New Member from Upstate NY

[nyredskinsfan]

Hi all. I've been making wine for a couple 3 years now but am new to the forum. Have read a few posts and maybe even posted a couple times since last week. I don't get super wrapped around the axle making my wine

. I don't use a hydrometer and guess when I get close to 6 gallons in the buckets

. I usually end up with about 28 bottles. I don't use sorbate or sulfites either. The only problem that I've run into is once I couldn't get a Pinot Griggio clear. A friend of my wife's suggested adding benonite again and then a clarifier. Worked just fine.


Can someone help me out with Luna Rossa? It came with 4 x30g packs of French Oak chips. I cannot imagine adding all that. I put in one. I'm also interrested in what type of grapes make up this wine. Looking forward to comparing it with my favorate wine,Amarone.


Happy Easter


Randy

 

[grapeman]

Hey there nyredskinfan. Where about do you call home. Upstate NY is a very big spot. I myself am from the Plattsburgh area. Can't get a lot more upstate than that. I'm not sure just what is in the Luna Rossa but I know quite a few folks like it as it comes. Since it had four packets of oak, I assume it was intended to be pretty heavily oaked. If you follow the instructions it should turn out as intended. If you like Amarone, Mosti makes Amarone in several of their lines. I have made the Mosti Renaissance Amarone and it is quite good, but still bulk aging.

 

[nyredskinsfan]

You are more Upstate than I am. Saratoga area. Actually, outside of Galway if you check on the map. Thanks for the info on Luna Rossa. I do like the Amarone. I just bottled a Pinot Noir (first time) that I expect to turn out pretty decent. The Amarone that I've made are from Gru Select. Havent tried other name brands. Do you order your juice or have a place close you can buy direct from? Some of us guys have gotten to know a shop owner and we go there for our fixings. After reading a few of these posts I feel fortunate that I have a place to buy my stuff and not to have to pay shipping charges too.


Thanks for the info on the Luna. If it's red and it's dry it will get drank. Maybe never made again, but it will get drank.

 

[Wade E]

That kit is rated as a 3 on the oak scale ranging from 0-3 so it is meant to be heavy as this is 1 of W.E. biggest red wines. It is meant to compliment the bigger tannins in this kit. Oaking is basically a personnel preference and i myself like a lot of oak. I dont know why grapes are used to make this kit either and dont think anyone can truly answer this question as it is W.E.'s little secret and dont want other companies knowing how their kits are made but I would assume probably a blend of Sangiovese, Cab, and possibly even a Mourvedre or Syrah.
Edited by: wade

 

[nyredskinsfan]

Wade, thanks for the post. I hadn't realised that it was a "special"
blend. I like oak also but not as the main ingredient. Ill prob add more when I rack it into a carboy. I didn't add raisins to this one as I usually ad raisins to all my reds whether they come with them or not. This one will have to go as is.

 

[luckylady]

Glad to see another "upstater" on the forum. I have been away for a while, but want to pass on a little news for those who like wine tours. The Adirondack Central Railway, based out of Utica is running a wine train for the month of April, which btw, has been declared "wine month" by New York State Ag bigwigs!!! So, anyway, if you go on their website you can see the dates and times. My sister-in-law and I went last night, it ran from Utica to Holland Patent, and we were able to sample 5 vintages from Heron Wines of western NY. You get wine samples, cheese (NY of course) plates and crackers plus the ride for only $20 per person! And if you want to purchase a bottle of your favorite, you can for the return trip. We spent less than $50 and had a great time! There are Friday night runs, and weekend daytime runs, each sponsored by a different Finger Lakes winery. And for myself, I have finally found the winemaking kit I was searching for at the kitchen supply place in Syracuse, and hopefully will find the time to try to turn my 50 quarts of frozen Concords into something great! (or at least drinkable).