# Main Difference Between Your Wines and Commercial Wines?



## Boatboy24 (Dec 28, 2012)

I've been busy in the wine cellar lately. With the Holidays, I've had more than my fair share of both my stuff and commerical wines lately. Recently, when smelling commercial wines, I get what I think is an overwhelming sulfite scent. Almost like when I open the lid on a corkidor. Comments, thoughts, suggestions? Is that the main difference these days? I know commercial wines have A LOT more sulfite than the homemade stuff, but maybe my sniffer is just off.


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## Julie (Dec 28, 2012)

The difference between my wines and commercial? Mine taste better


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## Rocky (Dec 28, 2012)

I don't know what it is but I cannot enjoy many commercial wines that I was drinking two years ago. When I drink them now, all I taste is chemicals. It couild be the sulfites or something else. I have been reading a lot about color additives, thickeners, sweeteners, etc. that commercial wineries add on a regualr basis. 

On the other hand, I have heard of a phenomenon called "cellar palate" where one gets accustomed to his own wine. Maybe that is my problem. The only thing I have in opposition to this is that friends, neighbors and experienced wine makers say the home made wine is good. Fortunately, I have a lot of wine in the cellar!


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## grapeman (Dec 28, 2012)

I can't tell the difference between my own stuff and commercial- oh wait a minute, they are both the same! Actually not all commercial wine is loaded with sulfites anymore. Some homemade stuff can be higher if you keep adding more without checking the free S02 levels before adding.


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## Rocky (Dec 28, 2012)

grapeman said:


> I can't tell the difference between my own stuff and commercial- oh wait a minute, they are both the same! Actually not all commercial wine is loaded with sulfites anymore. Some homemade stuff can be higher if you keep adding more without checking the free S02 levels before adding.


 
Rich, I am sure you are right about this. I think domestic wines have a lot less added to them than imported wines and this was confirmed to me by a winery in Montalcino, Italy. The winemaker told me that they have to load up with sulfites to protect wine that is stored in warehouses for unpredictable periods of time, where temperatures can vary from near freezing to more than 100 degrees F and humidity can bounce all over the place.


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## Boatboy24 (Dec 28, 2012)

Rocky said:


> I
> On the other hand, I have heard of a phenomenon called "cellar palate" where one gets accustomed to his own wine.



I've been reading about that. And for that reason, will continue to buy wine (though far less than I used to). But I'm drinking a Cellar Craft Red Mountain Trio right now that I think is one of the better wines I've had in the last few months. And it's a mere half bottle that I corked after bottling the batch this morning. If this is the "leftover" from the bottom of the carboy, I can't wait to get into the rest of it.


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## Runningwolf (Dec 28, 2012)

Rocky said:


> On the other hand, I have heard of a phenomenon called "cellar palate" where one gets accustomed to his own wine.


 
I also agree with Rocky and this issue.I think it's important to visit different wineries for this very reason. I like it when they offer you to taste something new you might not have asked to taste. This is one way I often come up withnew blends on my own at home.


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## garymc (Dec 28, 2012)

*Main Difference Between Your Wines and Commercial Wines?

*I make muscadine wine in Missouri. My wines are at my house. Commercial muscadine wines are at wineries and liquor stores in other states.


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## roadwarriorsvt (Dec 29, 2012)

Funny, just recently I returned to middle GA and purchased several wines that my high school classmate sells from his small commercial winery. I sampled his pear wine at a retail store. It was so good, I bought a bottle, but when I drank my bottle, it was so sweet, both the wife and I couldn't even finish the bottle. I should have taken a reading with my hydrometer! One of his muscadine wines had a "rubbery" or chemical smell to it. This just gave me more confidence in my own wines!


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## Rock (Dec 29, 2012)

Pretty Bold statment's considering it's the commercial guy's that study and are schooled in wine making gave us all this great advice so we could better our wines.I have had some great commercial wines and not so good.Worst wines I ever had were homemade.Of course not mine.But it was them who inspire me to make good wine.Not like our"old timers" tought us.


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## Rocky (Dec 29, 2012)

Rock, I guess it is just like everything else that is homemade. My wife's bread is better than cake (my Father used to call it "communion"), we make our own pasta, sauce, pizza and sausage. We prefer simple things from the garden like fresh tomatoes, herbs, onions, garlic and hot and sweet peppers to name a few. Squash flowers, battered and fried in olive oil with a piece of mozzarella and/or an anchovie inside is a special treat. This year we are adding cheese making to our repertoire. Most or all of this is better, _to me_, than I can buy in a store. There is really nothing magic about making wine. It takes all the same things that every other homemade item does; good ingredients, a recipe, attention, etc.


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## Rock (Dec 29, 2012)

Well Rocky I guess we were brought up on the similar was of life.I also make all the same as you do.I disagree when it comes to wine making.The commercial guys taught us on how to test wines and do ph readings and how to adjust ph and acid.Books writing by them gave us more tools.Magic no,just some science that we needed.


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