Itching to get going on 2014.

[JohnT]

My two brothers have remarked that their wine supply is running short and they will need some for Easter. The plan is now to begin the bottling season (for the 2014 vintages) on palm Sunday. That is less then two weeks from today.

With a plan in place to do Chilean this year, this 1,500 pound gorilla (I like to call "winemaking") is about to awaken after a long winter's sleep.

To get ready, I need to replace all hoses, disassemble/clean/reassemble both bottle fillers, the main pump, and the 6 plate filter. I also need to give the winery a deep cleaning and check/bolster my stock of clean bottles.

The 2014 wines also need to be racked and need that final k-meta dose before bottling.

Since bottling season (and all of the parties that go along with it) takes 5 to 6 weekends, there will be an overlap with crushing the 2016 Chilean. This means that I also need to clean and service the crusher, press, primaries, buckets, tools and sorting trays. The press is also at the point where it could use a new paint job (especially the bottom pan).

Oh Yeah, and I am married.. I am sure that SWMBO will have a whole host of springtime chores for me to do in my spare time.

It all begins next weekend! I know that it might sound like I am complaining, but I am actually looking forward to it. I hate down time and thrive on "accomplishment high" (that euphoric feeling I get when I have accomplished a lot in limited time).

How about you folks? Are you making room for that 1,500 pound gorilla?

 

[Boatboy24]

My gorilla is only about 300 pounds, but is still in the room. In fact, I just got the email from my supplier about an hour ago that their website is updated and taking orders for 2016 Chilean and South African wines.

 

[ceeaton]

My gorilla just got locked up for the Spring, unexpected brake issue on my car, my wine ingredient fund just went bye bye. Maybe I can slowly deprive my family of food and heat and save enough for the Fall harvest.

 

[JohnT]

My gorilla just got locked up for the Spring, unexpected brake issue on my car, my wine ingredient fund just went bye bye. Maybe I can slowly deprive my family of food and heat and save enough for the Fall harvest.

Ok, So here is what you should do..

Step one: Alter all of their clothes (have them taken in an inch or two).

Step two: Nonchalantly, make several comments on how they are looking a little heavy.

Step three: When they are crying about how their clothes no longer fit, you tell them that the only way they can loose weight is to go on a crash diet.

So much for the problem of nipping from the food budget...

Step five: Turn the heat down. When they complain, you tell them that they will burn more calories when the heat is turned down.

So much for the problem of nipping from the heat budget...

 

[sour_grapes]

Craig, my "like" of your post is for your attitude, not for your situation. Best of luck, my friend!

 

[ceeaton]

Craig, my "like" of your post is for your attitude, not for your situation. Best of luck, my friend!

Thanks Paul.

In an email to my Pastor this afternoon (he was helping me confirm my suspicions yesterday, "seized caliper, driver side front") I mentioned the good things about this. First, no one got hurt (a consideration with an inexperienced 17 yr old driver). It was fixable (and I walked in off the street and still got an appointment). And with 55 gallons of wine aging and 5 gallons of beer, I don't think I'll miss one Spring of making wine.

My 80+ year old Mom still gives us an anniversary present in the form of cash which will buy a pinot grigio juice bucket and have enough left over for a cheap lunch on the way home with my wife.

Life is good!

 

[sour_grapes]

Thanks Paul.

In an email to my Pastor this afternoon (he was helping me confirm my suspicions yesterday, "seized caliper, driver side front")

Wow, your Pastor sounds multi-talented. Let's see... brakes have shoes, and shoes have soles, and I suppose your pastor knows about souls, so, yeah, that makes sense!

Life is good!

Amen, brother!

 

[MattWI]

The gorilla awoke fiercely when I noticed in January that all of my carboys were empty and my wine rack was dangerously close to empty as well.

I started 18 gallons of wine in the last 10 weeks or so, a mixture of early and late drinkers, and will repeat the process in the summer.

 

[BlueStimulator]

I am looking forward to being able to bottle my own wine from my own grapes in the next few years. I hope it will be drinkable and I won't have to distill it. Now I am practicing on cider. You all are an inspiration and have been very helpful

 

[JohnT]

I am looking forward to being able to bottle my own wine from my own grapes in the next few years. I hope it will be drinkable and I won't have to distill it. Now I am practicing on cider. You all are an inspiration and have been very helpful

FYI,

Distilling is illegal and is not an acceptable topic on this forum. Please refrain from the topic in the future.

that being said, how about some specifics on your wine? What type of grape? what was the process you used?

 

[BlueStimulator]

I haven't made any wine yet. I have my third leafing coming up this year so I will be getting my first crop. I have a row of reds on a double cordon 2 Petiete Verdot, 2 Cab Franc and 10 Cabernet S. I have a small row of a single cordon of 6 Viognier and am adding 6 more this year. Right now I am Trying to make some ciders as my wife likes cider. Figure I could use the practice on racking, mixing, measuring, taking readings oh and being patient. I think my first batch fermented a little to warm and has a beer/cider taste.

 

[ibglowin]

You should seriously consider picking up ~200lbs this year and get your hands wet so to speak. Look around on Craigslist etc for fruit.

I haven't made any wine yet.

 

[BlueStimulator]

You should seriously consider picking up ~200lbs this year and get your hands wet so to speak. Look around on Craigslist etc for fruit.

I am hoping to get 75-125 lbs this year with any luck on my 20 vines. They look primed and ready and I am chomping at the bit to make something out of what I have grown.