Recent content by Ct Winemaker

Hello Folks, Are there any commercial winery operators, on the message board, that might be willing to suggest an insurance company willing to insure a winery? General business liability, and liquor lability insurance (often referred to as Dram law insurance)? Thank you.

Should have clarified. The Stavin recommendation is for a 59 gallon neutral barrel (8 oz), it would just be less by proportion for a carboy. In regards to MLF, we usually wait unit MLF is complete but there really is no reason not to add the oak (cubes, chips, staves, etc) while in Malo.

Oak powder (dust) or very fine chips are added prior to (during) fermentation to aid in tannin development, this does not add any oak "taste" to the wine. Adding oak after the wine is "still" via oak barrel aging, cubes, chips, staves, etc., adds the oak tastes. They all affect the wine a...

Just took a look at this “manual” I would have found this very useful during the first couple of years with our vineyard. It’s the simplest and most straight forward explanation I have seen yet.

Take a look at Double A vineyards. Vine prices are very reasonable, and their web site is very helpful for making decisions, including trellis system.

There are a variety of smells associated with fermentation most of which are normal and not necessarily “good”. When the fermentation is fully developed (cranking along at high speed!), there is usually associated heat and some funky odors. What you are smelling may be completely normal and...

Confirmed by Double A, over Cropped! Lots to learn about growing grapes. Appearantly young St. Vincent vines are prone to that (3rd season in vineyard). Picked them today, 360 lbs from 39 vines, about 16 Brix. WiIl do our best with them- sweet low ABV wine.

Thanks folks. Sounds like I should have thinned the clusters a bit. Neb Farmer, I do check with a spectrometer (only mentioned taste since I always taste will measuring in an attempt to roughly calibrate my taste buds🙂). I also conduct a very complete spray schedule throughout the year (vines...

Hello Folks, we have St. Vincent grapes hanging (and wilting) on the vines (39 fully loaded vines). They just don't seem to be ripening, with Brix ranging about 12-14. They are however shriveling / wilting and have been in about this same range for weeks now. We're on the verge of frost here...

Ugh! Yes spraying every 14 days or more if it rains. Definatly the same as the other Chardonnal vines and grapes. After looking more carefully, there are signs of the same to a much lesser degree on other vines (and also on St. Vincent). its been exceptionally wet and rainy. Any suggestions...

Can anyone help identify what's going on here? This is a 3rd year Chardonnel vine. Only one out of 39 Chardonnel vines have this problem. Any help identifying would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

Thanks Adrian, very helpful. We're at that decision point - print our own or have printed. As with all business decisions, there are pros and cons either way. Not fully convinced yet on which way to go. Thanks again.

Hello Tanglefoot Wine Cellar, We are considering this printer as well, so hope you don't mind a few questions. Have you determined an approximate cost / label? What material are you printing on? Are you using Dye or Pigment ink? Any problems with the unit or getting print stock or ink? Thank...

We have used that unit to ferment white wine. The seal is a pain and a bit of hit or miss. Most successful approach we found is to have one person put down pressure on the cover while the other closes the Band clamp. Not a great set up, but once closed / clamped, it does hold.

Hello Wineisgud. We are also in CT (Windham County). We planted a small vineyard (May 2019) that will be into it's 3rd season this year, so plan to harvest fruit. We have 117 vines (Marquette, St. Vincent, Chardonnel) split evenly. We will be adding 50 St. Croix this year (double A shipping...