What's going on in your winery today..

[Delmonteman]

Cleaning up the absolute mess I made in the kitchen last night whilst pressing my grapeskins!!!

[goldseal]

Flash spray (the one with Bleach) will take stains out of kitchens - trust me

The last 4 years have been carnage here (if I can find the photos I'll post them). This year I invested in a bigger press and, because we had decent weather yesterday, all pressing was done outside. Only a few drops to clean up in the kitchen, and everything outside was washed down with the hose.

[NorthernWiner]

Picked up 144 pounds of petite sirah yesterday afternoon and have been working on that. Initial Brix is 28.5.

[lockwood1956]

Initial Brix is 28.5

I feel a Port coming on!

[goldseal]

[NorthernWiner]

I feel a Port coming on!

Considered that, but unfortunately I need it for blending. So I watered it back just a bit. It is what it is... or will be I suppose.

[robwrx]

Did some more acid testing last night and had a half glass of GF2012 Merlot and Monte. Much better than last year at this stage with teeth curling tannins in the Merlot. The Monte had lots of red fruit tastes, raspberry and strawberry most notably.

[lockwood1956]

Defrosting (steamed) elderberry juice from last year

to make a port!!!!

[Delmonteman]

Defrosting (steamed) elderberry juice from last year

to make a port!!!!

Ooh! That Pete's is a bad (read good) influence. As my first ever batch of elderberries is/ was already committed elsewhere I missed the boat on this. I might just have to have a go with dried elderberries just for the h3ll of it...!

[goldseal]

[Cellar_Rat]

There has to be some excitement every year. Last year I blew the door off the oven.

This year... my basket press made a strange pop, and then geysered red wine pulp all over the ceiling at high pressure. I would liken it to JR hitting oil - in a red sticky not very good way. Consequently it when all over quacking everywhere and every quacking thing quacking quacker. Quacking washing quacking up for quacking hours.

[Delmonteman]

Pressing the second run the sensible way with a sieve and a sheet of net curtain. Jeez was that easier that the first time round!

[NorthernWiner]

One of two new barrels arrived today. Meet Claudette. She is a nice French girl from the Allier forest. 50 litre medium+ tight-grain select. Ooo la la. In another month, she will guarding my Merlot. I'm expecting her loud, brash American sister to arrive sometime next week.

[robwrx]

Steve

That is pure wine porn, I'm very jealous

[Cellar_Rat]

Is that window putty I can see around the lid?

Very nice.