Some Background about My Wine Sensory Experience I started tasting wines and evaluating my taste perceptions as a graduate student in Dr. Bruce Zoecklein’s lab at Virginia Tech University, in which he routinely evaluated wines by sensory analysis to provide production technique suggestions to winemakers. These early sensory experiences outlined my thought process in how […]
Bring in the New Year with Bubbly
It’s never too early to plan for your New Year’s celebration on December 31st! I have to admit that I love New Year’s Eve as it is usually filled with reflection, hope, and sparkling wine. There’s something about those bubbles that makes for an exciting evening! Whether you are spending New Year’s Eve alone or […]
Deacidification with Malolactic Fermentation
Malolactic fermentation (MLF) is a common processing technique used to biologically convert the malic acid to lactic acid and carbon dioxide (Krieger 2005). The conversion of malic to lactic acid is considered a deacidification technique. MLF is conducted through proliferation of native lactic acid bacteria (LAB), of which the three existing genera in wine are […]
Som Series: Dinner with Celebrity Chef, Sara Moulton
A Note about the Som Series There’s something about that 9-letter word, sommelier, which turns your average wine drinker into a sudden beer drinker at the very mention of their presence. Let’s face it: the world of wine can be intimidating. Sometimes I hear wine discussion and judgment within groups of people and I internally […]
Employee Training Record Templates Released on dgwinemaking.com
Many wineries may have been engaged in the current discussion related to the Food Safety and Modernization Act (or FSMA, pronounced “Fis-mah”) and how it relates to regulatory changes affecting wineries. As a brief background, the enactment of FSMA changed the focus of FDA food regulation from reacting to food contamination or problems, and is […]
Choosing Wine for Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is filled with opulence: the food – both quantity and quality – the family, the leftovers, the flavors, the fun… the wine. But the Thanksgiving holiday can be a challenge when it comes to wine selections and what to pour for guests. With so many side dishes, mixes of flavors, and lots of savory […]
