What R you doing today?

[vernsgal]

Our flood has finally receded and I have all pumps up and running. Had to cancel week one of vacation but I am sitting by the camper right now enjoying a glass of merlot. Also first post ever from iPad. Got a new toy!

I hope you didn't receive too much damage!

 

[ShelleyDickison]

Today is my official one year anniversary in wine making. I have decided to celebrate by cleaning my upstairs......yawn.

 

[cmason1957]

Busy, busy weekend. Started 6 gallons of blackberry (half of that may end up in a port), 12 gallons of blueberry, 6 gallons of Starburst wine (just for fun). Racked our Strawberry Skeeter Pee and Old Vine Zinfandel kit.

Oh and drank some of a very nice hoppy beer (Double IPA) my wife and I made about a month ago. It still needs some more time to rest, but is getting very nice.

 

[Elmer]

Returned to work after a 3 day weekend.
next 2 weeks are 3 day work weeks, with a weekend of Phishing thrown in.

no wine making, just consumption for the next few weeks!

 

[Hokapsig]

A three and a half day work week, but I'll take a half day vacation on Friday to work a full day at the side job in DC. Then a retirement party on Saturday where my Skeeter Pee must make a command performance.

 

[millwright01]

I hope you didn't receive too much damage!

I personally escaped damage but hundreds of people have had houses flooded in my town. I feel for all of them. They are finally let back in to evacuated areas to find everything soaked with either river water or sewage. Our saving grace was that we had notice. Those up stream were caught off guard.

 

[Hokapsig]

racked the Carmenere and the Apple Cherry last night. Everything is sanitized for bottling today.

Mill, we are happy to hear that you are okay, but there appears to be a tropical depression that us on the east coast of the US is going to have to deal with next week.

 

[GreginND]

Mowing down the weeds in the vineyard today. Its finally dried up enough to get the mower in there. Too windy to spray. Will have to try tomorrow.

 

[cimbaliw]

Hey Phil, how much tannin did you add with (1lb?) raisins, 4 TBS as Joeswine suggested? I added a pound of raisins to a value shiraz and have racked them off after a month. Now it seems like I need something to balance out the effect. I'm not complaining, I am really pleased with the increase in body. Also, any suggestions for adding powdered tannins to a carboy, that stuff clumps up fast.

Happy 4th everyone, I'm babysitting my pager enjoying a wine free holiday .

Bill C.

 

[pjd]

Hey Phil, how much tannin did you add with (1lb?) raisins, 4 TBS as Joeswine suggested? I added a pound of raisins to a value shiraz and have racked them off after a month. Now it seems like I need something to balance out the effect. I'm not complaining, I am really pleased with the increase in body. Also, any suggestions for adding powdered tannins to a carboy, that stuff clumps up fast.

Happy 4th everyone, I'm babysitting my pager enjoying a wine free holiday .

Bill C.

Bill, I was afraid of 4 tablespoons so I only put 2 in. I may add more later at least to one carboy to see if it improves it any more.

I usually take out some wine put it into a jar with the tannin, put a lid on it and shake it until all is dissolved then pour it back into the carboy.

 

[Runningwolf]

Tannin hint. Get the hottest water you have (3-4 ounces) in a beaker or shot glass and add your tannin to it. DO NOT stir, just let it sit for about 10-15 minutes. At this point it'll be mostly dissolved and you can stir if need be. It you stir in the beginning it'll clump up like you stated and will never mix into the wine properly.

 

[cimbaliw]

Thank you for the tannin tips guys, most helpful. I guess we've all spent time trying to break up the clumps of tannin in whatever we add it to. Phil, I may just break my 6 gal to 2-3gal batches 1 Tb in one and 2 Tb in the other.

 

[ffemt128]

Heading out to Idlewild Park today with my wife daughter and a friend of my daughter's. Nice to have the 4 day weekend. No wine work in the weekend plans. May work on building my rack in the cellar so I can get rid of the old shelving unit...

 

[pjd]

I spent all day today in the winery! Blended 6 gallons of Catawba with 2 gallons of Fredonia, blended 5 gallons of Elderberry with 5 gallons of Fredonia, blended 5 gallons Elderberry with 5 gallons Steuben, blended 4 gallons Fredonia with 1 gallon Steuben then sweetened it all to taste and bottled it. It is nice to have a few empty carboys to work with now. Next up I will be working on my Isabella-Blackberry, Lambrusca and Cherry that will finish my 2012 wines.

 

[Runningwolf]

Those sound like nice blends Phil. Any idea what % the residual sugar is at on them?

 

[pjd]

Those sound like nice blends Phil. Any idea what % the residual sugar is at on them?

I have no idea, I sweetened them to taste and did not check with the Hydrometer.

 

[FABulousWines]

Filtered and bottled the Peach Chardonnay. I must be getting better at my racking...I got all 30 bottles and a glass left over. The peach is very forward and the alcohol comes across hot, but I know this will mellow in a few weeks. Wife and daughter liked it so that's success in my book. I think it will make an excellent summer sipper.

Also racked the Argentine Malbec off the oak. Took a taste as well. It is very good! That was about 5 and a half weeks on the medium toast Hungarian. The oak flavor is very smokey and based on the advice I got here I am pleased knowing it will back off a bit over time. I plan to give this at least another 6 months in the carboy before bottle aging.

Next up I am going to try some of this Dragon Blood stuff and see what all the excitement is about. I also have a WS Washington Merlot to start, but as I am going out of town next week they both will have to wait since they have fruit bags that will need tending to. We are going to spend a few days in VA and plan to visit a couple wineries (Horton and Trump).

 

[Pumpkinman]

Phil, the Catawba and Fredonia blend sounds great!

 

[pjd]

Phil, the Catawba and Fredonia blend sounds great!

Tom, I can't take the credit for that one. Dan Wolf makes one he calls Sammy's Blend and it is awesome. I simply followed his instructions. That's the great thing about this forum, we all learn from each other.

 

[Pumpkinman]

Hmmmm.....I cannot wait to get some of these wines bottled so I can start trading with you guys!