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Other than George and his wife, is anyone else planning to attend the 2009 WineMaker Magazine Conference in Napa Valley, California on May 15-16, 2009?

Has anyone ordered grapes from M & M produce? I saw that they are offering Chilean grapes this spring. They will crush and destem and ship frozen in six gallon pails by air cargo and their prices are much better than Peter Brehm. If you have any experience with this firm, please let me know.

I've decided to make three five-gallon batches of mead this year. My first was Cherry Vanilla Melomel. My next two will be Pyment and the following recipe I have derived for what I call Wit Metheglin (to use the spices for a Belgian White Ale): 12 lbs wildflower honey 3 lbs wheat dried...

I contemplated making a pyment with George's suggested use of an Island Mist kit with 6 lbs of honey. But I've decided I want my pyment to emphasize the honey characteristics. So I am contemplating taking a Vintner's reserve 10 liter kit or Vinefera Noble 10 liter kit, splitting the kit in half...

After reading the topic on Wine Business, it reminded me of a thought I had earlier today. Does anyone know what it takes to get a permit and license to operate a legal distilllery? I'm not aware of any makers of brandy in Texas. After reading the literature, it seems fairly easy to distill wine...

I've started two Cellar Craft limited editions this year and have been very impressed with the quality of the kits. I have made the LE Rosso Fortissimo and the GSM. Both are still bulk aging, but taste great. I was especially pleased with the clear instructions and the quality of kit, which...

I am starting a 7.5 l Vintner's Reserve Bourgeron Blanc which George had on closeout this past summer due to the replacement by the 10 l VR Coastal White. I presume this is predominantly Chardonnay. Has anyone used oak either during fermentation or in aging? Has anyone tried batonnage with this...

I finally met a wine I could not clear. I made a Peach Melomel in 2007. I tried three separate finings, including Superkleer, and could not get rid of the haze. I double filtered it with my minijet filter, and still could not clarify it. Finally, yesterday I threw in the towel. Despite the...

I know that several of you have used batonnage, i.e., stirring the lees, on white kit wines. Has anyone done a controlled experiment by splitting a batch of white wine, one made with stirring the lees and one without to determine the degree of difference this makes with akit wine?

My wife is watching Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and several of you have avatars of Rankin Bass characters. So the peer pressure got to me and I'm now joining in the holiday cheer. Good Grief, a Dentist!Edited by: dfwwino

Do you ever wonder what happened to former frequent posters? Suddenly someone disappears. Do you think theirspouse or sig. other said enough is enough? I know I disappeared for months this year only to return with more gray hair. Unfortunately, I've been buried alive at work most of this year...

After months of laziness, I finally cleared out some carboys, bought a couple of more carboys and started several kits that I should have started months ago. Yesterday and today, I started the following kits: Winexpert Limited Edition Nero D'Avola/Shiraz Mosti Mondiale Renaissance...

Today, my wife and I closed on our new house and said goodbye forever to our temporary apartment life. I loaded five six gallon carboys, six five gallon carboys, andtwo three gallon carboys into the back of a pick up truck and gently drove to my new house. I carried all of the carboys upstairs...

Has anyone ever attempted to make homemade red Vermouth. I was reading the the white wine Moscato is used to make it, along with carmelized sugar (for the color), wormwood and many other herbs. I am making 6 gallons of Moscato from the fresh juice and thought maybe a wild experiment might be in...

It is time for a Renaissance. I just saw that George posted his November special featuring MM's Renaissance kits. They all look so good. Has anyone made one? If so, any recommendations as to varietal?

The forum members have been making wine with Mosti Mondiale for nearly a year. I'm curious if anyone has detected any kit taste in MM kits? I have not. Has anyone had experience making kits from RJ Spagnols and Cellar Craft? If so, have you detected kit taste in kits made by those manufacturers...

I was just reading a blog entry at Winexpert and learned that Winexpert has released a WE Selection International Chilean Pinot Noir. I wonder how this will compare to MM's Pinot Noir.I suppose it is on its way to George's shop.

Has anyone made the Meglioli Rojo Intenso? How does it compare to the Meglioli Barolo? I'm having a difficult time making a decision between these two kits.

I prepared a blueberry wine tonight while listening to Game 7 of the ALCS. It is 6-2 Red Sox leading with one out in the bottom of the eighth. It is looking like the Red Sox might win. I'll name this wine after the winning team. Here are the ingrediants: 15 lbs. blueberries 1 lb. raisins...

I'm saving one of my fresh juice MM containers to use as a fermenter for 1, 3 and 5 gallon wines. I like the screw cap airlock and think it will be ideal for smaller batches.