Decent book about winemaking

[RevA]

Hi,

Which book would you suggest as a book that someone can buy to learn the basics about winemaking that is still easily available?

If there is a thread about this, does anyone have a link to it?

 

[Rice_Guy]

Humm Good? The first question should be what is your background? skilled in the art? novice? college chemistry? Grape wine? fruit wines?

winemakingtalk Has several pages about books if you search “book” in the upper right header. All that said, most are recipe books which don’t say why you add 4 cups of sugar to a certain fruit, ,,, or why you add 1 teaspoon acid per gallon with fruit X. Oh! and grapes are a bit easier since they tend to be close to ideal fermentation substrate. ,,,, I found I had several “ah-ha that’s why“ when reading Modern Winemaking by Jackish.

 

[cmason1957]

If you are somewhat scientifically inclined, as in have a basic understanding of chemistry (and I just barely have that from basic chem at college several decades ago). I would suggest Make Award-Winning Wines at Home with Techniques in Home Winemaking and the books written by Daniel Pambianchi. He used to be the science writer for winemaker magazine. Very well respected and does offer (or did prior to covid-19 putting the caboosh on them) classes in the chemistry aspects of winemaking. You can certainly make good wine, without knowing or practicing many of the things he talks about, but you might be able to make better by learing some of them.

 

[RevA]

Humm Good? The first question should be what is your background? skilled in the art? novice? college chemistry? Grape wine? fruit wines?

winemakingtalk Has several pages about books if you search “book” in the upper right header. All that said, most are recipe books which don’t say why you add 4 cups of sugar to a certain fruit, ,,, or why you add 1 teaspoon acid per gallon with fruit X. Oh! and grapes are a bit easier since they tend to be close to ideal fermentation substrate. ,,,, I found I had several “ah-ha that’s why“ when reading Modern Winemaking by Jackish.

I've been making wine for about 7 years. I make wine from grapes as well as other fruits, that said I love learning and also want to get a few books that can serve as a primer for when someone asks about winemaking. We have a prohibition on the sale and distribution of alcohol in South Africa, but not on the production or consumption of alcohol. I'm getting a bit tired of explaining how to make a basic fruit wine and then get asked why it didn't come out as a great wine when they skipped 5 steps in the process.

 

[Rice_Guy]

For quality information that you can pass out to a no college community, I second @cmason1957 Daniel Piambianchi is really really good.

 

[RevA]

For quality information that you can pass out to a no college community, I second @cmason1957 Daniel Piambianchi is really really good.

Thanks I'll try to order one of his books!

 

[Kraffty]

Here's a link to a few basic guides that may work to explain the entire process in pretty simple terms.

https://morewinemaking.com/content/winemanuals

 

[BernardSmith]

Two other good titles, I think - Neither are as scientifically grounded as the Pambianchi

Sheridan Warrick's The Way to Make Wine (U of California Press). A book about wine making with grapes from crush to bottling. My edition is 2006 but I think it was re-published more recently. Given that this is a university press book you know that the author and the editors know their stuff.
The other title focuses on country wines Patti Varga and Rich Gulling's Country Wines (Garden Way Publ) , originally published in 1992 but this is still a solid book (though the authors tend to use orange juice to rehydrate their yeast

 

[RevA]

Here's a link to a few basic guides that may work to explain the entire process in pretty simple terms.

https://morewinemaking.com/content/winemanuals

Thank you very much!

 

[cmason1957]

Thanks I'll try to order one of his books!

You can get it from the great Amazon God, but I suggest you purchase it direct from his website. You will get an autographed copy that way, not that it matters all that much, but I think he makes a little bit more if you buy it from him and I'm an always help the little guy, if you can.

 

[salcoco]

for a web site try The Winemaking Home Page

 

[vineyarddog]

You can get it from the great Amazon God, but I suggest you purchase it direct from his website. You will get an autographed copy that way, not that it matters all that much, but I think he makes a little bit more if you buy it from him and I'm an always help the little guy, if you can.

I’m all about helping the little guy but the book on Amazon is $16.79, shipping alone on his website is $13. The difference between what PayPal takes vs Amazon might not be much!

 

[cmason1957]

I’m all about helping the little guy but the book on Amazon is $16.79, shipping alone on his website is $13. The difference between what PayPal takes vs Amazon might not be much!

Wow, I don't remember paying that much shipping costs, but I did buy my copy probably 5 years ago.

 

[winemanden]

Two other good titles, I think - Neither are as scientifically grounded as the Pambianchi

Sheridan Warrick's The Way to Make Wine (U of California Press). A book about wine making with grapes from crush to bottling. My edition is 2006 but I think it was re-published more recently. Given that this is a university press book you know that the author and the editors know their stuff.
The other title focuses on country wines Patti Varga and Rich Gulling's Country Wines (Garden Way Publ) , originally published in 1992 but this is still a solid book (though the authors tend to use orange juice to rehydrate their yeast

Another interesting book by Varga & Culling published in 1999 'Wild Wines & Meads'. 125 Unusual recipes using Herbs, Fruits, Flowers & More. As you said not scientific, but still using Orange juice to make a starter. Mother and Son keeping up the tradition of home winemaking.