Wedding Bells

[ScubaDon]

My son told us tonight that he and his girlfriend are going to be married on Sept. 15.


I would like to make the wine for them.


I only have a total of 6 months to make and age it.


I need the help and input from my FVW friends as to what would be the best white and red wines for me to make that would be agedenough in such a short amount of time. I do have 31 bottles of a Pinot Blanc that has one month bulk carboy aging and one month in the bottles. I could use that asbySeptember it should be OK. Is there another white or should I use this.


What would bethe best red that could be ready to drink by September?


He also ask me if I could make champagne. I have read about y'all making champagne but I have never even thought about it. Need your input about this also. Is it possible to make champagne and have it ready by September?


Really need your input Guys, that includes you to George. IF anyone feels like talking to me about this PM me your phone number or I can send you mine so that we can talk about it. Would really like to provide the wine and champagne. I can already see the bottles with the special wedding labels on them.

 

[ScubaDon]

Come on guys 10 viewers and no input.come on input, information, I need time to order,receive and get the juice working!


Some of the top winemakers are on line right now smurfe, Harry, masta, peterCooper, appleman, Slingshot, Wade,
Help me out guys
Edited by: ScubaDon

 

[masta]

I made a White Merlot for oldest boy's wedding and bottled in 375ml and they were given as favors and placed on the table with the sitting assignments attached.


The White Merlot (Ithink is much better than White Zin) is very popular and a safe bet in a crowd of folks at a wedding..........unless you know they are all die hard dry red lovers!


Nothing fancy but it was a big hit!

 

[ScubaDon]

Cool Idea Masta,
would 6 months be long enough to allow for poper aging?

 

[Wade E]

I would also say the Johanisburg Reisling and the Trinity white for
Whites. Im not a big red drinker and can not offer you any advice on
that as it would probably be wrong. As for Champagne, It will be very
tight and since this is my first time making it I think you should wait
for NW to chime in but I think you might just get it done if started
right now! My suggestion would be to go for a Chard or Reisling unoaked.

 

[Slingshot]

View my other post I'm still a rookie but I'll throw my 2 cents in. I hear the island mist kits don't need aging. And being a sweet wine it may appeal to a wider variety of people. I was at a wedding werethey had a little bottle of arbor mist at each place setting. Went over big. Oh,yeah Congrats.

Later Mike.

 

[ScubaDon]

Thanks wade and Mike that is great information.

Wade, I am going to PM you about the champagne!

 

[masta]

6 months is plenty of time for aging the White Merlot or White Zin

 

[ScubaDon]

Thanks Masta,

 

[geocorn]

All of the Vintner's Reserves will be ready in 6 months. If you want a higher quality, I would suggest the Australian Shiraz, Johannesburg Riesling, White Merlot and the Domaine des Brumes. All of those should be ready in the time frame you have indicated.


The WE Champagne kit is ready in 6 weeks. This is a very popular kit and I have only had one complaint and that personfelt the flavor was lacking. If anyone else has made the WE Champagne, please chime in.


BTW, Congratulations!!

Edited by: geocorn

 

[GrapeApe]

Congratulations ScubaDon. Be sure to share the secret to a long successful marriage- lot's of good wine toenjoy with each other.


Here's the link to the 'Magic Chart' which may help select the product line.


http://www.finevinewines.com//Wiz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2957&PN=1
Let us know what you select and how it goes!


GrapeApe

 

[NorthernWinos]

I think you could have some **Sparkling ** Wine by then...but get started as soon as you can...

Go with the kit that George has or any Chardonnay or other white wine....We always do apple and like it a lot.

We make our wine...let it clear...then prime and bottle it...let it re-ferment for 2 months in the bottle...riddle for 2 weeks...dégorge...re-cork and wait awhile for the sparkles to reform [about 2 more months]...You can get it done.

The kit must have a quicker method than our way...Check out how we do it...it's not that hard....see Post below

http://www.finevinewines.com//Wiz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1222

Highlight/Copy & Paste to your browser

Good luck and congratulations....Keep us Posts on your wines and progress...

 

[Wade E]

I knew youd chime in and take the pressure off me NW. I lost all my
info I had saved on sparkling as far as times between each action due
to that trojan virus. Can always count on you!

 

[ScubaDon]

NW,
I read the infomation that you attached.Making thesparkling wine is really a huge pain in the bottles! I think I will make the wine and buy the champagne. Going to talk to my son in the morning and find out how many people that they think are going to come and order the kits from George to make it.


Thanks for the input guys. I knew you would come thru for me.

 

[Wade E]

Naw, not that hard. If I can do it, anyone can. Although mines not done yet!

Just a little more time consuming but fun. Im glad Nw talked me into
it. Ill start anothe batch once it warms up in my basement a little.

 

[Dean]

Most whites should be ready in time, but for reds, if you don't go with Masta's rose idea, you might want to consider a beaujolais (Bergamais), since those are always early drinking reds. Sangiovese (Chianti) work out quite well too.

 

[grapeman]

OK, everybody has covered some good varieties by now. I will bring one other subject up, because it can sometimes be a speedbump. Consider where the reception will be held. A lot of places won't allow any wine other than their own to be served at the reception. You don't want to go through the process of making the wine only to not be able to serve it. Like Masta did, a lot of places will allow you to place it at the table as a favor or place setting. My sister had to give hers out at the hotel room to guests, which worked in her case because they had the wedding out of state.


Congradulations and here's hoping you have no problems in giving away such a thoughtful present.

 

[masta]

Excellentpoint appleman and the folks at the reception hall were very concerned about anyone opening their bottles which was strictly forbidden and agree that most places I know of will not allow alcohol brought in and served.

 

[Harry]

Hey Scubadon


I made 3 gallons of welches concord grape and 2 gallons of welches Raspberry for our 50th wedding anniversary party It was 3 months old and everyone liked it . My daughter came to me and said dad how much wine do you have ? I said not much ,she said you better get busy and make some so I did with the welches . It was a great party for my wife and I GOOD LUCK


Harry

 

[rgecaprock]

ScubaDon,


One of my favorites, a white is Viognier!




Ramona