Red or White....Can't Decide!

[chevs15]

Hey gang! I have a Lodi Old Vine Zin in secondary fermentation right now. I have bottled a red blend, and an Italian Pinot Girgio. I have a couple Welch's grape juice concentrate wines as well and an Apfelwein.

I'm trying to decide what type of kit to get next. How do you all decide? Do you start a certain wine (red, white) at a certain time of year? Do you alternate? I'm hooked but can't decide which to make next.

Thanks!

 

[Flem]

I make the ones I like best, first, keeping in mind that the reds take longer to mature.

 

[robie]

I try to start them such that I will end up with a nice variety of types.

 

[Kev]

You could consider a white Merlot (Rose)?

My self it would be a big red on skins, that you can put aside for a year.

 

[chevs15]

Hey Kev, the Old Vine Zin is on skins and I don't plan to bottle or drink that for awhile. I'm thinking of a red or white that can drink earlier rather than later.

 

[Dugger]

I would suggest a Pinot Noir or a Bergamais for a red and a Gewurztraminer or a Liefraumilch for white - the pinot is a milder red, the Bergamais is an early drinker and the Germain whites will give you an off dry wine - this should round out your cellar a bit with what you have going. Also it's close to time for doing some mist kits for the summer - these are light, fruity, early drinkers.

Edit - I just remembered an article by Tim Vandergrift about planning a wine cellar, so I went and found the article -it goes like this:
"If you're not sure which wines to make, or you want to cover all of your bases, you can fill out a decent cellar by making five whites and five reds" and these are what he suggests:
WHITES - Rose/Blush (off dry to medium)
Pinot Gris, Verdicchio or Soave
Sauvignon Blanc
Chardonnay
Reisling or Gewurztraminer
REDS - Beaujalais or Pinot Noir
Chianti or Valpolicella
Barolo or Zinfandel
Cabernet or Merlot
Zinfandel or Shiraz
He goes on to say that these will cover most meal choices as well as everyday sipping, but that the ultimate choice is yours - he says, " your cellar should be a playground for your palate, not a prison for your expectations".

 

[chevs15]

Great info! Thanks!

 

[Runningwolf]

I'd go with blue! LOL

 

[chevs15]

Haha.... Funny!

 

[cpfan]

I'd go with blue! LOL

Dan:

Winexpert used to have a blue coloured wine cooler kit. Unfortunately, they discontinued it. Obviously, you're just behind the times.

Steve

 

[BMac]

I usually make a red and white at the same time. My reds are usually the bigger kits (15L+) where my whites are mostly smaller (10L)

My wife and I dont drink much whites, unless we are going to a party or something. In that situation, we are not fully embracing the wine I guess you could say, so a cheap white is great for that. Where as with reds, we will come home after work and enjoy a bottle of wine with supper and throughout the evening. LOL

So I like to have about an even (red = white) inventory

 

[diggerdan17]

I usually make a red and white at the same time. My reds are usually the bigger kits (15L+) where my whites are mostly smaller (10L)

My wife and I dont drink much whites, unless we are going to a party or something. In that situation, we are not fully embracing the wine I guess you could say, so a cheap white is great for that. Where as with reds, we will come home after work and enjoy a bottle of wine with supper and throughout the evening. LOL

So I like to have about an even (red = white) inventory

I'm sure you will need many many bottles of wine this year to drown the pain of being a Habs fan