After some discussion with folks about the impacts of maceration and, more specifically, the effects of stems on juice chemistry and winemaking, this topic is far from clear. Stems clearly contribute considerable polyphenols, and more specifically, what is generally referred to as bad tannins, which impart a bitter taste, when macerated with grape skins and […]
Impact of stems on juice chemistry Read More »
Those that consider themselves “serious” winemakers shun kit wines — they are not “real” wines. Personally, I’ve made many kit wines in the past but truly find my joy in handling grapes. But now, many kits come with grape skins and oak chips or spirals that make kit winemaking really fun and easy without all
Kit Winemaking – Day by Day Read More »
I’m not a doctor, but I feel compelled once again to elucidate the facts vs. fiction regarding the physiological and neurological effects of sulfites based on my meta-survey of published, peer-reviewed scientific research—the kind backed by hard data to prove or disprove claims. What are sulfites? The term “sulfites” refers to salts comprising one of
I’m not much for wine-service gadgets and gizmos, the like of the aerators now flooding the market, fancy funnels and decanters, and tabletop corkscrews the size of my drill press. All I use is a waiter-style corkscrew and a nice big glass that can handle a generous pour. But I had become frustrated with corks
Uncorking Old, Brittle Corks from Vintage Bottles Read More »
The following is a “recipe” for making pickled Cubanel peppers. The peppers are placed in between layers of pressed grape pomace and then allowed to pickle for at least 4 weeks. Peppers are then withdrawn as you eat them. They’ll preserve until the spring if kept at a fairly cold temperature – never a problem
Peperoni sotto vinaccia (grape pomace-pickled peppers) Read More »
If you have been shying away from making wine from grapes because it seemed too messy or complicated, the folks at Blichmann Engineering — the same company that brought you other brewing and winemaking equipment, such as the conical fermentor — have developed the WineEasyTM system that makes winemaking from grapes a piece of cake
WineEasy Home Winemaking System Read More »
Ira Kreft asked the following very pointed question: Q: In the filter/unfiltered debate, what compounds have you heard winemakers argue that get filtered out? I have heard the generality but not the specifics. A: Winemakers not in favor of filtering argue that the process strips wine of color, aromas and flavors, resulting in an inferior
What gets filtered out of wine? Read More »
Have you ever had to chill a bottle of sparkling wine real fast by placing it in the freezer? And then, pop and gush!! Argh! You end up red-faced with a mess on the table/floor. Your guests are not impressed. How do you explain the unexpected gushing out of the bottle knowing that, from high
Chilling Bubbly Fast Without the Gushing Read More »
The Pearson Square is a useful tool for determining the alcohol (% alc/vol), total acidity (TA), or residual sugar (RS) concentrations in a wine made from a blend of two or more wines. These concentrations all exhibit linear relationships in a blend, i.e. each concentration can be calculated as a ratio of the volumes and
How Does Blending Impact pH? Read More »
It’s winemaking season, and that can mean only one thing: Fussing over the actual potential alcohol (PA) in your must. Oh, why do we need to pull our hair out on such trivial matters? I see debates and discussions on winemaking chat and discussion forums where folks argue points about why the different versions of
Potential Alcohol in Wine Read More »
