Dating your Bottles?

[kirbyclk]

Quick Question...

When putting the "year" of your wine on your label, is it best to use the date when the batch was STARTED or the date when the wine was BOTTLED?

 

[Tom]

There are a few different thoughts;
1 the year the fruit/grape was picked/harvested
2 The month/year it (kit) started
3 When bottled.
I use #3

 

[St Allie]

I date them for the day they were bottled.. that way I know how long they've been cellared.

Allie

 

[xoltri]

I have started putting the month and year the wine was started, when the yeast was pitched.

The reason being that it is the most consistent date between all of the different things that could happen. For example you could have a wine bulk aging in a carboy for months before you bottle it, so putting the date it was bottled doesn't really tell you how old the wine is.

Also, I make my own labels, so it's easy to pre-make them with the starting date instead of having to wait until after they are bottled.

 

[jeepingchick]

I date mine by year as well.For the same reason as St. Allie!!!

 

[Runningwolf]

xoltri, I looked at your labels and they are awesome and look very professional. Like Tom said there are three different thoughts on the date. Everyone of them makes lots of sense. What xoltri said makes séance about the nut if you enter into competition they want to know the vintage meaning the year the fruit was harvested. Myself I put the date I bottle. I know how long it sat in carboys so this is my preference. There is no right or wrong, its what your familiar/comfortable with.
With that being said I expect everyone to follow my way of doing it. KIDDING!!

 

[Wiz]

Looks like everyone has their own preference. I date mine to month and year they go into secondary.

 

[Wade E]

I date them from when they were made.

 

[DavidB]

About one more glass of wine and I'm going to have a whole lot to say about dating a bottle of wine!!!! Oh my gosh the things I want to say right now!

 

[Runningwolf]

Easy Dave I thought the same thing when I saw the title of this thread.

 

[DavidB]

Easy Dave I thought the same thing when I saw the title of this thread.

ROFLMAO! This just struck me as sooooooo funny!!!! But I just have to ask one question. If you date a bottle of wine, does your wife get to sue it for alienation of affection? LOL!!!

 

[Runningwolf]

No Sir, the bottle does not discriminate and will touch lips with both you and your wife.

 

[Julie]

I put the year on the bottle that I started the wine, then I decided and this is for my reference, on the lower left hand side I put the month and year that I bottle and below that I put the month and year that I created the wine.

 

[djrockinsteve]

I date from the year of the harvest. This current season I will be adding TA%, gravity, ABV and sulfite level. Just being anal I guess. Plus it's a learning curve.

 

[WinoOutWest]

I put the vintage date prominently like a typical store bought wine and then have a very fine line along the right edge with brand, bottle date etc.. Its quite inconspicuous as its most likely only me that is interested in these details.

 

[JohnT]

I only make wine from fresh grapes, so there is only 1 crush per year and it is usually in mid to late spetember. There have also been times that I did a late spring Chilean, but again, they are always made from whole fruit grapes.

I also age all of my wine for 2 years.

With the above in mind, I simply use the vintage year (or the year the grapes were picked) much like most professional wineries.

 

[Dugger]

I make almost all kits so I just use the month and year it was made.

 

[abefroman]

There are a few different thoughts;
1 the year the fruit/grape was picked/harvested
2 The month/year it (kit) started
3 When bottled.
I use #3

It should be #1 if you know it, if its a kit, they were probably picked the fall before, I'm assuming.

The idea is that based on the year you know what the growing conditions were like during that year.

 

[frohe]

Quick Question...

When putting the "year" of your wine on your label, is it best to use the date when the batch was STARTED or the date when the wine was BOTTLED?

It depends on what you want the date to tell you. Certainly, if you're doing competitions you have to follow that protocol. OTOH, if it's for your reference, put whatever makes you comfortable.

I keep my country wines in gallon jugs so I put the date they are ready to drink on them.

 

[Sirs]

LOL I've yet to do labels on any of mine,guess thats next priority in line make labels for what wine I've got so far. If I keep putting it off there won't be any need for labels as they go quickly.