Your Winemaking Educational Source
Potassium metabisulfite is a necessary preservative in wine making. It provides sulfur dioxide which helps prevent microbial spoilage and fight off oxygenation. However, figuring out how much to add can be complicated.
By the end of this article you’ll understand how this stuff works, how to calculate what you need to add, and what equipment you need to do it. Let’s get to it. Continue reading “Adding Potassium Metabisulfite to Wine”
There are many factors that go into choosing a wine making yeast. This is the second most important decision you’ll have to make next to picking the grape varietal to make your wine from.
Choosing the right yeast is important for two reasons. First, different yeasts produce different flavor and aroma profiles to finished wines. This has to do with how the yeast processes the must when it’s digesting the sugars and nutrients. Continue reading “Choosing The Right Wine Making Yeast”
There is a bit of confusion out there as to what the difference is between primary and secondary fermentation. Sometimes secondary fermentation is confused with a second fermentation and other times malolactic fermentation. Let’s set the record straight.
Before we talk about secondary fermentation lets start at the beginning with primary fermentation. This stage starts as soon as you add your yeast to the must. During this stage the yeast population is growing rapidly.
You know you’re in the primary stage because there’s a lot of visible activity. There’s often a lot of foam on top of the must and your airlock will be bubbling like crazy. Continue reading “The Difference Between Primary and Secondary Fermentation”
Oak, also known as the winemakers spice cabinet. It affects wine not only the flavor of wine but its chemistry as well. It is important to understand that not all oak is the same.
I’m sorry I couldn’t resist that. It is true though. Oak from different countries impart different flavors and textures to the wine it comes in contact with. This is why you see French and American barrels and oak chips at wine making shops. Continue reading “How Oak Affects Wine”
There’s no doubt that the wine making process can be a bit complex. There are all kinds of decisions to make regarding varietals, yeast strain, and additives. However, the actual process of how wine is made can be understood in relatively simple terms.
It’s important that you have a working knowledge of this process because everything we as winemakers do is to facilitate this process. We can build on this basic understanding over time, diving into more and more details along the way. Continue reading “The Wine Making Process Simplified”