WineMaker Magazine

06/02/2026

Not all red wine grapes are destined to make a big, blockbuster wine. But even with the right grapes, a winemaker still needs to consider techniques for power, structure, and balance in that bold red wine. It comes down to how the grapes are treated during maceration and fermentation on through pressing and aging.

A winemaker needs both the right grapes and to consider techniques for power, structure, and balance to craft big, bold red wines.

05/16/2026

Find Out the Top WineMaker Competition Winners!
The results are in! Click on the link below for a downloadable PDF of all this year’s medal winners. Judging notes and any awards are being sent out and should arrive in entrant mailboxes soon.https://winemakermag.com/wp-content/uploads/results2026comp.pdf

05/05/2026

Whether the body of your wine is too thin, fallen out of balance during bulk aging, or has stubborn tannins that resist softening, there are solutions. From tannins, mannoproteins, inactivated dry yeast, gum arabic, glycerol, and fining agents . . . you just need to know which to add to treat what ails your wine.

Whether the body of your wine is too thin, fallen out of balance, or has stubborn tannins that resist softening, there are solutions.

05/01/2026

Grüner Veltliner is Austria’s most widely planted and heralded wine grape, but there are more than 40 varieties Austrians use to make wine. Learn more about how these wines are made from three professional Austrian winemakers so you can try to make your own Austrian-style wine at home this year.

Grüner Veltliner is Austria’s most widely planted and heralded wine grape, but there are more than 40 varieties Austrians use to make wine.

04/26/2026

The 2026 WineMaker Magazine International Wine Competition by the numbers:
1,043 wine entries
40 U.S. states, 4 Canadian provinces, 5 countries (Australia wins farthest distance traveled for an entry received)
312 total judging hours
24 straight years of being world’s largest competition for home winemakers
1 great team!
Thanks to the judges, pourers, score data wranglers, bottle rustlers, cork pullers, and troubleshooters for 3 great days. And thanks to all who entered!
Results will be first announced online on May 15 with scoring sheets and awards shipped out afterwards. Cheers from our judging site in Vermont!

04/25/2026

Sparkling wines, whites, and rosés. Breakfast of champions to kickoff day two of the WineMaker International Amateur Wine Competition.

04/25/2026

No better way to conclude day one of three judging the WineMaker International Amateur Wine Competition than with Port-Styles!

04/24/2026

Pallets of wine are being offloaded which means the judging for our annual wine competition will start up soon. Good luck to the 1,043 entries during the three days of judging!

04/17/2026

Join us Friday to be ready for the new grape growing season. Start your 2026 vintage on the right path to success with strategies for the early to mid-season of your home vineyard. Leave with ideas you can put right to use from WineMaker‘s “Backyard Vines” Columnist and Professional Vineyard Manager Wes Hagen. This live two-hour online workshop on Friday, April 17 at 4 pm Eastern will also be recorded and attendees will have access to video replays and course materials. Don't miss out!

Early and Mid-Season Grape Growing Techniques with Wes Hagen FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2026, 4 – 6 pm EASTERN Be ready for the new grape growing season with advanced tips and techniques for the first half of the growing season. Start your 2026 vintage on the right path to success with strategies for the e...

04/12/2026

We bottled our cider today after extended aging on the lees. Did you make a cider this year? Tell us about your process and how yours turned out.