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thom

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Good Evening Everyone.

I thought I would put out an intro post, since I am newish here and haven't posted thus far. For the past few months I have been lurking and reading and I finally have my first batch of wine in bottles. I was quite nervous as I don't have any friends who make wine to show me tricks as I go, and also because I didn't really want to have to pour it down the sink if I totally didn't like it.

I have purchased quite a bit of equipment, because that is generally how I like to do things. I learned that using some good equipment will make your experience better and that is exactly what happened for me.

I started with just a kit wine. I am in Canada, so am not sure if these are the same south of the border or not, but I just bottled the California Connoisseur and it was the California White. It says it is a French Colombard blend. It turned out okay, as my girlfriend liked it even right after bottling.

I have a pinot noir in stage two right now, and am waiting for it to finish along. I'm hoping to have it done for Christmas so that I can give a red and a white out as gifts this year to my kids' teachers and coworkers and the like.

I have lofty goals of making a wine cellar and having many different flavours of wine available. That was really the goal in purchasing all this equipment right off the get go.

With regards to my equipment, I got a starter kit from my local wine shop. I also picked up a second carboy (because I read about doing transfers on here and not having to use the fermentation bucket), some racking equipment, like the thief, the auto siphon, and the wine bottle filler gadget that goes on the end of the hose to neatly fill bottles.

The next visit to the wine store, I decided that I should get a filter. I picked up the buon vino filter and another carboy. I also discovered there was a better way than using that stupid spoon to degas my wine, and I got a degasing thing that goes on the end of my drill. I must say that thing is handier than pockets in your underwear.

When it came close to bottling day, I picked up a bottle tree, the squirt thing that goes on the top of it, 36 bottles, a portuguese floor corker, and a bag of corks. At this point I thought I was ready to bottle.

My 10 year old and I started filtering the wine and then filling bottles, while I made a bottle runner out of the 12 year old. It worked out pretty great, and I was pleased with success on the first attempt.

I'll keep reading on here and getting ideas on how other people make their wine, and I would at some point like some input on 'better' wine kits but that will be a new thread.

Sorry for being long winded. I was just excited to have success and it has a lot to do with your community.
 
Good Evening Everyone.

I thought I would put out an intro post, since I am newish here and haven't posted thus far. For the past few months I have been lurking and reading and I finally have my first batch of wine in bottles. I was quite nervous as I don't have any friends who make wine to show me tricks as I go, and also because I didn't really want to have to pour it down the sink if I totally didn't like it.

I have purchased quite a bit of equipment, because that is generally how I like to do things. I learned that using some good equipment will make your experience better and that is exactly what happened for me.

I started with just a kit wine. I am in Canada, so am not sure if these are the same south of the border or not, but I just bottled the California Connoisseur and it was the California White. It says it is a French Colombard blend. It turned out okay, as my girlfriend liked it even right after bottling.

I have a pinot noir in stage two right now, and am waiting for it to finish along. I'm hoping to have it done for Christmas so that I can give a red and a white out as gifts this year to my kids' teachers and coworkers and the like.

I have lofty goals of making a wine cellar and having many different flavours of wine available. That was really the goal in purchasing all this equipment right off the get go.

With regards to my equipment, I got a starter kit from my local wine shop. I also picked up a second carboy (because I read about doing transfers on here and not having to use the fermentation bucket), some racking equipment, like the thief, the auto siphon, and the wine bottle filler gadget that goes on the end of the hose to neatly fill bottles.

The next visit to the wine store, I decided that I should get a filter. I picked up the buon vino filter and another carboy. I also discovered there was a better way than using that stupid spoon to degas my wine, and I got a degasing thing that goes on the end of my drill. I must say that thing is handier than pockets in your underwear.

When it came close to bottling day, I picked up a bottle tree, the squirt thing that goes on the top of it, 36 bottles, a portuguese floor corker, and a bag of corks. At this point I thought I was ready to bottle.

My 10 year old and I started filtering the wine and then filling bottles, while I made a bottle runner out of the 12 year old. It worked out pretty great, and I was pleased with success on the first attempt.

I'll keep reading on here and getting ideas on how other people make their wine, and I would at some point like some input on 'better' wine kits but that will be a new thread.

Sorry for being long winded. I was just excited to have success and it has a lot to do with your community.

Welcome aboard, sounds like you're already hooked!
 
Good Evening Everyone.

I also discovered there was a better way than using that stupid spoon to degas my wine, and I got a degasing thing that goes on the end of my drill. I must say that thing is handier than pockets in your underwear.

My 10 year old and I started filtering the wine and then filling bottles, while I made a bottle runner out of the 12 year old. It worked out pretty great, and I was pleased with success on the first attempt.

Welcome! Its been a long day and I'm a tad tired but you seriously had me at 'pockets in your underwear' but the 12 year old old bottle runner was icing on the cake! Can't wait to read your adventures!
 
Welcome, Thom.

The best advice anyone gave me on this site: be patient. In fact, it's the best advice everyone has given me.

Bottle your wine when it's ready. Is it perfectly clear? Is the wine done dropping sediment? Is it completely de-gassed? Does it taste like you want it to taste? If the answer to any of these questions is "no," then your wine is telling you it's not ready.

Ask questions - the people on this forum are awesome.
 
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