Techniques in Home Winemaking: A Practical Guide to Making Chateau-Style Wines [Paperback]

Daniel Pambianchi (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 3, 2002

For the first time in one book, Techniques in Home Wine Making provides detailed instructions for producing premium-quality home-made wines - wines that will impress even the most astute connoisseurs. Daniel Pambianchi demystifies the principles of winemaking, for both beginner and advanced home winemakers, with thorough, step-by-step descriptions and realistic advice. By using practical techniques, processes, and equipment adapted from traditional and modern commercial winemaking, excellent age-worthy wines can be made at home. Easy-to-follow instructions are also provided for making impressive sparkling wine (including using the traditional méthod champenoise process), vintage-style port wine, and the now world-famous ice wine. In this new edition of Techniques in Home Winemaking, author Daniel Pambianchi has completely updated all aspects of his indispensable book and has added an additional 30 pages. Expanded sections describe the instruments and procedures for monitoring and controlling acid, pH and sulphite levels; introduces newly-available winemaking equipment; provides step-by-step instructions for making world-class sparkling wines; discusses winemaking problems; and includes numerous new pictures and diagrams. "There's in-depth detail here that I have previously seen only in professional texts: the inside scoop on alcoholic fermentation; on fining and filtration; on the malolactic fermentation; on the care and maintenance of oak barrels; on avoiding and treating winemaking problems; and on the making of sparkling port and ice wines. I just wish Daniel Pambianchi's book was available when I was just starting out as a winemaker ... it could have saved me a lot of trial and error along the way! —Thomas Bachelder Thomas Bachelder is currently a winemaker at Lemelson Winery in Oregon, and he has made wine for several different Domaines in Burgundy, France. He is the author of five books on wine, and is a regular columnist for Wine Tidings Magazine.

Editorial Reviews

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From the Publisher

Daniel Pambianchi is a regular columnist for Winemaker magazine as well as serving as Technical Editor. He is a member of the American Wine Society and the Society of Wine Educators. He lectures frequently on the subject of home winemaking in addition to providing training seminars. His book is the result of years of practical home winemaking experience and literature surveys.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 294 pages
• Publisher: Vehicule Press; Rev Exp edition (August 3, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1550651579
• ISBN-13: 978-1550651577
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,288,524 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

51 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A competent guide to making premium grape wines at home, June 10, 2001

By 

Jack B. Keller, Jr. - See all my reviews

This review is from: Techniques in Home Winemaking: A Practical Guide to Making Chateau-Style Wines (Paperback)

This is a very good book. The rather lofty objectives inferred by its title and stated in its "Preface" are more than adequately met. Indeed, the book is geared toward achieving good wine from average grapes through proven methods of balancing aroma, body, clarity, color, taste, and style. In all, it succeeds in achieving these goals.

The book is laid out in a logical order that progresses from the general and introductory to the specific and detailed. Among the introductory topics are a discussion of wine styles, grapes, juices, concentrates, and an analysis of wine itself. The author then discusses winemaking equipment and the additives and chemicals used to control musts and shape the character of the wines produced by controlling sugar, alcohol, acidity, pH, and sulfur dioxide. He discusses the preparation of the grapes for processing, the maceration process, pressing, alcoholic fermentation, malolactic fermentation, and stabilization. Not only does he explain the processes themselves, but he offers sound advice and skillful techniques even old hands will appreciate. He then devotes a well-written chapter to clarification methods and products, from simple racking schedules to a variety of fining products and filtration systems. He then moves into and through the all-important and oft-overlooked subject of blending varieties and vintages to achieve more complex and interesting wines. His chapter on oak barrels is perhaps the best I have read. Not only does he thoroughly discuss the preparation and maintenance of oak, but also traditional and modern methods of fermenting and aging wines in oak, including spoilage problems, how to treat them, and more importantly how to prevent them. Alternative oaking methods are also discussed. Finally, he concludes the basics of winemaking by discussing bottling, closures and cellaring.

Had Pambianchi stopped there, his book would have surpassed most in useful content. Instead, he spends three chapters discussing the ins and outs of making sparkling wines, ports and icewines. From must preparation to specific techniques of alcoholic fermentation for each, he explains the fundamentals with clarity and thoroughness. For sparkling wines, the bottle fermentation, disgorgement, dosage, and bottling are the final steps that lead to success or failure. Portwine making is not simply fortifying a sweet still wine, and icewine making is not simply prematurely stopping the fermentation in a late harvested, highly-acid, very sweet, grape must. Pambianchi clarifies these differences and defines the essence of each. Here, his book excells.

He then goes back to the basics and discusses vinification and winemaking problems anyone could encounter and how to treat them. This is a wonderful chapter for anyone who ever encounters one of these, for Pambianchi discusses the 14 most common problems and their resolutions better than do most authors of similar books. When combined with his coverage of the problems associated with oak barrel aging, this book's value is potentially enormous.

Lastly, the book contains a number of very valuable appendices. But the whole of the book is peppered with detailed and useful charts, tables and illustrative figures. I highly recommend this book.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Techniques in Home Winemaking - happy customer :), August 14, 2001

By 

Sebastien Lapierre (Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Techniques in Home Winemaking: A Practical Guide to Making Chateau-Style Wines (Paperback)

Excellent book, at least for a beginner, which I am. Certainly very useful for experienced winemakers due to lots of advanced topics. Was a clear winner after comparing it with other books on the same subject. Very clear and to the point, well organized. I definetly recommend it!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wine Making Review, September 17, 2000

By 

Chip Russell (Casselberry, Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Techniques in Home Winemaking: A Practical Guide to Making Chateau-Style Wines (Paperback)

The charts and illustrations in this book are worth the price in explaining the process of making wine. The book includes the wine making process for fresh grapes, concentrates, or kits, this book is a valued reference. Many topics are covered, from pressing to bottling. Details of fining and malolactic fermentation are also explained.