tips_winemaking-101-basics

One of the greatest satisfactions in our business is helping our customers make the best wine possible. In addition to providing our quality raw materials and products, we strive to make wine and winemaking information and education readily available to our commercial and home winemakers. We have assembled information and guides on various aspects of wine making that we hope you will find helpful. We will be adding to and improving this library regularly, so please re-visit and check in often.

 

Basic Home Wine making Information

Home Wine making Beginner's Checklist
Home Wine making Basics with Fresh Juice Pails and Drums
Glossary of Basic Winemaking Terms & Tips
Home Wine making Basics
Weights and Measures Info & Conversions  

Home Wine making with Fresh Juice Instruction Sheets

Home Wine making with Italian Juice Pails: Instructions
Home Wine making with Chilean Juice Pails: Instructions

Wine making Class Outlines

Winemaking 101 - Basic Winemaking Class Outline
Winemaking 201 - Intermediate Winemaking Class Outline
Winemaking 301 - Advanced Winemaking Class Outline
Balancing & Blending Course Outline

Chemicals and Additives

Introduction to Anti-Oxidants and Preservatives
Using Sulfur Dioxide in Wine
Better Wine Through Chemistry
Specialty Tannins and Polysaccharides
Usage Rates for Specialty Tannins

Yeast and Cultures

Yeast Selection Chart: Deciding Which Yeast Strains to Use 
Yeast Strains Presque Isle Wine Cellars Uses In its Wines 
Wine Yeast Usage Information and Tips
Introduction to Malo-Lactic Cultures
Instruction for Chris Hansen's Lab Malo-Lactic Cultures

Enzymes

Using Pectic Enzymes
Using Zyme-O-Clear Liquid Pectic Enzyme
Using Zyme-O-Color Plus Liquid Pectic Enzyme  

Acid and Sugar Adjustment

Ameliorating Wine
Wine Amelioration with Water
Acid Reduction Using Calcium Carbonate
Lowering Sugar Content of Juices  

Testing and Analysis

Testing Free SO2 by Aeration Oxidation
Diluting NaOH to Tenth Normal
Standardizing NaOH Using Potassium Acid Pthalate (KaPH)
Determining Total Acidity

Filtering and Clarifying

Clarifying Your Wine 
Filter Media Explained 
Use and Care of PIWC Filter Units
Using Bentonite
Using Sparkolloid
Using PVPP as a Fining Agent
Comparative Field Testing of PIWC and Pall Filter Cartridges 

Filter Cartridge Use and Care

Filter Cartridge Selection and Usage Chart 
Filter Cartridge Compatibility Chart  
Cleaning and Storing Filter Cartridges
Graver Filter Cartridge Regeneration Procedures: Note that this information is specific to Graver cartridges, and may not be applicable to other manufacturer's cartridges.
Cleaning and Sanitizing Procedure for Graver Filter Cartridges : Note that this information is specific to Graver cartridges, and may not be applicable to other manufacturer's cartridges. 
Graver Filter Cartridges: Pre-wetting Hydrophilic Membranes for Integrity Testing: Note that this information is specific to Graver cartridges, and may not be applicable to other manufacturer's cartridges. 

Barrels and Barrel Alternatives

Barrel Use and Care   

Cleaning and Sanitizing

Cleaning and Sanitizing for the Winemaker  

Vineyard and Grafting

PSU Selecting Vine Material and Nursery Sources
Using Chinosol and Grafting Wax  

Tasting Wine

The Wine Aroma Wheel - An Aid for Tasters
How to Taste Wine Course Outline
Wine Tasting Cribsheet- How to Taste Wine  

Now that you are an expert in basic winemaking, check out our winemaking kits and explore your juice options to get started with your very first batch of wine, or purchase more supplies to take your wine making to the next level.