What R you doing today?

Winemaking Talk - Winemaking Forum

Help Support Winemaking Talk - Winemaking Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
@vinny, there is a big difference in attitudes towards weather, depending on area.

I lived the first half of my life in Upstate NY -- pick the center of the state; I grew up a bit north of there, and lived in Rochester for 2 years (as an adult). I went to college in Potsdam (near the Canadian border), and several times drove to or from school during a blizzard (2.5 hour trip took 4). That was pretty much normal. OTOH, we had a tornado go through when I was a teenager, and the swath of destruction was tremendous -- 40+ years later it still comes up in conversation.

Then I moved to central NC -- tornadoes are relatively common here, and we track hurricanes as we do get hit. My wife & I learned a valuable lesson when Fran drove right over us in 1996 (we had a newborn). Both tornadoes and hurricanes are facts of life and we simply prepare -- analogous to what we did in NY in the winter, even if the details are different (blizzards don't rip the roof off the house, although snow can collapse it).

Conversely, snow in central NC is a disaster -- the entire area shuts down -- only nuts and northern transplants who wrongly believe they know how to drive on icy NC roads go out. I learned quickly that road conditions are completely different and it's wise to stay home until the roads clear.

@FlamingoEmporium? Oh, well, it's just another hurricane, right? 🤣

Just kidding, folks in FL are not that blasé about it, but they experience several hurricanes or near misses each season, and the general attitude reflects it. My sister and nephews are low key about most hurricanes.

The differences we all have in perspective indicates we adapt to our situation.
 
I finished my retaining wall this morning. It's been a while since I started the wall, but I've either had my weekend pre-empted, the weather has been bad, or the ground too wet to drive my truck in the back yard (not worried about getting stuck; rather not wanting to explain to Mrs WM81 why the grass is torn up).

This morning I extended the length one row, and added 2 rows on top. I checked -- the landscaping cement I used between layers worked well -- if I ever need to take that wall out, I'm hiring it done.

wall.jpg


Over the winter I intend to remove the other landscaping timbers and replace with cement. In the spring the lava rocks are going bye-bye -- thinking about planting mondo grass.
 
Last edited:
Haha. I had a terrible reaction to #1. Fever, muscle aches, could not sleep. But after 24 hours of this it was like nothing happened. I was expecting the same with #2. But had almost no reaction other than low energy for about 12 hours. So there's hope!

Shot #1 was a sore arm for 3 days. Shot #2 ended up giving me chills and aches. I vegged out on the couch for the afternoon and napped a little. After dinner, I planted myself on the same couch and watched TV until bedtime. Still had a bit of a headache so I finally took some Advil and went to bed. I feel fine today, except my arm is still a bit sore at the shot site.

I am off to pick tomatoes in a hour or so, then the list includes racking the toasted caramel wine, making salsa, and starting a batch of tomato wine and possibly some Skeeter Pee.
 
Last edited:
I hate Total Wine. Those dirty rotten Sobs put in a new store about 2 miles from my house. That's going to cost me a bundle.
Once you realize that 75% of the wines TW carries are "faux"wineries of sorts it becomes pretty easy to just say no to that place.........
 
Please elaborate.

I think TW's business is to buy bulk wine by the tank car and bottle it under the name of a winery that they make up. Ever notice that "Stacey's favorite is always a winery you never heard of? They also have name brand wine, but lots and lots of their wine for sale is not from a winery you can actually visit, or even actually exists. Even much of their expensive wine is from a winery you never heard of. They have built a huge business with this practice but I don't like it and avoid TW except for spirits, where they do have good prices in general.
 
Please elaborate.
I have been unable to find web sites for a few wineries, but in general the wines I've purchased from TotalWine have been very good, and if they are not a real winery, it's hard to prove. Generally speaking I find the employees to be knowledgeable, and have yet to receive bad advice. My process (described on the last page) of looking at consumer reviews has worked well for me.

When thinking about it, if I'm satisfied with the wines I purchase, do I care about the winery? A local winery is located in an industrial park, owns no vineyards, and purchases grapes from contract growers. If the wine is good, does it matter?
 
Good luck! My 2nd shingles vax knocked me flat on my back in bed for 24 hours running a 101 fever......
I felt bad for a few days after my 1st- tired, weak. I thought I had Covid, but tested Twice and no. 2nd is coming up in Oct. I’m not looking forward to it. I had reactions to the Covid shots, but never to a regular flu shot, hopefully not a new normal for me.
 
Please elaborate.
Virtually all wines under $20 at Total Wine are made from faux wineries. Meaning there is no tasting room to visit. They purchase bulk juice or even bulk wine and slap a label on it and the whole lot is available for purchase only at Total Wine.

Take this "93 point" wine that is supposedly the #1 wine of their "Top 20". It's a faux winery. They even have a website but no tasting room you can visit and the wines are only for sale at Total Wine. So when you go to TW and are looking at the wine and have no idea what is good and a someone helps you, you are virtually guaranteed to get a recommendation of something that Total Wine has cut out the middle man and all profit goes to them.

https://www.totalwine.com/wine/red-...ch-cabernet-sauvignon-paso-robles/p/224025750
https://www.hallranchwines.com/#winemaking
 
Today I finished the last brace for my timber frame building. The barn raising is in 19 days. Lord willing the next picture will be a standing frame!!!!
View attachment 93297
Keep sending pictures. I always wanted to build a timber frame building or house. I researched and even had some plans, but never pulled the trigger. At our last house we had an old late 1800’s timber frame barn (mostly hand hewn from) that was a big reason we bought it.
 
I felt like I had the flu for about a week but only ran the fever for ~24 hours. I actually had a mild case of shingles back in ~ 2003 and for sure I never wanted to go through that ever again if possible.
I felt bad for a few days after my 1st- tired, weak. I thought I had Covid, but tested Twice and no. 2nd is coming up in Oct. I’m not looking forward to it. I had reactions to the Covid shots, but never to a regular flu shot, hopefully not a new normal for me.
 
Keep sending pictures. I always wanted to build a timber frame building or house. I researched and even had some plans, but never pulled the trigger. At our last house we had an old late 1800’s timber frame barn (mostly hand hewn from) that was a big reason we bought it.
will do. I was considering a timber frame for my home addition but they are more expensive than stick-built and an Owner-Built TF isn’t going to fly with the building inspector. Where I live “accessory structures” are not inspected by the state so I can get away with it. This is practice for a TF pavilion that I’m going to build next to the vineyard… need someplace “classy” for crushing and pressing!
 
i
Virtually all wines under $20 at Total Wine are made from faux wineries. Meaning there is no tasting room to visit. They purchase bulk juice or even bulk wine and slap a label on it and the whole lot is available for purchase only at Total Wine.

Take this "93 point" wine that is supposedly the #1 wine of their "Top 20". It's a faux winery. They even have a website but no tasting room you can visit and the wines are only for sale at Total Wine. So when you go to TW and are looking at the wine and have no idea what is good and a someone helps you, you are virtually guaranteed to get a recommendation of something that Total Wine has cut out the middle man and all profit goes to them.

https://www.totalwine.com/wine/red-...ch-cabernet-sauvignon-paso-robles/p/224025750
https://www.hallranchwines.com/#winemaking
I believe Robert Hall Winery produces the wines sold under the Hall Ranch name.

Hall Ranch

AMANDA GORTER​

WINEMAKER

Hall Ranch wines are crafted by Amanda Gorter, a passionate young winemaker inspired by the Old West heritage and agricultural roots that continue to anchor the identity of the Paso Robles community. Amanda employs a non-interventionist approach to winemaking in the spirit that "great wine comes from great vineyards." She has been making wine since 2013 and has trained under some of the best winemakers in the business. In 2016 Amanda moved to Robert Hall Winery as Assistant Winemaker and was promoted to Winemaker in 2019. She holds a degree in Biology with a Winemaking Certificate from University of California, Davis. When she's not making wine, Amanda loves gardening, traveling, cooking and live music.
 
i

I believe Robert Hall Winery produces the wines sold under the Hall Ranch name.

Hall Ranch

AMANDA GORTER​

WINEMAKER

Hall Ranch wines are crafted by Amanda Gorter, a passionate young winemaker inspired by the Old West heritage and agricultural roots that continue to anchor the identity of the Paso Robles community. Amanda employs a non-interventionist approach to winemaking in the spirit that "great wine comes from great vineyards." She has been making wine since 2013 and has trained under some of the best winemakers in the business. In 2016 Amanda moved to Robert Hall Winery as Assistant Winemaker and was promoted to Winemaker in 2019. She holds a degree in Biology with a Winemaking Certificate from University of California, Davis. When she's not making wine, Amanda loves gardening, traveling, cooking and live music.
 
Uh oh !
 

Attachments

  • A680014D-BE77-4831-84D0-1840184473A4.jpeg
    A680014D-BE77-4831-84D0-1840184473A4.jpeg
    1.6 MB · Views: 0
  • FA50F0E3-4829-47D0-B2DA-C0ECAE8B8C18.jpeg
    FA50F0E3-4829-47D0-B2DA-C0ECAE8B8C18.jpeg
    858.2 KB · Views: 0
  • DEC1B2C8-8D38-41E3-9DD4-586A88121D8C.jpeg
    DEC1B2C8-8D38-41E3-9DD4-586A88121D8C.jpeg
    1.5 MB · Views: 0

Latest posts

Back
Top