Writer: Jack Keller
7 Country Wine Recipes
MEMBERS ONLYFruit wines are generally the first thing to come to mind when we hear “country wine,” however the term is much more encompassing than that. We share seven recipes from Jack B. Keller Jr.’s new book release Home Winemaking: The Simple Way to Make Delicious Wine that illustrate just how broad an array of ingredients the term includes.
Making Port Style Wine from Mustang Grapes
MEMBERS ONLYBy far, the most prolific wild grape in Texas is the widely distributed Vitis mustangensis, or Mustang grape. It was historically the major wine grape of early settlers and remains a dominant choice for home winemakers in its distribution area. As popular as the wine is, there is also a great popularity in Port-style Mustang
Aging Country Fruit Wines
MEMBERS ONLYWine is a dynamic chemical soup, constantly changing, evolving, reducing and oxidizing. From the moment it is made, its fate is sealed. Yes, it will improve, mature, reach a peak, and then it will decline and eventually become undrinkable. The best we can do is make it in such a way that it ages gradually,
Making Country Wine from Berries
MEMBERS ONLYSummer is the time for berries, and that means berry wines. Loaded with flavor and unique aromas, chilled berry wines on warm summer afternoons lend credence to the lyrics, “It’s summertime, and the living is easy . . .” Here are 15 summer berries suitable for wine that you can ferment as soon as the
Small Batch Winemaking Techniques
MEMBERS ONLYMaking wine in small batches, usually from 3 to 5 liters (3 to 5 quarts), is both easier and at the same time more exacting than making wine in much larger batches. Usually the province of country (non-vinifera) wines, Vitis vinifera grapes may also be made in small batches for the harvest of a single
Making Tropical Fruit Wine
MEMBERS ONLYTropical fruit obviously are those native to the tropics. While the absolute number of fruit native to that area is disputed, at least 235 — more than twice that of the non-tropics — are widely recognized as having culinary significance. Almost all of them are suitable for wine. All factors governing winemaking apply to tropical
Growing Trees for Fruit Winemaking
MEMBERS ONLYThere is nowhere in North America or Europe below the Arctic Circle where suitable fruit trees cannot be grown — which means you can grow your own trees for making fruit wines!
Making Melon Wine
FREEWith few exceptions, melons conjure up memories of juicy, succulent sweetness that satisfies the senses on a warm summer day. Any winemaker enjoying a fully ripened culinary melon will naturally envision a
A Taste of the Tropics
FREEMaking wine from tropical fruits, with a little know-how, is just as easy as making wine from traditional fruits and berries.
Non-Grape Blends
MEMBERS ONLYCountry (non-grape) wines can be combined to create a blend that is better than the sum of its parts. More and more savvy winemakers are discovering an unexpected similarity between grape and non-grape wines. The best wines are invariably blends. A great many varietal grape and non-grape wines lack depth, breadth and complexity. Blending not
Sparkling Country Wine
FREEThe first sparkling wine I ever made was a black cherry. It was supposed to be a semi-sweet still wine, so when I opened the first bottle at a social event, I
Stone Fruit Wines
FREETips and recipes to make wine from stone fruits.
Elderberry Wine: Taming the Wild Elderberry
FREESometimes referred to as the “Englishman’s grape,” the common elderberry has been used to make wine for hundreds — possibly thousands — of years. By themselves, elderberries make a rich, flavorful wine,
10 Tips for Country Winemaking
FREEIn the beginning, there was wine . . . just wine. There wasn’t “wine” (made from grapes) and “country wine” (made from fruits other than grapes). A pomegranate wine is mentioned in
10 Can’t-Miss Country Wine Recipes
FREEIf you have not tried making country wines — i.e. non-grape wines — this article’s sole purpose is to entice you to try. To do this, I’ve collected 10 sure-fire recipes just
Winemaker’s Garden and Orchard
MEMBERS ONLYThe average person, upon hearing the term “winemaker’s garden,” will probably think of fruit, berries and perhaps a couple of grapevines, but it can mean so much more. Depending on what wines you want to make, your garden may include flowers, vegetables, berries, fruit or a mixture of these. Grape, the Wine Vine If you
Grape/Non-Grape Blending
MEMBERS ONLYThe first time I ever blended two wines was an exercise in ignorance. I had a dewberry wine that had beautiful color and clarity but tasted flat. I also had a blackberry wine that was deeply pigmented and very clear, but tasted quite sharp to me. (Today I would describe it differently — excessively malic