Tips for Improving White Winemaking Processes I can tell a lot about the quality of a winery’s wines by tasting three white wines on their tasting menu. Why? While there are some exceptions to this generalization, most white wines are straightforward in whether they taste “good” or “bad.” If a winery has issues selling their […]
Free Virtual Event: What Our Grapevine Leaves Are Telling Us
Diagnosing & Treating Grapevine Symptoms with Fritz Westover’s Virtual Viticulture Academy FREE Virtual Event Date: August 26, 2025, 5 – 6:30 PM (CST) Learn what your grape leaves are telling you! In this FREE virtual event, Fritz will review how to identify common leaf symptoms and how to determine which leaf symptoms are indicative of disease, nutrient […]
3 Places to Save Money during Harvest
Going into the 2025 vintage, it’s obvious that costs are on everyone’s mind. As a quality-focused consultant, I do tend to worry when I start to hear conversation regarding cost-cutting in the cellar. Grape growing, to some degree, is fixed. A grower will have to spray at routine times to avoid losing the crop. And […]
5 Tips for Succeeding at Harvest this Year
It’s hard to believe another harvest season is sneaking up on us. While there is probably TONS of work to be done in the vineyard, it’s also time to start preparing the winery for harvest. Do not let cellar preparation get away from you. Any good winemaking team will tell you that one of the […]
Are You Blowing Money Away with [Inert] Gas?
There are a lot of recommendations that get thrown around for using inert gases (i.e., nitrogen, argon, and carbon dioxide) in wine production. But what are the best techniques? How do you know when enough gas is used? In today’s world of high-cost and minimal inputs, these are certainly valid questions. So let’s dive into […]
5 Things To Learn About Oak Barrels
Can we talk about oak for a minute? And by talk, I mean literally. If you haven’t been listening to our “Voices of the Vine” podcast, Virginia and I just took several episodes to cover all-things-oak. From oak history to how oak is manufactured for wine barrels, we looked at it ALL. Here are some […]
