Winemakers often get overly ambitious at the start of a harvest season. It’s an opportunity to try new techniques, alter wine additions, and create something they previously imagined. However, conquering the fundamentals associated with winemaking often provides a solid foundation for crafting really great wines. This includes things like: Having sound sanitation practices. Receiving and […]
Wine Style
Create the Wine You Want
While each vintage is sure to deliver unexpected challenges, there are tried and true processes that can help winemakers craft the wine styles they desire with more success. What is wine style? The style of wine defines the overall body/mouthfeel and aroma of the wine produced. While several wine experts have a few different wine […]
Do Your Hybrid Wines Need an Upgrade?
If you’re producing wine outside of the three big western states (California, Oregon, and Washington), then it’s likely you’re making some wines based on hybrid wine grape varieties. Hybrid-based wines are quite unique compared to Vitis vinifera-based wines. They offer a varied aroma and taste profile, different wine chemistry, and some varieties may be less […]
Sparkling Wine: It’s All About That Base
The standard of identity (SOI) for sparkling wine styles are defined through 27 CFR 4, stating that sparkling wine is “grape wine made effervescent with carbon dioxide resulting solely from fermentation of the wine within a closed container, tank or bottle.” This definition clearly outlines the parameters for using the term “sparkling” on a wine […]
Darn Good Winemakers Tackle Sparkling Wine Production Details in May
While sparkling wine production can be fun, it can also be a very challenging experience during its first production. While there is no one way to manufacture a sparkling wine, there are certain production elements associated with the wine that winemakers should look for to ensure flavor, foaming, and sustainability in the bottle. For the […]
Don’t Forget! “Creatively Perfecting Wines in Challenging Vintage Years” Webinar on March 26th
Early in March, I presented options for how to use wines produced from disease-heavy fruit at the annual Grape Expectations conference in New Jersey. However, given many winemakers could not attend this conference, I’m going to review some of these core concepts in the March Darn Good Winemakers session. If you need help getting something […]
