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  1. askins3097

    Ideal Zinfandel fermentation temperature

    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...
  2. askins3097

    Sunfresh in Pittsburgh

    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...
  3. askins3097

    Downy mildew explosion

    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...
  4. askins3097

    Observations from the vineyard this season

    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...
  5. askins3097

    Observations from the vineyard this season

    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...
  6. askins3097

    "You Should Sell Your Wine!"

    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...
  7. askins3097

    What Herbicide do you spray below your vines?

    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.
  8. askins3097

    4th year ohio vines look bad

    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.
  9. askins3097

    Specific Gravity of juice off the scale!

    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.
  10. askins3097

    Carmenere

    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...
  11. askins3097

    Racking

    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...
  12. askins3097

    Grapes in containers

    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.
  13. askins3097

    What are your plans for the spring harvest?

    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...
  14. askins3097

    Grapes in containers

    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...
  15. askins3097

    American Wine Society Pittsburgh Wine Experience. March 31st.

    http://www.awspghwineconference.org/2019Conf_flyer_1.28.2019.pdf Are any forum members going? I have never attended one of these events, but I think I am going to go to this one. I’m still debating on entering a wine or two in the competition.
  16. askins3097

    Western PA mead makers?

    Thanks for the suggestion Bill. I’ll have to make my way over there sometime. I have heard from a co-worker his meads are very good.
  17. askins3097

    Western PA mead makers?

    I see this thread is almost 2 years old. Did this mead making group get anywhere? I’ve just made wine in the past but I live close to Irwin and would have some interest in making mead.
  18. askins3097

    -50 Degrees F Windchill

    It’s going to be single digits in the Pittsburgh area. My little vineyard should be fine tho. I imagine there’ll be a lot of vineyard damage after this is said and done. I know there’s a lot of vinifera planted in Michigan and even parts of Ohio. That’ll all be single digit highs, subzero...
  19. askins3097

    How Painful Will It Be?

    I just have a cheap TA testing kit and ph meter. Never had issues with SO2 by just following the recommended doses and times with k-meta. The Vinmetrica sc300 looks nice tho. I’ll probably get one next year. It’s an addictive, and at times expensive, hobby! Lol.
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