true wine grape

  Some people have called Zinfandel “America’s grape,” others say it should be Concord. Chik Brenneman is here to make the case for the

• Article

  Cayuga White: Get hooked on its feeling

  A hybrid grape that came out of Cornell University’s breeding program in the 1970s, Cayuga White has found great success while being made

• Article

  Malvasia Bianca: A Greek grape that has gotten around

  A grape of Mediterranean origins, Malvasia grapes spread throughout the region under the umbrella name. Get the scoop on this unusual family

• Article

  Bonarda Argentine Or Douce Noir or Charbono . . .

  Grape varietal names can be a confusing world, typically because one grape varietal may have over a dozen names based on location. But in th

• Article

  Live Chat with Chik Brenneman

  Live Chat with Chik Brenneman, which took place on November 23, 2021.

• Article

  Blaufränkisch or Lemberger: International grape of mystery

  As with many Old World grapes that are grown widely, Blaufränkisch goes by many names. And thanks to its versatility in the winery and cool

• Article

  Flexible Frontenac: Making a case for this hybrid

  Scattered throughout the Upper Midwest and Rockies, Frontenac wines are making waves as winemakers learn to coax a lot of flavor from this r

• Article

  The Illustrious Chardonnay: Fine-tuning the classic

  The king of the white wines, Chardonnay can be expressed in a wide array of styles. Chik Brenneman takes readers on a journey through this g

• Article

  Bold Brianna: A strong and healthy grower

  Elmer Swenson’s grape breeding program has had a profound effect on the North American wine scene. One such grape to come from his program

• Article

  Melon De Bourgogne: Or Muscadet or just plain Melon

  More commonly associated by the wine it produces, Melon de Bourgogne is the grape varietal behind Muscadet wines and the sur lie aging techn