Happenings at TWC
Bench Trials for Winemaking - 2021
Since being involved in winemaking and wine evaluation efforts for well over 20 years, it seems that the subject of wine bench trials should have come up sooner. Bench trials represent an important part of the winemaking process, and even though they require a lot of thought, preparation, and record-keeping, they are typically fun and exciting. This edition of Carl’s Corner will address some key reasons winemakers do bench trials, including: blending for flavor adjustment (acidity, alcohol, tannin), sweetening, fining to remove solids and cloudiness, and treatments to enhance cold and heat stability. Each of these specific topics is briefly discussed below. While doing bench trials, it is best to involve some other interested folks, take notes, and discuss the effects. The goal of bench trials is to determine the least intrusive treatment that will yield the best possible wine. Continue »
Jan 20, 2021 at 11:03 AM
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Our First TWC Blending Session Is in the Books!
Ten years ago, if you’d told me that I’d be pouring wine in a Texas wine tasting room, I would have laughed. It just wasn’t on my radar back then. And if you’d then told me that I’d actually be making wine, I would have considered you nuts. But that’s exactly what I found myself doing just this morning. Continue »
Jan 13, 2021 at 1:54 PM
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Sweetening Wines
One doesn’t have to spend much time working in a Texas wine tasting room to learn that lots of folks enjoy sweeter wines. Wines with some residual sugar or sweetness often have bright fruit aromas and flavors, and are very easy to drink, either by themselves or with snacks and meals. The question is often asked how does one make a sweet wine. Many folks believe that certain grapes are just sweeter than others, or some grapes can get riper and thus have greater sugar content. That is the issue to explore in this edition of Carl’s Corner. Continue »
Jan 6, 2021 at 11:16 AM
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The Year in Review
Whew. Well, that was a strange one. This past year reminds me of a horseback ride I took several years ago through a national forest in northern New Mexico. Things started out just fine, even a little boring, but by the end, I was just glad to get off the horse in one piece. Continue »
Dec 30, 2020 at 1:16 PM
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Carl’s Corner Review for 2020
At the end of each year it is rewarding to look back over the topics included in Carl’s Corner posts over the past 12 months. For the crazy and stressful 2020, twenty-five posts covered a range of topics that are summarized below. Hopefully you have enjoyed these stories and the information provided has both enlightened and entertained. Here’s a look back at Carl’s Corner for 2020. Continue »
Dec 22, 2020 at 1:08 PM
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What’s in a Name?
As a former English teacher, I spent many weeks each year exposing my adolescent students to the joys of Shakespeare. I’m not going to lie: This sometimes took some serious educational acrobatics on my part. While I prefer Hamlet and Julius Caesar, Romeo and Juliet was more accessible to most of my students. They could relate to it on a teenage love level. Plus, I could show them the Leonardo DiCaprio movie version of it. That made everything better. Continue »
Dec 17, 2020 at 9:13 AM
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Blended Wines – Why and How?
A fascinating article in WineMakerMag about Wine Blending Partners written by Chik Brenneman, former winemaker for the UC-Davis Dept. of Viticulture and Enology, caught my attention because there are so many blended wines in Texas, and also in the rest of the wine world, for that matter. As pointed out in the referenced article, “Blending accomplishes several goals in winemaking . . . . improve flavor, mouthfeel, cover a defect, balance the chemical profile, adjust the alcohol content, emulate a commercial wine you enjoy or simply for product consistency.” Hidden in these reasons is what I like to call “insurance in the vineyard.” Certain grape varieties will do better (or worse) depending on vintage conditions (weather) and having several varieties of grapes planted can really help the winemaker produce a much better wine by blending based on qualities of the various components available. And, making a better wine is the key point, right? Continue »
Dec 8, 2020 at 5:50 PM
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Celebrating the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
It’s safe to say that not one of us would choose to live through 2020 a second time. Once was certainly more than enough. Despite the challenges that this year has presented, here at 4.0, we’re choosing to end the year on a high note because we know that we still have much to celebrate, including our tasty wines, our fabulous club members and customers, and our fun teammates. Continue »
Dec 2, 2020 at 9:00 AM
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4.0 Cellars – Carl’s Corner Thanksgiving Edition 2020
This COVID-19 Virus issue is really getting in the way of things, and now it is causing many to consider either limiting Thanksgiving holiday gatherings, or forego them altogether. That’s frustrating for me since gathering with family and friends at Thanksgiving is one of the most treasured and time-honored traditions we have in the United States of America. And, it is really my favorite holiday. Continue »
Nov 23, 2020 at 2:22 PM
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Sharing Our Plenty
Six months ago, it would have been impossible to imagine the energy we’re feeling at 4.0 Cellars these days. At that time, we’d been closed down for a few weeks and were trying to find ways to open safely and according to TABC and state guidelines. We were getting creative, testing e-commerce strategies, making use of online platforms to connect with our members and customers, and generally, finding ways to stay busy. Continue »
Nov 18, 2020 at 11:22 AM
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