My "Going for it" posts are generally "unusual" wines, sometimes VERY unusual. Initially I wasn't planning a post for this but @vinny convinced me that there's some unusual aspects that would make it interesting to share. We'll see...you judge.
For starters, this is my vineyard -
![20231015_120137.jpg 20231015_120137.jpg](https://cdn2.imagearchive.com/winemakingtalk/data/attachments/102/102640-d3acbfa27e07544beb9ffdf892b1b917.jpg)
"River Grape", vitus riparia, is all over the property but for some reason only fruits near the water. This was my first year to harvest, 41 lbs, and all of it was collected within 15 ft of the pond. Some were near the ground but for the most part they were in the trees.
Most clusters are small and compact. And being a native species I don't have to worry about disease. And growing in the trees, ground based creatures aren't a problem. Totally worry free - no trimming, no spraying, completely ignored until harvest.
![20231004_142446.jpg 20231004_142446.jpg](https://cdn2.imagearchive.com/winemakingtalk/data/attachments/102/102642-eb3735b10ac454c508a07a490de79325.jpg)
One vine filled the top of a dead elm tree and I didn't see a problem with pulling it down. I've read many grape growing posts and I'm wondering - am I the only one to use a chain saw and garden tractor to harvest grapes?![Beaming face with smiling eyes :grin: 😁](https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f601.png)
![20231015_115446.jpg 20231015_115446.jpg](https://cdn2.imagearchive.com/winemakingtalk/data/attachments/102/102643-cf90f4d9f588c7f2483628cee5198661.jpg)
I didn't have an actual lug to use for the first day's harvest but my help was forgiving.....barely.
(Had to have the obligatory cat somewhere here!)
![20231006_124350.jpg 20231006_124350.jpg](https://cdn2.imagearchive.com/winemakingtalk/data/attachments/102/102647-f8b18133fab29515e8ffda726326f2df.jpg)
The numbers on the juice surprised me - Brix of 20, pH of 3.14. I know many think that's less than desirable but I was delighted because I was expecting much worse.
I used 6 lbs of grapes for a one gallon batch, the addition of water brought the pH to 3.40, and 71B was the choice this time. Fermented with the skins, pigment was crazy intense.
![20231028_140444.jpg 20231028_140444.jpg](https://cdn2.imagearchive.com/winemakingtalk/data/attachments/102/102645-50b1f8c86f8ace774d1ec20160d3e04f.jpg)
Transferred to secondary yesterday.
Fermentation raised the pH to 3.47, color still crazy intense.
Aroma? Wonderful.
Flavor? I apologize, this is only my second grape wine and making wine in a vacuum I don't have an educated palate. The flavor is fruity intense and the mouthfeel incredible. It brought to mind my black raspberry and elderberry wines from earlier in the year. I was hoping for better descriptors but my only thought was "Holy Sh*t!"
I'm in love.
We'll see where this goes.
![20231028_141608.jpg 20231028_141608.jpg](https://cdn2.imagearchive.com/winemakingtalk/data/attachments/102/102646-6fd780f34a7dc188dd9495aca15a825f.jpg)
For starters, this is my vineyard -
![20231015_120137.jpg 20231015_120137.jpg](https://cdn2.imagearchive.com/winemakingtalk/data/attachments/102/102640-d3acbfa27e07544beb9ffdf892b1b917.jpg)
"River Grape", vitus riparia, is all over the property but for some reason only fruits near the water. This was my first year to harvest, 41 lbs, and all of it was collected within 15 ft of the pond. Some were near the ground but for the most part they were in the trees.
![20231006_102646.jpg 20231006_102646.jpg](https://cdn2.imagearchive.com/winemakingtalk/data/attachments/102/102641-c5016928efa474974f5034e10d7cd367.jpg)
Most clusters are small and compact. And being a native species I don't have to worry about disease. And growing in the trees, ground based creatures aren't a problem. Totally worry free - no trimming, no spraying, completely ignored until harvest.
![20231004_142446.jpg 20231004_142446.jpg](https://cdn2.imagearchive.com/winemakingtalk/data/attachments/102/102642-eb3735b10ac454c508a07a490de79325.jpg)
One vine filled the top of a dead elm tree and I didn't see a problem with pulling it down. I've read many grape growing posts and I'm wondering - am I the only one to use a chain saw and garden tractor to harvest grapes?
![Beaming face with smiling eyes :grin: 😁](https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f601.png)
![20231015_115446.jpg 20231015_115446.jpg](https://cdn2.imagearchive.com/winemakingtalk/data/attachments/102/102643-cf90f4d9f588c7f2483628cee5198661.jpg)
I didn't have an actual lug to use for the first day's harvest but my help was forgiving.....barely.
(Had to have the obligatory cat somewhere here!)
![20231006_124350.jpg 20231006_124350.jpg](https://cdn2.imagearchive.com/winemakingtalk/data/attachments/102/102647-f8b18133fab29515e8ffda726326f2df.jpg)
The numbers on the juice surprised me - Brix of 20, pH of 3.14. I know many think that's less than desirable but I was delighted because I was expecting much worse.
I used 6 lbs of grapes for a one gallon batch, the addition of water brought the pH to 3.40, and 71B was the choice this time. Fermented with the skins, pigment was crazy intense.
![20231028_140444.jpg 20231028_140444.jpg](https://cdn2.imagearchive.com/winemakingtalk/data/attachments/102/102645-50b1f8c86f8ace774d1ec20160d3e04f.jpg)
Transferred to secondary yesterday.
Fermentation raised the pH to 3.47, color still crazy intense.
Aroma? Wonderful.
Flavor? I apologize, this is only my second grape wine and making wine in a vacuum I don't have an educated palate. The flavor is fruity intense and the mouthfeel incredible. It brought to mind my black raspberry and elderberry wines from earlier in the year. I was hoping for better descriptors but my only thought was "Holy Sh*t!"
I'm in love.
We'll see where this goes.
![20231028_141608.jpg 20231028_141608.jpg](https://cdn2.imagearchive.com/winemakingtalk/data/attachments/102/102646-6fd780f34a7dc188dd9495aca15a825f.jpg)