Search results

I'm located in the Eastern half of the country, ergo billions of Cicadas are going to be appearing and eating their way through vegetation soon. Does anyone know if they like/prefer grape vines over tree leaves? I thought I read that they erupt from the ground underneath the tree they were...

The kit came yesterday and am doing my first kit with a grape pack. I've read the instructions a number of times this morning, and have a couple of questions. The instructions say to take the first SG reading AFTER primary fermentation. I always take a SG before pitching the yeast and use...

We bought some Aussie Shiraz in plastic, screw-top 750ML wine bottles at the duty free store in Canada on the way home. They were $6 each and extremely tasty. Wish I had bought a full case at that price. Would also be useful for topping up the carboys. So, does anyone use these for bottling...

I've got a couple of carboys of Carmenere and Malbec. On the second racking from the secondary to carboy on the Carmenere, I added 1/4 tsp of KMeta per rec of one of the posters here. I'm getting ready to rack once more for another six months, so should I add more KMeta or was the previous 1/4...

I've been buying 6 gallon juice buckets from a local supplier. Other than using a recommended yeast for the fermentation, I wondered about tweaking the juice for the TA, body, etc. For instance, I have carboys of Montepulciano and Malbec bulk aging right now. Is there a reference for each...

I noticed some tiny (1/8"), black centipede-like insects on the undersides of the leaves. They were chewing and making the leaf a lace-like structure. Anyone know what these buggers are and what can I safely spray to kill them? Thanks, Bob

My 6 gallon juice bucket of Carmenere went volcanic on the second day of fermentation. I made a yeast slurry with Lalvin RC-212 at the proper temp, let it sit for 15 minutes, and then stirred the foam. It was pitched into the bucket, which I had previously added yeast nutrient to. When I...

I picked up a couple of 6 gallon juice pails this past weekend, Malbec and Carmenere. On the buckets were some basic instructions, but one that stood out was this: transfer the juice, along with all the sediments, to a sanitized carboy. This was for the 1st racking. I've always racked off...

I'm going to be planting an experimental Cornell variety Corot Noir (CN 1-X NY70-08.09.10) and wondered what type of trellis would work best for the Central NY region (45 miles NE of Syracuse). Also will be doing Frontenac. Trellis for this one? Thanks. Bob

I've got a six gallon bucket of Monte that's been racked twice and then two oak spirals suspended in the bucket since Dec 13th. When I went to rack this morning, I noticed a thin, powdery film on the surface. I racked until the surface was just above the spigot and stopped, sacrificing about...

Will be planting some new varieties and wondered if you are growing this grape? Suggestions, tips, advice are always most welcomed! Grapeman? Al? :b Bob

I just picked up a 6 gallon pail of Sangiovese juice this morning. The local wine shop added a packet of Lalvin yeast, Saccharomyces Cerevisiae strain. I also have packs of Red Star Montrachet yeast. Does anyone know if one of the above is better for the Sangiovese wine? Also, the...

I'm doing a small, one gallon batch of Blackberry from Oregon Fruit Puree. The fermentation isn't very vigorous, but this is my first with a fruit puree so don't know what to expect. The kit included Montrachet yeast packet. But, it said it was for 5 gallon batches. I was afraid to use the...

I have plenty of room for vines and will be planting Frontenac soon. After visiting some wineries in the upstate NY area, it seems they buy grapes from growers all over the state, even trucking them up from Long Island. Would appreciate any and all info on the process especially licensing by...

I'm starting this thread for the Northern growers interested in Frontenac grapes. I plan on ordering fifty vines and hope to get the usual expert advice I get on the Marquette thread. My first question is the orientation of the rows. I'd like to site them about fifty feet from my...

I'll be using an Oregon Fruit Puree and would like to have the finished product with a slight residual sweetness. We prefer dry reds, but with this Blackberry wine we want to have a semi-sweet without too much cloying. I'm doing a one gallon batch, so is there a formula to add sugar to...

Should I be concerned with using 4x4" posts that have been pressure-treated? I thought I read somewhere that the newer process using CCA isn't as harmful as the ones from years ago that had cyanide byproduct. I'm getting ready to start auguring holes for whatever posts I use. Here's the...

I'm ready to bottle and got my Buon Vino last week. Thinking about running some k-meta from a gallon jug through the filler a couple of times to sanitize. Being lazy, I'm hoping someone will tell me there's no need to do that. :D Bob

Yeah, really basic! We bottled our first ever batch of wine a couple of weeks ago. The bottles were a collection of various sizes from everywhere. Most were 750 ml, but on some the necks were long and others shorter. So, using my floor corker for the first time and getting used to that...

I've used it for my home-brewing and lately have used it for wine making. I plan on getting a gallon jug for the sulfite brew, but until then is there any reason not to use bleach? BTW, I use just the old-fashioned unscented plain bleach in a proper solution based on volume. Bob