I make Zin every year. The people that taught me how to make wine made Zin for many years the same way…. It gets fermented in a garage that fluctuates between 60-80F for 6-8 days. I never had a problem, but then again I have no way to control the temp even if I wanted to. It turns out great...
Sunfresh was a little cheaper than Consumers last year but I still went with Consumers. I’ve used Regina grapes/juice in the past with mixed results. I’ve heard Regina sources their grapes from multiple independent vineyards from all over California, so quality can really vary, where Lanza...
I had DM on my Niagara vines last year. I sprayed with Captan almost weekly and cut/removed the damaged leaves. I read it stays in the ground and on old foliage, so I made sure I used the leaf blower and cleared the area out in the fall, and also sprayed the ground around the stem. So after...
Since I posted this my Sabrevois have taken off. I think the excessively hot, humid, 90+ weather we had early in the summer stunted their growth initially.
Mine are also beetle and mildew resistant. Low maintenance for the most. What is the quality of grapes like? Mine are only on their...
Some observations from my vineyard this year, located in Southwest, Pennsylvania at the base of the Laurel Highlands:
-Niagara- does not do well with the humidity and we’re having another record rainfall year in Pennsylvania. For as much work as I’m putting into spraying and preventing...
I’ve had many people offer to buy wine from me. To the point I could probably sell 20-30 cases a year right now without even trying. My wife works in an office with like 900 people. Her office friends love wine lol. I just tell her no, it’s a federal offense, they can have a bottle if they’d...
I plant lawn grass. Mow between my rows. Weed wack around my vines and posts. I need to weed wack it once every 3-4 weeks. Takes about 15 minutes for 25 vines. I don’t think I’d mess with chemicals unless I had acres planted and it was my only choice.
I had some that started out slow and ugly but they’ve really picked up this past week since we’ve actually had some sun and heat. I’m not too far away in Pennsylvania.
You shouldn’t be having to add any sugar or water to pressed juice. I’d make the best out of it, which it appears you’re trying to do, then never buy it from that vendor/company again.
My grapes finally came in today. I’ve done Chilean merlot and Chardonnay in the past with mixed results but this is my first run with Chilean grapes. 216 pounds worth. Very impressed with the quality. I had maybe a handful of loose berries in each lug. The rest was all nice clusters. I am...
I was talking to a winery owner about this subject a couple weeks ago. He brought up a good point about residual sugar. If your wine is dry there is far less of a chance for bacteria to grow so you have a lot more leeway with sulfites. Like myself, he felt you’re risking over exposure to...
It’s cold here too. Although my garage is unheated, it never drops below 45. These vines are getting a false sense of when it’s time to wake up, I think. My vines planted outside all looked good when I pruned them a couple weeks ago, but they’re nowhere near ready to bud yet.
I went back and forth about what I wanted to do. I ended up ordering 12 18# lugs of Carménère. Enough for two 6 gallon carboys.
I originally wanted to do Malbec but I did some research and the Chilean Malbec reviews didn’t sound too great. I talked to the guy at Consumers and he...
Just a little update on this. I stored all my dormant potted vines in the far end of my unheated garage, by the garage doors, all winter. I watered them lightly one time. I just checked today and they’re all starting to push buds. So they survived over wintering in my garage. At least I...