Wine 2023 – Update #01
08 April 2022 Ideas for the fall 2023 wines are already in motion. While it may sound early, as the 2022 wines are no where near ready to bottle, I like thinking ahead. I...
Author: Bryan
Barrel Aging Process
A question was recently posted on WineMakingTalk, asking about the process folks use for their barrels. I wrote a reply, which formed the basis for this post. Following is my general process: Crush &...
Determining Initial Brix / Specific Gravity
A common question on WineMakingTalk is “What should the initial brix / specific gravity (SG) of a wine be?” The short, but totally unhelpful answer is, “Whatever you want it to be?” This is...
What’s in a Wine Kit?
updated 01/01/2023 I see a lot of questions regarding what is in a “wine kit”. I’m offering my take on subject, both in terms of description and why each is necessary. First — what...
2022 Merlot / Tempranillo
October 2022 We are trying 2 experiments of the same type this fall. Our main batches are 8 lugs each Grenache and Tempranillo. We took the pomace from each and added to it a...
2022 Merlot / Grenache
October 2022 We are trying 2 experiments of the same type this fall. Our main batches are 8 lugs each Grenache and Tempranillo. We took the pomace from each and added to it a...
Comparison of Oak Adjuncts
Updated 10/27/2022 Winemakers typically want to flavor their red wines, some white wines, and occasionally fruit wines with oak. It’s common to add oak adjuncts (products made of oak specifically for winemaking) to carboys...
2022 Rhone Blend
October 2022 This fall’s main wines are a departure from the last few years. Instead of making field blends, we are making two main varietals, Grenache and Tempranillo, and a third field-blended wine (Mourvedre,...
2022 Tempranillo
October 2022 We are doing something different this fall. Mostly due to space reasons, in the past I’ve made field blends, e.g., select different amounts of varietals, ferment them together, and hope I chose...
2022 Grenache
October 2022 This fall’s main wines are a departure from the last few years. Instead of making field blends, we are making two main varietals, Grenache and Tempranillo, and a third field-blended wine (Syrah,...