Happenings at TWC
Corks versus Screwcaps – Does it Matter?
This update of a 2015 Carl’s Corner was prompted by a recent article by Dave Green in WineMaker Magazine, Virtual Edition, For nearly two centuries, cork has been the preferred closure for wine bottles. Cork is a natural product cut from the bark of a cork oak tree that is flexible and only a tiny bit porous. By properly shaping a cork to fit snugly inside the neck of a wine bottle, one can produce a very sturdy, long-lived stopper that is almost impervious to air intrusion. So, what is wrong with having cork closures for wine bottles, and why have screwcaps become more common and more popular? Continue »
Sep 30, 2020 at 9:57 AM
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Maceration in Winemaking
I recently enjoyed an article by Bob Peak posted in WineMaker Magazine, Virtual Edition (Sep-2020) entitled Maceration Tips and Techniques. Maceration is a term often tossed out when discussing the wine making process. It is critically important in producing red wines since most red grapes, like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Tempranillo, have colorless pulp (the juicy inside part of the grape) and red-black skins. Maceration is the technical term for soaking grape skins in grape juice, a necessary step in order to extract color (plus flavors and tannins) from those dark skins into the juice from the pulp to ultimately make a red wine. Continue »
Sep 16, 2020 at 1:20 PM
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Spring Activity in the 4.0 Cellars Vineyard
During this Corona Virus shutdown period there are lots of activities that we can’t, or at least, shouldn’t do. However, Mother Nature does not take a break, so farming and vineyard work must continue. There has been a lot of activity in the 4.0 Cellars vineyard this spring, and that is the subject of this edition of Carl’s Corner. Continue »
May 13, 2020 at 1:10 PM
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Popular Wine Myths Debunked – Part 1
In the 4.0 Cellars tasting room, one often hears comments about wine from customers that tend to fall into the categories of myths, misconceptions, and sometimes just plain quackery. Because wine can be a technically challenging topic, and sometimes downright confusing, a recent article in WineMaker magazine prompted me to address some of these myths. This is Part 1. Part 2 will follow. Continue »
Feb 27, 2020 at 10:31 AM
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Vine Pruning, February, 2020
Now that the new year has arrived, it is time to plan the vineyard pruning effort as spring approaches. Along US 290, one can see that pruning has started in many vineyards. And, there are posts and videos on FaceBook and Utube addressing the subject of vine pruning. But, I wanted to approach this subject in my own way for this Carl’s Corner post. Starting my 17th season of vine pruning, I’ve decided to share my approach in this updated Carl’s Corner post. During your next visit to 4.0 Cellars, you are invited to wander out to the 4.0 Cellars “Pet Vineyard” to take a look at the Black Spanish vines either before or after pruning starts. Continue »
Feb 11, 2020 at 2:35 PM
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Acidity in Wine – Part 2 in the Winery
Acidity is very important to the taste, color, and stability of wines. Too little acidity produces flat & uninteresting wines, while too much acidity leads to harsh, tart wines. Acidity not only influences the taste of wine, but also the fermentation process, stability of color and proteins, and resistance to spoilage mechanisms. Part 1 on acidity focused on acid compounds as they are created in the vineyard, migrate to the grapes, and are impacted by various degradation mechanisms that reduce acidity as grapes ripen and are harvested. This Part 2 edition will focus on acidity as it impacts fermentation, aging, and quality in the finished wine. Continue »
Jan 16, 2020 at 12:36 PM
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Acidity in Wine – Part 1 in the Vineyard
First of all, Happy New Year to all of you. I’ve just been sitting here thinking about topics for 2020, and decided to start off with a post on how important acidity is in wines. This was a key topic for a presentation and tasting at the Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association Grape Camp last November in Fredericksburg. Acidity is very important to the taste, color, and stability of wines. Too little acidity produces flat & uninteresting wines, while too much acidity leads to harsh, tart wines. Acidity not only influences the taste of wine, but also the fermentation process, stability of color and proteins, and enhances stability against spoilage mechanisms. This Part 1 edition of Carl’s Corner will focus on acid compounds as they are created in the vineyard, and migrate to the grapes that will eventually be harvested and become wine. A Part 2 edition will focus on acidity in the winery as it impacts fermentation, aging, and the finished wine. Continue »
Jan 4, 2020 at 11:35 AM
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End of the Year 2019
This will be the last Carl’s Corner for this year, and I would like to reflect on the topics covered during 2019. In January, a post on Port Style Wines highlighted the various types of Port wines and the newly released 4.0 Cellars Portejas, This delicious wine was produced from Black Spanish grapes grown in the show vineyard in front of the tasting room, coupled with Ruby Cabernet wine from Brennan Vineyards. The second post in January covered the use and impact of Oak Barrels & Oak Alternatives on the wines that we enjoy. The Texas Hill Country Wineries Annual Symposium and Trade Show was held in January at Horseshoe Bay Resort near Marble Falls. What a fun event filled with friends, fun, learning, and, of course, good Texas wine. Continue »
Dec 18, 2019 at 1:01 PM
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Wine Labels – What They Do or Don’t Tell You
A recent article in Wine Enthusiast magazine caught my attention and prompted this Carl’s Corner edition. One of my favorite wine writers, Paul Gregutt, wrote about The Dos and Don’ts of Wine Labels with a focus on what makes a good wine label. I have borrowed liberally from his article with the focus on what is required on a wine label, what would be useful to consumers, and what wineries rarely tell us. So, pour yourself a glass of good Texas wine and grab a few wine bottles to look over their labels as you read further. Continue »
Dec 4, 2019 at 3:19 PM
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What to do with Leftover Wine
What is “leftover” wine? For some, it is hard to imagine such a thing. This is a subject that has been addressed previously, but we still often get questions about it from customers at the 4.0 Cellars tasting room. So, here is my take on Leftover Wine. Continue »
Sep 11, 2019 at 1:22 PM
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