Blossom Ridge Vineyards

[grapeman]

That will make it a warmer place for sure. I still need to insulate a bit more in mine. That's a nice door- it will let in some good natural light.

 

[AlFulchino]

shoot!.........if you have any drafts in that place i would be shocked!

 

[BonnieJoy]

Al - I had Zero drafts & had to open the window to get ride of some CO2

Here's a photo of the grapes Chatty Kathy & I picked in Michigan in Sept.

 

[BonnieJoy]

Another of this year's new toys, ENO3 Crusher/Destemmer. Kathy is holding some Cayuga clusters. We're getting some practice time beforeour 1st year's harvest in 2011.

 

[grapeman]

And how is the wine coming along from those?

 

[BonnieJoy]

Thatbatch of wines are starting to fall clear. They're stabilizing in the unheated part of the pole barn.The rose is a blend of our Marquette, Vidal, Vignolesgrapes with about 1.5 gal. of the Michigan Cayuga/Vignoles to fill the 3 Gal carboy. It smelled quite good. They're due for racking soon & will give it the 'ol taste test then. Typically, I'd do sample blends from finished wines, but,I just couldn't stand wasting the few poundswelet hang on our vines this year. I kept track of the proportions just in case it turns out. I'tll probably get some RS.

 

[BonnieJoy]

This is the Cab Sauvignon fermenting away on the skins. They have the aroma & flavor of blackberries & cherries. We pressed it today and put into carboys. Next weekend this batch gets racked off the gross lees and into clean carboys and all the reds will be innoculated with MLF bacteria.

I needed somemechanical assistance to manage the weights of full carboys, etc. So, here's a snap of my SS table on casters. The table height is perfect for gravity racking from buckets into carboys perched atop 7 gal. pails placedon the floor. I can use the shelf under the table top to hold fermenting wines. Everything is on wheels in my winery so I don't have to lift hundreds of pounds &bust a gasket.

As you can tell, I ran out of time to get the walls & ceiling up over the insulation before harvest. I'll get to that after all the wines can be moved over to the other room for cold stabilization.

 

[AlFulchino]

looking good Bonnie Joy...

 

[grapeman]

Your table rolled away and left a red x. You are starting to get into it good.

 

[BonnieJoy]

Thanks, Al. It's a pretty tiny operation compared to yours. We all gotta start somewhere No matter the volume, I just want to make good vino like Fulchinos'.

 

[BonnieJoy]

Oh yes, I'm definitely hooked.

 

[AlFulchino]

you will make some great wine Bonnie..it is really a simple common sense process...essentially none of us are re-inventing the wheel...and from what i see you putting into it all, it will bear good fruit...go slow...trust YOUR judgement...not mine or any one elses....

 

[ibglowin]

Wow!

Very impressed. You (gals) are on your way!

 

[Waldo]

Looking good Bonnie..The wines I think wil be very good

 

[Randoneur]

Thatbatch of wines are starting to fall clear. They're stabilizing in the unheated part of the pole barn.The rose is a blend of our Marquette, Vidal, Vignolesgrapes with about 1.5 gal. of the Michigan Cayuga/Vignoles to fill the 3 Gal carboy. It smelled quite good. They're due for racking soon & will give it the 'ol taste test then. Typically, I'd do sample blends from finished wines, but,I just couldn't stand wasting the few poundswelet hang on our vines this year. I kept track of the proportions just in case it turns out. I'tll probably get some RS.

What is that on the carboys, Saran wrap?
Is there a solid stopper under it?

 

[BonnieJoy]

OK, here's the photo that was under the big red X on Sunday's post of my SS table setup. The newly pressed cab is still in initial fermentation & there are quite a lot of solids yet. I had some pesky fruit flies wanting to climb thru the airlock holes, that's the reason for the paper towel and plastic wrappings. It appears I'll get 5 - 6 gal of the cab after the 1st racking this coming weekend. There are 3 more to start from Walker's juices: Traminette, Catawba, LH Vignoles.

 

[BonnieJoy]

Yep - solid stoppers are under the plastic wrap.

 

[ibglowin]

Pic is not showing up.

I think you used a "&" in the photo file ID and special characters do upset the internet Gods it seems.

 

[BonnieJoy]

Thanks, that explains to issue.

 

[grapeman]

I checked to see if I could get into the storage folder to change the filename so it would work. Even I can't do that so you will need to rename the file on your end and then download that. Sorry Bonnie Joy.