Consulting


Our experienced staff winemakers, enologists and chemists offer complete winery consulting as well as short discussions on winemaking, fermentation management, laboratory set-up, or individual analysis training. Often a second opinion by a Vinquiry Enartis knowledgeable expert can be helpful in optimizing wine quality and avoiding costly problems. Vinquiry Enartis now offers the following levels of consulting service: Mini Consults and Wine Improvement Reviews.

 

 Mini Consults

Mini Consults are quick 15 minute question and answer sessions that can cover a wide variety of topics from fermentation management to bottling suggestions. Each consult gives a winemaker 15 minutes of concise explanation on topics such as:

  bullet Can you help me with my fermentation?
    For example: How do I treat moldy/Botrytised fruit? When do I press or how do I handle press fractions? How can I get my stuck fermentation restarted? How do I treat this off-aroma that has surfaced?
  bullet What do I do now?
    For example: How do I translate my analytical results into cellar actions? What can I do when my juice won't settle? How can I solve my pinking issue? My wine has Brett, what's the next step?
  bullet How do I treat my wine?
    For example: My wine is not stable, what do I do next? What material should I use and how do I calculate the amount to add? What Free SO2 levels should I have at this stage?
  bullet What do I need prior to bottling?
    For example: Can I bottle this wine unfiltered? What filter should I use? What should my Free SO2 level be when using screw caps?
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I’ve got an idea, what do you think?

Price: $30 for a 15 minute session

The questions above are example topics, Mini Consults can cover a wide variety of winemkaing questions. For more information or to start the Mini Consult service, contact Don Frazer at 707-838-6312 or by email at donf@vinquiry.com. If the subject/question is more complex than the Mini Consult format allows, a fixed price will be quoted to continue the discussion and find a resolution.

 

 Wine Improvement Reviews
Wine Improvement Reviews are 1 hour sessions, which revolve around a particular topic.  These sessions are designed to help a winemaker take a fresh look at specific areas of their winemaking process with the guidance of our experienced staff winemakers. Once a topic is decided upon, a questionaire will be given to the winemaker to complete.  Our staff winemakers will review the questionaire before the 1 hour session begins.  Choose one of the following 3 review topics or suggest one:
    Post Harvest Review
    Take a look at what happened this year while it’s fresh in your mind.  Discuss what worked and what needs improvement in order to make better wine next year (or at least get more sleep). Examples could include:
  bullet Problem fermentations, utilizing capacity efficiently, hitting ripeness targets
  bullet Dealing with the unexpected - extra tonnage, moldy grapes, grapes that did not fit style parameters
    Stabilization, Fining and Aging Review
    Determine what needs to happen between fermentation and bottling. Establish an aging regime and what improvements need to be made to a wine.
  bullet Barrels vs. tanks
  bullet Setting up and interpreting fining trial basics
  bullet Evaluate methods and materials for heat and cold stabilization
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  • Racking, topping and SO2 management
  bullet Problem prevention
    Finishing and Bottling Review
    Orchestrate a plan of attack before, during and after bottling.
  bullet Risks and rewards for filtered and unfiltered wine
  bullet Filtration basics
  bullet Blending and last minute adjustments
  bullet Bottling day - dealing with mobile bottlers, QC, sterile bottling
  bullet Post bottling stability issues

Price: $120 for a 1 hour session

For more information or to start the Wine Improvement Review service, contact Don Frazer at 707-838-6312 or by email at donf@vinquiry.com. If the subject/question is more complex than the Wine Improvement Review format allows, a fixed price will be quoted to continue the discussion and find a resolution.