August 20-25, 2014 It’s now been almost 10 days since fermentation started and both wines are at -0.5 Brix, and so, fermentation is almost complete. There is a nice cap forming; I’ll continue doing punchdowns until no cap forms and Brix is down around -1.5 Brix. This should happen within the next 24 hours, at […]
Making Wine the Vino Superiore Way – Day 5-10: Fermentation Wind-down Read More »
August 19, 2014 Both the 2011 and 2013 Vino Superiore Sangiovese are fermenting well having dropped about a third of their initial Brix. I usually like to add some nutrients to the fermentation at this stage to ensure that it completes to total dryness and without any problems, such as hydrogen sulfide (H2S).
Making Wine the Vino Superiore Way – Day 4: Boosting the Fermentation Read More »
August 18, 2014 The 2011 Vino Superiore Sangiovese seemed a little shy to join in the fun and start fermenting, but now that it has, it’s on a tear, fermenting wildly. Given that I named its 2013 brethren the “Black Stallion,” it’s probably fitting that I christen the 2011 as the “Wild Pony.” And so,
Making Wine the Vino Superiore Way – Day 3: Active Fermentation Read More »
August 17, 2014 A mere 16 hours after inoculation, fermentation in the 2013 Sangiovese has taken off like a young fearless stallion. Might as well call it the Black Stallion cuvée given its deep color. Pretty amazing! We can see the active fermentation with the cap slowly forming now, and the hissing sound of carbon
Making Wine the Vino Superiore Way – Day 2: Start of Fermentation Read More »
August 16, 2014 Today , a full 48 hours after arrival of the Vino Superiore frozen musts, these Sangiovese have thawed to a toasty 16°C (61°F) and are ready for some serious action. By the time I measure a whole bunch of parameters, it will be time to inoculate. So it’s been a very busy
Making Wine the Vino Superiore Way – Day 1: From Testing to Inoculation Read More »
I first became closely acquainted with Vino Superiore and the seemingly inseparable father-and-son “couple” behind the name and products at the 2014 annual WineMaker Magazine conference in Virginia. Like any well-mannered Italian bon vivants, Giuseppe senior and Joseph (Joe) Cuciniello were keen to introduce their products to me as I approached their booth zeroing in
Making Wine the Vino Superiore Way – Receiving the Goods Read More »
If you are like me, you may have heard of Kamil Juices but never tried their products. Well, I finally did. Kamil Juices sources vinifera juices from prime vineyards across Italy, France and Germany. The juices are flash pasteurized and lightly sulfited, packaged in 11.4-L (2.5-gal) food-grade plastic canisters, then stored cool/cold, and so, they are
Kamil Juices Make Great Wines Read More »
Anyone who knows me knows how much I love Champagne and sparkling wines in general. But what is most intriguing to me is the science of this category of wine. So inevitably discussions at social events often lead to what type of glass is “best” for enjoying sparkling wine and does bubble size matter. It
Does bubble size matter in sparkling wines? Read More »
4564 – That’s the number of entries into this 2013 edition of the WineMaker Magazine International Amateur Wine Competition. The judging took place April 19-21 at the Hilton Burlington on the edge of Lake Champlain in picturesque Vermont (USA). With 50+ judges working in panels of threes, that’s roughly 250 wines each. That’s a good
Thoughts on the 2013 WineMaker Magazine International Amateur Wine Competition Read More »
Quite the catchy title! But it’s true. Whether motivated by health concerns or wine chemistry effects, the wine industry has long been looking for alternatives to the use of sulfites to protect wine against oxidative effects and microbial spoilage. There have been some solutions, such as ascorbic acid and lysozyme, which have proven effective to
Reducing the use of SO2 by making it more effective Read More »
