As a consulting winemaker, I have made the general observation that winemakers tend to take a lot of time in selecting yeast strains to ferment grapes. Many spend significant time deciding if the marketing terms related to wine descriptors they expect to arise by the end of primary fermentation are what they desire in their […]
Fermentation
Four Virtual Winemaking Lessons You’ll Want Before Harvest!
For many of us, harvest is at the edge of beginning. As I am a firm believer in preparing for a successful harvest, I want to review a few tools available through dgwinemaking.com as à la carte purchases. Details for purchasing these lessons is at the bottom of this post. Creative Wine Styles for Hybrid […]
Fermentation Nutrition Explained
One of the easiest ways to reduce incidence of hydrogen sulfide development is by making specific nitrogen adjustments during primary fermentation. As mentioned in the last blog post, poor nutrient management can also lead to stuck fermentations. Years of research has shown winemakers that a must’s starting nitrogen concentration varies from year to year. Thus […]
What Causes a Stuck Fermentation?
Sometimes, a stuck fermentation is inevitable despite a winemaker’s best efforts to avoid it. Stuck fermentations are defined as periods of time during primary fermentation when sugar conversion unexpectedly slows down or stops completely (Iland et al. 2007). Maybe the wine takes off aggressively before the winemaker is able to gain control of the fermentation. […]
To Inoculate? That is the Question
On August 16, 2019 (4:00 PM, EST), the Darn Good Winemakers session will meet to discuss strategies surrounding a successful native primary fermentation. In the presentation titled: Successful Native Fermentation Strategies, we’re going to learn more about Potential risks associated with native fermentations. Best strategies for maintaining a healthy native fermentation. Developing a rescue strategy […]
2019 EWE Conference Recap
Formula Wine Production, Regulatory Challenges, and Yeast Selection As many of you know, I regularly attend the Eastern Winery Exposition (EWE) Conference. The conference gives me a chance to see what’s new among tradeshow vendors and catch up with many familiar faces. You’ll usually find me at the American Society of Enology and Viticulture – […]
