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sour_grapes

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Hi,

What a great resource and community you have established here. I have been reading for days, and haven't scratched the surface!

I just started making kit wines two months ago, so I have lots to learn yet. So far, I have three kits in various stages -- 2 in bottles, one in secondary.

I see that many people making kit wines are drawn to Amarone. For me, it was just the other way around: I started making wine so that I can make (and afford to drink) Amarone!

I first made a Cellar Craft Sterling Merlot. I figured that was a good way to gain experience, especially with a kit with a grape pack, without spending too much money. After that, I still wasn't confident I knew enough to tackle the Amarone, plus I wanted to make a wine that would be drinkable more quickly. I figured it will be easier to wait for the better wines to mature if I had some lesser wines available that were drinkable. To that end, I made a Vintner's Reserve Mezza Luna next. Finally, I started the Cellar Craft Showcase Amarone a bit over a week ago, and it is in secondary now.

One thing I figured out before venturing in to making kit wines: It is relatively easy to wait and let a wine age if you have plenty of it on hand! About 6 or 7 years ago, I built a small (~8 case) wine closet in my basement. My explicit goal was to experiment with trying to turn $10 bottles of wine into $12 bottles of wine ;) It was fun to try to identify which cheap commercial wines would benefit from aging. Most did well, a few are just okay. My plan is to build up a cellar full of kit wines so that I can primarily drink aged wines that I made. My rough estimates are that this goal will require 500 or 600 bottles -- I better get busy!! :e

Thanks in advance for your help and camaraderie.

Paul
 
Hi Paul, welcome to the forum. It sounds like you are off to a really good start in your winemaking career. You have made some very nice choices in order to test the waters. Look forward to hearing of your progress.
 
Welcome Paul
I believe that there are several wine clubs that meet in your neck of the woods.

I luv this hobby !!
 
Thanks a lot for the warm welcomes! It's a pleasure to join such a friendly and well-moderated forum.

James, that is amazing! I know people that LIVE here that haven't been here 100 times! ;) I am not from here originally, but Brew City was not a bad place to have ended up. There is a lot to like here.
 
what part of milwaukee, glendale,hales corners, etc.... i do the summer fest every few years, etc...and a couple of other things, then i go to nena,manitawoc and fish.
 
the milwaukee journal did a whole story on me bout 5 years ago, i will try to find a link to it for you.
 
Welcome to the forum. I'm in Appleton, my sister lives in Milwaukee so i get down there pretty often. The Mezza Luna wines actually turn out pretty good after a year and a half i still have some left. Do you go to the Northern Brew store? If so they are pretty amenable to giving discounts for two or more kits at a time.
 
James: my curiosity was piqued by your comment that the Journal Sentinel did an article on you. I admit I had to google "site:jsonline.com Galveston James," but when I saw the article, I remembered it immediately. It all fit together.
Oh, I forgot to answer your question: I live in Shorewood, a few blocks north of Milwaukee proper on the east side.

Wood1954: Thanks for the info. I do indeed get my kits from Northern Brewer. That is good to know about the discounts! And, I happen to find myself with no kits on deck.... hmmm.... ;)
 
Welcome aboard, sour grapes! From a southern Ohio wino! You'll love it here!
 
Welcome to the Forum. Get to Milwaukee occasionally when my job sends me there.
Ever get to Fourth base over by the baseball stadium and VA? Great place for food and beer.
 
Thanks for the greetings, dangerdave, cimbaliw, and soccer! Where in MI are you, cimbaliw? Soccer, no I have not been there; will have to check it out sometime soon.

If any of you ever get to Shorewood, we have two spots of particular oenological interest. We have a wine shop/tasting bar called "Thief Wine," and our local Sendik's grocery store has a highly curated wine selection and tasting bar. (They also have a fantastic cheese department.) Each are worth a visit.
 

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