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I've made quite a lot of wine, but I have never before experienced this kind of sludge in my secondary. I was ready to use my new pump to rack off my second wine (2 kits plus all my Marquette skins) and the racking cane immediately blocked. Then it was my pump, full of old skins and oak chips...

Just reflecting on the trip so far as I enjoy serial number 001. Thanks to many on this site for the information gleaned. I am drinking a Marquette that I made from grapes that I grew. I think that is awesome. Is it good? Not great to be sure, but memorable...absolutely! Rob

Marquettes any day now. Refractometer shows close to 20 brix and my hydrometer usually reads higher. A week of hot sunny weather ahead. Watching carefully for wasps/birds/ladybugs/earwigs, but so far so good. Oddly except for 1 vine that ripened 2 weeks ago. I picked 6 lbs and put them in...

I believe this is Anthracnose (on Marquette) but I will listen to dissenting opinions. Is a Sulphur spray the way to go? I am in Canada and we do not have all the US approved products available. I may visit the nearest Ag Retailer for advice. Fairly problem free but it has been rainy this...

Learned peoples Watching my first crop of Marquette growing daily. Wondering, do I wait for the colour turn to put the nets up? We have a LOT of birds and I am sure I would get cleaned out quickly. Any downside of being early? We also might have some racoons that need relocation. Hoping...

Learned gentlemen and ladies My first try at wine from grapes just had its 1 year birthday. So I got out the cork screw. I got about 27 liters from 3 cases of Cab. with a very light press. Grapes looked to be in great shape. I had 2 oak spirals in the carboy for 30 days early in the...

I am probably over thinking this, but wondering if I am missing an elegant solution. I am in a rural environment which means a humid dirt floor basement plus mice. Talking about 3-400 bottles at any given moment. First try was milk cartons with bottles upside down. Not bad but bottles became...

So it looks like a light frost hit my vines. Leave are drooping. Do I prune back or wait for these leaves to drop? I am guessing the vines will re-bud? Thanks Rob

I was disposing of a lot of twist cap bottles from the commercial wines we were consuming, and buying cork top bottles. Had a rethink and found Novatwist as a possible solution. I bought 60 caps to try them and was VERY happy with the results. They are easy and quick to install and look very...

Trying my best to let some good stuff age, so I launched a Diablo Rojo kit. Day 5 and it is fermenting gangbusters, but what a different smell! Would anyone care to compare the finished flavour to a commercial wine? Or grape? Not sure that I am looking forward to it. Making it mostly per...

Question for the large volume guys.. I see pricing for large quantities of grapes in tonnes. Are they sold in 1 tonne containers? Or by the 1/2 tonne? I've seen large square plastic containers but they look more like 1/2 tonne. I'm guessing that you show up at the vineyard with a fork lift...

So, having planted some Marquette, thought I'd better get my feet wet (not literally) with fresh grapes in preparation for mega harvests in a few years. (maybe) Started small with 3 cases of Cabernet. Grapes looked to be excellent with very few leaves or raisins. Crushed with an upside down...

So good news first. I planted 10 Marquette vines 10 days ago and they are already leafing. They all look healthy and vigorous. The bad news, I have no clue as to what attacks I will be facing between insects and fungal infections. Is there a thread or resource someone can point me to? I am...

I am considering the leap to wine from fresh grapes. I know there is a healthy grape market in Montreal in the fall but I can't seem to get an estimated cost per lug. I like "big reds" so likely Cabernet, but am open to suggestion. I know markets fluctuate but looking for a rough order of...