My First Bottling!

[montyfox]

I bottled my first wine today. It was a WE Vitner's Reserve White Zin. The color is good and it tastes fantastic. I'm anxious to taste it in a coule of months after it has some time to sit in the bottle. This wasfun and I think I'm hooked. Here are some pics of the finished bottles.

 

[Bill B]

Very nice, always a good feeling to bottle your first wine. Good job
<DIV SuperAdBlocker_DIV_Elements="0" SuperAdBlocker_OnMove_Hooked="0" SuperAdBlocker__Hooked="0" SuperAdBlocker_DIV_FirstLook="0">Bill

 

[Wade E]

Looks great! Good job Monty!

 

[NorthernWinos]

Looks really nice...Pretty colored wine for in the flint bottles.

 

[Poacher]

Very Nice.

 

[mississippi mud]

Looks good and I remember the label from a few weeks ago they also turned out great.

 

[K&GB]

Way to go, Monty! Great job.

 

[smokegrub]

Nice work!

 

[LeiniePrincess]

The fourth picture is beautiful and would look lovely enlarged and framed!

 

[dcrnbrd]

That is a very nice bottle of wine.Color is great and the labels are perfect.

 

[moose]

They look top notch. I'd buy a bottle of that.

 

[PolishWineP]

I'd like to step right into the label...

 

[geocorn]

Where has this year gone? It seems like just yesterday that I shipped your stuff.

Your wine looks beautiful. Very nice job for your first wine.

Edited by: geocorn

 

[rgecaprock]

Monty,
My first batch was also a White Zin, very popular and a great one to give away. The color is beautiful and your labels look fantastic!!!


Ramona

 

[JWMINNESOTA]

Monty,
My first batch was also a White Zin, very popular and a great one to give away. The color is beautiful and your labels look fantastic!!!


Ramona

Could you please make another one Ramona and send it up here???

 

[montyfox]

Thanks all. I really had fun with this! Now comes the hard part... waiting to drink it.

I do have one question. I used the Bottle Filler Fast Flow for filling the bottles.



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<TD width="10%">4875</TD>
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<DIV align=left>Bottle Filler Fast Flow, 1/2 </TD>
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<DIV align=left>Used to fill bottles. It attaches to one end of tubing, while the other end of the tuging attaches to spigot or siphon.</TD></TR></T></T></TABLE>






This seemed to introduce alot of air agitation to each bottle when filling first starts (a lot of pressure in the hose). I know that air is bad so I'm a little worried. It also left toomuch head space when removed and I had to top off using the wand at the top of the neck.Sometimes I evenstarted like this to get some wine in the bottom of the bottle to reduce the air bubbles.


1. Is air introduced at filling ok if one tops off the bottle properly?
2. Do the other fillers such as the Ferrari Automatic Filler or the Buon Vino Gravity filler reduce the amount of air introduced at bottling.
3. Do the other fillers do a better job of leaving correct head space even after being removed from the bottle?


I'm really thinking of upgrading to a differnt filler for my next batch but would like to know which is the better filler.


I just started an Island Mist Mango Citrus Symphony (for my wife)yesterday and when that is in the carboy I'll start a Selection Estate Napa Valley Stag's Leap District Merlot (FOR ME).


Thanks again for all the support. This forum is TONS of help!


MontyEdited by: montyfox

 

[PeterZ]

I use the 3/8" spring loaded bottle filler. I find that, filling the bottle to the top, the drop in level when I remove it leaves the perfect ullage. The wine is filled to abouut 1/2" below the bottom of a 1 3/4" cork. Looks just like a commercial bottle.

 

[myway22]

Good news/bad news


The bad news is that even though I wanted to bulk age, I caved in and bottled my MM Chianti and MM Pinot Grigio. (photos to come)


The good news is that even though I gave in, I haven't opened any yet.