Member Bio’s

welcome waldo.... if you don't mind tasting the wine, you're fine the way you're doing it, but if you don't have a spiggot on your fermenter and carboys, you can get an autosiphon for short $$, it's actually easier to clean in small areas (kitchen sink) also... but like i the others said, nothing wrong w/ a sneak peak taste in between rackings!!!

Hello, My name is Michael (34) and I'm from the White Mountains of NE Arizona. I raise sheep, 4 children, breed Shih Tzu's, grow veggies, fruit trees and grape vines. I am now trying my hand at winemaking. I dont really drink the stuff,but I would love to give bottles away forfamily members as gifts. Thats not to say that I dont enjoy drinking some now and again.


I am looking forward to my new journey and utilizing everything and everyone. I am totally OCD about this!!! YEAH!

Welcome Michael. OCD is actually a good thang with winemaking! I share your pain!


I love seeing this forum grow!

welcome Michael, what types of grape vines do you grow in NE Az ???

well, just started off with Cab and Merlot. I also have some Thompson. Thats to start. Just planted 2 year old plants this summer.

Then the learning for mehas begun......Taste I shall do. Hopefully my tastebuds are no longer polluted from the "Strawberry Hill" from the 60's

Welcome Michael...Methinks you would have to search long and hard to find a greater group of people than what you have found here.

My name isJohn. 41, married, 3 children ages 10,7, & 4. I live in Colorado just north of Denver and bit east of Boulder. Born and raised in California. Moved to Colorado October 2000. I work in telecom and have a nice cubicle with tan walls in an air conditioned building that is slowly sucking the life out of me.I golf, swim, and read books. I am an experienced euphonium player and I own an acoustic guitar I enjoy pretending to play. My garden is brand new - dirt. So I planted apricot, pear, crabapple, and a few non fruit bearing trees. Soon I will add a cherry tree (been shopping for the dwarf Meteor variety). Lately I've been having a glass of redeach night. I'm somewhat addicted to this hobby I think. In the basement so far I've got peach, lemon, strawberry (frozen),banana, and a burgundy. I am ordering a Lambrusco kit today instead of the Rioja. Maybe I'll just get both. The burgundy turned out pretty good, but its stillgot sediment. It was drinkable the first month, but now its pretty nice and mellow.If this keeps up I might buy a filter jet. Favorite commercial brands are Kendall Jackson, WhiteHall Lanes, V. Sattui Gamay, and of course Reunite and Blue Nun.

welcome John, i was in fort collins a month ago to visit my friend that coaches at Colorado State... gorgeous area, almost moved out there to become a bum.... can never have too many kits, so i'd get both, and as my palate expands to bigger, dryer , bolder reds, its amazing how Riunite Lambrusco is always a great wine!!!! --- plus my family and friends gulf it down in a hurry... if i made a lambrusco, it might not make it to the bottle, they would just pass the carboy around at thanksgiving time

Welcome, John. Sounds like you are stocking up for the winter. Good move.

Masta -- Thanks for the wine cork wreath instructions. If any one else has any thoughts or ideas or making a wine cork wreath, I would love any input! My name is Ali, by the way, and I'm out here in Albany, NY. I attached a picture of Corey and I from our weekend of wine tasting in the finger lakes!

Welcome to the forum, Ali!

Ali,


Welcome .... I've made several cork wreaths. The only trouble is they are very expensive. I figured that the last one I madecost me over $3,000.00. (Cost of dinners and wine just to get the corks).


I checked out the instructions on DIY and that wasn't the way I made mine... of course I didn't have any instructions. All I did was to buy a straw base at a craft shop and started hot gluing corks all shapes and sizes. I bought some flat green moss, several sizes of artificial grapes with very nice foliage, and raffia. When I came to a spot that didn't look just right I just stuck in some moss or foliage. I finished the wreath with a full raffia bow and grapes. Sold it in a garage sale several years ago or I'd send you a picture. Just have fun with it and try not to burn your fingers with the hot glue! Margaret

Ahhhhhhh Garage Sales !!! Ya gotta love em. I have been hitting a few in quest of wine bottles, carboys, fermenters, anything I can find

Welcome to all the new members and I have fallen off the forum train and having troubletrying to run along side and get back on!


Congrats to Hippie and Martina for their well deserved wine making diplomas...!!!