First effort.......

[First250]

Here are pics of my first WE Merlot and WE Chardonnay/Semillon after 6 and 8 weeks,respectively. You can also see my home made wine rackmade innoting-much-to-do outdoorsJanuary. This enclosed area of my basement (about 12' x 12')stays between 62-70 F year round.( Right now its 62 degrees) .I kept asmalloil filled electric spaceheater running on the lowest setting during fermentation of these. The temp stayed at 65-68 F and the fermentation went very well. The merlot fermented atthe higher end of this range and was noticeably more active than the chardonnay that fermented at 65, though both did their thing, it just appeared that the chardonnay yeast weren't as enthusiastic or hungry as the merlot.


I really enjoy thishobby. There is so much to learn, and this website is filled with so much info. I'm trying to decide what to make next.


Thanks to all !


Jim

 

[Dean]

Welcome and great job on the wine rack!

 

[Wade E]

Great room! Reds almost always have a more vigorous fermentation.

 

[NorthernWinos]

Things are going good in your wine room...Now you have to decide what to make and get that rack filled...Enjoy!!!

 

[corn field]

nice wine room. Well organized. Are you for hire ? need help keeping mine organized

 

[mississippi mud]

LOOKING good F250 !!! I'm gona steal your peg board ideal, those dang hoses and brushes are always in the way.Nice collection of equipment

 

[moose]

Very nice. I'm having the same problem, deciding what to make next.

 

[PolishWineP]

What a great work area!

If we didn't need to do laundry we too could have a great area like that!

 

[grapeman]

Tell Bert just to not get dirty while out on the tractor farming

You need to get your priorities staight there Princess!

 

[PolishWineP]

I like your thinking but I view it as making my sacrifice so that others have sugar to make wine!

I went out with him last night when he went to "tend" someone else who was planting those precious sugar beet seeds. I sat in the semi cab as he and the boss loaded fertilizer, fuel and other goodies into the appropriate vessels on the tractor. It was like a date!

Edited by: PolishWineP

 

[smurfe]

Welcome aboard. I agree! Great job on that rack there. I love seeing others winemaking/brewing area's and set-ups!

 

[First250]

Thanks. The wine rack isn't pretty but is functional and was cheap to build.
It is 8:15 here in Georgia and I just racked the merlot again. More importantly this is the very first time I have tasted it, as well as the chardonnay. I tried about 1/4 glass of each, tasting while I did the racking .


1st the merlot: It was not bad. It was not great, understandably I guess after only7 weeks ( I got the two wines' ageswrong in my initial post) and it is middle of the road in cost. I tasted it over about a 30-40 minute period , then tried a little inexpensive commercial (Trader Joe's) that I used to fill the carboy after racking. Very noticable difference in (forgive me for mylacking wine vocabulary) what I will call for now body, complexity, intensity . Again, no bad tastes, only a slightly noticeable taste exactly like the much stronger odor after fermentation. Being a newbie, I have no idea what the odor /taste is but as it has all but disappeared, must be part of the process and I am not concerned with it , unless ageing doesn't take care of it.


I am optimistic that ageing will improve all of the above.


The chardonnay/semillon (about 6 weeks old) is lacking in the same way as the merlot ( a word that came to mind when I tasted it was 'thin'), but no bad taste whatsoever. I have a little left in the fridge to see what it tastes like cold. Again, not expecting a lot after just 6 weeks, but I am curious, of course.


Thanks for any observations , suggestions or comments. I learn something every time I visit this website.


One more observation: Aftermy 7:30 a.m. wine tasteing Ialso noticed a little 'lightness' of my own- a new experience forme so early in the day . Glad I mowed the grass yesterday.Hmmm.Guess I need to follow these wines' development pretty closely!Edited by: First250

 

[Wade E]

The wine being in the fridge will typically lose up the aroma and taste of a wine so its good to always taste before cooling it down like you did.

 

[First250]

I did think of that, so I put cellophane wrap over the glass. My wife tasted it later in the day and really like it. I'm not a chardonnay lover, so I don't have an opinion, but I am definitely encouraged!

 

[Wade E]

Just the wine being cold itself will close it up.

 

[uavwmn]

First, WOW, what a great organized, homey looking wine area!!! Good on ya!! Now, get that wine rack filled!!

 

[JWMINNESOTA]

Looking real good Jim, I think you got it going on!