What's going on in your winery today..

[SiSandrine]

I think I would be tempted to rack. If I remember you said you weren't going to do mlf. If so I would rack. I would have thought it is finished now too. If it is then sulphite too and leave over winter in a cold place.

[Cellar_Rat]

I think I agree with you Simon. MLF is different again. I press red with pretty much no strainer, and then look to rack within 2 to 3 weeks. MLF is already started and I do stir the leas for a couple of weeks. ( ooeeerr now what have I started )

[Delmonteman]

Well, it's not finished fermenting yet... The kitchen is a bit cold though I did think it strange that you guys seemed to be moving on the the next phases sooner than me...

Since it's been sat on all that crud for the last three weeks will another week make that much difference?

Failing that if I rack, then put it back in the carboy, can anyone recommend a cheap wine I can top up with?

This any good?

http://www.mysupermarket.co.uk/shelves/Red_Wine_in_ASDA.html

(The la Comida £3.93 per litre?)

PS - I have a straight tempranillo with no oak or mlf.

[Cellar_Rat]

...still fermenting

I was going to bottle the Shiraz tonight - ready for supper tomorrow ( you have to consider bottle shock you know )

[goldseal]

can anyone recommend a cheap wine I can top up with?

I'd be careful topping up a fermenting wine with something out of a bottle (sulphite etc.)

[robwrx]

Spent the evening crushing and destemming a few kgs of White grapes from the garden. It's hard work by hand and I hope it will be worth it as I have only managed to harvest enough to make maybe a gallon.

[goldseal]

I haven't eben got enough for a gallon. Playing a brinksmanship game at the moment - waiting as long as possible before picking.

Yesterday I started a Reserve Du Chateau Semillon Chardonnay kit - cheap and cheerful, but the Pinot Grigio was excellent for the money, hoping this one will be similarly good.

[robwrx]

Pete I have been picking for the last two weeks or so but we had some strong winds this week which blew most of the leaves off exposing the grapes to the view of the birds. I thought I would get them first.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

[woody1962]

I've recently been sampling the Reserve Du Chateau Cabernet Sauvignon (have bulk stored for 6 months) - I'm dead chuffed with it - ok; it lacks a little body but its fruity and smooth and I love it!

[mark g]

Started two gallons of Banana wine yesterday
I got 12kg of ripe bananas for only £3.00 off the market
ingredients makes 2 gallons.
6kg-ripe bananas.
2kg-white sugar.
2-cups of strong black tea(no leave or milk)
2tsp-pectic enzyme(one per DJ)
2tsp-youngs super wine yeast compound(one per DJ)
water.
Method: skin the bananas put half in a pan of water and bring to a boil then simmer for 15 min,and mash to a pulp then strain and press all the hot liquid into a pan and stir in half of the sugar until dissolved and leave to cool,make two cups of black tea and leave to cool,when all the liquids are cool divide into the DJs add the pectic enzyme and super wine yeast compound,fit the airlocks and ferment for a week,the make a sugar syrup with the other half of sugar,when cool divide into the DJs and top up with cold tap water
fit the airlocks and fully ferment out.
when fermenting as stopped rack add finings rack when clear and mature for at least 6 to 12 months.
IMAG0003-006.jpgIMAG0001-014.jpg
I peeled and froze the other half of the bananas.

[Delmonteman]

I'm intrigued by banana wine... Do you have any idea what it comes out like? Alcoholic banana perhaps...?

[lockwood1956]

Last night racked the elderberry port, the yeasties having finally succumbed to death by sugar feeding, it smells fantastic, and it actually even at this early stage tastes very fulsome and fruity....showing promise of things to come, will let it settle and then fortify and oak further.

also racked 3.5 gallons of Colne valley bitter to DJ's will bottle later

[robwrx]

Last night racked the elderberry port, the yeasties having finally succumbed to death by sugar feeding, it smells fantastic, and it actually even at this early stage tastes very fulsome and fruity....showing promise of things to come, will let it settle and then fortify and oak further.

Can we try a bottle at Grapefest 2016 please Bob? Pete's was awesome at 4 years old.

[lockwood1956]

absolutely Rob

[skivers]

I had a bit of a winemaking blitz today

The Chateau du Roi was filtered and is now waiting for bottling

The Californian Sirah/zinfandel is out of the primary fermenter and into the carboy vacated by the above Roi

A Chilian Merlot went straight into the Primary fermenter

I have started 3 gallons of the Lychee wine as well - I am looking forward to tasting that.

Number I wine (2 gallons) started last Saturday

ERR.... I also kegged up a cider

I am hoping that making the number one wine and lychee wine will give some of my reds a chance to age - some other place than down my neck!

Liam