Entries for WineMaker Magazine's 2009 Competition

[grapeman]

Good news Joan. More to drink yourself. That's especially important when it is so good!

 

[Joanie]

Hehe That's what I'm thinkin'!

I couldn't stand the thought of uncorking two bottle to make one. I didn't want to send it into bottle shock. I figure it wouldn't do it any good.

 

[Wade E]

Thats what I stated much earlier as its a dessert wine. The only problem with that is finding a 375 that you are willing to loose as the Bellissima bottles are too expensive to give out without getting them back. I only give those out to someone who will return them!

 

[Joanie]

I figure if it medals, I can buy more bottles with my gift certificate!

 

[Joanie]

PS Wade!

It's not that I didn't believe you about the 357 bottle, but it didn't say it in the rules and regs. I would hate to have entered it and have it disqualified because it was in too small a bottle.

 

[JimCook]

Joan,


You did the right thing verifying with the officials that host the contest in regards to the bottle size. The rules are not crystal clear there. Let it serve as a nice welcome to other people who have some port style wines in 375s ripe for entering into the contest and standing to gain kits and gift certificates for medals.


Wade - maybe put into the labels on your Bellissima bottles something that says, 'If found, return to Wade <address>.' That might save you thetwo dollars for a lost bottle and would be kind of funny, considering most people only put that on luggage, binders, and children.


- Jim

 

[Joanie]

Whooohoo! My wine made it to Manchester Center this afternoon! No call saying something broke or leaked! I'm most pleased!

Now to wait 2 1/2 months! hehe

 

[Wade E]

Not the waiting game again!

 

[geocorn]

Of the 7 boxes that we sent with 80 bottles of wine, we only lost 1 bottle and, believe it or not, it was one of my entries!

 

[Joanie]

80 bottles???? I thought my 6 were a big deal! They're chicken feed!

Did you send them lots of peanuts too, George?

 

[geocorn]

First of all, only 15 were mine. The rest were customer submissions. Second, of course we used lots of peanuts and bubble wrap and plastic bags.

 

[Joanie]

George if you're not Retailer of the Year, I'll be mighty surprised!

 

[geocorn]

I will be. Based on what I know and the historical averages of winning wines, my guess is that I will need 3-400 entries. My guess is that I will have around 200 wine submitted by my customers. Considering last year I had 19, I think that is a huge statement by my customers.


On the flip side, the wines that are being entered are very high end, which could affect the overall average. To be honest, I was hoping to get customers excited this year so that next year we could hit the mark. I would love to be wrong about this and I like to be right. Just ask my family!

 

[JimCook]

George,


This would definitely be a good time to be wrong. In the least, it should be a strong showing nonetheless.


- Jim

 

[grapeman]

In spite of having some very good kit wines in my cellar, I will be sticking to estate grown entries this year. I would like to know how the judges rank these wines made from cold hardy varieties here in the Champlain Valley of NY. The judging notes will be useful in tweaking the wines for next year. I will let others represent the great kits George carries!


With the economy being bad, I can't afford a ton of entries. I will be making final selections and bottle preparations this weekend. I will limit myself to no more than six entries. Most of them will be from 07, but I may sneak in a couple from 08 (Chardonel and a Blush/Rose one 75%Buffalo-25% Catawba). Then Monday I will get them across the lake.

 

[JimCook]

Appleman,


After reading your post, I am suddenly struck with the mental image of you in a rowboat with a half-case of wine slowly making your way across a foggy lake in the early morning mumbling something about the potency of hardy varietals. Fritz - I'll be thinking about this all day now.

And I used to think of nuclear apple-pepper wine when I saw your name pop up in posts.


On a more serious note, I'm looking forward to seeing how your estate wines do in the contest.


- Jim

 

[grapeman]

I'm glad I could conjur up that image for you Jim, but I'm afraid the rowboat wouldn't go far unless I had a team of huskies pulling it! The lake is still a bit frozen!

 

[dragonmaster42]

Now that makes it an even funnier picture.

 

[grapeman]

Well I finished getting the wines ready for WineMaker today. I have 8 in total. See the Champlain Valley Vineyards post for which ones I entered. I probably could use the rowboat now (but I think I would at least use a motor) since it has been so warm three days in a row now.

 

[Wade E]

Well I finished getting the wines ready for WineMaker today. I have 8 in total. See the Champlain Velley</font> Vineyards post for which ones I entered. I probably could use the rowboat now (but I think I would at least use a motor) since it has been so warm three days in a row now.

Spelling Police here! You dont even know how to spell your own winery yet?