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Welcome to WMT! I grew up on the west side with a concord vineyard. I got into wine making in my 20s and have been slowly getting better. This is a great place to hone the craft and meet kindred spirits! (As is cleveland!) I still head back to Collinwood every year for my grapes. There are...

Good choice with PS. However I like RP-15 or BM4x4 for PS. Morewinemaking.com has a good yeast guide for syrah/PS. Non traditional grapes like Tannat an PV would also be interesting but are typically difficult to source out side the west coast.

It would taste fantastic! Syrah, Cab Sauv would be a good second.

PS is one of my favorites too! Cold soaking for as along as possible and then a slow ferment. @silverbullet07 There has been some hit or miss success with PS on the forum, but it is one of my yearly go to's. I like it as a stand alone or can use it for some color. Keep exploring and good luck!

I am down in the Kankakee area. I am not sure how close you are. There are a number of "clubs" on the north side of chicago but it just doesn't fit my schedule. I have hosted some crush parties and pressing sessions to try and generate interest. I tend to have lots of interest but not a lot...

Even with a little mildew they look pretty dang good!

Check your acid levels. Barbara tends to be a little high. If the Grenache is low you might be perfect - otherwise you might need a slight adjustment. Should be an interesting blend!

Great quick tutorial, Steve! I have bottled 18 gallons in the past two weekends and the AIO was spectacular as usual. The quick video would have been a good reminder because I forgot the carboy had to be below the bottling. I typically add one more video as part training for newbies. You...

Those grapes Look wonderful! What is the petite pearl closest to in taste? I have heard they do well in the Midwest, but I haven't tasted them yet!

The petite will come around, if you can wait that long! :) or blend it with one of the flatter wines. I never get tired of using it as a varietal and a blending grape. Reading half of your stories on here I am pretty sure the wine you want to dump is still pretty darn good! You just have...

Welcome! Happy to have a new member!

How about we just have Mouvedre party at the Crew household?!? Just kidding. Mouvedre is a tough grape to vint. I haven't tasted my Mouvedre that I made in 2020 with avante😁. I am a bit scared to. 😱

@NorCal another wonderful thread. You might need to start writing for Winemaker magazine :-) I just found the thread and would like to add one consideration for next year partial/semi- carbonic maceration. Thanks for the great read and all the great suggestions from others!

Sounds like a terrific event! Unfortunately I just saw this notice. Looking forward to seeing the tasting notes.

I live in Chicago but normally get my grapes from Cleveland when I stop in to see family. This is the first year I didn't have my pick of 10 - 15 different grapes. I had the choice of cab sauv, Alicante, merlot or Ruby Cab. I went with the Cab Sauv. They did have some other varieties by the...

It always seems like I am behind in the bottling!

I did a super Tuscan in 2015. It was fantastic. 40% Sangio, 40% Cab Sauv, and 20% Merlot. Barbera on its own or in a blend is a great one too! Rhiannan is a good blend of mostly Barbera with a little Petite Sirah. The Ratio can change yearly and they might add a few other grapes in...

While similar, I think petite sirah is much more fruity than the savory petit verdot/ mourvedre. But the PS would be a great blend with any of the GSM grapes.

Very nice experiment. Still a bit too gutsy for my blood. I am glad it worked out for you!