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University of California Press

About the Book

“Can you change a tire? Then you can make wine. This according to Sheridan Warrick, Berkeley author of The Way to Make Wine, a step-by-step guide for home vintners. Warrick walks readers through each step of the process, explaining in plain English crushing, the Brix scale, fermentation, racking and bottling. The second part of the book is a how-to on fine-tuning the process. Along the way Warrick includes tips, sidebars and sources for grapes and other supplies. And even if you never bottle a drop, you'll come away with a greater appreciation of what goes into your glass.”—San Francisco Chronicle

The Way to Make Wine reveals everything needed to make delicious wines—both reds and whites—from start to finish. Rich with insider know-how, this book divulges the many practical advances made in the past few decades and demonstrates that do-it-yourself winemaking is now simpler and more rewarding than ever. Straightforward illustrations of key tools and steps help make this book one-stop shopping for wine lovers, beer brewers, avid cooks, or anyone who’s ever dreamed of producing table wines at home.

This updated and expanded edition features:

* new how-to illustrations
* tips and techniques from accomplished professional winemakers
* up-to-date information on the rewards and challenges of running natural wine fermentations
* fresh ways to apply your home-brewing knowledge to make remarkable reds and whites

Providing concise, clear, and practical guidance, Sheridan Warrick shows that making your own wine is not only easy but also a pleasure.

About the Author

Sheridan Warrick is part of an active Bay Area winemaking community, with more than thirty vintages behind him. He is a freelance editor and the former executive editor of Health and Via magazines.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations and Tables
Introduction: Real Wine, Real Enjoyment

PART ONE: SUCCESS WITH REDS AND WHITES
1 Grapes and Other Ingredients
2 The Ins and Outs of a Home Winery
3 When Red Means Go
4 Then a Miracle Happens
5 A Pressing Engagement
6 The Quiet Stage
7 Watchful Waiting
8 Bottling and Beyond
9 Vive la Différence!
10 Clear and Clean
Part One Recap: Winemaking Step by Step

PART TWO: MAKING EVEN BETTER WINE
11 Bringing in the Yeasts
12 A Dozen Classic Styles
13 Getting a Grip on Your Grapes
14 Testing, Testing
15 Taking Control
16 Mastering Sulfur Dioxide
17 Making the Wine You Wish You’d Made

Suppliers and Laboratories
Further Reading
Acknowledgments
Index

Reviews

“Can you change a tire? Then you can make wine. This according to Sheridan Warrick, Berkeley author of The Way to Make Wine, a step-by-step guide for home vintners. Warrick walks readers through each step of the process, explaining in plain English crushing, the Brix scale, fermentation, racking and bottling. The second part of the book is a how-to on fine-tuning the process. Along the way Warrick includes tips, sidebars and sources for grapes and other supplies. And even if you never bottle a drop, you'll come away with a greater appreciation of what goes into your glass.”—San Francisco Chronicle

“Eminently readable. . . . Highly recommended to anyone eager to discover the thrills and delights of making wine at home.”—Gastronomica: The Journal of Critical Food Studies

“Demystifies winemaking for the amateur vintner.”—Library Journal