What's in your glass tonight?

mainshipfred · Jun 2, 2017

Boatboy24 said:
@mainshipfred introduced me to them. I didn't even know about 'em. We met at Pearmund a couple weeks ago and they were selling the Effingham wines. Effingham still isn't open (still awaiting ABC license), but they are producing.

Pearmund is having a blending competition for their Ameritage. I think it is $100.00 per team and you get their wines to blend plus one bottle of wine. The winner gets their names on the back label and a case of the winning blend. Sounds kind of fun to me. Even if you don't win.

ceeaton · Jun 2, 2017

Started with a (I know it's the wrong order to drink them in) Dry Stout, moved on to a few Bohemian Pilsners, now working on the end of a Dornfelder bottle. All very yummy and making my mouth feel good (had two ancient fillings replaced this morning, both around 40 yrs old, got my money's worth on those ($590 to replace them this time).

sour_grapes · Jun 3, 2017

ceeaton said:
All very yummy and making my mouth feel good (had two ancient fillings replaced this morning, both around 40 yrs old, got my money's worth on those ($590 to replace them this time).

Good for another 40, ya think?

ceeaton · Jun 3, 2017

sour_grapes said:
Good for another 40, ya think?

I doubt I will be able to use the entire "warranty" period, if my ancestral male longevity prevails.

mainshipfred · Jun 3, 2017

ceeaton said:
I doubt I will be able to use the entire "warranty" period, if my ancestral male longevity prevails.

Hope you didn't have to pay for the extended warranty.

sour_grapes · Jun 7, 2017

Tonight I am into a CC Showcase Walla Walla Cab Merlot, which just celebrated its 3rd birthday. I am still of the opinion that this is the best kit I have made to date. It is drinking very smooth and easy now, with lots of fruit and some leather.

PandemoniumWines · Jun 7, 2017

Last night I had a super nice Watermelon by Heritage Vineyards, called Coal Miner's Daughter. Yum! I'm using the excuse I need to clear some bottles for upcoming bottling... aww heck who needs an excuse? Wine is good.

geek · Jun 7, 2017

sour_grapes said:
Tonight I am into a CC Showcase Walla Walla Cab Merlot, which just celebrated its 3rd birthday. I am still of the opinion that this is the best kit I have made to date. It is drinking very smooth and easy now, with lots of fruit and some leather.

I wish I had made this kit a while ago when I was making red wine from kits

Boatboy24 · Jun 7, 2017

sour_grapes said:
Tonight I am into a CC Showcase Walla Walla Cab Merlot, which just celebrated its 3rd birthday. I am still of the opinion that this is the best kit I have made to date. It is drinking very smooth and easy now, with lots of fruit and some leather.

Had this on the to-do list for some time now. Just looked and it's on discount at FVW. Birthday discount code also applied, along w/ their 'growers' discount. Nice price, trigger pulled. Did you tweak it at all?

I'm getting ready to take the Kenridge LR 3 Country Cab out of my kit barrel and don't have anything on deck. Will have to keep it full with a meta/citric solution while I make this one.

sour_grapes · Jun 7, 2017

Boatboy24 said:
Had this on the to-do list for some time now. Just looked and it's on discount at FVW. Birthday discount code also applied, along w/ their 'growers' discount. Nice price, trigger pulled. Did you tweak it at all?

I'm getting ready to take the Kenridge LR 3 Country Cab out of my kit barrel and don't have anything on deck. Will have to keep it full with a meta/citric solution while I make this one.

Re: tweaks. My notes say: "Used ICV-D254 and 3.6 g Nutriferm yeast energizer, plus 8.0 g FT Rouge tannin in primary. Put oak chips (30 g French heavy, 30 g French medium) in weighted cheesecloth bag. SG was 1.096 about 21 hrs after adding grape pack." I also added some Nutriferm Advance yeast nutrient.

Nice find at FVW. I wonder if you got the last one... They now say "Out of Stock."

Boatboy24 · Jun 7, 2017

sour_grapes said:
Nice find at FVW. I wonder if you got the last one... They now say "Out of Stock."

Said out of stock when I ordered. The nice thing with them is when there's a sale, they still offer the price after their in-store stock is gone - you just have to wait until they get more. In my experience, that is never very long - just days usually.

sour_grapes · Jun 9, 2017

Tonight, I opened up a bottle of my very first kit, viz., a CC Sterling Merlot. It is nearly 4 years old. It is really much better than it was, say, 2 years ago. Still nothing to write home about, but it now drinks like a ~$7 bottle of commercial wine.

ceeaton · Jun 10, 2017

Had a very nice visit with Bill ( @bkisel ) early last week (I think it was Monday). He gave me another bottle of his famous Mansfield Apple, which has a cinnamon stick and is backsweetened with honey and brown sugar. I didn't even get a taste when I opened it for her the next day (we were on vacation). I did get to smell the cork and thank Bill for his wine and the time he took to show me around the estate. His wife even allowed me to have a glass of her prized peach wine (thank you, it was very good and well made). Hope to meet up this fall and exchange some more wines, and maybe even get some of this pressed apple juice he uses for his famous, or soon to be famous wine.

geek · Jun 10, 2017

24th anniversary today, celebrating at El Pulpo Tapas restaurant in Middletown, CT.

Sauvignon Blanc New Zealand and some Casuela de Mariscos, calamares and Paella Valenciana.