What Flavors Does Oak Add to Wine?

Using oak barrels in the winemaking process can have a profound impact on the flavors and character of a wine.  Different oak types impart different wine flavors, including spice, vanilla, mocha, and even chocolate. Winemakers use oak barrels for aging red and white wines. French, American, and Hungarian oak are common. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot […]

What Is Gravity Flow Wine?

As someone who does small-scale winemaking in her garage, I admit that I spend an embarrassing amount of time thinking about the logistics of hauling grapes, moving juice, and transferring wine. Gravity flow winemaking appeals to me. Gravity flow wineries use architecture for gentle, gravity-based winemaking. This process yields aromatic wines with less oxidation and […]

What Can You Ferment Wine In?

Fermentation is a magical time of transformation. A time when grapes shift from innocent juicy berries to wines with depth of soul. Wineries use fermentation vessels to ferment juice into wine. Common wine fermentation vessels include oak barrels, stainless steel, clay jars (a.k.a., talhas, tinajas, amphora, qvevri), concrete, stone (lagares), glass, and even plastic. The […]

Where Do Wine Aromas Come From?

Wine grapes are one of the few fruits that actually have aroma compounds of other fruits. Here’s how those smells get into your wine.