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Last week I bottled 32 bottles from a Grand Cru Australian Cabernet Sauvignon kit I started this past January. Yesterday I picked up 18 gallons of fresh Zinfandel from the central valley of CA. It came in frozen and I hope to start fermentation tomorrow.
 
Not Started Yet
Dragon's Blood - next

Mosti Mondiale
--Vinifera Noble Pinot Noir

Primary
RJ Spagnols
--Cru Specialty Chocolate Orange Port

Secondary
Mosti Mondiale
--Vinifera Noble Shiraz

Finishing
Winexpert
--Vinters Reserve World Vineyard Chilean Malbec

Bottled
Mosti Mondiale
--Vinifera Noble Shiraz - Feb 2012

Winexpert
--Vintners Reserve Coastal Red - Mar 2012
--Selection Estate Series Italian Barolo - Mar 2012
 
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Started 5 gals of blackberry jam wine. Added chopped raisins and prunes last night . Will add some lemon tonight and some pectic enzyme prior to pitching yeast. This is one of my favorites. Can't seem to keep enough on hand.
 
Well I just posted a thread showing my latest bottled wine, some white Niagra and white grape peach. As you can see in my sig, I've got a carboy of Riesling, one red Concord, and one Grenache Rosé. I just placed an order to a wine supply place I got a $100 gift certificate to, so will be making a Gewurztraminer whenever the Fed Ex guy shows up.
 
Bottle aging:

WE Selection Estate Lodi Ranch 11 Cabernet Sauvignon
RJS Cellar Classic Rosso Grande
RJS Grand Cru Malbec

Bulk Aging:
CC Showcase South African Shiraz
Strawberry
Blackberry
Peach
Raspberry Mead
Persimmon

Primary:

More persimmon
RJS CCWS Super Tuscan
Welch's White Grape-Cherry
Rockin' Hard Cider

Drawing Board:

MM Sonoma Edition Yakima Valley Syrah
 
Future
RJS' Winery Series Super Tuscan.

Ordered/On Deck
RJS Winery Series Lodi Old Vine Zinfandel
WE Lodi Old Vine Zinfandel
RJS Winery Series Napa Valley Stag Leap District Merlot
WE Selection Original Pinot Noir
WE Slection Original Chianti
WE Mezza Luna Red

Primary Fermentation
Island Mist Peach Chardonay
Island Mist Green Apple Reisling

Secondary Fermentation

Clearing
RJS Cru Platinum California Old Vine Zinfandel
RJS Cru Platinum Chilean Malbec

Bulk Aging
Dragon's Blood
Skeeter Pee

Bottled
WE Island Mist Pomagranate Zinfandel
WE Vintners Piesporter
WE Vintners Mezza Luna Red
WE Vintners White Zinfandel
WE Chardonnay / Semillon
WE Australian Riesling Traminer
WE International Italian Pinot Grigio
 
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Gave my list to Santa for 2013 Here is what I've done with the first year of this new HOBBY or obsession, which ever.

ManufacturerWine Type
WINEXPERT:Cabernet Sauvignon - Vintners Reserve
WINEXPERT:California Pinot Noir - World Vineyard
WINEXPERT:California Trinity Red - World Vineyard
WINEXPERT:Zinfandel/Cabernet - Vintner's Reserve
WINEXPERT:California Zinfandel /Shiraz - World Vineyard
PAKLAB:Merlot - VINO ITALIANO with recycled skins from Super Tuscan
SPAGNOLS:Super Tuscan w/grape pack - RJ Spagnols Winery Series WINEXPERT:Vieux Chateau du Roi (petite shiraz) - Selection Original
PAKLAB:Merlot - ANTICA VENDEMMIA
WINEXPERT:Old Vines Zinfandel - Selection Estate
WINEXPERT:Pinot Noir - Ultra Premium Selection Estate Series Sonoma Valley PAKLAB:Cabernet with cabernet grape pack - AMORE DIVINO
PAKLAB:Merlot with merlot grape pack - AMORE DIVINO
PAKLAB:Montepulciano with shiraz grape pack - AMORE DIVINO
PAKLAB:Tuscan Rosso with merlot grape pack - AMORE DIVINO
PAKLAB:Cabernet Sav ANTICA VENDEMMIA
PAKLAB:Chianti with cabernet grape skin pack - AMORE DIVINO
PAKLAB:Valpolicella with merlot grape pack - AMORE DIVINO
PAKLAB:Barolo with shiraz grape skin pack - AMORE DIVINO
PAKLAB:Toscane Rosso Magnifico with merlot grape pack - AMORE DIVINO PAKLAB:Red Zin with recycled skins and Alex Sun conc. VINO ITALIANO
SPAGNOLS:Super Tuscan w/grape pack - RJ Spagnols Winery Series
PAKLAB:Cab/Merlot with recycled skins and Alex Sun conc - AMORE DIVINO


Plus 3 kits for friends

FRUIT WINES
6 gal Straight up SP
5 Gal Dragon Blood
5 Gal Strawberry SP
5 gal banana strawberry - no lemon not so good

6 gal dumpster wine (strawberry, red and blk raspberry, blueberry, bing cherries, nectarines, bananas, 2 gal cider, 32oz lemon juice, back sweetened with pomagranet/cherry conc.) It's actually pretty good I am not really a fruit or sweet wine fan.
 
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On Deck

Berry Blast Melomel

Primary Fermentation

Wine Expert Italian Montepulciano - International Selection Series


Secondary

~Nada


Bulk Aging

Zinfandel, Lodi Old Vine - WE Eclipse
Merlot, Napa Valley Stags Leap District, WE Eclipse
Brunello - RJ Spagnoles - Grape Pack Added
Tropical Daze
Pinot Noir
Chianti
Lambrusco
Pinot Grigio
Amarone
Amarone - 2nd batch
Kamil Moscato



Bottled

German Gewurztraminer - RJ Spagnols
Berry Bliss Melomel
Tropical Daze
Berry Bliss Melomel
Moscato - In Spumante Bottles
Berry Delight
Berry Bliss Melomel
Hard Cider/Apple Jack
Chardonnay

Beer

Imperial Irish Red ale - AG
Shock Top Clone - AG
Rocket Honey Ale
Belgian Grand Cru
Honey Red Ale -AG
Honey Red Ale
Malted Harpoon - AG
Harpoon IPA Clone -AG
A few more No named Recipes
 
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Cohenhouse Family Winery

Made by a Cohen, so it's practically kosher!

Home to the CRACKED IVORY wine label.

Primary


- 5 Gallons Quad Berry Dragon's Blood
- 5 Gallons Muscadine Skeeter Pee
- 6 Gallons Tropical Daze - Pineapple, Mango, Kiwi, Peach

Secondary

- 6 Gallons Muscadine
- 5 Gallons Skeeter Pee (Just Lemon)
- 5 Gallons 3 Berry Skeeter Pee
- 1 Gallon Grape Koolaid (Yes it is still bubbling)

Bulk Aging


- 6 Gallons Apple and Red Hots/Cinnamon
- 6 Gallons Apple - Going to bulk age then split in half to make Apple Pie Wine
- 6 Gallons Dixie/Fry Muscadine
- 3 Gallons Blackberry/Blueberry/Raspberry/Strawberry
- 2 Gallons Peach/Muscadine
- 1 Gallon Apple/Peach/Mango
- 2 Gallons Ocean Spray Cranberry/Blueberry
- 1 Gallon Dixie/Fry Muscadine
- 1 Gallon Dixie/Fry Muscadine

Bottled


- 5 Gallons Quad Berry Dragon's Blood
- 5 Gallons Skeeter Pee
- 6 Gallons Quad Berry SP with pomegranate
- 6 Gallons Quad Berry SP
- 6 Gallons SP
- 2 Gallons Strawberry/Muscadine
- 6 Gallons Peach SP
- 6 Gallons Lemon/Lime SP
- 6 Gallons Raspberry SP
- 7 Gallons SP
- 7 Gallons Blueberry SP
- 5 Gallons Muscadine SP
- 5 Gallons Dragons Blood SP

Wishlist

- Ice Riesling
- Moscato
 
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I picked and washed then froze the sloes last year
icon_smile.gif

ingredients,makes two gallons.
2kg-ripe sloes.
1lt-strawberry ribena.
2lt-red grape juice.
1.5kg-white sugar.
2tsp-pectic enzyme.
1tsp-ritchies yeast.
1tsp-yeast nutrient.
water.
Method: make a sugar syrup with half of the sugar,then add the frozen sloes to the FV and pour the hot sugar syrup over the sloes cover and leave to cool,when cool add the rest of the ingredients stir then cover,and then stir two times a day for ten days,after one week add the rest of the sugar in a syrup form when cool,after ten days strain and press the pulp and add the fermenting liquid to the DJs top up to the neck with cold tap water,fit the airlocks and fully ferment out.
when fermenting as stopped rack and mature for at least 12 months

IMAG0001-015.jpg
 
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Well, my Zin finished primary and here is the first racking for the second ML fermentation.

Zin post fermenation racking_.jpg
 
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What is on the burner for making

In Freezer
Peaches
Chokecherries
White Grapes
Cranberries
Rhubarb
In Primary:
Nothing right now
in Carboys aging
Skeeter Pee Batch #6
Fresh Fruit Batches:
Red Grape Concentrate and Apple
White Grape Concentrate and Pear
Chokecherry
Plum
Already completed and bottled:
New Engalnd hard sparkling Cider
Apple wine
Apple Jack
Skeeter Pee
Raspberry Skeeter Pee
Blueberry SKeeter Pee
Blackberry
Red Raspberry
Blackberry and Raspberry
Oranged spiced honey meade
Fuzzy Navel Peach wine
Watermelon (Batch went bad and dumped)
This is the complete list for right now.
 
2010
California Pinot Noir (World Vineyard) 6g - Bottled
Sangria with Seville Orange (Orchard Breezin) 6g - Gone!

2011
Castel del Papa (Renaissance) 6g - Bottled
Sangria with Seville Orange (Orchard Breezin) 6g -Gone
Green Apple Riesling (Island Mist) 6g - Gone

2012
Strawberry Riesling (Orchard Breezin) 6g - Bottled

2013
Castel del Papa (Renaissance) 6g -In Process
 
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Just bottled some Vic's Passion, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Moscoto, and Blueberry Shiraz.

The BB Shiraz came with a large flavor pac to be added after all fermentation is completed, but I believe it dilutes the ABV to much so what I'm thinking about doing is adding it at the beginning and allow the fermentation to take place with the Shiraz and the blueberry combined. What do you think about that? The taste is wonderful, but I think one could drink a couple of bottles and walk a chalk line.
 
OK the first time I ever made wine on my own had I made a merlot, straight up. But then something else cropped up. My father made a zinfandel, my brother a Pinot Noir and I was making the merlot. After we all did our racking, we had a little bit left over from all of our batches, so we threw them all into a carboy and let it do it's thing. Until today, I have yet to taste any home made that could hold a candle to how amazing that wine came out. I have no clue the ratio/proportions or anything. It was just random.

The second batch, my dad and I experimented. We started with a 2/3rds Barbera & 1/3 Alicante blend, but then we threw some pears, figs and carob into it. This blend, unfortunately, turned brown over time and tasted like rusting dish soap double dipped in baby diarrhea. Just dumped over 5 full cases into the sink.

This year I am verturing away from my dad and brothers "dump into barrel and pray" techniques and started a blend of 2/3rd petite syrah + 1/6 zinfandel + 1/6 alicante with a little know how from the people in this forum and the bio-chemist, turned wine maker, turned shop owner. It's nice having a scientist a stones throw away.

Hmmm....I am also am doing 12 gallons of Pinot Grigio for the lady annnndddd....

The left over must that did't fit into my litte syrah/zin/alicante formula went into it's own carboy. I am trying the same thing that happened the first time I made wine: throw all in and see what happens.

Oh, and I threw in some heavy toast oak cubes in my syrah mix and light oak into the carboy of random stuff. Crossing fingers.
 
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This blend, unfortunately, turned brown over time and tasted like rusting dish soap double dipped in baby diarrhea.
Too damn funny!
I would suggest starting with a bit less
"dump into barrel and pray" techniques
, try just making real good wine, simple at first, there is nothing better than creating a great wine and enjoying it with friends and family, this will fuel your passion for wine making even more and possible get a few others started in the process, after that, read up on most of the posts here, ask a bazillion questions and start experimenting like mad!
 
"OK the first time I ever made wine on my own had I made a Merlot, straight up. But then something else cropped up. My father made a Zinfandel, my brother a Pinot Noir and I was making the Merlot. After we all did our racking, we had a little bit left over from all of our batches, so we threw them all into a carboy and let it do it's thing. Until today, I have yet to taste any home made that could hold a candle to how amazing that wine came out. I have no clue the ratio/proportions or anything. It was just random."

Wiccan, I am not surprised that this was a great wine. Just about any wine that starts with Zinfandel with its base will be great so long as one does not go too far afield (like pears, figs and CAROB!...are you kidding me?) I blend Zinfandel with Muscat and we love it in our family. I have also blended it with Petite Syrah, Carignane and Merlot. I try to keep the Zinfandel dominant (no less than 60%) and there is nothing one cannot do with this grape.
 
Figured it was time for an update:

Vino Italiano Barolo - Bottled 6/24/12
Triple Berry Skeeter Pee - Bottled 5/12/12 - Gone
CC Showcase Lodi Old Vine Zin - Bottled 8/4/12
Vino Italiano Cabernet Sauvignon - Bottled 8/26/12
Peach from fresh fruit - filtered and bulk aging
CC Sterling California Merlot - Bottled 1/26/13
CC LR Red Mountain Trio - Bottled 12/28/12
Brookly Brew Shop "Everyday IPA" - bottled and gone
CC Sterling California Syrah - Bulk Aging
RJS Orange Chocolate Port - Bottled 11/10/12
Gingerbread Ale - bottled 10/22 - Gone
RJS Winery Series Super Tuscan - Bulk Aging
CC Showcase Red Mountain Cabernet - Bulk Aging
3 Gal Dragon Blood - Bulk Aging
CC 2012 LR Red Mountain Trio (#2) - Swimming in the Vadai
Brooklyn Brew Shop "Bruxelles Black" Ale - Bottled 2/5/13
WE Eclipse NZ Marlborough Sauv Blanc - Bottled 4/5/13
Vineco LR Califiornia Grand Red - In Secondary
EP Dashwood NZ Pinot Noir - On Deck
 
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"OK the first time I ever made wine on my own had I made a Merlot, straight up. But then something else cropped up. My father made a Zinfandel, my brother a Pinot Noir and I was making the Merlot. After we all did our racking, we had a little bit left over from all of our batches, so we threw them all into a carboy and let it do it's thing. Until today, I have yet to taste any home made that could hold a candle to how amazing that wine came out. I have no clue the ratio/proportions or anything. It was just random."

Wiccan, I am not surprised that this was a great wine. Just about any wine that starts with Zinfandel with its base will be great so long as one does not go too far afield (like pears, figs and CAROB!...are you kidding me?) I blend Zinfandel with Muscat and we love it in our family. I have also blended it with Petite Syrah, Carignane and Merlot. I try to keep the Zinfandel dominant (no less than 60%) and there is nothing one cannot do with this grape.

Hey Rocky,

the whole reason we did the pears, figs, and carob was because my uncle makes some outrageous wines, and he makes combos like that. So we tried it. Needless to say, he knows what hes doing. First and last time we do that, at least in that large of a quantity.

My dad loves his zinfandel. I think this is the first year in many that he hasn't made something with it. This time he went a little outside his comfort zone and made a straight up syrah.
 
wine bottling party

This past weekend I had my first wine bottling party. Had always done it myself with my wife. Well, it was a blast ! We had the assembly line going.(sanitizer, bottle filler, corker, labeler and foil cork wrapper/heat gunner) Everybody had fun and took their job seriously. We bottled WS pinot noir, WS chocolate raspberry port and home made tea wine. This weekend I will start the new Eclipse Zin with grape skins.
 
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