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 […]
Enhancing Quality of Subpar Wines
Did the 2018 vintage leave you with wines that are less than desirable? If so, you’re not alone. Winemakers in hot, consistently dry climates get adjusted to the routine of making wine. But if you’re a winemaker in a region that experiences vintage variation, routine winemaking practices can be your worst enemy. In years that […]
Create, Sip, Serve
Producing Formula Wines Wines that require TTB formula approval are hitting grocery store and wine shop shelves: Sangria, Margarita wine, Pre-Bottled mulled wine, pumpkin spice wine, grape wine with natural flavor. These wines are “alcoholic beverages that use ingredient additions or processing alterations outside of the Standard of Identity (SOI) for wine.” The options surrounding […]
Off to the Races! Monitoring Malolactic Fermentation
Malolactic fermentation (MLF) is a common deacidification technique used to biologically convert malic acid retained in grapes and wine to lactic acid and carbon dioxide (Krieger 2005). MLF is conducted through proliferation of native lactic acid bacteria (LAB) or by inoculation of commercial LAB strains. The three existing genera of LAB in wine are Lactobacillus, […]
DG Winemaking Welcomes “Classifieds” for Regional Commercial Grapes and Wine Needs
Over the past year, requests for local and regional grapes, as well as many native and hybrid varieties, have been frequent. Regional grape shortages appear to be on the rise in many states, especially as the number of wineries without estate vineyards continues to grow. Coupled with seasonal variability – late season frosts, humid or […]
Petraea: It’s About Oak
New Year = SOPs, Monitor Wines, Inventory, and Oak While the New Year JUST happened, it’s already time to start planning for your next vintage. Lessons learned from 2018 are now behind us. There may be a few wines in tank that we’re less than happy with… others we’re eager to get to bottle (in […]
