Elusive Petite Sirah Starts its Journey in Stainless Steel
The Petite Sirah, a variety of red wine made from grapes primarily grown in Australia, California, France and Israel is an elusive beast in the wine world. A tannic wine…
When Winemaking ‘Alternatives’ Become a Staple
The wine business is constantly evolving and, for the most part, winemakers are very open to innovation and new products - especially if they make their jobs easier and more…
Wine Minerality and Stainless Steel
Leading oenologist for the Consorzio di Tutela del Soave, Giovanni Ponchia, ruffled a few feathers at the International Volcanic Wines Forum in Veneto when he chastised the industries over-use of…
Stainless Steel: Does it Age Like Oak?
Oak barrels were not the winemaking standard for centuries just because they look pretty. Early winemakers found that oak barrels were particularly well suited for flavoring and rounding/concentrating. As modern…
Stainless Steel Wine Barrels are the New Normal
Oak has long been considered the ‘standard’ material for wine barrels, but time moves on, and with it, technology. Many wine innovators and smaller, independent winemakers are calling on their…
California Love: A Brief Look at Wine and Stainless Steel at California Universities
Stainless steel was among the most major innovations in 20th century winemaking. Here in the states, particularly in California, winemakers were quick to adopt the easy-to-clean, consistently sterile material for…
Auld Lang Wine – Wine Resolutions for the New Year
The new year is here and with it the social pressure to make a list of things you want to do or accomplish this year. Instead of resolving to get…
The Envelope Please…The Best Wines of 2015
The New York Wine & Food Classic in Watkins Glen is considered the ‘Oscars’ of state wine competitions and the votes from this years’ are in. Taking the ‘Governor’s Cup’,…
Find Your Flavor: Woody Wines Without the Oak
There’s a bounty of different flavors out there, but winemakers have long been stuck on oak. With the ongoing shortage of oak and therefore oak barrels, many more experimental winemakers…
Make Waves with Oak Staves
There are a lot of ways to add flavor to your wine other than the traditional oak barreling process, and there are a lot of flavors to explore other than…