What's going on in your winery today..

[Rich]

Good luck Rob.

Today I've racked off 7.5 Carbouys, Tidied up a little and racked some beer into a corny and 20 bottles.

Now need to sort some bottles to get bottling the wine.

[RTPFUN]

Filtered and bottled the wine number one that was made with lidl red and white grape juice. Turned out very nice. Then attempted to filter another wine number one the one I did to sort our the miner error of not reading the label on the Lidl grape juice box but the faithful Harris filter didn’t filter for some reason second time its done this. Slowed down as usual then sped up and looking at the pad it’s gone around the edge of the filter pad even though I thoroughly tightened it. Racked off the Cellar craft kit as it’s been on those oak cubes for its 20 days. Both the Viognier kits are just about done at .995 and the homemade Viognier copy has stuck after racking at 1015. Smells Ok so I’ve made a yeast starter with some E1118.

[RTPFUN]

Racked stabilised and sorbate to both the Kenridge Viognier kits very gassy going to take some shifting before finings are added. The wine number one I had the filtering accident with hasn’t re-cleared so added some kwik clear and the Viognier “mad moment concoction” has fermented out to .988 after restarting it last week. Unlike the two kits which are almost clear and taste remarkably good for this stage (although very different one is much better and fruitier almost servable ) the copy looks like mud and tastes like mud too. However I’ve tasted worse that have turned out very nice given time. Lots of time!

[goldseal]

Thanks chaps The judging is this afternoon but I don't find out the results until tomorrow afternoon.

Last year they had 50 entries in the 6 different classes, I've entered 6 wines in 3 classes.

It's gone very quiet.

[lockwood1956]

No it hasn't!

I got a first (GF2011 Merlot), a second, (Dandelion), and two thirds (Californian Fume Blanc kit and an Elderflower) from the six wines and I'm feeling rather pleased with myself.

Unaccustomed as I am to speech making, I would like to take this opportunity to thank a few people

Firstly I would like to thank Cellar Rat for winding me up with continuos comments like preferring his White wine on his chips. This has really spurred me on to improving the quality of the White wines I make. Three of the four awards today were for White wines so up yours Brian

Next I would like to thank Sisandrine for the Dandelion wine recipe I used. Simon, the wine has matured brilliantly, it has a great bouquet and a glorious crisp dry taste and received a second place so thank you for your input.

I would like to thank Brian again, this time for supplying the yeast that went into the Dandelion wine, it made all the difference.

To Bob, I want to say thank you for the forum, without which I would not be a winemaker today. Your advice, your criticisms, the tutorials, the free tasting service you provide have all given me the tools to build my skills to such a high level.

Lastly I would like to thank all of the forum members that have held my hand through my journey of the last two years, a journey that has had it's ups and downs and without you all I couldn't have got through this, I love you all, you guys mean so much to me.....

[Darren]

Must make time today to get the xmas pud wine on the go and start the Vintners reserve white zinfandel now my cellar has started to dry out.
Theres nothing quite like a glass of xmas pud wine with the open fire on a cold winters night ....Yummy

[SiSandrine]

Last night back from holiday with 30 fairly freashly emptied Bordeaux style wine bottles to add to my burgeoning collection. Delabelled washed and cleaned in between depodding 10 kg of french white beans (for culinary rather than wine based purposes).

Tonight I need to get some serious GF prep underway.

[SiSandrine]

The best made plans.... Last night I made a list of what is needed to be done for Grapefest. Looked at my wines bulk ageing for a bit.

OK - its a start, right? First day back at work and very tired after finishing at 7.

[billybuntus]

Haven't done much lately :-( survived on the el cheap reserve du chateau kits which have been ok....

Looking forward to Blackberry picking over the next two weeks then I can get a few gallons on the go.

Hopefully will get the bug back and it will spur me on. Brewing seems to always fall to the bottom of my seemingly never ending jobs list lately :-(

I bought a beaverdale cab sauv last week so things must be on the up (and its currently fermenting :-) )

[Rich]

Been Lychee buying today in Lidl. 79p for a big can.

[lockwood1956]

This weekend sees the start of the tidy for grapefest frenzy!

[SiSandrine]

Bottled 5 1/2 bottles of wine from an (unidentified) local grape grown on a very old vine at a country house. Good news is it hasn't poisoned me up to now. Dark rosé. More bottling tonight then racking some of the bulk ageing big hitters from last year's Grapefest.

Need to tidy shed, make some repairs to the press and mow the lawn.

Busy weekend.

[Cellar_Rat]

Grapejest frenzy starts here today.

Two dozen 25l drums sterilised & sulphured ready for pre-crushed grape juice.

[lockwood1956]

winery.jpg
Big tidy in winery today, unless you saw it before the tidy you wont appreciate how much work it took

also big tidy in garden as the vines have gone mental and with with all the rain havent been able to get out to prune them!

[Rich]

Having seen it a year ago Bob.. that does look like you've put some work in. Have you bottled the carbouys or moved most of them?


Today I've got nearly everything ready for a morning of mashing with a bit of Lychee wine making too. (Carnegie Porter tomorrow in the mash tun, I hope it turns out as good as Koombers)