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Okay, two 6 gallon Chilean juice buckets, both with an original gravity of 1.092 Bucket 1.) Zin - Mixed in 8 grams of Avant yeast after a Go Ferm rehydration on Saturday morning. Bucket 2.) Petit Sarah - Mixed in 5 grams of Lavin 71B yeast after a Go Ferm rehydration on Saturday morning...

Okay guys and gals, I've got a BIG problem. My one-year-old Zin was recently put into my brand new 13.2 gallon oak barrel on October 24th. At the time it had 70ppm SO2. I've checked the fluid levels regularly and topped it off a several times. This AM I checked it again and discovered the...

My 2019 Petit Sarah Is now almost two month old. I tasted it today, it smells unpleasant...sort of, well, sulfur like...maybe--I think. However, it tastes fine, immature for sure, but the smell is undeniably not pleasant. I added some copper coins to it but I'm not sure 1.) if that's the...

My Zin from last year has been aging in carboys. My plan has been to let it age hoping it would improve...it hasn't. My new plan is to put it into my brand new 13.2 gal Hungarian Oak barrel to help give it some depth. Today I tested it and it's still very unimpressive. Lacks depth, flavor...

9/14/19 440lbs of Petit Syrah, overall the grapes looked good...no rot. Yielded about 24-27 gallons of must. Post crush...Measured: PH 4.15 TA 5.5-6.0 Brix 22 Added 24 grams of potassium metabisulphite. 9/15/19 Added Tartaric Acid Additions as follows: 24 (gal must) x (70% liquid vs...

Just got 440lbs of Petit Sirah today. Overall the grapes looked good...no rot. Yielded about 27-29 gallons of must. However... PH 4.15 TA 5.5-6.0 (Morewine kit not so easy to get an exact reading) Brix 22 I'm concerned about the PH. Yes, I calibrated my Lamotte PH meter several times...

So, I just bottled my 2018 Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon and I'm very disappointed. I made it in May of 2018 with 230lb of grapes, all looked good at the time. Below are my notes. This wine sat, largely in the dark, in my basement at a constant temperature of 71ish degrees for the duration...

Using one Medium Plus Toast French Oak Winestix per 5 gallon carboy, back in September, for my Chilean Cab from last May, I may have overlooked it. Alas, my wife says it tastes "...too smoky!" So, I promptly removed the oak and I'm now contemplating my next move. Will this wine (14 gallon in...

Today I discovered a white film on top of my not-quite-full 3 gallon carboy of a Lodi Zen from this past September. Free so2 was measured as 4--too low, I know. However, there were no off odors or tastes. Re-racked to 3-gallon and added one crushed camden tablet. My 15 gallon fermenter...

What is the standard/normal/customary time most folks allow the skins to ferment after initial crush before pressing? Five days? Six days? Two weeks? Not sure what metric or variable most folks use to conclude that it's time to press. Any guidance would be much appreciated. Thanks, DAB

Yesterday I crushed 22 gallons of Zinfandel grapes. All went well. I tested the must and had the following results: PH 3.64 TA .675% Brix 21 SO2 2.2 (yes, very low) Anyway, in preparing the 24 grams of yeast (RC212) I mistakenly added 30 grams of Firmaid-K (instead of Go-Firm...I was...

In preparation for the fall season I'm trying to decide which yeast to use for my Zinfandel-15 Gallons. I've only made one other batch of wine ( a Cab, also 15 gallons) and for that batch I used MT yeast. I've heard the Avante strain could produce a good product. I've also heard about several...

Folks, my supplier, Harford Vineyard & Winery of Bel Air Maryland, has decided to not provide that service any longer. Does anyone have a known and good supplier in the Maryland, Northern Virginia or Southern Pennsylvania area that does supply grapes in the fall (and spring)? Thanks, DAB

There are several podcasts available that cover the many issues/techniques/considerations/etc. that are of interest to the making of beer and the home brewing in general. Does anyone know if there are similar podcasts that address and discuss the making of wine as it relates to the home wine...

Okay, tis the season for blueberries. As such, I'm thinking of trying to make some blueberry wine. Perhaps 3-5 gallons--first time. That said, I'm not sure if I should treat the blueberry wine making experience in the same way as you would when making wine from grapes. Or rather, if the...

Okay, so, Malolactic Fermentation is complete per Chromatography Test. PH 3.53 Added 6.98 Camden tablets of Potassium Metabisufite (40ppm x 15 (gal) x .0064) = 3.84 grams / .55 per Camden tablet = 6.98 tablets Thoroughly stirred in 7 crushed tablets Thinking of adding one toasted stave...

Looking for a SO2 test ket. Morewine.com has this https://morewinemaking.com/products/sulphite-test-kit.html to test for SO2 but the product offers a caveat of sorts that reads "...this kit is only accurate to within +/- 30ppm when used to test red wines." +/- 30? Is that accurate enough for...

Initial fermentation (after crush) lasted nine whole days. We then pressed...it's been sitting for eight more days in an air-locked fermenter. Currently, there is 1 1/4 inches of lees on the bottom of the fermenter. So, realizing this must was in primary for a few days longer than "normal,"...

Okay, pressed today and here's what I can tell you. First wine making attempt (previous home brewer) Chilean grapes 12 lugs--230lbs total Juicy and in good shape. Day 1 Crush yielded 21-22 gallons of must at 57 degrees. NO SO2 additions Brix reading 23--did not have hydrometer yet 30 grams...

Grapes are being picked up this Friday...I need to get my yeast starter details nailed down. So, I'm thinking that if one is making a yeast starter (using this link) then yeast rehydration isn't necessary...is that correct? In other words, I believe the need to rehydrate yeast is only if...