I am in no rush to bottle the Sauvignon Blanc made from a kit. For the past several days the wine was clearing as the sediment dropped to the bottom of a six-gallon carboy. The bottom resembled a lunar surface. Today was time to rack into a sterilized carboy. I sanitized the equipment with [...]
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At last year’s Wineries Unlimited I had the chance to spend a day at the Trade Show. I learned a lot about closures such as the Zork (great commercial), barrels, winemaking materials such as those by Laffort and many other things from interesting vendors. This year I’m going to devote two days to the [...] Winter seems like a good time to take another online class at Washington State University. These classes are a good value. You have until December 31st to complete access to the class. This class is Sensory Evaluation taught by Dr. Carolyn Ross. The class format includes a video and PowerPoint presentation. You can print [...] I recall a conversation with Eric Fry, winemaker at The Lenz Winery on Long Island. Eric was talking about science and winemaking. He asked, “If the data indicates there is something off with the wine, but the taste is good, will you do anything to the wine?” He then contrasted with, “If the data [...] I have been very interested in taking courses about wine. The online winemaking class through Washington State University was in a stand and deliver format. The instructor used slides to present the material. The audio included much more information than printed on the slides. If one downloads the pdf of the slide, [...] The final class lesson looked at red winemaking. This rather lengthy class reviewed many of the previously presented winemaking practices as well as highlighted new practices. The lecture began with fermentation. Red wines ferment at warm temperatures. Oxidation is usually not a problem since the skins and seeds form a cap above [...] This lesson looked at specific wine making techniques as they relate to white wine. The instructor discussed the importance of cool fermentation and the need to protect the wine from oxidation. The practice of adding enzymes was presented. These enzymes improve juice yield and help in clarification. The comparison between barrel fermentation [...] Barreling, clarification, blending and bottling were the topics explored in this lesson. It began with a discussion of barrels and differences between French, American and Hungarian barrels. The instructor talked about the characters that barrel aging could add to wine as well as the degree of toast and a barrel’s lifespan.
The fourth lesson explored secondary fermentation. The lecture described in detail the conversion of malic acid to lactic acid. This malolactic conversion is going to affect the pH and TA levels. The lactic acid is less acedic than the malic acid. The secondary fermentation can stabilize the wine and change the flavor. [...] After waiting for the grapes to arive from Stagecoach Vineyards in California via New Jersey it was time for the vintners to process their grapes. The first group destemmed Syrah. They were interested in making a bold Syrah. The grapes were in excellent condition having been presorted at the vineyard. The grapes [...] |
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