Writer: Maureen Macdonald
Live Chat with Maureen Macdonald
MEMBERS ONLYLive chat with Maureen Macdonald, which took place June 29, 2022.
Fruit & Grape Blends
MEMBERS ONLYWhen a wine comes up lacking, the solution may just be blending a totally different type of wine with it. Grape wines and wines made from other fruits often have complementary characteristics that lend themselves as a key ingredient in the other.
Blending Vinifera and Hybrid Grapes
MEMBERS ONLYVitis vinifera grapes are often thought to be the species used to make wine in the premier wine regions, while French-American hybrid grapes are those used in regions vinifera grapes can’t be grown. However, each species brings something unique to the bottle and it may just be that blending grapes of both species will result in just what your wines need.
Live Chat with Maureen Macdonald
MEMBERS ONLYLive Chat with Maureen Macdonald, which took place on June 24, 2021.
Maturation Intervention
MEMBERS ONLYNo matter how much attention we give a wine, sometimes it will disappoint when tasted for the first time during aging. It may not be faulted, just lacking a desired characteristic. That’s when it is time to intervene. Qualities like flavor, aroma, body, color, or even tannins can all be improved with a little help.
Live Chat with Maureen Macdonald
MEMBERS ONLYLive Chat with Maureen Macdonald, which took place on June 17, 2020.
At Home in the Wine Lab
MEMBERS ONLYOver the course of an individual’s early experiences as a home winemaker, one will have a few pitfalls and batches that may not be “quite right.” Wines may be perceived as out of balance or to have mild flaws. Many of these balance and flaw issues can be addressed or avoided with some simple lab