Winemaking season

I've got three kits going right now. They'll be ready to bottle in late May, late June and mid -July. Planning to start #4 in May or June, and bottle in mid October.

So it got me thinking, I'll probably get myself in a rhythm for making wine on an annual basis. Make 2 or 3 kits a year, with bottling sometime in late fall. They can age over the winter months in a cellar, with some ready for drinking in the spring.

Does anyone else have a time of year or season when they make kit wine?

I actually worked out a detailed schedule. I make kits all year long. I established a goal of drinking primarily my own wine. To build up my supply, I am presently making 12 kits/year. With 4 carboys, I worked out a production schedule that allows me to start one kit/month and to allow them to age for about 4 mos. before bottling. (I can share the Excel spreadsheet if you are interested.)

sour_grapes said:

I actually worked out a detailed schedule. I make kits all year long. I established a goal of drinking primarily my own wine. To build up my supply, I am presently making 12 kits/year. With 4 carboys, I worked out a production schedule that allows me to start one kit/month and to allow them to age for about 4 mos. before bottling. (I can share the Excel spreadsheet if you are interested.)

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Yes please!

I have attached it as a zipped .xslx file. If you are not able to unzip it or read it, PM me your email address and I will send you the file (or an .xls file, if you have an old version of Excel).

There is also a sheet in that file that I use to monitor my inventory and aging of wines after bottling.

Also, some info here about the math for determining how many bottles to have in your cellar to meet your needs:

http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=453734&postcount=33

View attachment winecellartracker_sample.zip

Using your equation, I'll need 308 bottles initially.

Like my grilling season, my winemaking season lasts 12 months.

One of the things I like about wine making is the absolute lack of a schedule.

I primary for a week or two, I secondary for a month or two and I bottle after 6 months or so. No pressure...

Scheduling makes it seem like work.

DoctorCAD said:

One of the things I like about wine making is the absolute lack of a schedule.

I primary for a week or two, I secondary for a month or two and I bottle after 6 months or so. No pressure...

Scheduling makes it seem like work.

Click to expand...

I understand what you're saying.The "artsy" side of me gets the chill mindset in winemaking. But, I spent 7 years active duty military and I run a law office for an employer with 900 employees. I need structure and goals as much as sharks need to swim.

Nice spreadsheet sour grapes. Your sg readings and ABV sound great on the amarone. Very similar to mine, which is in the barrel now. Did you try a bottle since bottling in January?

ehammonds said:

Nice spreadsheet sour grapes. Your sg readings and ABV sound great on the amarone. Very similar to mine, which is in the barrel now. Did you try a bottle since bottling in January?

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Yes, I have. In fact, this is in my "normal drinking rotation" now (as of just recently). That was bottled in January 2014, by the way.

It is pretty good, not great. It was the third kit I made (as you could see, I suppose!). I feel like I was still making some mistakes at that point. I believe I thinned it out with too much water addition, so it is a bit thin still. Still plenty good to drink, just not as bold as it might be.

Enjoying the WORLD of winemaking, you will eventually find yourself processing juices/grapes twice a year. Northern Hemisphere harvests in the fall, and Southern Hemisphere in the Spring!! A ful-filling schedule if I do say so

I am limited as I make wine only from fresh grapes. There is definitely a yearly cycle that I follow. If I take the fall crush as "New Years Day", it goes something like this..

End of September - crush, punchdowns, and clean-clean-clean.

October - Press, first racking, MLF, and clean-clean-clean.

November - 2nd rack, Final Adjustments, Oaking, and clean-clean-clean.

December - Check SO2, taste, and clean-clean-clean.

January-march - Just relax and enjoy a glass of wine by the fire. Do some cleaning when the mood strikes.

April - Begin to prepare bottles, check bottling equipment, rack/filter, and clean-clean-clean. Try to do some bottling. During the 2nd half of the month, prepare all equipment for Chilean crush (this is where I am now).

May - Chilean Crush, punchdowns, press, and clean-Clean-clean. Attempt to do some bottling if there is time.

June - Make wife happy on her birthday, begin to host bottling parties, and clean-clean-clean.

July - Bottling and (do I need to say it?)

August - More bottling and c-c-c. Rack everything in advance of crush. clean-clean-clean some more.

September - Begin making preparations for crush. Make trays of food, call/order grapes, clean and prepare all equipment, attend to the 100's of details that go with the main crush and a party for 80+ people. Try to get some sleep and clean-clean-clean (then clean-clean-clean some more).


This is a rough outline of how each year has been going. Did I mention that there is a LOT of cleaning involved in this hobby???? I have no doubt that when I am older I will be switching to kits. I am jealous of the freedom you folks have!

Shouldn't these posts be mad in "Kit Making"?

Wiz said:

Shouldn't these posts be mad in "Kit Making"?

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Fair question. The problem I run in to in that section is they always want to know what kit I'm talking about in order to post a new topic. Since this isn't kit specific, but more of a noobie question, I started it here.

Plus, the responses have been from all kinds of wine makers - great info to me.

If an admin thinks it's better somewhere else (or taken down as inappropriate), I'm fine with wherever or whatever may come. Just in it for the learning and conversation...

To preface my response, I will say that winemaking is my destressing hobby. So I don't worry too much about a schedule or feel pressured to do anything with much rigor (aside from sanitation of course).

In the spring I make Chilean/South African wine from grapes and juice.

In the summer I make kits.

In the fall I make Californian/Italian/local from grapes and juice.

In the winter I make port and kits.

Seems to work out well.

Heather

I seldom have a specific plan for what to make when. My wife and I have something starting all the time, generally California or American grapes /juice in the fall, kids in the winter and fruit whenever we get to them, since we freeze all fruit. Oh and skeeter pee about now, since it takes no time to make and my wife's family loves it.