# Behind the scenes



## joeswine

I look around my wine operation and said Joe time to regroup and rethink whats on the menu,so last October when the Italys came in I did 12 of amarone,6 brunello and 6 voignier,juice and 18lbs. grapes,had product from early may ready to bottle had bottles to gelable,and was making in conjunction with 2 other wine makers in our group,showing them how to make a better wine so I had 3/6gal bottles of theirs also,3/15gal bottles of my best friends wine bulk aging ,along with 12gals of Shiraz and 8gals of cab (juice and grape blends) .ended up bottling Thompson seedless,Muscat and voignier from cal.........now I'm under control.so I made a 3gal batch of blueberry wine to start with and will follow that up with 12gals of peach......all this so that in Sept. when the Itys. arrive me and my students will make 18gals of amarone,18gals of brunello and 18gals. of sangavese what I will do for my friends.........but its all GOOD>>>>>>>>>>


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## Tom

Boy that's cleaning up your "winery". I been busy over last weekend. I got my hands on 5 cases of Pineapples (=32 pcs. only $10.00 ). What a mess that was. cutting them up. Good thing I did it outside or SWMBO would have had a fin if I did it in the kitchen.
Now.... What do you think I did with all that Pineapple??.


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## Sacalait

Tom, you got a real steal. They're $1.99 each when they go on sale down south.


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## Tom

Yea thats only .32 each. Now they were very "ripe". That means loaded with SWEETNESS.


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## joeswine

*what to do*

TOM I still haven't touch the beer and need to get to Brett for the pepsi keg....the amarone is finished and when next we meet I'll bring you a bottle to sample ..I think you'll be surprised,did the final movements on the mojito,and blueberry ,also final approach on MS.Ts peach ice wine and finished out her pinot grigio,after mlf,finished kitos ( a friend ) viognier, added golden raisins to the finish,took his over sweetened sharaz and refermented it to slightly under 1.000,,add oak and powdered oak to add body back to it,taste party d-m good.....be busy at ac work this is the first time I've had in 21 days to my self.......hope you'll follow the thread ,I have other items to add as i go along...


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## Tom

OK hope to make the meeting next month. No rush on the keg. Have you been tasting the brew?


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## joeswine

*cleaning up*

no not yet , will hold in the keg?..been very busy on the street,,

how do you think the good wines gone bad is going? not to boring?  are they reading ? how do I judge any response ?


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## Runningwolf

Joe lots of good info in the good wine gone bad. If someone pulls one good thing out of it, that makes it all worth while. I enjoyed the zesting part.


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## joeswine

*cleaning up*

ITS BEEN A GOOD YEAR

The last thread I stated I was cleaning up the cellar winery and I have ,all the wine I need to redirect and reconstruct was done,all the needs were taken care of with all the fresh juice and what few fruit wines I make,now down there are 6 gallons of pure blueberry wine with oak,6 gallons of carammare,malbec ,i peach which either I can fix or repair or chuck,probably just chuck it,5 riesling ready to bottle,6 tempenallo,might mix a small portion with some blueberry,a melbec I'm fixing for a another wine asst.,3peach ice wine kit IM making for MS.T....in between I.ve made several kits but the winery as it is is clean and under control...


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## Sirs

I know I myself have found the good wine gone bad thread cool, I've learned thru the years that you can never know to much about anything your doing no matter what it is or how long you've done it. You can always learn new things from people you don't know 




WOW was post 1000 coolies


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## ffemt128

Sirs said:


> I know I myself have found the good wine gone bad thread cool, I've learned thru the years that you can never know to much about anything your doing no matter what it is or how long you've done it. You can always learn new things from people you don't know
> 
> 
> 
> 
> WOW was post 1000 coolies




Yep, I too have enjoyed reading the good wines gone bad thread. Very good information there.

Congrats Sirs....


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## Daisy317

Sirs said:


> ...WOW was post 1000 coolies



CONGRATS


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## SpoiledRotten

Sirs said:


> I know I myself have found the good wine gone bad thread cool, I've learned thru the years that you can never know to much about anything your doing no matter what it is or how long you've done it. You can always learn new things from people you don't know
> 
> 
> 
> 
> WOW was post 1000 coolies



Just quoting the 1000th thread. Congrats!


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## joeswine

*clean up*

Well ,now that the clean up is almost complete,I'm looking around and see that my blueberry needs a mate,sounds like a tampanello blend,that takes care of that ,I have a Riesling,I'm going to leave that as is,need fresh Riesling for stock,have a amarone that will go straight up,have caramera and MELBEC they'll be a blend unto themselves,peach I'm not sure if thats worth saving or dumping,well so far so good.


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## Daisy317

Runningwolf said:


> Joe lots of good info in the good wine gone bad. If someone pulls one good thing out of it, that makes it all worth while. I enjoyed the zesting part.



I also found the zest part interesting. I'm experimenting with lemon zest right now in my latest cherry skeeter batch.


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## joeswine

*zesting*

YES IT CAN


experiment with it make as it is or a extract and make a cello of a variety of flovars...blueberry ,lemon,orange,citrus,etc: think outside the box..have fun..its only juice


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## joeswine

*garlic and onion*

Ms. Daisey how is this wine coming along the word combination is tasty ,are you finished with it,is it too your liking so far?


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## joeswine

*spoiled rotten*

Have you read the thread when good wines gone bad what was your thoughts ,how you or might you want to try some of these techniques in the future and whats in your carboys?


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## joeswine

*chilean malbec/camara*

THE CHILEAN BREAKDOWN 


While cleaning up yesterday I wanted to see just how the two wines mentioned above were doing.


The melbec was the only one I adjusted and it was fair but needs some more work had good legs and decent taste for a really young wine,but not the bite I'm looking for nor the deepness,the camara on the other hand I didn't adjust tasted very lite in body and no character,even thought its young I believe there's no promise of being good unless I do some adjustments to this one, also ,as a rule they would both be sitting their for a year and the I would go to the finish line with them,however knowing what I do know and having the time I do ,I decided to make adjustments now...: This is pretty much a job for when good wines gone bad........................see you there.:


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## joeswine

*bottle washing*

TIME IN A BOTTLE


WELL, WENT DOWN TO THE CAVE TONIGHT AND DESCIDED IT WAS TIME TO CLEAN BOTTLES,A NEVER ENDING CHORE,,IN BETWEEN I WAS COOKING ITALIAN SWEET PEPPERS,AND HAVING A CORONA,AND IN ANOTHER PAN BREADED CHICHEN BREAST ITALIAN STYLE,DINNER WILL BE GOOD TONIGHT,TOOK A LOOK AROUND AND THOUGH ITS TIME TO BOTTLE THE AMARONE EXPERIMENT,BLEND THE MOJO WINE KIT AND BOTTLE IT,ALWAYS SOMETHING TO DO ,HOW ABOUT YOU?


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## Tom

Added a f-pac to my blackberry wine the other day. Used 3qt steamed juice, reduced by 1/2


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## joeswine

*cleanning up*

TOM ,I might need your help in getting this video on line will see you at the meeting this sunday,IS THERE ANY SUBJECT?


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## joeswine

*helping a friend*

KITO


well today my friend kito came over and bottled his sharaz kit which he back sweeten to know end because his wife likes sweet wine ,did somethings to it after a month it was better but we all know once the sugars in its hard to balance out,but he though that i changed it enought ,even though his wife will still like it (he'll never do that again,quote),however on a better note his viognier I was making was very good for a young wine,him and his son racked the viognier and bottled the sharaz one down one to go for him,,MS.t will tackle her peach ice wine transfer and pinot gris,filter and set process next week,and the beat goes on


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## Tom

joeswine said:


> TOM ,I might need your help in getting this video on line will see you at the meeting this sunday,IS THERE ANY SUBJECT?



You suggested Summer wines


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## Tom

joeswine said:


> KITO
> 
> 
> well today my friend kito came over and bottled his sharaz kit which he back sweeten to know end because his wife likes sweet wine ,did somethings to it after a month it was better but we all know once the sugars in its hard to balance out,but he though that i changed it enought ,even though his wife will still like it (he'll never do that again,quote),however on a better note his viognier I was making was very good for a young wine,him and his son racked the viognier and bottled the sharaz one down one to go for him,,MS.t will tackle her peach ice wine transfer and pinot gris,filter and set process next week,and the beat goes on



Ms T coming to the meeting?


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## joeswine

*Ms.t*

don't think so


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## joeswine

*cleaning up*

NO SLEAVINGS


I don't know about you but I don't always put the plastic sleeving on the bottle when I should,so tonight I started to do just that and make sure all the corks were solid,and that there was no bacteria on them,did you check yours?


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## joeswine

*cleaning up*

ICE WINE COMETH


last night ms.t arrived and racked her Chilean voignier after mlf. was completed,then she introduced a peach fpac to her peach wine kit( ice wine) she stated she thought it would be much sweeter,still has to set for a short while ,has anyone made this ? what should she expect?

BOTTLED AND LABELED MY MOHOTO,NOW THE WIFE CAN HAVE A FEAST= with HER EQUESTRIAN BUDDY'S -GOT a 30 BOTTLE YEILD..NOT BAD


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## joeswine

*cleaning up*

NO ONE HOME


TEPE SHE ISN'T READY TO COME TO MEETING ,STILL HAS HER X ON HER MIND,AND BETWEEN THE FARM AND WORK AND HER FATHER,IT JUST KEEPS GOING,NO WHAT I MEAN,I DON'T THINK SHE'LL BE AT ANY MEETING AGAIN,


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## joeswine

*be careful what you ask for*

knock ,knock,who's their?


got a phone call from a wine making friend of mine,it started like this,HELLO Mr. JOE,I know that was my good friend and wine buddy bob mat.,this is the guy who tries to make wine out of anything feremematable,He states I have what you been asking for (me ?) a case of plums for south america (costa rica ),Oh well I have been talking about it for months now and low and behold 35#s at my door,with no time to do this ,upon opening the case of plums the view was beautiful ,about the size of a small hardball and ready to go.....will continue later...


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## joeswine

*plum wine*

WERE DID IT GO


IT WENT TO GOOD WINES GONE BAD


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## joeswine

*And then there was one more*

AND THEN THERE WAS ONE MORE

YOU NEVER OUT GROW YOUR NEED TO MAKE WINE AT GINO PINTOS THE CALS . HAVEN'T COME IN YET SO,I HAVE THE PLUM GOING BUT THAT WASN'T GOOD ENOUGH,ENTER THE MIST KIT,A RASSBERRY CAB/AND AND COSMO LOUNGE KIT...YES COSMOPOLITIAN WINE KIT HOW KICKY IS THAT ,I ENJOY THE OFF THE WALL KITS AND SAD TO SAY MY WIFE AND HER LADYFRIENDS ENJOY THEM ALSO,VERY ALSO,,


THE RASS/CAB I HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT IN STOCK ALREADY,A RASS/SHARAZ AND A BLACKBERRY PINO NOIR..BOTH OUT OF FRESH FRUIT WINES AND CHILEAN FRESH JUICE BOTH CAME OUT OUTSTANDING AND ARE MY BEST .....WHEN YOU GET TO BLEND THE COMBINATION OF BOTH ACTIVE WINES THE COMBO'S ARE SUPERB,REALLY,THATS WHY I ALWAYS SAY (THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX) AND THIS CRAFT WILL CONTINUE TO BR FUN...


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## joeswine

*3 to go*

3 MORE TO THE TASK

WELL THE PLUM AND THE LOUNGE COSMO AND THE CAB/ORANGE WENT INTO SECONDARY IN GLASS TODAY,AND SO FAR SO GO,THE PLUM IS STILL THICK (LIKE A SLUSH) WHAT i DID TO THAT WAS PLACE ALL THE CHEMS AND CLEARING AGENTS INTO IT AND LET THEM SET ,AN SETTLE OUT FOR 7 DAYS AT LEAST AT THAT POINT THE LOUNGE WINE SHOULD BE READY FOR FINAL RACKING AND FPAC AND SO SHOULD THE CAB/ORANGE COMBO,AT LEAST THATS THE PLAN..THE PLUM WILL SIT A LITTLE LONGER TO LET ALL THE PLUM DRIFT DOWN AND SETTLEOUT..THEN WE'LL WORK ON THAT.... THERS NO REST FOR THE WERRY


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## joeswine

*cosmo wine revisited*

WOW

AT LEAST THATS HOW MY WIFE PUT IT ,HER REACTION TO THE COSMO WINE KIT WAS JUST THAT,SHE LOVED IT AND I COULDN'T BELIEVE HOW QUICKLY IT CAME TOGETHER ,AROUND 9/9 I STARTED THE THREE WINES AND THE COSMO IS RACKED FINED AND BOTTLED .THE COLOR IS A BRILLIANT GARNET AND CLEAR AS A BELL THE TASTE ACCORDING TO HER IS OUTSTANDING AND TASTE AS WHAT IT IS SUPPOSED TO REPRESENT,A COSOMOPOLITAIN....GREAT KIT FOR THOSE WHO ARE ADVENTUROUS IN THE WINE MAKING CRAFT AND SHOWS JUST HOW FAR THEY HAVE COME TO THE CREATIVE CENTER OF THE SUBJECT..THATS WHY I STATED BEFORE WE IN THIS CRAFT NO MATTER HOW LONG WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER HAVE HAD TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX....AND QUESTION WHAT HAPPENS *WHEN GOOD WINES GOOD BAD.. NO MATTER WHAT THE QUANTITY

THE AMARONE WILL BE ADDRESSED TO DAY AND I WILL LET A PANEL OF THREE DECIDE WEATHER THE QUICK FIX WAS BENEFICIAL TO THE WINE OR NOT ..TALK TO YOU LATER,AND STAY TOON...( I have never saw a kit finish so quickly and completely like this it just amazed me.)


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## joeswine

*Amarone experiment*

 
NOW LETS SEE WHAT HAPPENS



PUT FORTH THE EXTRA EFFORT AND BOTTLED UP THE AMARONE EXPERIMENT ,REMEMBER THE 90 DAY WONDER,FINISHED OUT NOT BAD AT ALL,AND WILL ONLY GET BETTER,GOOD MOUTH FEEL SOME NOSE DEEP AND FRUITY WITH the SMOOTHNESS OF TANNIN AND RASIN...NICE COMBO..2 DOWN MANY TO GO,,



GOT MY BANANA ,Pineapple VOIGNIER ALSO ONCE THE FLOOR IF CLEAR TODAY WILL START IT ,,THE PEACH IS HUM MINING ALONG...


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## joeswine

*Clean up returned*

A WINEMAKERS WORK IS NEVER DONE


WELL THIS WEEKEND I DID SOME WORK AND HERES HOW IT WENT.
BOTTLED MY RIESLING AND RASPBERRY CABERNET SAUVIGNON'S,THE RIESLING FINISHED OUT SMOOTH AND THE RASS BERRY COULD OF FINISHED OUT A LITTLE STRONGER ON THE BERRY SIDE ,BUT THATS MY OP PION,IT IS EVERY BALANCED WITH THE BERRY TAKING THE LEAD AND THE CAB STABLE ON THE BACK SIDE,.

STARTED A ITALIAN SOAVE AND A CAL. CHARD,USED LAVIN 1112 AND 1118 RESPECTIVELY BOTH STARTED AT 1.09 SG

THEN AS ALWAYS COMES THE CLEAN UP,PREPARING FOR THE TWO WINES WAITING IN THE WINGS


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## jet

May I ask why you're shouting?


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## Sirs

could be 2 reasons he may not be able to see as good as he did when younger or could be he's not shouting just typing in caps normally you can tell when someone uses chat's alot cuase thats really the only time anyone refers to caps as shouting.... myself I think it's alot easier to read but I'm older lol


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## joeswine

*Those oldies but goodies*

YA,I SEE A LOT CLEARER THIS WAY


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## joeswine

*Question*

HAS ANY OF WHAT WAS RECORDED MAKE WINE SENSE


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## joeswine

*cleaning up*

NEVER DONE


WELL LAST NIGHT AROUND 8 O'CLOCK i GOT HOME AND NEED TO FINE OUT WHERE THE SG WAS ON THE CHARD NAY AND SOAVE ALONG WITH THE PEACH AND THEY WERE ALL THERE READY TO MOVE,SO THEY WERE MOVED INTO THEir NEW DWELLING IN GLASS,WERE THEY PROCEEDED TO PROTEST THE MOVE BY SHOUTING OUT THE DISPLEASURE WITH A VAST EXPRESSION OF BUBBLES,NO PLACE LIKE HOME TO THE CHARD i DID SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT i WANTED TO SEE WHAT WHITE RAISINS WOULD DO THE to THE BODY OF THIS BEFORE i SPLASHED SOME OAK IN IT,SO 1 POUND OF RAISINS WENT IN FOR 1 MONTH THEn I will add 2 cups of med. oak Chip's and two tablespoons of powdered,to start the layering process,and to the SOAVE I'm going to do a battonage at least twice then rerake and add some grapefruit zest to pick up the acidity...peach well that has to rest for now I was seriously thinking of blending it with my plum what do you think?


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## Rocky

I think I would like to live next door to you!

That sounds like it will be a "Mega" Chardonnay when you are done with it. What are you trying to accomplish with the Soave? What does it taste like now and what do you feel it is lacking? I am not quesioning your decision, just trying to understand the motivation.

Thanks, Joe.


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## joeswine

*Soave*

 well rocky its like this,I've made it in the past and have some left from 2007 at this point the wine is golden and smooth no problem there ,here's my thoughts ,by doing the battonage (if thats how you spell it) THIS SHOULD DEVELOP A VERY VELVETY MOUTH FEEL ALSO AT THE Third RACKING I will introduce the zest to the mix this then will pick up the brightness in the wine sort of like the Santa Margarete brand,crisp and light and that's how it will get there,ya I know thats a pino but hay there both from the same region , 

what did you think of the combo of the plum and the peach?


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## joeswine

*Resining cane*

THE RAISINS ARE DOING THERE THING IN THE SECONDARY AS i THOUGHT THEY WOULD,THEY INTERACTED WITH the YEAST that WAS still alive IN THE MOVE AND ARE NOW LETTING GO THERE ESSENCE THIS SHOULD BE A GOOD CHARD.


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## Rocky

Joe, on the peach/plum wine, what was the beginning SG and will you back sweeten it when it is finished fermenting?

That Chardonnay sounds like it is going to be spectacular.


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## Tom

Knowing Joe I bet the gravity was 1.085


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## joeswine

*plum/peach*

well Ive learned that at 1.010 the abv. is very good and can handle a fpac nicely,,also if i need to back sweeten I can do so without disturbing the balance.


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## joeswine

*I Man work is never done*

Well today was no different than any other day down the basement, started off by tasting a peach wine that was two years old in a 3 gallon carboy, also. If you remember I had a plum wine that I had started this year and a peach. I tasted the two-year-old peach and found that I had some good attributes great body,, darkened color and nicely flavored. So what I did with it I took enough to top off my peach wine of this year and added the balance to the plum one of last year. this allows me to execute my plan for the new peach and plum wine.


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## Sirs

LOL from what I've seen you seem to love to mess with wine like I do (all the time) I think it is fun to play around with and mix and blend all kinds of stuff together if for no other reason just to see what it taste like


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## joeswine

*yes we can*

Heard that saying somewhere ? but your right it keeps the fun in the art of wine making,and if you like to tweak then this is the place to call a standard wine your own after the adjustment.

what others do you play with?


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## joeswine

*No time for me*

 HAD A DEATH IN THE FAMILY (MOTHER-IN LAW) HAD NO TIME FOR THE WINE ,GOOD THING IT CAN ALMOST TAKE CARE OF ITSELF,WORK HAS BEEN A STEADY FIGHT WITH NO HEAT CALLS,AND MY COFFEE PORT HAS ARRIVED ALONG WITH TWO OTHERS ,JUST WAITING FOR MY ATTENTION..NO TIME FOR ME.


BUT IT WILL RETURN AS ALWAYS


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## Tom

Sorry to hear of your mother in law.


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## Rocky

Joe, you have my sympathies for the loss of you Mother-in-Law. I know all the typical jokes about them, but mine was wonderful. I miss her very much.


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## Flem

I'm sorry for your loss.


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## Sirs

Very sorry for you and your wifes loss prayers and thoughts go out to you both


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## joeswine

*thank you all*

COMING FROM A BROKEN HOME WHEN I WAS VERY YOUNG ,NEVER KNOWING MY FATHER ,AND THE TRIALS MY MOTHER WENT THROUGH,I CAN VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THE FEELING OF FAMILY ,AS HAVING EXPERIENCED IT WITH HERS,,and yes although my mother -in law wHen she wasn't happy with me would give me the (looK) you know the look,but I will miss her very much.....thank you


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## joeswine

*Work in progress*

 WELL I GOT MY COFFEE PORT AND SEVILLE ORANGE SANGRIA,AND BANANA PINEAPPLE VOIGNIER TO START ,BASEMENTS GETTING COLDER BUT THAT DOESN'T STOP ME,THE LOVE OF THE ART THATS THE CALLING,HOW ABOUT YOU,WHAT ARE YOU DOING ANY HOLIDAY WINE IN THE WORKS?


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## joeswine

*No time off*

Haven't had any time to work in the basement there were many Street calls do to the cold snap, my basesments getting colder,normally this would affect my operations the wine and I have learned to work through it ,I also have the port and 4/others to attend to in the near future..stayed tuned


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## joeswine

*Glucose*

Got the reply on the glucose the only thing I'm not sure of is the sugar content, is it sweet if so it is for baking and not for winemaking remember what I stated the glucose was as thick as molasses in winter and had no taste you can stick a spoon and turned upside and it would move out of the jar, it would be nice if this substance would be it, because this is the only item you would need to create mouth feel in your wine. I for one would like to investigate this item more before investing $50 into. However if it is it then this is a must for your wine fixing kit and I will live but I need to investigate first, can have any sweetness.

Glycerin on the other has an sweetness, if you just taste the glycerin by itself you will see what I'm talking about, and it is excellent for the cordials and liquiors.


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## joeswine

*Cleaning up*

WELL THIS SUNday,Ms. t and I worked on her wines and racked mine,First we racked my caramera,and melbec the one I put in orange zest ,(excellent) then the saove and chardaney,all still in the works but the two reds aren't that far away from being a year old,.then we turned or efforts to hers, she made a peach ice wine kit ,she stated it wasn't peachy enough and not sweet enough,then she took on her chard,trying to duplicate a cappola chard ,I think its young she stated she did not cre for the taste this wine is still very young and I think her taste buds are dead,but that's just my thoughts,some times you just can't win...........................


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## joeswine

*cleaning up*

WELL ITS BEEN A WHILE SINCE WE SPOKE ,BUT I WILL NOT PUT DOWN IT PRINT ANYTHING I HAVEN'T DONE UNTIL ITS DONE,SO OVER THE LAST TWO WEEKS THE TEMP. HAS DROP IN THE BASEMENT ,SO NOT MUCH IN THE RELEAM OF WINE MAKING GETS STARTED, JUST THE BASIC MAINTENANCE AND SOME BOTTLING,THAT BEING SAID i HAVE BEEN DE- LABELLINGS BOTTLES AND SANITIZING
.
HOW DO YOU DO IT? HERE'S HOW I DO MINE.

 FIRST AND FOREMOST I DON'T MAKE IT A CHORE,SO THE FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS IS TO LIST OR WATCH?DO I PUT ON THE CD'S OR TV,CHOICE MADE .NEXT IN MY 15 GALLON RUBBERMAID CONTAINER I ALMOST ALWAYS HAVE BOTTLES SITTING IN A SOLUTION OF 11TEASPOONS OF ONE STEP ANS 1/2 CUP OF BLEACH,STEP ONE.

 STEP ONE POWER WASH THE INTERIOR OF THE BOTTLE AND TAKE OFF THE ENCLOSURE CAPSULE IF ANY,THEN PARTIALLY FILL THE BOTTLES WITH WATER,3/4,PLACE THEM IN THE CONTAINER AND THEN FILL THE CONTAINER WITH HOT WATER,THIS WAY THE ONE STEP AND BLEACH SOLUTION HAVE A CHANCE TO HELP CLEAN AND DISINFECT THE INTERIOR ON THE BOTTLE.

 STEP TWO,AFTER TWO WEEKS I THEN RETURN TO THE EVENT AND REMOVE THE LABELS WITH A PLASTIC SCRAPER AND A SCOTCH BRITE PAD,POWER SHOOT THE INSIDE WITH HOT WATER ,THE POWER SPRAY THE INSIDE WITH KMET FROM MY GLASS CLEANING TREE,AND LET IT SET AND DRY ,BUT IF IM IN A HURRY I THE JUST PLACE THEM INTO THE DISHWASHER FOR A SHORT 140 DEGREE WASH CYCLE ,ALLOW THEM TO COMPLETE THE FULL CYCLE AND WHEN IM READY AND THE NEXT DAY I REMOVE THEM FOR SORTING.

IT SEAMS LIKE A LOT OF WORK BUT IT'S REALL NOT WHEN YOU ARE SET-UP AND CAN FLY WITH IT....


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## joeswine

*January's wine meeting*

We are going to hold the January meeting of the South Jersey winemakers here at my house, it takes a lot of preparation first we had have a menu so Lucille and I like to have a baked ham, and coleslaw the rest of the group will work around that. Our subject matter is going to be how to make and use extracts, zesting and simple syrup.

We're going to explore for the new members and there are a few how to extract the zest, and make it an extract or how to use it on its own, were also going to discuss, heavenly cellos, I will make my expressive cello as an example of how to.

Like I said takes a lot of preparation to the tables and chairs the forks and spoons all the things that go with a club meeting, table covers etc. etc. So stay tuned I let you know how it went


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## joeswine

*Sam's Club*

 Sam, is a good friend of mine Saturday the bottle is cab franc from 2009, it held up quite well we did roughly 60 bottles and by the time was over we were both pretty well plastered, if not for the drinking just the aroma, of quite a few people make wine in my basement, kito, Sam and tresa are all in my basement making wine with me.


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## joeswine

*Things to do*

Did you ever have so much to do and not enough time, if you had the time you have it desire to do, well it's my dilemma.

I have right now in the basement, a coffee port, banana pineapple the viognier, to get started on but the temperature the basement is around 62° I have belly bands to use his warmers if I choose to, I really want to start making these to kits as soon as possible, but 62° is a bit to overcome and I don't want to incur stuck fermentation.

Also last may, I started from fresh juice a Chilean Melbec and acamarer( I think I spelled it right). The started out at 23 brics the potential of 11% alcohol, in the melbec, I added raisins powdered oak and oak chips for the first three months flavor started off real good body start of decent, did the first racking into primary primary to secondary, at that point in time all was well, about two weeks ago I tasted melbec and the carmere and was very disappointed in the body of wine, I could understand being lite in body but it had the same consistency as if you were to pour a glass of wine and added ice cubes to it, I was just wondering out there if any of you people in the Northeast have the same problem with the Chilean wines, especially if you live in the New Jersey area. Now , I asked a couple of the winemakers in my group if they too had the same problem and believe it or not they didn't even taste wine up to this point, as anyone out there experienced this with fresh juice, cause it seems to me and I have stated this before, because it seems to me that the product is coming in more diluted than ever and even though the cost is relatively inexpensive as compared to a higher and kit is still very disappointing have a very flavorful wine and 8 to 9 months into the experiment and not have nobody to speak of................... any thoughts?


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## joeswine

*kito's vioginer*

 Yesterday went pretty eventful, kito came over and we bottled is viognier, you cannot quite nice had aroma, the color was straw, and the taste was sweet and tart at the same time. The viognier, is a real easy wine to make from juice became take off in any direction you like to, kito likes his wine a little on the sweeter side and with a little more, and that's how we designed.

 Sam's, cab Franc was also bottled, the aroma was slight, the color was excellent and the taste had just enough tannins and in the back of your jaw. Although Sam was here I bottled it for him anyway no pick it up later. It's nice to have friends make wine in your basement, you get to see with a different take on winemaking is, from the people in the flavor profiles they prefer.

 Kito and I also made a coffee cello, remember I stated that winemaking isn't all that we can do, cellos are fun part of that process, and the coffee cello is extremely tasty and fun to make, you try with the extract coffee beans and simple syrup, and espresso coffee, three great flavor profiles and put together can open up your I at any time and over. Of time the coffee cello will take on a chocolate hue...


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## joeswine

*retry*

 Had a few country wines that had stalled fermentation,or stuck Fermentation for the correct term,what I did was added yeast nutrient and primer star yeast and see what happens ,its about 66degress in he area for I'm hoping to get it started again,

 I also racked my two Italian whites,brought one down from a six to a five and added glycerine too my camerae and melbec the body is starting to regain some grown, 

 washed 24 bottles ,delabeled 24 bottles and placed in to the last stages of sanitation,the dish washer,started a piesporter,Riesling and pino Gris all inexpensive kits which I can adjust to my liking as the grow along..
all in all a good day in the wine cellar


----------



## joeswine

*Action in the basement again*

It seems like when I need something to do THERE IS , something to do in the wine cellar, Saturday was a good day I did a small job on the street in the morning, headed down to the basement and took a look around.

It was time to get my three wines are IN the primary moved into the secondary, my Riesling, Pino Grigio and piesporter are ready to roll out of the primary buckets and go into the glass carboys, all three had an SG of 1.0 but i will keep watch for the next 10 days to see how they settle out, also had 24 bottles in the soaking tank to delable them sanitize them and place them in the dishwasher, took another 24 bottles and put them in the soaking tank that only leaves the about 12 bottles that I have not touched, finally getting caught up I guess I must have about 70/80 cases bottles in reserve, that's enough for one guy at least me.

Started my fun kits, Seville orange sangria, and island mist mojoto third batch my wife really likes these, and the new one to try piña colada interesting that these kits only produce 3 gallon while the Seville produces six and yet the cost is all the same, I like starting three at a time that keeps my life simple next in the wings are a coffee Port and a banana, pineapple viognier.................. sounds interesting trying to heat the basement up a bit to about 70° that should help some of the fermentation that I going on there..... Was an interesting Saturday and productive...


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## joeswine

*Time in a bottle*

Well, since the last time we talked the three wines I started running hot straight normal I heated up the basement around 68° constant, and we're good to go fermentation is hot straight normal the red is running ahead of the two whites but with the volume of wine or two whites have it didn't surprise me with surprise me was the fact that was it a three down kit, when it's all said and done, not normally my style but hey et al. goes.


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## joeswine

*February's wine meeting*

 


 Yeah this February, the third Sunday and we had our monthly on meeting with about 20 people showed that's a good number for us this time of year it was hosted by a friend of ours VINCE and his wife Lucille, the subject matter was to see if you could taste the difference in five different SHARAZA'S that he produced last year.

 He had five different 6 gallon buckets, he did something different to each bucket, some he fermented with the lids off, some he fermented with the lids on the bubbler, some he eliminated the web of yeast, some he let go into fermentation with the natural yeast, no oak was added to any of them, one year later he broke them down for the wine meeting into six one gallon batches, to see if we could taste the difference in the six and there was some differences we rated them for Roma, taste, as ACIDITY and balance. And we scored them from 1 to 5.,. The findings were little hard to describe but here's how everything down. The one that he had a cover on and used yeast, have the best overall score the ones he didn't use any yeast in scored very low in all thE categories, all five were a little different no doubt. There is a lot more to it but basically that was it we had really good food and everybody brought their best wine, typical South Jersey winemakers meeting.


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## joeswine

*time to say good-by*

 Last night my wife and I reviewed some wine in our on going quest for the best, I don't know about YOU but I DO NOT always make the best wine,but what I do ,do is critique my product to the highest standard I can,IF ITS NOT GOOD SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO SAY GOOD _BY.
 
ALSO to premiss this MY weakness is fruit wines and its also my strength,sounds like a double edge sword ,doesn't it.

SO here's ho w it went,never buy fruit that isn't At's its peak of quality,unless you use the foot print on how to (WHEN GOOD WINES GONE BAD) THERE'S A QUESTIONABLE END IN SIGHT.
RESULTS----------- blueberry wine ..OK in taste,lit in body,OK for mixing only,,not exceptionable,when the fruit you start with you constantly have to pick through is boarder bad ..DON"T USE IT..
TWO sets of peach ,first came out very good,liquid gold (3 gallon batch) every good aspect of wine notes was correct, second (6 gallon batch)thin body, good legs,no aroma and little taste.,this one I will dump,, 

 plum/peach ,has good notes all the way around need to correct the abv,and sweeten just a little ,but this wine will be very good,the PLUM has the lead taste (fresh fruit) the peach was also fresh fruit..this was a 3 gallon trial batch,,,,,,,,,,,,the melbec with the orange added was as my wife put it EXCELLENT,just need to sit a few more months,do not touch,and she is not a RED WINE DRINKER,this was done with CHILEAN MELBEC,oak chips,oak  powder,raisins and orange zest, a year old in MAY,..lastly a Chilean camerae..great color ,good on taste,no aroma, good legs ,but still needs time in the bottle.


 I guess what the bottom line is s0me of my wine buddies get their fruit very ,very cheep and they bestow there findings on me ,as I stated way back,SOMETIMES I DO WHAT I WANT,AND SOMETIMES I DO WHAT I HAVE TO......................in this case fruit wines pay the price...most all my metals of which IM proud of are fruit wines..so I know of what I speak...


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## robie

Yep, win some, loose some. But isn't the game fun?!!!
Thanks, Joe.


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## joeswine

*It's just a matter of time*

You know, if had to do this for living, I would starve, that's why I'm glad I don't, yes it's all trial and error, follow the process, figure out what you did wrong, how you can improve upon it or maybe even it get it right this time, it's just a matter of time............. but that's what makes this old dweller different from professional wine maker, for some of us we have the time and the patience and the desire to keep on trying no matter what, that's life in the fast Lane......... good to hear from you.


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## joeswine

*And the work goes on*

 Well here's what transpired this weekend, first I racked the piña colada, motojo and finally the Orange Seville, all three I added the fpacs chemicals in the fining agents, now they're on the way to stretch.

 Then, i racked Riesling,piestporter and Pinot Grigio, as the chemicals in the fining agents to all in the fpacs to the piesporter which I might add smells lovely, but they actually went from a 6 gallon 25 down to a five down vessle, interesting.

 D labeled 24 bottles sanitized and turned around into the dishwasher, added 24 bottles to my soaking tank and started all over again. That's The Way, Sunday went about you?


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## joeswine

*Never a dull moment*

This weekend was no different, I had my mojoto, piña colada and orange seville sangria to bottle label and store.

But that was just beginning, I had plan, the plan was to relocate my wines and establish a territories for the different types that I had enough ,you could call these types , the party wines. My wife loves, which are quite extensive, I then moved around all my Reds to my back wall and all my weights to the front all my fruit wines sorted in the middle, and about a case of wine assorted whites that I wasn't really happy with have been around for a long time. I have a friend of mine and Bobby D will take any portion of my wine. He'll either drink it ,or dump it and return the bottles, therefore I can refill them and starting over. Now that may not seem like a big deal but I'm talking about 900 bottles of wine, so me and my cart worked very hard that day to arrange my stock, so that my dear wife will be able to find her wines and she likes the best and deliver them to her girlfriends as they ride off into the sunset, they horseback ride every day or almost every day and at the end of the ride. They toast.

 Next on the docket, going to start a coffee port, Trio Blanc and bananna,pineapple viognier this memo, if these three I have three Cosmo wine kits to do. And that'll be all....... I still have 10 carboys left that are waiting for me to work on the be side.these.. It's never done


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## joeswine

*Time to think out-of-the-box*

I have 6 GALS. of tEmpanella wine from juice ,. I have so much TEMPANELLA all ready bottled that I'll never drink, it came out okay has a somewhat woody dry taste ,but remember with this one characteristics are the everyday Argentinian table wine. So my dilemma is this I have 6 gallons of red wine of which already have about 60 bottles of I don't need anymore so what can I do with this one to make a different ?.


I was thinking of making a sangria with. I already have an orange Saville sangria from the kit just process, so what could I do with this tampanella ,got any suggestions I'm open to 6 pounds worth


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## joeswine

*what to do?*

I think I will transform this into a cranberry tempanello,sounds like it belongs and its different Thats the plancranberry tempanello,don't it sound wright!


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## joeswine

*And the work goes on*

Well, finally got back down to the basement in today about my Pinot Grigio, yielded 24 bottles and also Icaramera only with this batch and give it a twist, remember I just got done talking about sangria, well , what I did was added citrus zest to the wine about a week ago. And what a lovely flavor. It added to the wine, nice light dry crisp red wine the splashes citrus on the backside, something different, something of mine, and a great finishing touch................. *think outside the box*


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## joeswine

*Work to be done*

 You never outgrow your need for bottles as long as you make wine at home ,and I'm no exception . Have plenty of people always wanting to give me empty wine bottles in return for an occasional full on ,, so this weekend ID label 48 more bottles and added 24 more to the soaked tub.


 Labeled, my Riesling and my caramer, also received my Chardonnay labels , my banana pineapple viognier labels , . I already have my coffee port labels on hand and the correct bottles with now will start right if very get back from vacation . O.


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## joeswine

*Time for RNR*

It's that time of the season ,just before the warm weather hits. I need to take break before I go seven days a week. On thank you for read my thread hope you stick around . We have more to share appreciative the conversation and always remember t*hink outside the box, talk to you soon*
.


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## joeswine

*Back in the game*

Well it's definitely will wine season here New Jersey, the Chilean wines are and how many of you out there making Chilean wine this year ?

as for me ,, not this year,, I'm going to concentrate on the six kits I have plus last year's juice juice that's ready for bottling , and also how to get pixs on line , once I get over this cold, . We are going to start all my coffee port , then the been there pineapple viognier it will follow that up* w*ith a trio kit , and in the middle have a kit I have to make for a friend of mine , and not sure where this is going to turn out to be to an expensive kit , with through the back details later .

* Good ,Good to be, talk you soon ...*


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## joeswine

*Being behind*

As you know i haven't written anything on this thread for a while, if truth be told I went away . Came home got sick and fell behind my air-conditioning work ,. I have kits pending, my fresh juice. needs to be taken care it's has been sitting. I have from other people's kits which have been sitting on and have not started. with a Little luck I'll start this week . Until then ............................. stay tuned........


----------



## joeswine

*Getting started*

Finally, a moment to myself right downstairs turn on the lights put on the music ,then thought to myself what do I do first .


piesporter yes this is an exceptionally good tasting wine even without the fpacs elderberries upfront added to this wine in the fpacs and only enhance more I'm going to put this 3 second finding so that it is crystal clear , this one was well worth waiting for . 


Next, pineapple , , banana Riesling a party pack a fun wine , one that my wife will enjoy this is a four-week CRU kit . The specific gravity started at 1.06 ......... I boosted up to 1.010.. R That fpacs can handle the alcohol and treated well-balanced wine , if not for us the just not a little to sweet . 

Next From California trio blanco, this is an limited-edition kit the specific gravity started that 1.010 , thisthis is also be six we. 


Lastly, unusual kit then making for a friend of mine this as a Christmas present that his wife ball for him at Christmas. 

 It's a , tropical Riesling to white wine base party kit. The specific gravity started of 1.06 this is also a four-week kit. it came with 30 corks and 30 seals as well as 30 labels the only thing didn't come with was bottles............. it also has a fpac.........



Will at last I got something going, I'll keep you informed 







E


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## joeswine

*friends and wine*

YOU know went you make wine at home and your friends are aware,you never have a shortage of bottles.last night one of my acquaintance came over and dropped of 4 cases of precleaned bottles,and left after a while with a couple of fulled ones.HAS this ever happened to you? I'll bet so.THAT'S the nature of this hobby..


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## joeswine

*finally wine time*

Finally, I got down to the basement are my three wines were fermenting or done actually, racket down to carboys, here is the first results. . The banana viognier has good color and indecent alcohol, this will have an fpacs added to it .. The trio Blanc is owned wine and doesn't taste bad already, the tropical kit from Amazon.com ,. I don't believe has not alcohol base even though it started that 1.06 and fermented out very light and alcohol, once the fpacs is added to this wine going to taste and fruit juice and may have to be it up somehow. But at least I found scant our to invest in the wine . 


That's what happens when your air conditioning and heating mechanic working for yourself and the phone rings off the wall, not complaining, mind you could some phases feast or famine but I like to make a steady effort, for the wine. I know there's a lot of you out there who feel the same way just not enough time. W


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## joeswine

*moving forward I think!*

Well its fathers day and no desire to do anything,so I went to the cellar anyway finished two dozen delabeled bottles, read for dishwasher ,made a pot of asian style cabbage soup,yummy,used ice wine as deglazer,just a very lazy day,hope your fathersday was as relaxing.


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## joeswine

*What time is it ?*

USUALLY WHEN THE WINE STATES ITS TIME TO MOVE ME,ITS THE CORRECT TIME,GIVE OR TAKE?

SO THIS SUNDAY I HAD TIME TO DO JUST THAT ,RACKED THE FOLLOWING ,5 GALLONS OF BANANA VIONGIER,5 GALLONS OF TRIO BLANCA AND 5 GALLONS ON TROPICAL FRUIT ,(THIS WAS THE AMAZON PURCHASE KIT),THIS KIT DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH ABV. FOR ME AND AFTER ADDING THE FPAC,NOT ENOUGH FLAVOR,I'LL LET IT SIT FOR A DAY OR SO AND REVISIT IT,THIS WAS A FRIENDS KIT ,HE GOT FOR XMAS.

FINISH WORK;RACKED AND BOTTLED,2011 RIESLING,THE FINISH WAS OVER ALL GOOD ,SLIT BITE TO THE BACK OF THE PALATE,CITRUS AND CLEAN FINISH JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF ABV..............PIESPORTER,EXCELLENT FINISH TART/SWEET AND VERY DISTINCTIVE,FINISH CLEAN ,VERY HAPPY WITH THIS ONE WILL ,DO THIS AGAIN.

THE YIELDS WERE 26 BOTTLES,21 BOTTLES AND 26 BOTTLES RESPECTIVELY..CORKED SEALED AND LABELED...............A GOOD MORNINGS WORK...


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## joeswine

*On hold*

VERY BUSY WITH MY AC WORK TO DO TO MUCH AT PRESENT ALSO LOST MY MODEM,USING A FRIENDS COMPUTER TO DO THIS ,UNTIL MY NEW ONE ARRIVES FROM VERSIONS,,THIS WEEK...


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## joeswine

*Never enough time*

NEVER ENOUGH TIME IN THE SUMMER TO DO ALL THAT'S REQUIRED OF YOU,HAVE YOU EVER FOUND THAT OUT TO BE TRUE. WELL THE RETURN BOTTLES CONTINUE TO ROLL IN AND I"VE RECEIVED 60 OR SO JUST WAITING FOR ME TO DISROBE THEM,AND SEND THEM ON ANOTHER JOURNEY,BUT WHEN?STILL HAVE OT BOTTLE THE BANANA VIOGNIER AND THE AMAZON WINE,YET ALONE THE CROP FROM ITALY LAST YEAR...................NEVER ENOUGH TIME...


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## joeswine

*Finally time!*

Now when you know, the gods of the vine finally gave me time go down to the cellar do work. I first filtered ,bottled, labeled and cork the Amazon tropical wine kit . At first I thought this kit was never going worked out too well, although I did add sugar to bring up the alcohol content the flavor in the end worked itself out ,. Kind of fruity with the Riesling finish remember this came with seals,labels and corks, not a bad package. 
E


Next, the banana , pineapple viognier . had an excellent finish this is a kit. I would recommend to anybody, to do for party wine . . This will definitely make your taste buds happy. I guarantee it .  As always, there's a lot of cleanup , pre-work to the bottling aspect for those of you who do it on a larger scale understand what I'm talking about, Im fully equipped to do this production in my own way and still it takes the time to get it all done . Cleaned up ready for the next departure .................. specially on sanitation end.


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## joeswine

*Aging gracefully*

Which wine to age? 
There are number of aspects . Consider when determining which are the best wines to age , the most important of which are grape varieties or wine style , , vintage characteristics and the nature of the wine kit 9 concentrate, particular concentrate or pure juice kit ).
A wine's ability – is directly related to its natural properties. wine high and passes, phenols will stand up to extended aging better than the wine that is low in these components . acids in one act as a preservative provide something for the other harsh components , like tannin, to bind to and fall out from aging wine . . Acidity is the one property shared by age – were the Reds and whites. while white wines are comparatively low in cans and the phenols responsible for color , . There are still many white wine varieties and styles that can age extensive . 

Why wineis my favorite really doesn't matter what style is easier for me to drink and digest , I think that holds true with a lot of people . . I also think a good wine can be well aged wine drinker young , but will go on with which wines to age........... to be continuedP
V


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## joeswine

*Lounge wines*

 Have you noticed, the many different flavored wines and lounge wines that are out there ,such as the cosmopolitan, piña colada, and Long Island iced tea. These are just some of the flavors but the winemakers are coming out with to extend inventory, me myself I just enjoy making these party wines but my wife, whose equestrian has lady friends who ride with her Monday through Sunday and afterwords they took the glass, and all of these party wines are part of the favorites , including strawberry white Zinfandel, Seville orange sangria, Blackberry Pinot Noir, raspberry Shiraz, banana- pineapple viognier just to name a few. Build yourself sell stuck in a rut, keeping with the basic wine family is a whole other world out there expander your palate ,expander mine and share our world of wine making with others .


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## joeswine

*Next venture*

I'm going to going to start. I coffee port ,will follow the directions exactly as I go along I might make a change or two . I know that sounds contradictory but I like coffee drinks and have a great coffee extract , I made from fresh coffee beans and Everclear which has set for over a year and is ready to go ................... let you know I start this


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## joeswine

*Out with the old*

Something different on the menu ,. I recently decided to change up my computer and television in the basement ,. I upgraded the old TV to a new flatscreen and new computer along with wireless printer .. I know that this doesn't sound like much two people out there her computer literate, but I'm very much not in that class... I'm hoping that when this is all said and done I will be able to start making videos that's my goal .


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## joeswine

*Sanitation and winemaking*

Where here's a question you can answer yourself ,. Have you been displeased with any of the wine made lately look no further than your kitchen sink for local explanation .and said and rightly so that 90% the winemaking faults and failures can be traced to poor cleaning or faulty sanitation. 


The most common symptom of a wine that was made unless unsanitary conditions is a wine that has off taste or and off older. Under the worst conditions, the wine may be so bad that they thought out-and that would be a shame. 
So let's look at the turns . We are dealing with ,you should understand that sanitation not the same thing as cleaning, sterilization. Sanitizing means reducing or removing bacteria and other undesirable microorganisms the heat or chemical means . 

Cleaning – – involves moving visible dirt residue from your eq*uipment ,* sterilization means that everything ( germs worms and personality ) is killed, , besides – it is a realistic or even desirable to create a sterile state during the winemaking process. 


Achieving good sanitation isn't rocket science, just using common sense. for instance anything that touches the wine should be sanitize , in utensil it comes in contact with the wine should be sanitize , remember the difference team sanitizing and cleaning sterilization .  
Let me give you a little breakdown on how I see it , sort of like a written process, inspect equipment , cleaning equipment , sanitize equipment , rents equipment, use equipment, rinse equipment , cleaning equipment , sanitize equipment and dry then then.
* What should I sanitize......... To b continued  letS*


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## joeswine

*back online*

Hello, I've been off line for while trying to set up my new system in my man cave. Finally got my computer move down to the basement and everything is set up wireless. Had a hard time reinstating Dragon NaturallySpeaking ,but it's all done now and I'm ready to roll .


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## joeswine

*Sanitation elements*

 Were back, when we left off your talk about what needed to be sanitized and this is for you new winemakers , us oldies in several ways doing but in general these are something chemicals you can use to sanitize and 3 different methods , cleaning, and sanitizing and sterling they are all different . 


 S*o *let's pick up where we left off first the most basic style of sanitization is boiling ,this is used by home canning people all the time. I'm just some cases with some items it's okay for winemaking is only a small part of what I use. 

 Chemical number one, chlorine, I can hear the Puritans from across the country saying no no no no no . according an extremely useful sanitized but it must be handled with care and a bit of knowledge soda doesn't give your problem down the line . I use chlorine my primary stages of cleaning and sanitizing my bottles , but that's all. somewhere in a thread back in our archives I had mentioned how I the mighty label and the reply came back that was a bit expensive wasteful but because I use chlorine as a disinfectant and know how to handle in proportions that I can control it is a great tool for me . 
E 
 B-BRITE is a formulated sanitizing powdered made specifically for winemaking and beer making industry. it's clean with activated , it does not contain chlorine or by sulfates. it also removes fermentation residues , so I recommend towards effective in cleaning and sanitize , that combination is hard to beat A


 One step,is another great sanitizing cleaner, it also uses oxygenating cleaners to d to do its, and it works well both the latter and one set is good rinsing before use .


campden tablets , these little tablets ( potassium meta-bisulfite is the active ingredient ) works wonders ; not only do they clean must prior to pitching yeast , by adding crushed campden tablets to water also makes a great sanitation for winemaking equipment . and thand there's no need to rent your equipment it to sanitizing with this. 

 Potassium metabolic sulfite powder , you can also buy test and metabolic sulfite and out of form , usually sold a home winemakers in 4 ounce bags 1 pound bags. this chemical works well as a sanitizing agent because it is a bacteria inhibitor . sensors no inner materials in this form unlike others you don't need to add a lot o f crystals to make a great sanitizing solution
I 
* To be continued*


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## joeswine

*wine invasion*

This is the time of the year when the California wines and the Italians invade the wine Sean with their wares.

 at the last winemakers meeting at Gino pintos in hammonton,mike discuss,that this season was a quality season for the California wine juice producers,stating the season and the climate were perfect and how they were expecting a banner harvest.

this year however,I'm going to do the Canadian juices,he also brings in Vidal,Riesling and late harvest Vidal along with concord .,as long as the finances hold out I elected to do the Riesling,excellent from Canada,late harvest Vidal and one I have never done before concord.  
still have in the wings to make ,my coffee port,(ya STILL)long island ice tea ,and Cosmo along with the millennia sparkling wine .....got my work cut out for me


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## joeswine

*Things to remember*

My wine making area I have a cork board and on a place various items, the most important of these items that are pinned to the board is something I learned early on the difference between .



No sometimes how we know something should be but our mind doesn't perceive it that way or we see the written word and yet we kind of sometimes don't understand it but we think we do , or just gets confused with something else that's close to it . will try this on for size especially all you newbies out there this is important for you , if I were you I would do like I did print this out . To a wall somewhere someplace we could always walk by and take a look . 

(1)
Capitalization, is the process of adding sugar to unfermented grape must in order to increase the alcohol content after fermentation . the technique was developed by a French chemist IT was named after contrary to popular belief . the process does not make the WINE sweeter 
. BUT only artificially inflates the alcohol content.. . Additionally, the sugar is capitalize. . The wine cannot be taste.. 
(2)
Potassium metabolic sulfate, is a common wine or must additive , where forms sulfur dioxide gas or S02 . this both prevents most wild microorganisms from growing, and it acts as a potential antioxidant , protecting both the color, and delicate flavors of the wine. 

Typical dosage is a quarter teaspoon potassium metabolic sulfate for six GALLONS OF must prior to fermentation , and a half a teaspoon or 6 gallon bucket at bottling . 
Wine making Equipment is sanitized by spraying with a 1% solution potassium metabolic sulfate . 

(3)
Potassium sorbate, is used to inhibit mold , and yeast in the wine. also known as affectionately as wine stabilizer , potassium sorbate produces sorbic acid when added to the wine .it serves two purposes. when active fermentation has ceased and the wine is racked for the final time after clearing, potassium sorbate will render any surviving these incapable of not multiplying . each living at that moment can continue fermenting any sugar into CO2 and alcohol , but when they die no new lease will be present to cause future fermentation. way wine is sweetened before bottling potassium survey is used to prevent the fermentation when used in conjunction with potassium metabolic sulfate . it is primarily used with sweet wines, sparkling wines and some hard ciders but may be added to table wines which exhibit difficulty in maintaining clarity in finding. A

(FINALLY)
Print this out, put it someplace where you could see it,we'll pass by IT, where you'll take notice of it, on a daily basis,TILL it sinks in. two key components In YOUR wine making toolbox , capitalization a process to learn correctly. .......*..............print it...THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN KMET AND SORBATE
*


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## joeswine

*Peach ice wine*

Well, finally got Tresa's, peach ice wine kit ,bottled, cork ,sealed and label .. This turned out to be a very nice package, we used white seals, on hock bottles and added the translucent labels that came with the kit. It finished out exceptionally tasty the clear beautiful color and even had good aroma, for ice wine kits this was truly a nice one . T

The Wine group is also getting ready for the Vineland amateur wine tasting contest. I'm not sure how many will enter from our group, Tresa is going to enter her peach ice wine, I'm going to enter my Niagara 2006, the from amarone 2010, zinfandel pomegranate from 2009, piesporter from 2011, and last but not least since: French colombard from 2009, will see what happens..................


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## joeswine

*never done*

second round of delabeling started (never ends)
and getting a new lounge kit in production(


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## joeswine

*never done*

 second round of delabeling started (never ends)
and getting a new lounge kit in production(LONG ISLAND ICE TEA) something new for the wife to try out,her and her fellow riders enjoy the and there so easy to make ,but i do like to tweak them up a bit by bring up the adv. to 1.010,the fpacs can with stand the added abv. and it still taste great.


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## joeswine

*Vineland wine comp.*

VINELAND WINE COMP.


1ST PLACE FOR MY PIESPORTER
3RD PLACE FOR MY ZINFANDEL /POMEGRANATE............GREAT FESTIVAL,FOOD AND PEOPLE,LOTS OF OLD WORLD WINE MAKERS AND NEW,NEVER KNOW WHICH WAY THE JUDGES WILL GO,THE ARE SPONSORED BY NEW JERSEY CULTURAL SOCIETY USING THE CAL. DAVIS METHOD OF SCORING.


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## joeswine

*Prepareing for the fingerlakes*

 THE sparkling wine is now married with a package of superkleer and a re honeymooning in a glass carboy,waiting for separation to take place(a short honeymoon).

THE long island ice teat is doing a solo stay at the glass carboy,waiting for farther engagements with the fpac.

 24 more bottles delabeled,24 sparkling wines bottles are in the bath waiting to go on stage,


never ending


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## joeswine

*Never enough time*

Okay, at the races, finished bottles. The labeling and sanitizing ,to more cases at my back door. 

Need to learn more about champagne corks, was the right size to use . Having little dilemma with the new floor corker pushes the course down but not all the way in , . Is this correct? Where are they supposed to stick it way out? I am confused. E

R


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## joeswine

*Rememberring the difference*

REMEMBER THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN K MET AND SORBATE,OR HOW OXIDATION INVADES THE WINE PROCESS?..................


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## joeswine

*zesting*

Good to see that 74% of you would try zest or have already tried this great opportunity to not only to explore winemaking but to take a good wine that has gone bad and enhance it or a wine that is okay and make it your own ...................


----------



## joeswine

*powerder or chips????*

This is a item I've seen a lot of comments on,what to use powder or chips,yet along logs????

I have had several PM'S on this subject and the only answer I can give is,,chips,or logs; use these in primary or secondary remembering the longer the soak the more tannins leach out of the wood,also the type of wood ,french,American,Ukrainian,temperament,little chard,heavy chard..that will also determine the over all of tanic acids leached out .
 time and temp play a role in this event also.


Now powder on the other hand,increases the mouth feel over a period on time,with out adding any real flavor,it and yet some say it might,this is a great way of layering oak into a wine,I know that some of you have seen kits come out with the two different types as additives,layering ,this was subject I discuss in when good wines gone bad.look back its a neat trick fot us home winemakers to use .


----------



## joeswine

*Remember*

 HAVE YOU POSTED THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN KM AND SORBATE????????????WHEN AND HOW TO USE THEN?????????????????????????


----------



## joeswine

*Oxidation*

 HAVE YOU READ WHEN GOOD WINES GONE BAD ????????????????

OXIDATION AND THE PROBLEMS THAT ARISE FROM IMPROPER HANDLING?

DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE TERM (CAPITALIZATION )MEANS? IF NOT START YOURSELF A HANDBOOK AND PRINT EX CERTS....FOR REFERRAL


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## joeswine

*Faults and defects*

HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF SOMEONE HAVING SKUNK TYPE ODORS,ONIONS OR RUBBER???????????

MERCAPTANS,ARE PRODUCED IN WINE BY THE REACTION OF HYDROGENSULFIDE WITH OTHER WINE COMPONENTS SUCH AS ETHANOL OR SULFUR CONTAINUNG AMINO ACIDS,SUCH AS METHIONINE. THEY CAN BE FORMED IF FINISHED WINE IS ALLOWED PROLONGED CONTACT WITH THE LEES. THIS CAN BE PREVENTED BY RACKING THE WINE.MERCAPTANS HAVE VERY LOW SENSORY THRESHOLD,WITH LEVELS ABOVE CAUSING ONION,RUBBER AND SKUNK ODORS.
THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS TO WATCH OUT FOR IN THIS PROCESS WE CALL WINE MAKING ,EVEN THOUGH THE PROCESS IN IT'S SELF IS SIMPLE,YET MUCH CAN GO WRONG..IT TAKES TIME AND EXPERIENCE AND ABOVE ALL PATIENCE...........


----------



## joeswine

*Problems with the pump?*

PART OF THE REASON i HAVEN'T BEEN ON THIS THREAD IS THAT I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH MY SINK PUMP AND WASN'T ABLE TO BUY ONE ,PARTY DO TO SUPER STORM SANDY, I ALSO DO HEATING AND ITS BEEN A BIT HECTIC LATELY,WITH INSTALLING NEW SYSTEMS,BUT THE PUMP IS NOW BACK IN LINE MOST OF THE NEW SYSTEMS ARE IN AND WILL LET THE WINE WORK FLOW....GETTING A PLAN TOGETHER IS THE FIRST LINE OF BUSINESS TO DEAL WITH,THERE IS A LOT TO DO AND WITH THE HOILDAYS AND THE WEATHER MY LIFE GETS A LITTLE CONFUSING..

WILL CONTINUE SOON...


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## joeswine

*Pump complete*

NOW THE WORK CAN BEGIN AGAIN.

LETS CHECK BACK AND SEE WHAT OR WHERE WE WERE.

1.SANITATION
2.PLANNING YOUR PROCESS
3 GOOD PREPARATION OF SUPPLIES
4. UNDERSTAND THE TIMING
5. BOTTLING PROCESS
6. OVERALL EXECUTION 


HAVING ALL THAT IN MIND AND A PLAN SET FORTH, LET THE WORK BEGIN.


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## joeswine

*Mechanisms*

 Well, the weather's going warm and the winter season seems to be a stop ,. This gave me the chance to go back down to wine cellar and start cleaning bottles. Yes, that ongoing sure that all this have to do .. I try not to let me be such a chore bottles have been soaking for a while . They were not a problem you are ready to go ,but down and put a DVD into the player, and started cleaning the labeling bottles, usually soaking my bottles and a 15 gallon container was 11 tablespoons of be bright or another oxygen oxygenating cleaner, remember what we talked about sanitation this in the beginning everything it touches on has to be sanitized not just cleaned knowingly doing this long as I have you are always prepared for whatever ,mmay come your way. Have a very good setup for working utility sink with the spray head and the stationary power all my setup is portable I have learned the portability gives you ease in manufacturing, one this case processing.

 Once I have a group of the D labeled I once again sanitized the inside puts one tree dry , then I take one extra step I put them in my dishwasher let them do a quick light watch . To some this may seat seem extensive and not necessary and they really correct , but to me . It is part of my process in which you have something that works for you stick with it , at last count I have close to 80 cases of D labeled ready to go bottles.


----------



## joeswine

*Champaign at last*

At last, I finally got the bottle my champagne, added the list of the dexterous to it, it was clear bottle but plastics corked it, wire caged it down, I am no limits it prefer the six weeks before I put the final seals on labels case anything pops . I do not want to be a disaster some playing it safe . There are no crates and actually going to set them outside covered .


Also today I bottled my vignoles, this is from juice from Walker's and make an excellent product always full flavored from forward easy to make and a pleasure to drink , is not that what winemaking is all about? 


Merry Christmas to all and happy New Year'sO


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## joeswine

*Things to remember*

 Things to remember, what is the difference between potassium metabolic sulfite and potassium sorbate ? This is for the new members and for some of the ones who cannot remember .


 Potassium metabolic sulfite is a common wine or must additive, , where forms sulfur dioxide this . Both prevents most wild microorganisms from growing and acts as a potent antioxidant , protecting both the color , and the delicate flavors of wine . 

 Typical dosage is 1/4 teaspoon potassium metabolic sulfite or 6 gallon bucket of must prior to fermentation , and a half a teaspoon per 6 gallon batch a bottling ...... Po assium metabolic sulfite po
 Potassium sorbate, is used to inhibit molds, and yeast, and wine. Also known affectionately as wine stabilizer, potassium sorbate reduces sorbate acid which I added to the wine . It serves two purposes. When active fermentation has ceased and the wine is racked for the final time after clearing, potassium sorbate will render any surviving yeast incapable of multiplying. y Yst living at that moment can continue fermenting as residual sugar into CO2 and alcohol, 
but when they dieknow Nice will be present to cause future fermentation. . When wine is sweet andbefore bottling , potassium sorbate is used to prevent re-fermentation when used in conjunction with potassium metabolic sulfite . is primarily used with sweet wines, sparkling wines, and some hard ciders but may be added to table wines which exhibit difficulty in maintaining clarity after finding. 

Download, posted up an area we can read at will remember two major components and winemaking and how they work with each other and the one , REMEMBER.


----------



## joeswine

*Long Island iced tea kit*

 This is another one the THOSE party wine kits that MY wife and her girlfriends just loved. although this is the first time I made this one very interesting to find out. The combination of liquors that actually go into a long island ice tea, there is gin, spiced rum, and vodka, along with some other things .. My wife HAS a lady friend WHO IS a bartender in a very prominent restaurant here in South Jersey ,she was over Christmas and this stuff is ready ., so I asked her to taste it for me and give me her thoughts ,. She said it really hit the mark. She was super surprised that it was a wine base and that the only thing I did not serve with it some kind of fruit and that they use at the bar. It is remarkable , the wonderful world of chemistry . These people can come up with these aspects of flavor and taste profiles ,is very cool well to say the least . My next venture is an Orchard breeze Cosmo, this is one I was absolute favorites. It comes in 3 gallon batches I'll combined2 KITS together and make six, just as easy has anyone tried these ?


----------



## joeswine

*Remember*

The difference between sanitation and cleaning
The difference between kmet and sorbate 
The partnerships of wine with each other in blending 
Yeast and its role of oxygen in the winemaking process 
Things to remember.................


----------



## joeswine

*Planning*

THE VERY FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS IN PLANNING,WHAT TYPE WINE STYLE,WHAT TYPE YEAST IS BEST FOR THAT STYLE,IS THE TOOL BOX READY WITH FRESH SUPPLIES,ARE THE TOOLS AND CARBOYS CLEANED AND SANITIZED ,HAVE i THOUGHT OUT THE THE FLOW PROCESS,DO i HAVE THE CORRECT BOTTLES, ,EITHER BOUGHT,DE LABELED OR SANITIZED READY TO GO,CORKS TO THE READY WHICH TYPE TO USE,SEALS, AND WHAT ABOUT LABELS WILL THEY BE FULL FINISH OR BASIC AVERY ADDRESS LABELS,WHATS THE TEMPERATURE IN THE WINE MAKING AREA,LOTS TO THINK ABOUT, BUT WHEN YOU PLAN YOUR WORK ,YOU CAN THEN WORK YOUR PLAN,IT'S EASY.... AND SO MUCH MORE FUN.


----------



## joeswine

*January is my meeting*



January, is the beginning of the year for our South Jersey winemakers. Taditionally January meeting is held at my place this year . The start the year off with the subject of the process,* what I mean by that is actually process that we make the very beginning to the very end .*


* When you think of the one process. We think of? well for me it starts in the very beginning of the process and that is what type of wineto anticipate making ? , so let's just say this year I intend to make a couple of dry whites a young red and peach for wine . *
*I*
* The next thing I have to take a look at is what type of yeast no good with what I intend to make, and what yeast do I hdo I have in? is the date code still correct? duet have the right type of yeast is suitable for the winds that I'm making ? *

* OkaySo now I know what type of wine I wish to make and I know what type of yeastI'm going to meet with that now starts the process,next a look at my tool chest .  *


----------



## joeswine

*january's wine club meeting*

 this was a big day for our wine club,it was a day of moving into the future and letting go of the past.

WE HAVE BEEN IN A STEADY DECLINE FOR A WHILE NOW IN MEMBERSHIP AND WITH TOM BEING SICK THE ADMINISTRATIVE ENDS DROPPED OUT OF THE BOTTOM.
WE NEED A NEW DIRECTION,ALL GOOD THINGS DO COME TO A N END,BUT NOT JUST NOW.

 HAVE BEEN WORKING BEHIND THE SENS WITH TWO OF OUR MEMBERS AND FINDING JO
INT WAYS OF MOVING EITHER FORWARD OR IMPLODING 
,i DON'T LIKE GIVING UP,SO i CHOSE TO DO SOMETHING VERY CONSTRUCTIVE ABOUT IT.

 ENTER THE VINE LAND WINE FESTIVAL

THE LAST FOR YEARS i HAVE ENTERED AND ALWAYS LET MY CALLING CARD,THIS YEAR THEY ANSWERED,THEY W9ULD LIKE ME(US) TO TAKE CHARGE AND EXPAND THE CONTEST.(GREAT).

WITH THIS IN MIND, MY TOPIC OF DISCUSSION FOR THIS MEETING WAS,PLANNING YOUR WINE MAKING.
\
 SANITATION,WHAT TYPE WINE YOUR CHOOSING?,WHAT TYPE YEAST WOULD BE BEST TO USE,THE MEETING WAS MORE WELL CONSTRUCTED WITH HAND OUTS ON THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN K-MET AND SORBATE ,CAPITALIZATION AND BACKSWEETNING ALONG WITH RED STARS CHARTAND LALVINS YEAST PROFILE CHART.

THE MEETING HAD STRUCTURE AND WAS RECEIVED VERY WELL,SHOWED MY TOOL BOX OF COMPONANTS TO HAVE ON HAND FROM POWDERED OAK TO 2LB. BAGS OF K-MET TO PACHAGES OF SUPERKLEER.

FINALLY THE CHEMISTRY WAS RIGHT AND THE RESPONSE FROM THE GROUP WAS FLOWING WITH QUESTIONS,THEN WE WENT INTO NEW BUSINESS.

 I EXPLAINED MY FEELING ABOUT THE GROUPS PERFORMANCE OVER ALL AND THE RESPONSE WAS NOT AS ASPECT ED, AND THE FACT THAT VINE LAND HAD MADE ME AN OFFER TO TAKE CHARGE OF AND EXPAND THE WINE COMPETITION AND THE RESPONSE WAS EXCELLENT ,TWO OF THE LADIES IN OUR GROUP ALONG WITH MY APPROVAL SET UP A FACEBOOK SITE (MOVING US INT A NEW ERROR OF COMMUNICATIONS)OVERALL THE MEETING WAS THE MOST COMMUNICATIVE WE HAD AND THE GROUND WORK IN NOW SET UP FOR US AS A GROUP TO STAY TOGETHER AND MOVE FORWARD,THE VINE LAND STATEMENT FROM ME WAS(I'M GOING TO DO THIS IF YOU WISH TO JOIN ME IT WILL TAKE THIS WINE GROUP IN A WHOLE DIFFERENT DIRECTION THIS YEAR,BUT I'm GOING) TO A PERSON THEY STATED ME TO....WINE MAKING GROUPS ARE NOT WITHOUT THERE PROBLEMS INTERNALLY,BUT FOR THE MOST PART I WOULDN'T CHANGE THIS GROUP,BUT SOME TIMES UP NEED TO STIR THE POT UP AND SEE WHAT VEGETABLES FLOAT TO THE TOP.

 SO THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF THE NEW SOUTH JERSEY WINE MAKERS .SO IF YOU LIVE IN SOUTH JERSEY AND WANT TO BELONG TO A PROGRESSIVE AND ON THE MOVE WINE CLUB AND WANT OT LEARN .EMAIL ME..............


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## Pumpkinman

Great Job Joe! We just started a club here in the Hudson Valley yesterday, The Hudson Valley Wine and Homebrewers Club.
Maybe we can brainstorm one day!


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## joeswine

*Wine clubs*

 WHY NOT AND ONCE YOU GET STARTED WE CAN DO A CLUB SWAP,WE'VE ALREADY DONE THIS IN VIRGINIA,AND WEST VIRGINIA,WORKED OUT GREAT.


----------



## Pumpkinman

Perfect! Great idea!! I want to use, with your permission, some of the info that you have provided in the "When good wines go bad" post, the differences between meta and sorbate, and so on, great info, and will make great handouts.


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## joeswine

*Data*

 I'll MAIL TO YOU SOME OF THE HAND OUTS i USED ,THIS WILL BE HELPFUL TO START WITH,BY AL- MEANS TAKE WHAT EVER INFO YOU NEED,THAT'S WHAT WINE MAKINGS ALL ABOUT,WATCH OUT FOR YOUR PACKAGE,OK.


----------



## joeswine

*The journey*

In the life of every wine club there comes a time when you have the pitfalls, and you'll have arises .today South Jersey winemakers are once again coming to the top .;

This was the first meeting for me with the vineland redevelopment Association ,. This is a group of people give the time freely back to the community some backing from state and local government, but not much .

The goal, was to expand their wine Festival , directive for the South Jersey winemakers was to help them get their . . The venue is small at this point in time , . The question was what we do ? 

We start of the meeting with the pledge of allegiance which I thought was well done . . T. TheThe first question to me. What should we? the next question to me was, How should we do?

I began to tell him that from an outsiders viewpoint, not just winning a medal is enough feedback all winemakers one feedback , whether it's good , bad or indifferent you one feedback . 
Secondly, need to have a starting point , , a middle and, a finish.
Thirdly, if it is a wine festival then you should have not just judgesjudging the wine,but outside participation from the patriots .

Example: hammonton wine contest held by the Rotary club. 
usually .There's 19 flights.. That equates. to 19 Tbles.of. wine. .Broken down into different categories,. you're Yrought in on a specific date. will s W April 1,. but th Bcontest itself.doesn't often 21st.Til,. . that g Tes the Rotary club. an ide . of how Oany wines are to be judged.how many judges to. . even t Eugh the contest. doesn' Dgo off.till 21st. this a To tells them. what t We of set up. They need. as far As logistics,. the ju Te's choice awards from first,.that entry fee is $20 per bottle three bottles per entry....... one bo Ole is. for ju Fing.. The other two are for the flight table. on the night of the even. judges Jlready have. the fi Tings. the balance of the people are invited to come in. . for a Fminal fee. a five Aollars. to tas T and judge the . wines.,This thThis then becomes the People's. So why Miller has two opportunities when the judges choice and or the people .. Very cool concept and it works ........... But still no feedback


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## joeswine

*The journey*

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVEN'T READ THIS LATEST POST TAKE THE TIME TO READ IT AND FOLLOW ALONG MY BE IT WILL HELP YOU START A WINE CLUB.

GO BACK TO THE JOURNEY


----------



## joeswine

*The wine Festival*

Re-creating a festival that has been around for decades isn't an easy thing to do trying to get the participants who have been there for a while all volunteer may I add, cut a starstruck when I said to them, charge for your entry fees at least $10 per entry, they looked at me as a file came from another planet, I also stated that they should have staging tables and people pouring the wines by classification at each table.

We then called each table a flight and the fact that we need to get the wine and much earlier than they do. Example wine competition tasting and judging is on the 27th. We at least need the wine and by the 14th so that we could. One – not how many wines we have that will set up how many flights. We need and how many people we need to supervise each flight, remember this is all volunteer, we need to have it indoors. In case of inclement weather, the judging will be done by professional judges this day I have always thought from our change, but will will change is the amount of wine that will begin to flow into the process. That process is a start earlier not on the same day that the judging is done.

Here's how they do it right now, the festival is on the 27th, the wines are to be delivered on the morning of the 27th, the judging will take place that day the awards will be giving out that night, and of story. You can expand it wine competition and think it could be all accomplished in one day. That's my advantage. So I Think as most wine competitions do getting their wine early sets the stage. Now, this also can be a double-edged sword, this is normally a local competition not too high turnout and maybe $10 is a lot to ask. Or maybe not, I could just hear someone say I've got a pay you $10 for tasting my wine, and the answer is yes as long as you're getting feedback as long as you're not just getting an award for placing as long as you're getting feedback. This is the difference between wine competitions run properly and wine competitions they just hand out medals, granted the metals are nice accountability self-esteem and believe me, I can appreciate that. But if you had both the metals and the feedback then that becomes a competition. Also, I stated that maybe we can have a wine tasting at the same time after the judging is done by the judges and the people who comment a small admission fee say three or five dollars , for that he wine tasting chart very simple to use. Actually it's a Cal Davis chart scoring points on a variety of wine characteristics taste their wines scoring judge and now you have another category called the People's choice.

Now becomes a festival. Not only do you have professional judges judging the wine you have everyday people also judging the wine and believe me, I've been in this country competition is remarkable how different the judges view a wine as opposed to the patrons.

The journey continues


----------



## joeswine

*Flaws and faults*

In winetasting, there is a distinction made between what is considered a flaw in a fault. Not all of us to recognize this we seem to taste something that shouldn't be there or detect an aroma that isn't quite right this can be a false or it could be a defect you should be able to understand as a winemaker and I know this takes time the difference between the two big difference between sorbate, metabolic sulfite the difference between capitalization, and backsweetening, such as the difference between wine flaws and faults.

 Wine flaws are minor attributes that depart from what is perceived as a normal wine characteristic. These include excessive sulfur dioxide, volatile acidity or brett aromas Or buttery aromas. The amount to which these aromas or attributes become excessive is dependent on the particular taste and recognition threshold of a wine taster. Generally, a wine exhibiting these qualities is still considered drinkable by most people. However, some flaws such as a volatile acidity and a brett can be considered if all when they are in such an excess that they overwhelm other components of the wine. Wine falls are generally major attributes that make a wine undrinkable to most wine taster's. Examples of wine for faults includeaqcetaldehyde and ethyl acetate and cork taint..

 So were going to take a look at the ones that you're most familiar with the ones I see posted all the time on this forum and by going through each one and if you're smart you'll either download the information and put into a file or printed out and read to your workstation where you make the wine so that you have a one hand worksheet to use it to refer to, these are some of the is going to look into these are the characteristics that you usually see and/or taste, smell of rotten eggs, smell of vinegar, smell of rancid butter, small of the basement, wet cardboard or newspapers and mushrooms, small barnyard, smaller fake candy banana flavoring, smell of burnt rubber and or cooked cabbage, smell of cooked fruit with walnuts also detectable visually by permit Browning or yellowing of wine, smell of crushed dreams smell of burnt matches. Can also come across as prickling sensation to the nose.

 Really go into these and more because not too far off in the distant future the Chilean wines will be coming in or maybe you're looking at it a kit, and have went through some of these embarrassments before and want to try and save your money and figure out where you went wrong.............. stay tuned.....


----------



## Boatboy24

Looking forward to more on this, Joe. As a new winemaker and someone with a developing pallete, I can tell sometimes that something isn't quite right with a wine, but can't put my finger on it; much less know how to fix or prevent it.


----------



## joeswine

*Detecting wine faults*

THIS IS A QUESTION AND ANSWER LESSON GOING ON IN THIS FORUM AND THE ENTIRE WINE INDUSTRY EVERY DAY,THE WAY THE PRODUCT IS HANDLED,PROCESSED AND SOMETIMES EVEN PACKAGED AND THEN ARRIVES TO US AS A KIT OR FRESH JUICE,EVENTS CAN CHANGE IT'S LIFE CYCLE ALONG THE WAY THAT CULMINATES AT YOUR DOOR STEP AT NO FAULT TO YOU.GOT IT!.......OR IS IT????????/

STAY TUNED AND LEARN WITH ME THE DO'S AND DON'T S............IT COULD BE HAPPENING TO A BOTTLE NEAR YOU...........


----------



## joeswine

*Bottling time*

FINELY got around to bottling my Cosmo wine for my lady,2 /3gallon kits,I find it's easier to do big one large batch as apposed to two small one's,well there done,bottled and labeled.


coffee port done at last,nice package when finished,tweaked it ,OF COURSE,even nicer package bottled labeled and drinkable right now.


----------



## joeswine

*Back on track*

THE main difference between a fault and a defect is that the flaws and faults are minor

defects are not,they can be visually see and the aromas are quit pronounced,ever had one ?
Improper handling ,over exposure to oxygen and other contaminants,poor sanitation and a host of other entities can detract from your wines performance and you end result as a wine maker .There isn't a wine maker out there who hasn't run into some kind of fault or defect in his or hers wine making experience.

SO lets start wine OXIDATION,THE BIGGEST PROBLEM FOR SOME.

TO BE CONTINUED


----------



## joeswine

*Wine wine competition*

* Meeting number two*, the groundwork is now set, Katie grant myself went to the meeting this morning and presented them with proposals for changing the format and how they could expand the wine event. We went over some of the basic format principles of how we as winemakers pay and send our wines to differ wine contest across the country. We went entry fees, how many bottles, labeling – you affix with the bottles, the do's and don'ts of sending to us. I think this went over very well, now we have to sit down formulating and form with all the I 'S and tee'S cross. We have two weeks to get this done and annually presented to the committee. It was a very good morning.

Vineland wine Festival continues............


----------



## joeswine

*Vineland wine competition*

Finally Katie grant myself have our format down on how we wish to proceed with the entry forms fees and the normal process of holding a full-fledged wine contest. I am taking notes on the Missouri wine contest as well as others. Those that I have entered an those that I have not. We came up with our own plan and basically it is a culmination of everything that we read wrapping too expensive.

Although my bottles got crushed going to Missouri. I am going to enter in Hammonton wine contest this week it does not come off till around 27 th of March but is a big contest around here is backed by the Rotary club and they themselves have you humongous wine group, tough to break into this crowd. We did a few years ago medium five my fellow winemakers from our South Jersey winemakers group and we won in won big, this year I am going to enter my BlackBerry 2009 wine in the forms competition, my piesporter 2011 in the whites, Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 and last but not least my coffee port this year. It is outstanding the way finished my additions. This will be added in the into the dessert wine competition, it is a $40 fee for the wines but you get a free buffet with it. I told you that they have a professional judges choice awards and data peoples choice awards. This is a very unique wine competition for not only do have real professional wine judges tasting this and they are you also have everyday people doing a blind wine tasting competition. The only thing they know is the type of wine. It is the only thing the judges know is what category and what type of wine it is knowing those whose wine it is except for the entry people. This is how I tried the pattern the final wine contest after because it was unique unto itself that there are two different type of judging, and believe me, I but in this contest before and does a lot of big red winemakers down here in Hammonton and this is a tough old crowd to break into, or break into it. I will. Gino Pinto should be in this competition also is a great person has a great wine school I have a lot of respect for him. So this should prove interesting. There will also be a few wine schools in these classification which is even very cool when you beat them. Well, this Thursday will see how I make out with the Vineland administrative people if they accept my proposal on how to expand this wine contest at the same time I am going to expand nationally, which means all of you are invited. Stay tuned


----------



## joeswine

*Vineland wine Festival*

Okay, they - except my format on the wine Festival they'll take it to the main Council of Vineland for appropriations and final backing, when this is approved within 2 to 3 weeks then, I will get the chance to meet the judges, this is something really important. I need to know who they are and on what format do they use for judging the wine?........also the hammonton wine contest at the end of this week,I have 4 wines in the competition,blackberry,piesporter,cab and a coffee port ,you know the one I tweaked.........win or lose this will give me a great chance to 3dit what these people(rotary club)have done their format was very good ,but will see if they have changed at all.........stay tuned.


----------



## joeswine

*Estimated wine production by country on 2009 according to VWIO-Vineyard and Wine International Organisation (OIV-Organisation Internationale de la Vigne et du Vin)*[59]RankingCountryProduction
(millions of hectolitres)1




Italy47,6992



France45,5583



Spain32,5064



United States20,6205



Argentina12,1356



China12,0007



Australia11,6008



Chile10,0939



South Africa9,78810



Germany9,18011



Russia7,11012



Romania5,600*Wine production by country 2006*[60][_not in citation given_][61]RankCountry
(with link to wine article)Production
(tonnes)1

 France5,349,3302

 Italy4,963,3003

 Spain3,890,7304

 United States*2,250,0005

 Argentina1,539,6006

 Australia1,429,7907

 China (People's Republic)*1,400,0008

 South Africa939,7799

 Germany891,60010

 Chile802,441World***28,475,929** FAO estimate.
** May include official, semi-official or estimated data.
*Wine production by country 2007*[61]RankCountry
(with link to wine article)Production
(tonnes)1

 France4,711,6002

 Italy4,251,3803

 Spain3,520,8704

 United States***2,259,8705

 Argentina1,504,6006

 China (People's Republic)*1,450,0007

 Germany1,026,1008

 South Africa978,2699

 Australia961,97210

 Chile791,794World***26,416,532** FAO estimate.
** May include official, semi-official or estimated data just think about how these numbers have grown,and yet today I learned of a cabernay and chard,short fall in productions adding to the cost of each winemakers gallon and your kits.


----------



## joeswine

*Hammonton wine contest*

COFFEE PORT A BIG WINNER


1ST PLACED PROFESSIONAL JUDGES CHOICE

BEST IN SHOW /TOP HONORS

PICS TO FOLLOW,THIS ROTARY CLUB IS A CLASS ACT ,THEY HAVE LEARN HOW TO PUT ON A SHOW AND A SHOW THEY DO ,GREAT FOOD AND GOOD MANAGERIAL CONTROL OF THE EVENT,i HOPE i CAN MIRROR THEM IN SOME ASPECTS IN VINELAND.

PICS. TO FOLLOW.


----------



## joeswine

*Vineland wine festival continued*

PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE,YES WE ARE GOING TO HAVE THE WINE TASTING CONTEST (PEOPLES CHOICE AWARDS)AND PROFESSIONAL JUDGES AWARD ,I think I have them changing their time frame venue to September,instead of august,there will be a $10.00 entree fee per bottle three bottles required($10.00)total,you have been through this before,I will meet with the judges to see in written comments will be obtainable,this is what I prefer.it's about time we moved forward on the project,but small towns and big events take a lot of input from the city conceal,until later,,,,,,,,,stay clean.


----------



## joeswine

*Going off line for a week*

GPOING OFF LINE FOR A WEEK........................


----------



## Runningwolf

Hold on cowboy! You can't just up and go! Who's going to keep me in line? What's going on? Congratulations on the Port!


----------



## joeswine

*In the beginning*

See you soon wolfman.


----------



## joeswine

*cleaning up*

stay tuned Katie and I are going to post our way of delabeling and sanitizing bottles in process format...newbies, this is for you.


----------



## joeswine

*raisins in the sun*





Lion raisins begin the journey from our own vineyards and from several hundred other California growers. From the start, our vineyards and our grapes are managed with extensive care to ensure the best raisin crop possible. In the fall, at the peak of their sweetness, the grapes are carefully and naturally dried. Lion Raisins primarily favors early ripening varieties that are dried on the vine and in the shade of an overhead trellis. These varieties, as well as the “DOV” production and processing method, are superior to black sun-dried Thompson Seedless raisins that are laid on the ground to oxidize and bake in the direct sun-light. These lighter-colored DOV raisins grade higher by the USDA, are cleaner, more freeflowing, meatier, better tasing, and more eco-friendly than sun-dried raisins.Once the raisins have dried sufficiently, they are placed in large bins to store until processed. At Lion's processing plant, the bins of raw raisins are stacked and covered until they are ready for processing.


 A LITTLE FRUIT FOR THOUGH!

 THE USE OF RAISINS AND OTHER DRIED FRUIT IN WINE HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR CENTURIES,HAVE YOU TRIED ?///////////////??????????????????????????????????


----------



## joeswine

Thought I would add pictures of my basement/wine cellar. These pictures were taken right before I hosted the NJ Amateur Winemaker's meeting a few months ago.


----------



## Runningwolf

Holy Demijohns! I was headed down that road until I discovered SS 1/2 kegs.


----------



## Deezil

Runningwolf said:


> until I discovered SS 1/2 kegs.



Edumacate me, dear sir!


----------



## joeswine

*No place like home*

review my space.......


----------



## joeswine

*Racking time- Manual style*

Here's some pictures of me and a buddy doing some wine racking. 
He was racking his ferdona and niagra from 2012 from Walkers. 
After we racked it, we used one-step to clean out the carboy. (see the pics). 
It's 1 tbsp. per gallon. It's an oxygenating cleaner that works wonderfully. I add it to the bottom of the carboy then start adding the hot water. It will fizz. Fill the carboy to the tippy top and let it sit for a few days then rinse. Voila! Crystal clear carboy with no scrubbing.


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## joeswine

*Review*

GO BACK AND REVIEW...........


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## joeswine

*Vineland NJ Amateur Wine Competition Aug 10 2013*

Vineland NJ is holding their annual Amateur Wine Competition to be held in the city of Vineland, NJ. 
It's free to enter, just send in 3 bottles. 
I am attaching the form for everyone to download.
Instructions are on the form.
I wont be entering as I will be helping orchestrate it, so now all of you have a chance to win!!







Cheers!
Joeswine 

View attachment 2013 wine competition entry form.pdf


----------



## joeswine

*kito and I*

Wine makers at play


----------



## joeswine

*Sangiovese and review*

L*et'*s review the process for wine expert sangiovese kit along with the tweaks that I do ,follow the process asked questions think outside the box


----------



## joeswine

*Sangiovese continued sangiovese continued*

Process continued.............


----------



## joeswine

*Sangiovese the end*

Sangiovese, we took a basic wine kit and I believe transformed it into something special ,these are the final pics for now on this particular kit hope you enjoy the ride as needed, rent turn our attentions to party wines, as the summer keeps rolling in ,thanks for following hope you'll stay tuned .




Yours, Joe and Kate


----------



## joeswine

*Sangiovese review*

Any questioNs?


----------



## joeswine

*Adjusting to adjust*

Not every post is a picture post and sometimes we just need to talk for this is what I did around here today in cleanup mode, racked the pineapple wine, as well is a twisted mist fusion kit this kit is a hard lemonade rosé ,yeah that's right hard lemonade rosé and so far it's coming along quite well this is another wine expert kit one of the many party want kits that I have made and enjoy making, by the way and fun this kit make 6 gallons of hardened rosé lemonade and has two fusion packages and the standard compliment of chemicals and finding agents I will show you a picture of it when it's all done ,also today I tasted my strawberry wine for the first time now this was a pure concentrate from a company called Walker's I know some of you heard of them they make a really fine product and I mean really fine, catch s the shipping is costly and sometimes that prohibits what I would like to do with them at this time strawberry is a 1.06 SG and the taste is just awesome when I tell you awesome I mean awesome I will let that set the primary bucket for another day or two at that time I'll check. SG again and see if it has went down no matter what it's going to a glass carboy let it sent a week more to see if my SG has become s stable then apply with the chemicals and fining agents and this is going to make one hell of the strawberry wine of course it goes without saying that for every move you make physically you have to clean and that is the key in the winemaking business ,sanitation whenever you touch , should be sanitized including yourself by that I mean your hands anything that comes in to contact with the wine so it's been a very busy first half of a day here I want to get everything cleared out of the way so that when we do the wine expert selection Amarone kit and the wine expert world vineyard with moscato on Thursday that's all that will be in front of me, these will be two interesting kits to follow coming in behind them I have three cru port kits, hazelnut, coffee and caramel ports these will all be done in synchronization with the other so you can see the progression of the kits and the tweak that they will incur to make them more than they are and they are already great kits so stay tuned as more to come ,and oh , by the way did you notice on the thread, almond wine there's a new girl in town and invited her to show you what her idea of thinking outside the box is, Mezza Luna White ,interesting to see how people apply applications


----------



## joeswine

*Sangiovese in review*

Were still giving a lot of chatter about the sangiovese product and the process involved in making is installed here at cleaning up for those of you who want to go back and review it I thank you for your e-mails yours respectfully JP.................. Say tuned more to come


----------



## LoneStarLori

I love looking at all these modified kits. I can spend (and have been) hours reading all these great ideas. For those of you interested the the Mezza Luna White as mentioned above, here is the link to the thread. It's clearing now and coming along really quickly.

http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/f61/almond-wine-9155/index21.html#post445464


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## joeswine

*Party wines*

HAVE A PARTY WITH THESE PARTY WINE KITS


----------



## joeswine

*Party wines*

Have a ball with these party wines


----------



## cimbaliw

That looks awesome Joe, the cloudy character add interest to the product! Thanks for the tutorial.

BC


----------



## LoneStarLori

That is making my mouth water just looking at it. What was the "Lucille's Touch" added to the cats wine?


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## joeswine

*Lucille's touch*

LUCILLE'S TOUCH, is her privet brand, she and her equestrienne riding friends enjoy the party wines, the color of the kit finishes out that way do to the fpac.


----------



## joeswine

*Part wines*

LETS PARTY


----------



## btom2004

Why is it clearer in the test tube than in the bottle?
Did you add any finning agents at all? Will this wine clear more and drop sediment to the bottom of the bottle?


----------



## joeswine

*clearring or what?*

 * what* you see in the tube is the base wine before the fpac is added, look at the bottle that is the finished product with the fpac, and it is tasty. TWO different steps.


----------



## joeswine

*Party wines*

*PARTY WINES CONTINUED*


----------



## jamesngalveston

joe, do you start most of your wine at 1.100, just curious...


----------



## joeswine

*Sg............................*

 _YES I DO ,THE REASON IS_ when I'm using a fpac I feel I need to balance the alcohol to the end product, it's smart to know that you have a good wine base in case you need to adjust anything else, you can, you control the process not the wine, it's worked for me for many years ,and it doesn't matter if it's fresh juice or anything else, that's my standard.


----------



## joeswine

*Cloudy wines*

TRICKS OF THE TRADEREPAIRRING A WINE THAT AFTER COMPLETION WENT CLOUDY ? _COLD FILTRATION ONE COURSE OF ACTION TWO MONTHS IN THE COLD IT CAME OUT NICE AND CLEEAR THE PIC SHOWS THE CHILL COMING OF THE GLASS._


----------



## LoneStarLori

That's beautiful! Is there a picture of how cloudy it was to start?


----------



## joeswine

*Cloudy wines*

NO just anger at myself and a few choice words, it was like silt but very fine and not lot but enough to make it not for me.


----------



## joeswine

*Remembering the differences*

*Capitalization*, is the process of adding sugar unfermented grape must in order to increase the alcohol content after fermentation. The technique was developed by the French chemist John Antoine Claude CHAPTAL, for whom it was named contrary to popular belief, this process does not make the wines sweeter but only artificially inflates the alcohol content. Additionally, the sugar in capitalized wine cannot be tasted.

Potassium metabolic sulfate, wine, or must additive, where informed sulfur dioxide gas. This both prevents most wild microorganisms from growing, and it acts as protective antioxidants, protecting both the color, and a delicate flavor typical dosage is 1/4 teaspoon potassium metabolic sulfate from 6 gallon bucket of must. Winemaking equipment to sanitize by sprang with a 1% solution or two tables teaspoons potassium metabolic sulfate per liter solution.

_Potassium sorbate_, is used to inhibit molds, and yeast in wine. Also known affectionately as wine stabilizer potassium sorbate produces sorbate acid when added to the wine. It serves two purposes. When active fermentation has ceased and the wine is rack for the final time after clearing, potassium sorbate will render any surviving yeast incapable of multiplying. yeast living at that moment can continue fermenting any residual sugar into CO2 and alcohol, but when they die no new yeast will be present to cause future fermentation. when a wine is sweetened before bottling, potassium sorbate is used to prevent from re-fermentation when used in conjunction with potassium metabolic sulfate. It is primarily used with sweet wines, sparkling wines, and some hard ciders but may be added to table wines which exhibit difficulty in maintaining clearly after fining.

*Do you remember these*? Do You know how to use these? What you should do is copy this now this whole thread and post in your work. As a reference point as I do........... until it becomes memory.


----------



## joeswine

*Have you posted*

HAVE YOU POSTED #*173* *joeswine* 
joeswine
Feedback Score: 0 reviews



 

Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: franklin township, nj
Posts: 2,948 
Liked 133 Times on 113 Posts
Likes Given: 3




 





*Remembering the differences* 
*Capitalization*, is the process of adding sugar unfermented grape must in order to increase the alcohol content after fermentation. The technique was developed by the French chemist John Antoine Claude CHAPTAL, for whom it was named contrary to popular belief, this process does not make the wines sweeter but only artificially inflates the alcohol content. Additionally, the sugar in capitalized wine cannot be tasted.





Potassium metabolic sulfate, wine, or must additive, where informed sulfur dioxide gas. This both prevents most wild microorganisms from growing, and it acts as protective antioxidants, protecting both the color, and a delicate flavor typical dosage is 1/4 teaspoon potassium metabolic sulfate from 6 gallon bucket of must. Winemaking equipment to sanitize by sprang with a 1% solution or two tables teaspoons potassium metabolic sulfate per liter solution.





_Potassium sorbate_, is used to inhibit molds, and yeast in wine. Also known affectionately as wine stabilizer potassium sorbate produces sorbate acid when added to the wine. It serves two purposes. When active fermentation has ceased and the wine is rack for the final time after clearing, potassium sorbate will render any surviving yeast incapable of multiplying. yeast living at that moment can continue fermenting any residual sugar into CO2 and alcohol, but when they die no new yeast will be present to cause future fermentation. when a wine is sweetened before bottling, potassium sorbate is used to prevent from re-fermentation when used in conjunction with potassium metabolic sulfate. It is primarily used with sweet wines, sparkling wines, and some hard ciders but may be added to table wines which exhibit difficulty in maintaining clearly after fining.





*Do you remember these*? Do You know how to use these? What you should do is copy this now this whole thread and post in your work. As a reference point as I do.



.......... until it becomes memory.




_Last edited by joeswine; 10-17-2013 _


----------



## joeswine

*lalvin yeast chart*

Making beer is one of my biggest passions, but I like to mess around with other brewing projects when I get bored with beer though. The nice thing with brewing is a lot of the equipment is the same from beer to wine so you really don’t have to invest in a whole heck of a lot to switch between the two.
A lot of times about once a month I’ll end up making mini batches of wine or mead. Over time you get quite a few wine bottles, especially because I use 375ml bottles to bottle in. When making these smaller batches of wine or mead one of the things that I use is_ Lalvin yeast, _which is a dry wine yeast. Unlike white labs yeast where they have so many yeast types, Lalvin has 5.
When in doubt though I always figure use a a chart, that’s why I added one below. It’s a pretty good reference guide. I elaborated on it though with my own personal experience as well as the ABV that you can get from the yeast.
*RC 212*
This wine yeast is really great for Red’s. This strain helps with enhancing fruit flavors. The darker the red, the better this yeast preforms.
_Alcohol 12%-14%_
*D-47*
Is great for whites. I’ve used this one with meads as well. This strain of yeast really does need appropriate nitrogen levels in order to turn out well, so make sure to add nutrient as well as energizer to it.
_Alcohol 12%-14%_
*71B-1122*
What’s kinda cool about this yeast is that it can metabolize malic acid turning it into ethenol. Now in engish, it will make acidic wines or meads, melomels (fruit meads) into more well rounded ones with out such a bite if you start off with lots of acid in it.
_Alcohol 14%_
*K1V-1116*
I typically use this one for ciders and natural fruit that are light. It works really great with stuck fermentations as well. The reason why I prefer this one with ciders and a lot of light country wines is that it is an extremely competitive yeast strain. It needs a high level of nitrogen though, so act appropreityly. Another thing about this yeast is that it keeps the fruity flavor longer then other strains.
_Alcohol 16%-18%_
*EC-1118*
This is a champagne style of yeast. It can take a wide range of fermentation temps as well (50 degrees up to 95 degrees). This is a great yeast to help restart stuck fermentations as well get a high alcohol if that’s what your going for.
_Alcohol 18% _
knowing your wines characteristics and profile WERE GOING TO MAKE A CABERNET SAUIGNONMY BASEMENT TEMP IS DROPPING ,IT CAME WITH EC-1118.SHOULD O CHANGE AND WHY?


----------



## vernsgal

Great post Joe. I keep that yeast chart on my wall for reference and I have just copied your "remembering the differences" and will hang that as well.


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## joeswine

*Terms to remember*








 


A carboxylate ester. R and R' denote any alkyl or aryl group


*Esters* are chemical compounds consisting of a carbonyl adjacent to an ether linkage. They are derived by reacting an oxoacid with a hydroxyl compound such as an alcohol or phenol.[1] Esters are usually derived from an inorganic acid or organic acid in which at least one -OH (hydroxyl) group is replaced by an -O-alkyl (alkoxy) group, and most commonly from carboxylic acids and alcohols. That is, esters are formed by condensing an acid with an alcohol.
Esters are ubiquitous. Most naturally occurring fats and oils (e.g. triglycerides) are the fatty acid esters of glycerol. Esters with low molecular weight are commonly used as* fragrances* and found in essential oils and pheromones. Phosphoesters form the backbone of DNA molecules. 
*SO AFTER ALLS SAID AND DONE ESTERS ARE FRAGRANCE ENHANCERS...............KEY TO WINES AROMA................*


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## jamesngalveston

those are all lalvin strains....you have about 25 more strains and each strain has numerous varieties.
I wonder if when we choose yeast, we go with what we started with.
I started with red star...and still use it...
Lalvin and Redstar seems to be the most widely used by home wine makers.


----------



## joeswine

*Yeast and why????/*




WHEN YOU THINK YEAST ,YOU SHOULD FIRST THINK OF YOUR WINES PROFILE IN TASTE AND FINISH,START WITH A PLAN!

* THINKS TO THINK ABOUT*
STYLE OF WINES FINISH
ADDING WOODS
TEMPERATURE OF ROOM AREA 
WHAT YEAST COMPLETES THE WINE SET GOVERNING TASTE TEXTURE AND ALCOHOL BALANCE ALL THESE SHOULD PLAY A ROLE IN THE SELECTION OF YEAST AND WHAT THEY BRING TO THE GAME.

YOUR RIGHT IF WE STAY WITHIN OUR PLAYING FIELD AND JUST USE THE CHART AT HAND EVERYONE SHOULD BE ABLE TO FOLLOW THIS CONVERSATION *REMEMBER .*

*  THE PLAN IS TO MAKE A CAB WITH A GRAPE PAC AT A ROOM TEMP OF AROUND 62 TO 68 DEGREES WHICH YEAST TO DO THE JOB?*


----------



## vernsgal

joeswine said:


> *  THE PLAN IS TO MAKE A CAB WITH A GRAPE PAC AT A ROOM TEMP OF AROUND 62 TO 68 DEGREES WHICH YEAST TO DO THE JOB?*


I would use EC-1118 because of the cooler temp.


----------



## cmason1957

RC212 will handle 62-68 just fine. I just fermented a WineExpert Amarone in my basement. It is probably 64 or so down there this time of year.


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## Pumpkinman

EC-1118 will impart absolutely zero characteristics to the wine and possible strip flavors.


----------



## Runningwolf

I agree with rc212


----------



## vernsgal

hahaha this is why I stay listed as a junior member. The kits I get all come with EC 1118 and I'm still learning to use all the others


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## joeswine

*Yeast ???????????*

*LALVIN 1122* ,HAS THE CHARASTICS THAT THE WINE ITSELF REQUIRES *,REMEMBER WINE IS A PARTNERSHIP OF MANY ITEMS COMING TOGETHER TO CREATE A FINISHED PRODUCT.*

*BUT IS THAT ENOUGH? CAN WE OUT THINK THE MANUFACTURES,AND APPLY OUR OWN DIMENSIONS TO THE MIX?*

*LALVIN D47 HAS SOME GOOD TRAITS AS WELL,BUT NOT QUITE THE PERFORMER I NEED OVERALL,WHAT ABOUT A CHAMPAIGN YEAST ?? IT WILL GIVE ME ALL THE PERFORMANCE CHARASTICS I',M LOOKING FOR BUT NOT THE INHERENT TRAITS OF THE WINES PHENOL'S.......... WHEN I PLAN TO MAKE A KIT OR FRESH JUICE ,I ALWAYS HAVE A PLAN ,COMBINEING THE NATURAL CHARISTICS OF THE WINES PROFILE ALONG WITH THE DESIRED FINISH THAT THE YEAST WILL ADD AND THE MIX OF WOOD OAK AND TANNINS IF IT'S A RED ,IF IT'S GREAT WHITE THE DO I WANT FRUITFORWARD FINISH, DRY OR SEMI -DRY AND WHAT ESTERS WILL HAVE TO BE DROWN OUT AND HOW DO I GET THERE,THE FUN IS IN THE PLANNING,THE PRISE IS IN THE FINISH.............BUT WHAT YEAST FIRST ???????????????????????*


----------



## joeswine

*Party wines*

PARTY WINE KITS ARE A BLAST TO MAKE AND HAVE GREAT FLAVOR PROFILES TO CHOSE FROM


----------



## joeswine

*Manual racking and bottling*

LETS KEEP IT SIMPLE ANDSHOW THE RACKING AND BOTTLING PROCESS FOR THE BEGINNER....


----------



## LoneStarLori

Joe, where do you get the clear labels? Those are classy


----------



## oreoman

Lori those labels are from Macday. My LHBS stocks their labels. You can also order online but a lot more costly.


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## joeswine

*Labels*

WE ARE GOING TO SHOW YOU HOW WITH A* MITER* *BOX* .WE AFFIX THE LABELS TO OUR BOTTLES,JUST ANOTHER TOOL IN THE TOOL BOX...

WINE MAKING MADE EASY THAT WAS EASY.I FOUND A POINT ON THE BOTTLE THAT GAVE ME GOOD OVERALL HEIGHT WITH THE LABEL AND GAGED IT FROM THERE,EVEN THE 375'S HAD A STARTING SPOT CONSISTANT VALUES NO MATTER WHAT TYPE BOTTLE USING A MITER BOX.


----------



## joeswine

*review*



 go back and review the label and bottling process........................


----------



## joeswine

*Remembering the differences*

* Capitalization*; is the process of adding sugar to unfermented grape must in order to increase the alcohol content after, fermentation. The technique was developed by French chemist for whom it was named. Contrary to proper popular belief this process does not make the wines _sweeter_ but only artificially inflates the *alcohol content*. Additionally, the sugar in capitalized wine *cannot be Taste.
*
* Potassium metabolic sulfate* is a common wine or must additive, where forms of sulfur dioxide gas. This both prevents most wild microorganisms from growing, and it acts as a _*potent antioxidant*_, protecting both the *color,* and the *delicate flavors of the wine.

* Typical dosage is 1/4 teaspoon potassium metabolic sulfite per 6 gallon bucket of must prior to fermentation, and 1/2 teaspoon per 6 gallon bucket at bottling.

_* Winemaking equipment is sanitized by spraying with 1% or 2 teaspoons a potassium metabolic sulfate per liter solution.

* _* Potassium sorbate*, is used to inhibit molds, and yeast in wine. Also known affectionately as wine stabilizer, potassium sorbate produces sorbate acid when added to wine. It serves two purposes. When active fermentation has ceased and the wind is right for the final time after clearing, potassium sorbate will render any surviving is incapable of multiplying. He's living at that moment can continue for many any residual sugar into CO2 and alcohol, but when they die knowing the lease will be presence to cause fermentation. When I wine is sweet and before bottling, potassium sorbate is used to prevent re-fermentation when used in conjunction with potassium metabolic sulfite. It is primarily used with sweet wines, sparkling wine, and some hard sizes but may be added to table wines which* exhibit difficulty in maintaining clarity after finding.*


 remember the differences?


----------



## joeswine

*The process*

DO YOU REMEMBER THE DIFFERENCES?


----------



## joeswine

*Lets start out with what our “Behind the Scenes” thread is about:

*​ Here, we talk about everything that goes on, well, “behind the scenes”. In this thread, we talk about how to make the wine, the process, our tips and tricks, etc. What this particular post is going to be about is how to determine if your wine is ready to bottle. 

We all take sips of the wine throughout the process, just to see what it tastes like and to try to anticipate what it will be like when finished. Here is another one of those moments but the wine is closer to the finished product than it was during your earlier samplings. (duh!)

Ok, So here is the line-up: From left to right: Muscate, Pineapple, Strawberry, Caramel Port, and Cabernet. No, I don’t take “2-glass samples” for myself.. haha. My wine and wine-partner-in-crime (Kate) are the tasters. Here are their observations. Note: Remember, ALL these wines are still young. None are over 6 mths. Old. 



*Muscate:* (started 8/22/13- Wineexpert Kit, with our addition of white Sunmaid raisons)
Light, Fresh, Fruity, Not too sweet, smooth and enjoyable!

*Pineapple:* (Started 7/5/2013- From Concentrate, plus 6 oz. pineapple extract)
Nice, Strong Aroma
Little high in acidity will let it sit a little longer (young)

*Strawberry*: (started 8/16/2013- Walker’s Juice with our added strawberry F-pak)
Aroma: reminds me of fruit brandy
Light, nice strawberry taste, young but good

*Caramel Port:* (started 10/3/2013- Cru Kit, with added 6 oz. caramel extract plus oak tannins)
Aroma of butterscotch and burnt sugar (smells nice!)
Nice caramel flavor, Some fruit notes, nice alchohol, hold and let it sit- it will be nice in time. 

*Cabernet:* (started 12/19/2013- Wineexpert Selection Kit, with our addition of Corinth grapes)
Aroma- oak
Tastes a bit of smoked oak, nice cab flavor.
Nice and dry, Not thin, but not a full bodied wine. Needs to sit

With these reviewers, I think the only one we are going to bottle at this time will be the Muscate. All the others will be better with time.


----------



## LoneStarLori

Joe, can you explain the benefit of of letting the wines bulk age, as opposed to bottling and just waiting to drink it? If bulk aging, should it be stirred or racked every few months to blend all areas of the carboy?

Thanks, Lori


----------



## joeswine

*Again as a holding ground?*

HERE'S MY THEORY AND IT'S JUST THE WAY I THINK ABOUT AGING.

BEFORE I BOTTLE, IT IS ALREADY A FINISHED PRODUCT.,IT HAS BEEN CLEARED AND CHEMED AND THE ONLY THING IT NEEDS IS AS THE SONG PUTS IT, IS(*TIME IN A BOTTLE) NOTHING MORE *,NOW SOME WINE HAVE A GOOD REACTION TO THE WOOD OF A CASK ,I DON'T HAVE A CASK,JUST WHAT I PUT INTO THE WINE THROUGH THE PROCESS.SOMETIMES I WISHED I DID HAVE A CASK BUT THEIR ONLY GOOD FOR ABOUT 5 YEARS AND THEN THERES NOTHING LEFT FOR THEM TO GIVE UP OF THEMSELVES,SO GLASS IS WERE I'M AT AND AS A AVERAGE HOME WINE MAKER THAT'S ENOUGH TO DEAL WITH ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS.BY FINISHING THE AGING PROCESS IN THE BOTTLE I CAN AT WILL TASTE AND OBSERVE AND IF NEED TO REACT TO A NEGATIVE ACTION AS YOU WILL SEE IN SOME OF THE THINGS WE WILL BE DOING ON THIS THREAD.BOTTLING FOR ME AFTER THE WINE HAS PASSED ALL IT'S PROCESS APPROXIMATELY 1 YEAR ,FOR FRESH JUICE AND FRUIT ,3 MONTHS FOR KITS IS ALL I NEED TO DO WHAT THE WINE ,WILL, WILL ME TO DO WITH IT.


----------



## jamesngalveston

joe that is about one of the best post I have seen...no bs..just straight talk.


----------



## joeswine

what i would like to take you thought is some of the product i have made that isn't up to my standards and the ways we as home winemaker can determine whether it's possible to correct or not correct the different levels of defects or faults in the process as i see them.

wines we will look at in the near future,raspberry cabernet from 9/13/2013 to sweet not enough abv.,next is a ,blueberry from 9/12/2010 not enough taste but not that far away and still warrants correction.

these are the first two we will correct if we can! *a good wine maker knows when to say when.stay tuned.*

_have you noticed that lone star lori's post are spot on and the details in her work as she moves through the process is consistent with the manufactures specs but interchanges with her own wants for her wine as she puts her touches on it.
__it never fails once you as a home wine maker learn to *think outside the box* a whole new world of prospective opens up and using the correct technique's and asking the right questions you start to think like all those great wine masters do and say *what if?* Muscate: 
Light, Fresh, Fruity, Not too sweet, smooth and enjoyable!_
*PINEAPPLE 
*Nice, Strong Aroma
Little high in acidity will let it sit a little longer (young)
*Strawberry: 
*Aroma: reminds me of fruit brandy
Light, nice strawberry taste, young but good
*Caramel Port*
Aroma of butterscotch and burnt sugar (smells nice!)
Nice caramel flavor, Some fruit notes, nice alchohol, hold and let it sit- it will be nice in time. 
*Cabernet:
*Aroma- oak
Tastes a bit of smoked oak, nice cab flavor.
Nice and dry, Not thin, but not a full bodied wine. Needs to sit
　 * REPEAT
*Lets start out with what our "Behind the Scenes" thread is about:
Here, we talk about everything that goes on, well, "behind the scenes". In this thread, we talk about how to make the wine, the process, our tips and tricks, etc. What this particular post is going to be about is how to determine if your wine is ready to bottle. 
We all take sips of the wine throughout the process, just to see what it tastes like and to try to anticipate what it will be like when finished. Here is another one of those moments but the wine is closer to the finished product than it was during your earlier samplings. (duh!)
Ok, So here is the line-up: From left to right: Muscate, Pineapple, Strawberry, Caramel Port, and Cabernet. No, I don’t take "2-glass samples" for myself.. haha. My wine and wine-partner-in-crime (Kate) are the tasters. Here are their observations. Note: Remember, ALL these wines are still young. None are over 6 mths. Old. 
Muscate: (started 8/22/13- Wineexpert Kit)
Light, Fresh, Fruity, Not too sweet, smooth and enjoyable!
Pineapple: (Started 7/5/2013- From Concentrate)
Nice, Strong Aroma
Little high in acidity will let it sit a little longer (young)
Strawberry: (started 8/16/2013- Walker’s Juice)
Aroma: reminds me of fruit brandy
Light, nice strawberry taste, young but good
Caramel Port: (started 10/3/2013- Cru Kit)
Aroma of butterscotch and burnt sugar (smells nice!)
Nice caramel flavor, Some fruit notes, nice alchohol, hold and let it sit- it will be nice in time. 
Cabernet: (started 12/19/2013- Wineexpert Selection Kit with added Corinth grapes)
Aroma- oak
Tastes a bit of smoked oak, nice cab flavor.
Nice and dry, Not thin, but not a full bodied wine. Needs to sit
With these reviewers, I think the only one we are going to bottle at this time will be the Muscate. All the others will be better with time.


----------



## joeswine

*Stuff in the bottle*

TELL ME HAVE YOU EVER PICKED UP ONE OF YOU FINISHED BOTTLE OF WINE AND WAS GOING OUT TO DINNER OR A FRIENDS PLACE OR EVEN IN THE SPARE OF THE MOMENT WANTED TO SEND YOUR FAVORITE TO A CONTEST AND DISCOVERED TO YOUR AMAZEMENT THAT THERE WERE* THINGS* IN THERE THAT WAS PRESENT WHEN YOU THOUGHT IT WAS DONE AND *CRYSTAL CLEAR* AT BOTTLING ??OR OVER A PERIOD AGING IN THE BOTTLE LIKE 4 TO 6 YEARS OLD.. THERE STUFF ON THE SIDES?..........NOW WERE DID THAT COME FROM ISN'T THE QUESTION THE* QUESTION IS HOW DO I GET READ OF IT AND STILL MAKE DINNER.*

REMEMBERING WE AS WINE MAKERS ALWAYS WANT OUR WINE TO LOOK GREAT

HERE'S A GOOD TIP ON HOW TO IN 5 MINUTES TO TAKE CARE OF IT AND WORK ON THE REST OF IT LATER,FOLLOW THE SHORT PROCESS.
WERE GOING TO START WITH A BASIC MR. COFFEE MACHINE AND TRAN FORM THAT IN TO A WINE FILTERING GIZMO


----------



## joeswine

*Filtering continues*

notice the depth at which the cork has absorbed the wine from 2006,held up nicely but corks can be funny and also breakdown over period of time that's why sanitation in the process is of the utmost importance the raspberry wine in this demonstration is deep and rich although a little off color IT still has some deep beauty in flavor left to offer. What I will do in time is take what is left correct them.


----------



## LoneStarLori

What a neat. quick fix. I don't have any that old yet, and with any luck, I may get to try that sometime. If I don't drink them all first.


----------



## joeswine

*filterring*

remember Lori this can happen to a white right after bottling!  you think it's clear and then it's not?............................................


----------



## joeswine

*Taking a wine out*

lets go over this again your going out and you find that wine you pick up from the cellar has sediment or floats in it what to do? THIS IS ABOUT TEN MINUTES OF WORK AND YOUR OUT THE DOOR..............

 CAN YOU SEE THE SEDIMENT THAT WAS COLLECTED AND YET THE WINE WAS STILL LIKE DRINKING RASPBERRY SHERBET......................................................NOT BAD FOR A 2006 VINTAGE


----------



## sour_grapes

Hey, Joe, do you mind if I use this picture (and just this picture) at work?


----------



## joeswine

*Sour grapes*

BE MY GUESS ......


----------



## joeswine

*label and bottle cleaning*

this is one of those thankless jobs most of us do ,here's how I make it easy for me either with good music in the background a good glass of wine or both ,keep it fun and have patients..................................................only part 1

note; THE CONTAINER IS FILLED WITH HOT WATER TO A 3/4 LEVEL OR LESS,THE BOTTLES ARE FILL ABOUT 1/2 THE WAY THEN SUNK IN THE WATER MIXED WITH THE *ONE STEP SO THAT THE BOTTLES* CAN FILL PARTIALLY WITH THE CHEMICAL MIX ALSO AND LEFT TO SET FOR ABOUT TWO WEEKS OR SO. WHEN I HAVE A GOOD HOUR I THEN SET UP AND GO AT IT USUALLY 24 BOTTLES TO A RUN ,THEN WE MOVE TO PHRASE 2


----------



## joeswine

*cleaning and delabeling*

part 1 continued................


----------



## joeswine

*Katie*

on *Thursday evening* Katie and OTHERS share work and wine TOGETHER IN are CO-OP WINE MAKING ,notice* KATIE AT WORK,NOTICE TWO GLASSES OF OUR TASTINGS......................................GOOD WINE A LITTLE FOOD AND FELLOW WINE MAKERS MAKE A GREAT THURSDAY EVENING .*


----------



## LoneStarLori

Looks like a good way to spend a Thursday evening. Much more fun than an AA meeting I bet. lol


----------



## joeswine

*Thursday evenings*

CORRECT,THE AA IS ON FRIDAY'S


----------



## joeswine

*moving forward*

SOME MORE OF BEHIND THE SCENES  WHAT WE DO IS HAVE FUN WITH THE CRAFT,TASTING AND EDITING OTHERS PEOPLES WINE,BOTTLING,LABELING AND ALL THAT APPLIES TO THE ART AND SCIENCE OF WINE MAKING WHILE ALWAYS KEEPING IT FUN AND INTERESTING,IF THERE IS SOMETHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT WHAT WE SHOW JUST ASK.....


----------



## DirtyDawg10

Some nice looking wines!


Sent from my iPhone using Wine Making


----------



## peaches9324

they all look yummy but I bet pass time is excellent!


----------



## joeswine

*Wine world*

THEY ALL HAVE THERE OWN* CHARASTICS* AND ARE ALL WORTHY OF A GOOD MEAL AND GOOD CONVERSATION,AS FOR LORI'S SHE HAS HER PROCESS DOWN AND HER WORK HABITS ARE SPOT ON,TUSCON'S WAS VERY NICE WITH TIME IN A BOTTLE IT WILL MATURE OUT TO BE EXCELLENT,THESE ARE A FEW OF THE 75 WINES I HAVE RECEIVED AND WITH OUT DOUGHT THE MASTERS ON THIS SITE ARE SOME OF THE BEST..................................................


----------



## joeswine

WHY WE GOT STARTED......
"When Good Wines Gone Bad" was developed with the intent to help the average winemaker with defects in his or her wine. It sounds easy but not always so. I’m inviting you to come with us and take a step back in time, to go over some of the wines I have in my possession. Some of them have lost their flavor but have good alcohol, while some of them have good flavor but not clear. We’re going to go over and make corrections to these wines in written and pictorial format so that you can see how to correct these problems. We will discuss what tools you need in your toolbox and determining if the wine is correctable. Sometimes you just have to say, "Not my quality of wine!" and trash it!
So stay with Kate and I, and you will see firsthand what you can and cannot do to make _"A Good Wine That’s Gone Bad"._


_FROM BOTTLE WASHING TO ZESTING AND FPACS,TWEAKING A KIT OR JUICE TO A FULL LAYEDOUT KIT PROCESS


_


----------



## joeswine

*Tricks of the trade*

 GO BACK AND REVIEW THE NEAT THINGS WE CAN DO AS WINE MAKERS IF WE* THINK OUT SIDE THE BOX*.....................................


----------



## Neviawen

Blackberry Pinot Noir​ We purchased a medium grade kit (~$80-$90) Pinot Noir Winexpert Kit. We wanted Blackberry Pinot Noir so we purchased 1.5 lbs. of blackberries to go with this. ​ ​ *The Winexpert box includes the following:* ​ · Large bag of juice​ · 1 Pack of Redstar Champagne Yeast​ · 2 Chaptalisation Packs (bags of sugar)​ · Package #2 (bentonite)​ · Package #3 (Metabisulphite)​ · Package #4 (Sorbate)​ · Package #5 (Chitosan-(Fining Agent)​ · Mesh Straining Bag​ · 1 package of oak chips​ Just for reference, I’m sure everyone knows by now if they have been following the posts, that you will need certain equipment to make this kit. For the newbies, I’m going to put it below so you know what you need: ​ · Primary Fermenter (minimum 30 Litres/7.9 US gallons capacity)​ · Long stirring spoon (Plastic or stainless steel)​ · Measuring cup​ · Hydrometer and test jar​ · Thermometer​ · Siphon rod and hose ​ · Carboy (6 US gallon capacity)​ · Bung and Air lock​ · Solid Bung (if you are bulk aging)​ · Unscented winemaking detergent for cleaning (we recommend Onestep or any other oxygenating cleaner, including Kmet....JUST NOT BLEACH!)​ · Metabisulphite Powder for sanitizing ​ · 30 wine bottles, thirty corks , thirty seals​ · Corking machine (there are various types, we use an Italian floor corker.)​ The Process: ​ · As always, sanitize anything that comes in contact with the wine. Including yourself. J​ · Add half gallon of warm water to the primary fermenting bucket with the bentonite packet and stir until dissolved.​ · Add the large juice package. (Be careful, it’s heavy!) Rinse out the bag with a little bit of spring water to make sure you get it all. ​ · Top up your bucket until you reach a 6 gallons. (I marked my primary before hand so I know where 6 gallons are.)​ · Now, we took our SG reading and it was 1.08. We added simple syrup to bring the SG up to 1.10. Our logic is: We wanted at least 12% alc. At the finish because we know the blackberries are going to pick up the flavor at the bottom end. (The blackberries will overpower the flavor if we didn’t have a higher alch. Content. It would just be juice with not much alch.. This is how we do it, I’m sure others have their own opinion.)​ · Next, we added ½ tsp of oak tannin. ​ · Then we added the oak chips and prinkled yeast on top of that. Don’t stir, just let it sit.​ · Then here comes the blackberry. We created a homemade F-pak out of blackberries. (We are going to write up a separate tutorial for this.) Note: an F-pack doesn’t always have to go at the end of the wine, you can add them to the beginning. An F-pack in the beginning will blend well with the wine but will not usually over-power the taste of the wine. If you add it at the end, the predominant taste of your wine will be the F-pak. ​ · We added the the F-pak to a mesh bag and tied it in a knot then added it to the primary.​ · We added bellie-bands because it’s chilly in the winter. It’s about 64 degrees in here. After that, I hung my tag on the side, put a towel on top. And we wait. ​


----------



## joeswine

BLACKBERRY F-PAK​
To continue the above post: the last picture shows us adding the homemade F-pak to the fermentation bucket. For those of you who do not know how to make your own F-Pak, we are going to explain it here.

First gather your ingredients (Decide what type of F-pak you want and go buy the stuff!)
We made a blackberry F-pak so we purchased approx. 1.5 lbs of blackberries. 
1.5 cup of red wine

Please note: We added no water to this f-pak.

1. First, add your blackberries to a strainer and rinse them.

2. Next, add to a non-stick pan (you need non-stick so you don't burn the berries)

3. To the berries, we added about 1/2 cup of Cabernet Sauvignon (because that was what we were drinking at the time. Any dark red works well.) We put the lid on the pan for a few minutes to give the berry juice time time to start condensing their juice in the pan. The lid keeps the moisture in. 

4. As the berries started to simmer we started smashing them down gently. (don't totally mash them all the way.. Just try to smoosh them to release some juice.)

5. The berries will start to lighten in color after a few minutes. Keep them simmering until completely soft. 

6. Now. Turn the stove off and let them cool. *IMPORTANT* You don't want to add them hot to the wine kit.. 

7. Once cooled, add to a mesh bag and close the top by either pulling the strings tight and tying (if it has strings) or simply tie in a knot. 

8. Then, we put it in our primary once it was completely cooled.


----------



## ckvchestnut

Great post love the in depth details and the photos on all your posts Joe!


----------



## joeswine

*Friends and wine*

for those of you who don't no this is 

tom Hildebrand,tom is a good wine maker and a moderator ON  this forum he is a behind the scenes Guy YOU DON'T HEAR TO MUCH FROM HIM BUT HE'S THEIR,as of late tom has been ill but thought it all the wine and beer making has keep tom busy and stable,here we are in his basement bottling Chilean caramare, Cabernet,and PINO NIOR,he filled and i bottled,you fine that friendships will endure through hard and trying times, though this hobby,this is my friend and moderator as you may no him by as, *tom*


----------



## Tom

Thanks for the good word Joeswine.

We had fun. I found out when you bottle with a friend things go smoother
See you next week to bottle 5 of 10 more carboys of the 10 left
B T W nice pictures..


----------



## tonyt

Tom thanks for all you have done here. If I lived several hundred miles closer I'd love to help with that bottling. Joeswine you are exemplary. Cheers to you both.


----------



## LoneStarLori

peaches9324 said:


> they all look yummy but I bet pass time is excellent!





joeswine said:


> THEY ALL HAVE THERE OWN* CHARASTICS* AND ARE ALL WORTHY OF A GOOD MEAL AND GOOD CONVERSATION,AS FOR LORI'S SHE HAS HER PROCESS DOWN AND HER WORK HABITS ARE SPOT ON,TUSCON'S WAS VERY NICE WITH TIME IN A BOTTLE IT WILL MATURE OUT TO BE EXCELLENT,THESE ARE A FEW OF THE 75 WINES I HAVE RECEIVED AND WITH OUT DOUGHT THE MASTERS ON THIS SITE ARE SOME OF THE BEST..................................................



I don't know how I missed this post last month. Y'all are very sweet. That goes a long way in growing my newbie confidence level to almost a real wine maker.


----------



## joeswine

*Tom's week two*

Today we did the california cab,valpolicella,red zin and pino noir,and lambrusco,not bad for two old guys, in 2.5 hrs.,NOW THEIR ARE SIX LEFT....


----------



## peaches9324

LoneStarLori said:


> I don't know how I missed this post last month. Y'all are very sweet. That goes a long way in growing my newbie confidence level to almost a real wine maker.


 

lol Lori In my mind Joe is the king of tweaks, rocky is the queen of tweaks 
and you are the princess of tweaks, you three have me trying new things with a good outcome! I may sway a lil here and there but it's a learning experience!


----------



## cimbaliw

Get well soon Tom.

BC


----------



## joeswine

*kentucky english*

I thought we could take a side step and I would show you my girl of 37 years and her friends and her son the blond hair guy called ,*Napoleon*,nappy for short, also are hers friends they went on a 5 day trip to Kentucky to the national equestrian event (English style) riding and got a privet tour of a sheiks stable, it was a chance of a life time for her and her buds,women and their horses are not to be parted.
in the last picture the one in the lite blue top is her, Lucille*. picture # two is her also....she is proud of her boy*


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## Tom

cimbaliw said:


> Get well soon Tom.
> 
> BC



I am holding my own. blood is good and a stable PSA


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## joeswine

*Kentucky riding*

THE PICTURES BELOW ARE FROM KENTUCKY MY GIRL OF 37 YEARS AND 3 OF HER FRIENDS WENT TO THE ENGISH WORLD DRESSAGE CHAMPIONSHIPS,THOUGH YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING SIDEWAYS OF WINE THE 2 PIC,IS HER AND HER BOY,NEPOLIAN,NAPPY FOR SHORT,HE'S THE BLOND ONE...WHO ELSE RIDES OUT THERE?

AFTER THIS COMPETITION CAN THE OLYMPICS..DID YOU NOTICE THE CROSS COUNTRY HAPPENING ?


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## LoneStarLori

Your 'girl' and her horse are both beautiful. It looks like it was really nice day to be out riding and competing. I don't know anything about riding, but it looks like she sure does.


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## joeswine

*Coffee port*

THIS IS A GREAT PORT STYLE WINE KIT WITH THE RIGHT TWEAKS IT'S ATRUE WINNER...FOLLOW THE PROCESS.............. *Cru Coffee Port Kit*​*The box includes the following: *
· Large bag of juice
· 2 packs of Lavin EC-1118
· 1 Coffee Port F-Pack *( **NOTICE THE INSTANT COFFEE) *THIS IS A KEY ELEMENT TO THE OVERALL FINAL TASTE AND TEXTURE TO THIS KIT.
· Package of bentonite
· Package of Metabisulphite
· Package of Potassium Sorbate
· Package of each Chitosan-D2 and kiesesol-D1(Fining Agents)

*Our additions:*
· Oak Tannin (Tannic Acid)
· Instant Coffee *THREE KEY ELEMENTS IN MAKING THIS KIT EXCEPITIONAL*
· Spring Water

*Tools you will need:*
· Primary Fermenter (minimum 30 Litres/7.9 US gallons capacity)
· Long stirring spoon (Plastic or stainless steel)
· Measuring cup
· Hydrometer and test jar
· Thermometer
· Wine thief
· Siphon rod and hose 
· Carboy (3 US gallon capacity)
· Bung and Air lock
· Solid Bung (if you are bulk aging)
· Unscented winemaking detergent for cleaning (we recommend One-step or any other oxygenating cleaner, including Kmet....JUST NOT BLEACH!)
· Metabisulphite Powder for sanitizing 
· 15 wine bottles, 15 corks , 15 seals
· Corking machine (there are various types, we use an Italian floor corker.)

*The Process:*
· As always, sanitize anything that comes in contact with the wine. Including yourself. 
· Add the large juice package. (Be careful, it’s heavy!) Rinse this out with a little bit of spring water to make sure you get it all. 
· We have our bucket measured to 3 gallons. The kit didn’t quite come to 3 gallons so we topped up until we reach 3 gallons. 
· Add the bentonite and give it a good stir. 
· Then add the oak tannin, stir, and then take your SG reading. It should read 1.10.  BOOSTING THE SG AT THE START WAS A MUST..... 1.10 ....IF NOT THE KIT IS TWO SWEET
· We then took a PH test and it read 4.0. Typically, it should be around 3.5. 
· Finally, we pitched the yeast, made up a tag, and covered it up to rest. PH IS TELLING YOU WHERE YOUR AT AFTER ADDING THE TANNINS FOR BALANCE AND TEXTURE

After it ferments dry: (Approx. 2 weeks)

After it fermented dry (SG: 0.98) we racked it into our secondary, 3 gallon fermentation carboy. 
We had to take out approx. 1.5 wine bottles of wine out of the carboy so that we will have room for the coffee F-pack. We set that aside with an air-lock. If when we rack the wine again and we come up short and have extra air-space, we will add it. 
We checked the ph of the wine and it is at 3.5 which is perfect for this type of port. 
We added the sorbate, K-met packet, and gave it a good stir. 
Next, we added packet #1 (of the 2 packet combination) of Kieselsol and set our time for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, we add packet #2 of Kieselsol and stirred again. (Learning tip: The reason for the 5 minute wait time is you are waiting for the molecules from packet #1 to bind to certain molecules in the wine. The second packet will bind to the molecules in the first packet and then the clearing process starts. (Positive and negative particles will attract, become heavy, and fall to the bottom of the carboy, taking the sediment with it.) 
Next, we added the Coffee F-Pak. Note: Not all of the F pack fit into my 3-gallon carboy. I should have taken out possibly 2 bottles of extra wine instead of 1.5. I put the extra F-pak in the refrigerator. When I rack this again to a final mixing bucket I will add everything to the bucket and give it a good stir.


----------



## joeswine

*Coffee port*

THE PROCESS CONTINUES....FOLLOW...........


FINAL RACKING AND A LITTLE TIME AS WELL AS CHEMS AND THE FINISH PRODUCT IS READY IN 8 WEEKS ,,BETTER LATER


----------



## joeswine

*Zesting in the beginning*

ZESTING A FUN TIME.............................


----------



## joeswine

*Zesting in the beginning*

LETS PLAY..............................Let's make a Cello! IMAGINE THE FLAVORS!
We are only making 2 bottles of lemoncello so that we can show you the process we use.
What you will need:
2 wine 375 wine bottles
mixing vessel (we used a clear pitcher)
wooden spoon
funnel
everclear lemon extract (we made this about month ago and stored in a Ball jar)
simple syrup (made with dissolved cane sugar)

Process:
First, we filled both of the 375ml wine bottles 3/4 the way full with simple syrup, this gives us our volume. We then dumped this into the pitcher.
Next, we filled each of the (2) 375ml wine bottles 1/2 way full of the lemon extract. Then dumped this into the pitcher.
Stir well. (you will see that it seperates because the simple syrup is heavier than the alcohol/extract.)
Once we tasted it and found that it tasted fine as is, we added 2-3 drops of yellow food coloring and gave it another stir. (Some people may ask why add food coloring, we added it to make it more eye appealing. Most commercial lemoncellos do some some type of coloring in them.)
Then we filled the 375ml bottles and corked them. We had enough left over for a shot each to cheer our victory! 

​


----------



## joeswine

*Coffee port*

a thoroughbred in the sweet port category,this recipe is a first place winner. Follow.............. notice the additions that's the winning difference............

 *Cru Coffee Port Kit*​

*The box includes the following: *
·Large bag of juice
·2 packs of Lavin EC-1118
·1 Coffee Port F-Pack
·Package of bentonite
·Package of Metabisulphite
·Package of Potassium Sorbate
·Package of each Chitosan-D2 and kiesesol-D1(Fining Agents)

*Our additions:*
*·Oak Tannin (Tannic Acid)*
*·Instant Coffee and some coffee beans*
*·Spring Water*

*Tools you will need:*
·Primary Fermenter (minimum 30 Liters/7.9 US gallons capacity)
·Long stirring spoon (Plastic or stainless steel)
·Measuring cup
·Hydrometer and test jar
·Thermometer
·Wine thief
·Siphon rod and hose 
·Carboy (3 US gallon capacity)
·Bung and Air lock
·Solid Bung (if you are bulk aging)
·Unscented winemaking detergent for cleaning (we recommend One-step or any other oxygenating cleaner, including Kmet....JUST NOT BLEACH!)
·Metabisulphite Powder for sanitizing 
·15 wine bottles, 15 corks , 15 seals
·Corking machine (there are various types, we use an Italian floor corker.)

*The Process:*
·As always, sanitize anything that comes in contact with the wine. Including yourself. 
·Add the large juice package. (Be careful, it’s heavy!) Rinse this out with a little bit of spring water to make sure you get it all. 
·We have our bucket measured to 3 gallons. The kit didn’t quite come to 3 gallons so we topped up until we reach 3 gallons. 
·Add the bentonite and give it a good stir. 
·Then add the oak tannin, stir, and then take your SG reading. It should read 1.10. 
·We then took a PH test and it read 4.0. Typically, it should be around 3.5. 
·Finally, we pitched the yeast, made up a tag, and covered it up to rest. 


After it ferments dry: (Approx. 2 weeks) 

After it fermented dry (SG: 0.98) we racked it into our secondary, 3 gallon fermentation carboy. 
We had to take out approx. 1.5 wine bottles of wine out of the carboy so that we will have room for the coffee F-pack.We set that aside with an air-lock. If when we rack the wine again and we come up short and have extra air-space, we will add it. 
We checked the ph of the wine and it is at 3.5 which is perfect for this type of port. 
We added the sorbate, K-met packet, and gave it a good stir. 
Next, we added packet #1 (of the 2 packet combination) of Kieselsol and set our time for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, we add packet #2 of Kieselsol and stirred again. (Learning tip: The reason for the 5 minute wait time is you are waiting for the molecules from packet #1 to bind to certain molecules in the wine. The second packet will bind to the molecules in the first packet and then the clearing process starts. (Positive and negative particles will attract, become heavy, and fall to the bottom of the carboy, taking the sediment with it.) 
Next, we added the Coffee F-Pak. Note: Not all of the F pack fit into my 3-gallon carboy. I should have taken out possibly 2 bottles of extra wine instead of 1.5. I put the extra F-pak in the refrigerator. When I rack this again to a final mixing bucket I will add everything to the bucket and give it a good stir.


----------



## joeswine

*Zesting*

zesting for fun ,basic ingredients........

extracts,simple syrup and ACHOLO of some type...............


----------



## joeswine

*Tools in the tool box*

*Capitalization*, is the process of adding sugar fermented grape must in order to increase the Apple content after fermentation. The technique was developed by the French chemist John Claude CHAPEL, from whom was named. Contrary to popular belief, this process does not make the wines sweeter but only artificially inflates the alcohol content. Actually, the sugar in capitalized wine cannot be taken tasted.

*Potassium metabolic sulfite*, is a common wine or must additive, where it forms sulfur dioxide gas. This both prevents most while microorganisms from growing, and it acts as a potent antioxidant, protecting both the color, and delicate flavors of wine.

Typically dosage is 1/4 teaspoon potassium metabolic sulfate per 6 gallon bucket of must prior to fermentation and a half a teaspoon per 6 gallon bucket at bottling

Winemaking equipment is sanitized by spraying with 1% potassium metabolic sulfite solution or 2 tablespoons.

*Potassium sorbate* is used to inhibit molds, and yeast in morning. Also known affectionately as wine stabilizer potassium sorbate produces sorbate acid when added to the wine. It serves two purposes. When after fermentation has ceased and the wind is rack for final time after clearing, potassium sorbate will render any surviving yeast in cable ball multiplying. Yeast living at that moment can continue fermenting any residual sugar into CO2 and alcohol, but when they die no new yeast will be present residence to cause future fermentation. When I wine is swinging before bottling, potassium sorbate is used to prevent free fermentation when used in conjunction with potassium metabolic sulfide. It is primarily used with sweet wines, sparkling wines, and some hard siders may be added to table wines which exhibit difficulty in maintaining clarity and finding.

*Understanding these tools are, Paramount in the winemaking process.....*


----------



## joeswine

*kicking up a kit*

my view on inexpensive kits and how to improve them, remember this is my way ,your out come my vary. Or not?


----------



## joeswine

*Chardonnay continues*

chardonnay continued,,,,this is the basic start of a journey that will make this kit a real wine kit. Cornocopia Chardonnay Kit​ This kit we purchased off Amazon for ~$45.00 shipped. This kit is contained the chardonnay concentrate, as well as labels, corks, caps, packets of yeast, sorbate, bentonite, k-met, and chitosan. This kit contains the essentials for any new winemaker (minus the basic equipment that is needed.)
* What we added: 
* 1 cup American Oak cubes
2 ball jars of simple syrup
Spring Water
* The steps:
* First, we added the bentonite and ½ gal. warm water and stirred until dissolved.
Next, we added the packet of chardonnay juice and then topped up to 6 gallon mark on our primary fermenter. 
Then, we took an SG reading. The kit as is, came to 1.080. We wanted our SG reading to be at 1.10, so we added the ball jars of simple syrup, one at a time (and took readings in between). We ended up using both jars and this brought us up to our desired SG reading: 1.10. We wanted this specific SG reading because we do not want fermented fruit juice, we wanted wine. 
Next, we gave the bucket a good stir, added the yeast, and then added our American Oak cubes. 
The last step: We document the contents on our tag, hang it on the bucket, and drape a towel over the top. Now we wait.


----------



## cimbaliw

Looks fantastic Joe, I really like where you're going with this one. I can see myself substituting golden raisins or chopped dried apricots for the simple syrup. Cantaloupe? Mango? Might have to route toward a Viognier direction with the chard base. Thanks for the inspiration. 

BC


----------



## joeswine

*cheap kits*

the approach isn't to add by re hydrated fruit at this point==== it's to capitalize the wine straight up and promote a stronger background for what ever else we want to achieve in the finish product the second part could be a off shout of your thoughts, got it??


----------



## cimbaliw

Thanks Joe, I was thinking of using the dried fruits as a capitalization method. Something akin to the WE G-Pack (skins, seeds and extra sugar). If adding dried fruit to the "secondary" would you choke back on the initial target SG of 1.110? I do like my wines higher in ABV but that seems like a lot of extra sugar

BC


----------



## joeswine

*% to total???????????*

starting sg should be 1.10 look at your hydrometer what is the final expected abv? With the added elements and time some this should balance out and always does when adding an additional fpac and flavor elements it balances out at least for me....with that balance having a _hot wine_ is not my style.


----------



## Thig

Not to be nit picking here but isn't the word "chapitalization", not capitalization?


----------



## joeswine

*Simple syrup*

whether your adding it in the beginning to capitalize the wine or back sweetening knowing when and how and what the results should be is all about a learning curve. Learning to use the hydrometer is very important to a wine maker all during the wine making event. 

*Capitalization* is the process of adding sugar to unfermented grape must in order to increase the alcohol content after fermentation.

*Back sweetening*, is a process that we use to increase the sweetness in the wine after it is finished this combined with the metabolic sulfate potassium sorbate.

the same principles apply to *fpacs*, some go into the *secondary* and the you can also use them to compliment the* primary* it's knowing what you want the wine to be like at the finish as to when to add fruit or other additives.


 *NOTE. 1 QUART OF SUGAR WILL RAISE THE SG 1FULL %*


----------



## joeswine

*My space*

THIS IS MY WORK SPACE AND MY HAVEN....

A TOAST TO ALL THE FINE WINE MAKERS ON THIS FORUM


----------



## peaches9324

lol Joe your carboys resemble mine. (they have all different colored towels over them) And as always GOOD INFO! Thanks!


----------



## Hokapsig

Joe, what happened to your buret in the picture showing the SG? Do we have to chip in to get you a new one???


----------



## joeswine

*Repairs requires????/?*

YES I GUESS I NEED A NEW ONE BUT THIS ONES PLASTIC AND I HATE TO TOSS IT, BUT A COLLECTION WOULD BE APPRECIATED


----------



## joeswine

*Party wines*

LOUNGE WINE KITS ARE NOW EXTINCT??/THESE ARE EASY AND VERY TASTY FOR THOSE WHO LIKE A COCKTAIL THESE ARE GREAT BUT WITH A WINE BASE IN A LOUNGE COCKTAIL STYLE. FOLLOW THE FLOW,,,,EVEN THO THEY ARE GONE I HAVE THREE TO MAKE AND MY WIFE AND HER RIDING GIRLS LOVE IT,FOLLOW.


----------



## joeswine

*Christmas in july!!!!!!*

from the deep south,lone star lori and the big five.we will review these soon.


----------



## LoneStarLori

Be gentle, my friend.


----------



## joeswine

*lone star*

always...............


----------



## joeswine

*Kate's chardenay in review*

FOLLOW THE REVIEW WE WILL BE RACKING THIS KIT THIS THURSDAY AND BOTTLING NEXT WEEK PICS TO FOLLOW;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;


----------



## joeswine

*Chardonnay continues*

FOLLOW THE PROCESS.............. Cornocopia Chardonnay Kit​This kit we purchased off Amazon for ~$45.00 shipped. This kit is contained the chardonnay concentrate, as well as labels, corks, caps, packets of yeast, sorbate, bentonite, k-met, and chitosan. This kit contains the essentials for any new winemaker (minus the basic equipment that is needed.)
*What we added: 
*1 cup American Oak cubes
2 ball jars of simple syrup
Spring Water
*The steps:
*First, we added the bentonite and ½ gal. warm water and stirred until dissolved.
Next, we added the packet of chardonnay juice and then topped up to 6 gallon mark on our primary fermenter. 
Then, we took an SG reading. The kit as is, came to 1.080. We wanted our SG reading to be at 1.10, so we added the ball jars of simple syrup, one at a time (and took readings in between). We ended up using both jars and this brought us up to our desired SG reading: 1.10. We wanted this specific SG reading because we do not want fermented fruit juice, we wanted wine. 
Next, we gave the bucket a good stir, added the yeast, and then added our American Oak cubes. 
The last step: We document the contents on our tag, hang it on the bucket, and drape a towel over the top. Now we wait. 
Update!!
We checked the SG tonight (6/20/14) and it is at 0.99. This is dry and ready to rack to the secondary carboy. We racked it to our secondary, marked the SG reading and the date on our tag and hung it on the carboy. 
Our wine is coming along!
Stay tuned... 
Cornocopia Chardonnay Kit​


----------



## Boatboy24

Did you put zest in there? It looks like it, but I didn't notice that in your write up.


----------



## joeswine

*Chardenay*

I BELIEVE WE STATED IN THE BEGINNING THE INTENT WAS TO ADD GRAPEFRUIT ZEST AT SOME POINT ,I WRITE SOME MUCH SOMETIMES THE PICS ARE AHEAD OF THE VERBIAGE.


----------



## joeswine

*Ccardenay continued*

KATES CHARDENAY CONTINUED..IF YOU MISS SOME GO BACK.......


----------



## joeswine

*simple syrup*

making simple syrup one of the best friend a winemaker has. Follow the process...................................


----------



## joeswine

*Black berry kit continued*

FOLLOW THE FLOW,EASY AND QUICK 
Vino Italian Blackberry Zinfandel Kit​This kit we purchased off Amazon for ~$45.00 shipped. This kit is contained the Zinfandel juice, a blackberry F-pak, labels, corks, caps, packets of yeast, sorbate, bentonite, k-met, and chitosan. This kit contains the essentials for any new winemaker (minus the basic equipment that is needed.)
*What we added: 
2 ball jars of simple syrup (each ball jar will bring the SG up .01%) *
*
Spring Water
**Oak Tannin** Note: We will add this in the secondary, not primary
The steps:
*First, we added the bentonite and ½ gal. warm water and stirred until dissolved.
Next, we added the packet of Zinfandel juice and then topped up to 6 gallon mark on our primary fermenter. 
Then, we took an SG reading. The kit as is, came to 1.070. We wanted our SG reading to be at 1.10, so we added the ball jars of simple syrup, one at a time (and took readings in between). We ended up using both jars and this brought us up to our desired SG reading: 1.09. We wanted this specific SG reading because 1. We like nice alcohol in our wine and 2. We wanted it to be well balanced. This kit contains an F-pak so the higher alch. Will balance it out- it won’t be too sweet . 
Next, we gave the bucket a good stir and added the yeast.
The last step: We document the contents on our tag, hang it on the bucket, and drape a towel over the top. Now we wait. 
Update!!
We checked the SG tonight (6/20/14) and it is at 0.98. This is dry and ready to rack to the secondary carboy. We racked it to our secondary, marked the SG reading and the date on our tag and hung it on the carboy. 
Our wine is coming along!
Stay tuned... THE PICTURES DON'T SHOW US ADDING THE FPAC BUT IT HAPPENED,IF YOU WANT A QUICK WINE MAKING ABILITY THEN THIS IS THE WAY TO GO AND WITH A LITTLE PLANNING AND THOUGHT YOU CAN TWEAK THESE UNITS AND MAKE THEM MORE THEN THEY ARE.


----------



## joeswine

*fruit for thought*

making a fruit fpac ,easy anyone can do it takes planning and thought..


----------



## joeswine

*tools in the tool box*

these are some of the tools in my tool box and how I use them.................


----------



## joeswine

*Tools in the toolbox*

TOOLS OF THE TRADE.................


----------



## joeswine

*Tools in the toolbox*

over time you will acquire all the right tools to help you preform faster and keep quality up to a higher standard.it takes time and money....

lets talk about head space>..my views..as much oxygen on the surface of the primary vessel as possible.
when racking in to the secondary vessel _sanitation, speed and readiness are_ the key. *lack of* *head space* *in the secondary* *can be a bad thing* for the first week after racking.wine is gassing off and pressure is higher internal then external, if your wine is top off at that point then the possibility of eruption is greater then not ,how many of us have experienced that happening ? so for me at least in the secondary for the first week topping off is not necessary it allows me to stir ,it allows the natural process of degassing to occurred and by the third week after primary I'm topping off or racking down, usually racking down.
remember this is just how I do it;if you've taken notice most times I'm not toped off. But I always have an inert gas as a back up tool (nitrogen)


----------



## joeswine

*something of the wall*

where always talking about wine on my threads how about a little soup with a glass of sharaz/viognier. Follow his process then we'll go back to the main course..........................................


----------



## joeswine

*Onion soup part 2*

I enjoy soup anytime of the year whether it's a cold soup or served hot ,soup to me is a comfort food. This is just my version of a traditional *French onion* soup. Follow to the end.............


----------



## LoneStarLori

Mmm,,, mmmm GOOD! What kind of wine were you putting in that? I usually use a dry red. 
I have those same soup crocks. I have no idea how old they are. They came from a friend and belonged to his mother. I'm thinking 50's or 60's.


----------



## joeswine

*Onion soup*

in this version it's a peach wine added ,it doesn't matter what *white wine* you use lthough reds could be a little strong, any *white *takes a back set to the rich stock and savory taste of the onions but it's their in the background. Traditionally you would use a brandy or port in the mix not my style ,anyway it always comes out delouses because it's not diluted down.


----------



## LoneStarLori

Hmm. I never thought of white. I always use red because I like a more beefy soup and that seems to match. But... Now you have me thinking. 
The sweet onion wine I made last year is ready.. I used it for the first time today to deglaze a pan I was making pork chops in. To taste the wine, it seems pretty much like a Pinot Grigio. Dry and crisp, then BAM... Here comes the onion finish. Using it to deglaze really made the onion come through. I can't wait to use it some more.


----------



## joeswine

A LITTLE OFF CENTER,HIW ABOUT FRENCH ONION SOUP....MMMMMMMMMMMM GOOD.....


----------



## joeswine

*Onion soup part 2*

FOLLOW THE FLOW ....................THIS IS THE BEST PART WE ADD THE WINE AND BOUILLON THE SOUP COMES TOGETHER IN COLOR AND AROMA...


----------



## joeswine

*Sangiovese process with raisins*

*the prince of Italian reds* at work follow the process and explore something different
*Winexpert Sangiovese*​Here is the beginning of the process. We are starting with an inexpensive wine kit from Wine Expert- World Vineyard. It's an Italian Sangiovese. My friend, Katie (Neviawen from the forum here) was here at my house to document the process for us all. I will include pictures throughout the making of this kit, as well as what we are going to do to take an inexpensive kit and make great wine from it. 

Step 1: We have acquired our kit, sanitized everything, and laid out all of our tools before we started. 

Step2: Added 1/2 gallon of hot water to my fermentation bucket and added bentonite. Stirred until no clumps. 

Step 3: Opened up the bag of "grape juice" and dumped into the bucket and stirred.

Step 4; Added 1/2 gal of spring water to the empty bag (where the juice came from, to rinse it out) and swished it around. Added that to the bucket and stirred. 

Step 5: Topped the bucket off w/ spring water to the 6 gallon mark and stirred more. 

Step 6: Took our specific gravity reading. Posted that on our hanging tag.

Step 7: Added 2 bags of oak chips and pitched the yeast. (sprinkled it on top, do not stir). 

Step 8: Cover the top of the bucket with a clean towel. This will prevent anything from falling into it. 

Then we wait 5-7 days. We will then move onto the next phase. 
*Next:
*Ok, today is 7 days from when we started this kit. We took our specific gravity reading and it is at 1.028. Slowly it's fermenting dry. 
I also put up a picture of what the bucket looks like right now. You can see there are some bubbles and oak chips floating on top. It smells great! Stay tuned- it will be going into the carboy for secondary fermentation soon.. 
*Next:
*Sorry this was so late getting posted. I had a few hectic weeks. I did manage to take the pictures to keep up with the process. Here we go- it’s getting interesting!

10 days after we started this kit, we checked the Specific Gravity and it is 1.000- it is almost dry. Now is when we add the raisons and powdered oak (wine tannin powder). We are using 1 pound of black raisons (you can use white raisons for white wines) and we are using 4 tbsp. of the powdered oak. 

Here is a picture of the powdered oak and raisons at the bottom of our carboy. 

For our demonstration we are using the auto-syphon instead of my wine pump. This is the most basic tool for this job and is what most beginner home winemakers have handy. Transferring the wine from the primary fermentation bucket to the carboy helps to degas the wine. 

When you get to the bottom of the bucket when syphoning, you can use wedges to prop up one end of the bucket. This helps you get the most out of your wine. 

We now have our wine in the 6 gallon carboy. Let’s stir it up good to get all the raisons and powdered oak mixed well. This also will help degas more. 

We are using a 6 gallon carboy but only have a 5 gallon batch of wine. I am filling the remaining 1 gallon of headspace with Nitrogen.Once this is racked again it will go into a 5 gallon carboy. 

As always, we write our latest specific gravity reading on our tag and hang it on the carboy.

Cover the carboy up with a towel to keep light out. 
*Next:
*Sangiovese Update: My oh My! It's tasty so far!
Here's our observation: 
There was a heavy body to it, medium tanins, nice bite and a zing of acidity. It will be a good wine when aged. 
Here's a few pictures. But first, let's explain what were looking at. 
There are 3 pictures here. One the side of the glass in the pictures you will notice a "clear smear". This is what we call the wine's "legs". Having these when you tip a glass of wine indicates that the wine has good body and alchohol content. 
Next, you will notice the "age line". This is the line that is between the surface of the wine and the distance to the color of the wine. The smaller this line is, the longer your wine has aged. You will see in our pictures that this wine is still very young yet the ring is close. That is the difference in a kit; they are made to age quick so you can drink them faster. 
*Final step to our Sangiovese kit: Bottling!
*


Before we started, we got all the tools out of our toolbox that we would need. We also sanitized all our bottles and had them ready.
What we had ready before we started:
Sanitized Bottles
Funnel
Ferrari Bottle Filler
Long Stirring wand
seals
corks
Packets of Sorbate and K-Met that came with the kit
my bottle sealing tool (don't know what it's called but it holds the seal on top the bottle while I dip it into boiling water), notice we didn't filter, that's because we racked down to clear.

Next, we dumped the 2 packets of ingredients into the carboy and gave it a stir w/ the wand (I didn't take a picture of this, you all know how to just give it a stir.)

I then placed the Ferrari bottling tool on top of an empty bottle, put the larger hose into the carboy and applied suction to the smaller hose to start the syphon. Once the wine starts to flow I place this smaller hose into an empty bottle just so it's out of the way. 

What is great about this tool is that once a bottle is full it automatically stops the wine flow so that it doesn't overflow. You will see that it gets to a certain level in the little chamber and then it stops filling. When this happens you put the Ferrari tool into the next bottle and proceed. 

When you have all bottles filled, you cork them. Once they are corked you seal them.

Fit the seal over the bottle, I use a tool that holds the seal on top the bottle for me as I dip them into boiling water. I dip it in, give it one twist real quick and pull it out. (Literally takes 2 seconds and it's sealed.)
............. part 1


----------



## joeswine

*Sangiovese part2*

PART 2..THE WORK CONTINUES.............


----------



## LoneStarLori

Let me say, I can vouche for this recipe. I made it last September and it it luscious! Oh, did I mention I got a silver for it in the Unofficial Big Red WMT contest with this entry? . Yeah, I'm bragging. Thanks Joe for showing me how to think outside the box.


----------



## joeswine

*Sangiovese process with raisins*

when this is done correctly it comes out very nice and if let aged just a little even better..
 NOTICE THEN HEAD SPACE THIS WINE WAS STILL DEGASSING AFTER COMING OUT OF THE PRIMARY SO THE PRESSURE WAS STILL BEING MADE,TOPPING OFF WITH AN INERT GAS WAS A WAY FOR ALLOWING THE CHEMISTRY TO KEEP WORKING AND THE OXYGEN OUT RACKING DOWN WHEN THE DEGASSING SUBSIDED WAS THE PROPER AVENUE OF RECOURSE.
 NEXT WE TAKE A BREAK AND BOTTLE..


----------



## joeswine

*Sangiovese part2*

BOTTLING TIME.....................


----------



## joeswine

*filtration*

would like to introduce you to wine making strong arm my Buno mini jet pump..........there are a lot of filtering systems out there but this has been my work buddy for as long as I have been making wines....


----------



## joeswine

*pacific quartet*

finally finished this kit is one of the better white kits out their I(mop) it's finish is smooth, good of body (my way) and can go with all foods, follow the flow from front to back ...


----------



## joeswine

*pacific quartet*

the process continues....capitalization..to bottling then I changed the name ..


----------



## joeswine

*bottling*

bottling time has finally arrived


----------



## barbiek

joe where did you find those green frosted bottles at?


----------



## joeswine

*bottles*

I believe a wine known as REMY was in them and I got them through a friend who owns a night club in Camden. have been saving them for a while now.

 GO BACK AND REVIEW THE FLOW ON THE PACIFIC QUARTET


----------



## barbiek

would like to get my hands on something like those! Do ya happen to have any for sale? Would appreciate it!
thanks


----------



## joeswine

*frosted green*

no I had only gotten a handful and they were by chance and yes they are nice, thank you ......go back and follow the flow on the pacific quartet.......


----------



## joeswine

*pacific quortec*

follow this easy and tasty white wine kit ,it reminds me of a TRIO Blanco I once made,...follow the flow..
Pacific quartet Wine Kit
We used the following yeast: QA23. 
Often used in terpenic whites, it enhances the aromatic aspects of a grape. QA23 really brings out the floral and tropical notes, making an elegant, fruit focused, aromatic wine.


----------



## joeswine

*Pacific quartet*

bottling time, fun with bottles.....notice the change? at the end????/


----------



## joeswine

*Chilean pino noir*

 *Winexpert Pinot Noir*​ 

Here is a kit that we purchased from one of our local brew shops, Richland Hardware. This kit is a Wineexpert Selection Series Cabernet. This kit has the following included:

*The box includes the following: *
· Large bag of juice 
· 1 packs of Lavin 1118 Yeast 
· Package of Bentonite
· Package of Metabisulphite 
· Package of Sorbate 
· Package of Chitosan-(Fining Agent) 
· 1 package of medium-blend toasted Oak 

*As always, I make additions to any wine kit that I receive to personalize it. The following items do not come with the kit- they are out of my “toolbox”:*


Powdered Oak 
1 qt. mason jar of simple syrup (depending on the SG at the beginning of the kit, we may or may not need this, I always have in handy just in case.) 
3 large plums
 
*Just for reference, I’m sure everyone knows by now if they have been following the posts, that you will need certain equipment to make this kit. For the newbies, I’m going to put it below so you know what you need:* 
· Primary Fermenter (minimum 30 Litres/7.9 US gallons capacity) 
· Long stirring spoon (Plastic or stainless steel) 
· Measuring cup 
· Hydrometer and test jar 
· Thermometer 
· Wine thief 
· Siphon rod and hose 
· Carboy (6 US gallon capacity) 
· Bung and Air lock 
· Solid Bung (if you are bulk aging) 
· Unscented winemaking detergent for cleaning (we recommend Onestep or any other oxygenating cleaner, including Kmet....JUST NOT BLEACH!) 
· Metabisulphite Powder for sanitizing 
· 30 wine bottles, thirty corks , thirty seals 
· Corking machine (there are various types, we use an Italian floor corker.) 
*The Process:* 
· As always, sanitize anything that comes in contact with the wine. Yip, including yourself!  
· Add half gallon of warm water to the primary fermenting bucket with the bentonite packet and stir until dissolved. 
· Add the large juice package. (Be careful, it’s heavy!) Rinse this out with a little bit of spring water to make sure you get it all. 
· *Now, we take the SG reading. We’re at 1.10. *
· Now, here comes all that oak! We are adding the 1 packet of toasted oak chips PLUS 2 TBSP of the powdered oak tannin (AWESOME!). 
· Next is the YEAST! 1 packet of 1118 yeast. Cover with a towel and wait 5-7 days.

*Secondary Fermentation:*

*Now that we fermented dry (SG reading is 1.010), now it’s time to rack it.* 


*Notice the aroma? I personally like the smell of fermenting wine. <SNIFF!> Ahh… *
*Ok. **J*
*We racked this down to a carboy. I but it is pretty gassy. I’m going to let this settle out for a few days and let it degas some on its own. Over the weekend, I will force-gas it (If I have to) by giving it a good old-fashioned stir. Once I feel that it’s de-gassed enough, I will stabilize it with the potassium sorbate packet, K-Met Packet, and packet of Chitosan (clearing agent). *

UPDATE:​ We finished bottling our super-awesome, Winexpert Selection Pinot Noir Kit. *We are quite happy with the results. Our end result is a dark, inky-color, rich, full bodied, wine. It has a spicy-earthy, sour cherry aroma, dried fruit, bitter almond, from the huge volume of tannins. *

*For a kit wine that started just 2 1/2 months ago, the results are quite impressive. (We started this kit on August 22, 2013. We bottled tonight, 10/24/2013. After doing this kit, we would def. recommend this one for any true Italian red-wine drinker. 

We would like to thank Winexpert for giving us the opportunity to present one of their finest wine kits they have available. We would definitely recommend this kit to the novice and experienced winemakers alike as it truly is exceptional. 

We are looking forward to our next tutorial now that this one is complete. Please give us feedback and recommendations of what type of wine you would like to learn how to make.*
*Winexpert Pinot Noir*​ 

Here is a kit that we purchased from one of our local brew shops, Richland Hardware. This kit is a Winexpert Selection Series Cabernet. This kit has the following included:

*The box includes the following: *
· Large bag of juice 
· 1 packs of Lavin 1118 Yeast 
· Package of Bentonite
· Package of Metabisulphite 
· Package of Sorbate 
· Package of Chitosan-(Fining Agent) 
· 1 package of medium-blend toasted Oak 

*As always, I make additions to any wine kit that I receive to personalize it. The following items do not come with the kit- they are out of my “toolbox”:*


Powdered Oak 
1 qt. mason jar of simple syrup (depending on the SG at the beginning of the kit, we may or may not need this, I always have in handy just in case.) 
3 large plums
 
*Just for reference, I’m sure everyone knows by now if they have been following the posts, that you will need certain equipment to make this kit. For the newbies, I’m going to put it below so you know what you need:* 
· Primary Fermenter (minimum 30 Liters/7.9 US gallons capacity) 
· Long stirring spoon (Plastic or stainless steel) 
· Measuring cup 
· Hydrometer and test jar 
· Thermometer 
· Wine thief 
· Siphon rod and hose 
· Carboy (6 US gallon capacity) 
· Bung and Air lock 
· Solid Bung (if you are bulk aging) 
· Unscented winemaking detergent for cleaning (we recommend One step or any other oxygenating cleaner, including Kmet....JUST NOT BLEACH!) 
· Metabisulphate Powder for sanitizing 
· 30 wine bottles, thirty corks , thirty seals 
· Corking machine (there are various types, we use an Italian floor corker.) 
*The Process:* 
· As always, sanitize anything that comes in contact with the wine. Yip, including yourself!  
· Add half gallon of warm water to the primary fermenting bucket with the bentonite packet and stir until dissolved. 
· Add the large juice package. (Be careful, it’s heavy!) Rinse this out with a little bit of spring water to make sure you get it all. 
· *Now, we take the SG reading. We’re at 1.10. *
· Now, here comes all that oak! We are adding the 1 packet of toasted oak chips PLUS 2 TBSP of the powdered oak tannin (AWESOME!). 
· Next is the YEAST! 1 packet of 1118 yeast. Cover with a towel and wait 5-7 days.

*Secondary Fermentation:*

*Now that we fermented dry (SG reading is 1.010), now it’s time to rack it.* 


*Notice the aroma? I personally like the smell of fermenting wine. <SNIFF!> Ahh… *
*Ok. **J*
*We racked this down to a carboy. I but it is pretty gassy. I’m going to let this settle out for a few days and let it degas some on its own. Over the weekend, I will force-gas it (If I have to) by giving it a good old-fashioned stir. Once I feel that it’s de-gassed enough, I will stabilize it with the potassium sorbate packet, K-Met Packet, and packet of Chitosan (clearing agent). *

UPDATE:​ We finished bottling our super-awesome, Winexpert Selection Pinot Noir Kit. *We are quite happy with the results. Our end result is a dark, inky-color, rich, full bodied, wine. It has a spicy-earthy, sour cherry aroma, dried fruit, bitter almond, from the huge volume of tannins. *

*For a kit wine that started just 2 1/2 months ago, the results are quite impressive. (We started this kit on August 22, 2013. We bottled tonight, /24/2013. After doing this kit, we would def. recommend this one for any true Italian red-wine drinker. 

We would like to thank Winexpert for giving us the opportunity to present one of their finest wine kits they have available. We would definitely recommend this kit to the novice and experienced winemakers alike as it truly is exceptional. 

We are looking forward to our next tutorial now that this one is complete. Please give us feedback and recommendations of what type of wine you would like to learn how to make.*


----------



## joeswine

*Blackberry pino nior*

THIS IS ANOTHER WELL DEVELOPED PARTENERSHIP OF FLAVORS THAT SET EACH OTHER APART YET ARE AT HOME WITH EACH OTHERS COMPANY,A BLACKBERRY PINO NIOR,DELIOUSE IN EVERY ASPECT ,IT TAKES PATIENTS AND CONTROL TO PULL THIS ONE OFF.FOLLOW THE PROCESS..........


----------



## joeswine

*Blachberry pino nior*

let the flow continue for just a while...NICE CAP ON THE BASE...WARM AND COZY IN THE BUCKET,THE REST AS THEY SAY IS HISTORY...............


----------



## joeswine

*Sharaz and corinthian grapes*

WELL TODAY I OPENED MY FIRST BOTTLE OF SHARAZ WITH BLACK CORTHINIAN GRAPES,YOUNG YES AND IS MEANT TO BE DRANK AS A YOUNG FRUIT FORWARD WINE BY DESIGN IN CONCERT WITH THE MANUFACTURES DUE DATE AND MY TWEAKS .THE COLOR IS DEEP THE AROMA _OH YES I SAID AROMA_ IS SPOT ON ,NOT EVERY WINE IS MEANT FOR AGING AND THIS ONE IS READY TO PARTY,AND I WOULD DO AGAIN .THE BODY IS EXCELLENT AS FAR AS MOUTHFEEL GOES ,THE STRUCTURE IS WHAT IS EXPECTED,YOU NEED TO TRY THIS KIT IN IT'S INTERMEDIATE PRICE RANGE IS A WINNER...............


----------



## joeswine

*Sharaz with black corinthian grapes*

END RESULTS AR VERY PLEASING..
*Winexpert Shiraz Kit*​
Here is our kit that we received from Winexpert. This kit had the bulk of the items listed below included (we added the Corinth grapes, simple syrup, different yeast, and extra tannins). 

*The box includes the following: *
· Large bag of juice
· 1 Lb Corinth Grapes (we crushed them)
· 1 Package of ICV-D254 (this kit came with a red-star premium yeast packet, I choose this packet. More info below.)
· 2 Ball Jars of Simple Syrup (each ball jar equates to 1% abv)
· bentonite
· Metabisulphite
· Sorbate
· Chitosan-(Fining Agent)
· 1 Hungarian Oak
· 1 tbsp wine tannins
*The Process:*
· As always, sanitize anything that comes in contact with the wine. Including yourself. J
· Add half gallon of warm water to the primary fermenting bucket with the bentonite packet and stir until dissolved.
· Add the large juice package. (Be careful, it’s heavy!) Rinse this out with a little bit of spring water to make sure you get it all. 
· Now, we take the SG reading. We’re at 1.080. 
· Now, here comes the Hungarian oak! 
· Here comes the fun part. YEAST! This kit came with a Red Star Premier yeast. I however choose to use ICV-D254. Cover with a towel and wait 5-7 days, gently punching down the grape skins. 



*These are the characteristics and the reasons why we choose the yeast we choose: *
ICV-D254 (when used with Shiraz) makes wine that has a big mouth feel and rounding of tannins, intense fruit, more dried then fresh along with a nice spicy quality if present in the fruit. Helps with color, stability and its useful for adding body to blends. 


(from here on down is still info for amarone, we have to still edit it. We are not yet in the secondary for the shiraz)
*Secondary Fermentation:*
Now that we fermented dry (SG reading is 1.010), now it’s time to rack it. 
Notice the grape skins on top? This is the cap that formed from the grape skin packet that was provided in the Wineexpert Amarone Kit, along with the addition of California Raisins (that I added to add more body). 
We racked this down to a carboy but it is pretty gassy. I’m going to let this settle out for a few days and degas some on its own. Over the weekend, I will force-gas it (If I have to) by giving it a good old-fashioned stir. Once I feel that it’s de-gassed enough, I will stabilize it with the potassium sorbate packet, K-Met Packet, and packet of Chitosan (clearing agent).


----------



## sour_grapes

That looks great, Joe. And for a bit over $2 bux a bottle, who can argue!?!?


----------



## joeswine

*SHARAZ with black CORTHINIAN grapes*

I figure with bottle and labels 3.25 still not bad and I drank it all which is very unusual for me .


----------



## joeswine

*pacific quartec*

THIS is a great white wine to have in your collection easy to make and even better to drink with or with out a paring...follow the process..


----------



## joeswine

*picific quartec*

follow the flow.................. Pacific quartet Wine Kit
We used the following yeast: QA23. 
Often used in terpenic whites, it enhances the aromatic aspects of a grape. QA23 really brings out the floral and tropical notes, making an elegant, fruit focused, aromatic wine.


----------



## joeswine

*My space*

THIS IS MY SPACE :


----------



## JohnT

Joe, 

It's that last picture that makes it all worth while!!!!


----------



## joeswine

*Corinthian grapes*

since I have found these little grapes they have been a work horse for me take a look at the linage
A Grape that isn't a Grape but is a Grape

If you've ever had currant buns, or any other baked product with "currants" in them, you, like 99.9% of the public, thought the "currants" were the little red fruits that grow on bushes. Nope.
The dried "currants" used in baking are actually a true raisin, a dried grape. Called "currants" because one of the names of the grape they come FROM is "Zante Currant" also known as Black Corinth, and many other names, THIS is the variety dried INTO "currants" that are used in baking.
Black Corinth is the name you will usually find it under in America, though in recent years it has become known as "the Champagne grape" due to advertising by a produce dealer who specializes in it. Ironically, there is an old American grape called "Champagne" that is a very coarse, rough tasting labrusca grape of low quality, about as far FROM Champagne as you could get.
Black Corinth is a very odd grape in many ways. In it's natural state, the clusters have very few berries and they are hardly bigger than pinheads. In wild grapes, the sexes are in separate vines, male flowers on one, female flowers on another. This is true even in wild Vitis vinifera, the classic grape of commerce. Black Corinth is an "almost male" in that the flowers have well developed anthers, and very tiny ovaries, probably representing a first step towards evolution of a perfect flowered grape. Hence, when it does set fruit, there are only a few per cluster and the berries are tiny and seedless. However, the variety was doubtless kept as a source of pollen so that the female flowered varieties would set full crops.
How did Black Corinth come to be used at all, if the berries are so few and tiny?
It's a very old variety, probably Greek, and the story goes that a donkey was tied to a vine of it and the animal started going around the vine until the halter rope rubbed the bark off. Instead of dying, the vine healed the wound and the grapes, which were minuscule in other years, were large enough to eat after the vine was girdled. There is certainly a grain of truth in the fable as girdling was a standard practice in increasing the set and size of seedless grapes until the discovery of the plant hormone gibberellic acid and it's ability to do the same thing with less labor.
Girdling, or hormone treatment, causes the clusters to set full crops, though the berries are still tiny. Because the stems also remain tiny, the berries can be eaten with the stems on. This makes the variety seem very dainty and rather glamorous (thanks especially to articles showing frosted clusters of them with glasses of champagne - hence the "champagne" grape) and home growers who have seen this decide that Black Corinth would be fun to grow., which is too bad because it's NOT a home grower's grape.
First, of over 200 varieties in my collection, it is the most susceptible to powdery mildew. As pure Vitis vinifera, it is also completely susceptible to all the other diseases of grapes - downy mildew, black rot, etc. And since it comes FROM such a mild country, it can't be counted on as being hardy to much more than 0°F. But more than anything else, unless the vine is treated with hormone at bloom time, or girdled, the berries are minuscule and the clusters are straggly. So while it looked romantic in the magazine, it's NOT worth the work for most homeowners. Buy the fruit in the store, if you must, but don't bother trying to grow it.
Black Corinth - the grape that's a Currant (Zante) that's a grape.
of these helpers.


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## joeswine

*zinfandel pomegranate wine*

okay, the wine is finished and ready for shipping but first lets take a look at how we got here...ISLAND MIST CONTEST.


----------



## joeswine

*zinfandel pomegranate wine CONTINUED*

Zin/pomagranet continued ,it's a long one.


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## joeswine

*Zesting in the beggining*

adding zest is fun and easy...follow the flow ask questions it's fun and inte
Making Extracts
All recipes are measured out with one quart Ball Jar.​*Citrus Extract*: Consists of The zest of 2 limes, the zest of 2 lemons, and the zest of 2 grapefruits, and the remainder is ever Kleer. 
*Coffee Extract*: fill Ball jar up with roasted coffee beans (your choice), fill the balance of the Ball jar with Ever Kleer. 
*Cinnemon Extract*- ~approx. 12 sticks per Ball jar, top up with Ever Kleer
*Lemon extract*- The Zest of 12 lemons per jar, top up with Ever Kleer
*Orange extract*: The zest of approx.. 8 oranges per jar. Valenzia oranges work best but any type will do. 
*Key Lime Extract*: 1 bag of key limes with the limes cut in half. 
*Vanilla Extract*: 6 Madagascar Vanilla Beans, sliced length wise. Put all 6 in a ball jar and top off with Ever Kleer. 
At the end of one full year its best to pour the extract through some sort of filter (I strain mine through a coffee filter) and add some additional zest of the same type back to it and top it off with Ever Kleer.
*
Making Simple Syrup​*Basic mix consists of : 2 qt. ball jars of cane sugar to 1 qt. ball jar of water. 
*Process:
*Place measured out sugar into a metal pot. Add the water to the mix (It’s a 2 to 1 ratio-mix). Bring the mixture to a boil, constantly stirring from the beginning of the process to the end until the liquid is clear. Have the ball jars already sanitized and ready for filling. Bring the simple syrup TO the jar and and funnel it into them (make sure your funnel is clean, too!) to fill them up. It will be hot so be very careful. Place the lids and metal rings onto the jars to seal them.
*Note*_: we put the very hot liquid into the jars while it is hot so as it cools it creates a vacuum seal to keep the mixture good. Done this way, your simple syrup will have a very long shelf life. 
_Zesting Made Simple​Zesting is the process of the removal of the color of most citrus fruits and other entities that are oil extracted (for their essence). We use a micro plane zester to accomplish our end. See pictures. (If you do not have a micro plane zester you can use a fine cheese grater (Your goal is to get the color off the fruit, not the pitch, which is the "white stuff" underneath the very top layer of the fruit.)
resting.


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## joeswine

*Basic wine chemistry*

Basic Wine Chemistry​*Chaptalization* is the process of adding sugar to unfermented grape developed by the French chemist Jean-Antoine-Claude Chaptal, for whom it was named. Contrary to popular belief, this process does not make the wine sweeter but only artificially inflates the alcohol content. Additionally, the sugar in chaptalized wine cannot be tasted. 
*Potassium Metabisulfite* is a common wine or must additive, where it forms sulfur dioxide gas (SO2). This both prevents most wild microorganisms from growing, and it acts as potent antioxidant, protecting both the color, and delicate flavors of wine. 
Typical dosage is ¼ tsp potassium metabisulfite, per 6 gallon bucket of must (yielding roughly 75ppm of SO2) prior to fermentation, and ½ tsp per 6 gallon bucket (150 ppm of SO2) at bottling. 
Winemaking equipment is sanitized by spraying with a 1% SO2 (2 tsp potassium metabisulfite per L) solution. 
*Potassium Sorbate* is used to inhibit molds, and yeasts in wine. Also known affectionately as "wine stabilizer", potassium sorbate produces sorbic acid when added to wine. It serves two purposes. When active fermentation has ceased and the wine is racked for the final time after clearing, potassium sorbate will continue fermenting any residual sugar into CO2 and alcohol, but when they die no new yeast will be present to cause future fermentation. When a wine is sweetened before bottling, potassium sorbate is used to prevent refermentation when used in conjunction with potassium metabisulfite. It is primarily used with sweet wines, sparkling wines and some hard cider but may be added to table wines which exhibits difficulty in maintaining clarity after fining.


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## joeswine

*Chemistry basics*

GO BACK AND REVIEW THE CHEMISTRY BASICS A BLEND OF NATURE AND SCIENCE,COPY IT PIN IT POST IT WHERE EVER YOU DO YOUR WINE MAKING FOR QUICK REFERENCE.


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## joeswine

*Extracts for flavor*

EXTRACTS FOR FLAVOR AND FUN...
Making Extracts
All recipes are measured out with one quart Ball Jar.​*Citrus Extract*: Consists of The zest of 2 limes, the zest of 2 lemons, and the zest of 2 grapefruits, and the remainder is ever Kleer. 
*Coffee Extract*: fill Ball jar up with roasted coffee beans (your choice), fill the balance of the Ball jar with Ever Kleer. 
*Cinnemon Extract*- ~approx. 12 sticks per Ball jar, top up with Ever Kleer
*Lemon extract*- The Zest of 12 lemons per jar, top up with Ever Kleer
*Orange extract*: The zest of approx.. 8 oranges per jar. Valenzia oranges work best but any type will do. 
*Key Lime Extract*: 1 bag of key limes with the limes cut in half. 
*Vanilla Extract*: 6 Madagascar Vanilla Beans, sliced length wise. Put all 6 in a ball jar and top off with Ever Kleer. 
At the end of one full year its best to pour the extract through some sort of filter (I strain mine through a coffee filter) and add some additional zest of the same type back to it and top it off with Ever Kleer.
*
Making Simple Syrup​*Basic mix consists of : 2 qt. ball jars of cane sugar to 1 qt. ball jar of water. 
*Process:
*Place measured out sugar into a metal pot. Add the water to the mix (It’s a 2 to 1 ratio-mix). Bring the mixture to a boil, constantly stirring from the beginning of the process to the end until the liquid is clear. Have the ball jars already sanitized and ready for filling. Bring the simple syrup TO the jar and and funnel it into them (make sure your funnel is clean, too!) to fill them up. It will be hot so be very careful. Place the lids and metal rings onto the jars to seal them.
*Note*_: we put the very hot liquid into the jars while it is hot so as it cools it creates a vacuum seal to keep the mixture good. Done this way, your simple syrup will have a very long shelf life. 
_Zesting Made Simple​Zesting is the process of the removal of the color of most citrus fruits and other entities that are oil extracted (for their essence). We use a micro plane zester to accomplish our end. See pictures. (If you do not have a micro plane zester you can use a fine cheese grater (Your goal is to get the color off the fruit, not the pitch, which is the "white stuff" underneath the very top layer of the fruit.)


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## joeswine

*Whats in your tool box*

the main wine season is upon us have you taken a look at your tool box and asked your self "am i ready"?


----------



## joeswine

*Tools in the tool box*

TOOLS IN THE TOOL BOX WINE MAKING SEASON IS AROUND THE CORNER FOR THE FRESH JUICE PEOPLE ALONG WITH KITS FOR THE SPRING ARE YOU READY???


----------



## joeswine

*Tool box continued*

TOOL BOX AT THE READY????????????


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## joeswine

*Tools in the tool box*

ARE YOU READY FOR THE SEASON AHEAD???CHECK OUT YOUR TOOL BOX.......................... JUST A FEW OF THE ITEMS YOU'LL NEED............


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## joeswine

*taking a brake*

taking a break will restart up on APRIL 20th


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## joeswine

*My work area*

*this is were i work and play....*


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## joeswine

*Tools in the tool box*

well I just came across a tool that is easy, simple and inexpensive to have in your toolbox.
with all the talk about head space and what should I _do or add or _not do?_ ,*the head space eliminator does just that it eliminates the need to dilute your wine add something really not required and could change the outcome.*_i tried it and it works,not expensive to have and i will purchase at least 4 more that's how sure i'm that it's worth the cost......try it ....*the wine you save can will be your own.*..................


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## joeswine

*Extracts for flavor and fun*

*Making Extracts*


All recipes are measured out with one quart Ball Jar. ​
*Citrus Extract*: Consists of The zest of 2 limes, the zest of 2 lemons, and the zest of 2 grapefruits, and the remainder is ever Kleer. 
*Coffee Extract*: fill Ball jar up with roasted coffee beans (your choice), fill the balance of the Ball jar with Ever Kleer. 
*Cinnamon Extract*- ~approx. 12 sticks per Ball jar, top up with Ever Kleer
*Lemon extract*-The Zest of 12 lemons per jar, top up with Ever Kleer
*Orange extract*: The zest of approx.. 8 oranges per jar. Valencia oranges work best but any type will do. 
*Key Lime Extract*: 1 bag of key limes with the limes cut in half. 
*Vanilla Extract*: 6 Madagascar Vanilla Beans, sliced length wise. Put all 6 in a ball jar and top off with Ever Kleer. 
At the end of one full year its best to pour the extract through some sort of filter (I strain mine through a coffee filter) and add some additional zest of the same type back to it and top it off with Ever Kleer.


*Making Simple Syrup*​
Basic mix consists of : 2 qt. ball jars of cane sugar to 1 qt. ball jar of water. 
*Process:*
Place measured out sugar into a metal pot. Add the water to the mix (It’s a 2 to 1 ratio-mix). Bring the mixture to a boil, constantly stirring from the beginning of the process to the end until the liquid is clear. Have the ball jars already sanitized and ready for filling. Bring the simple syrup TO the jar and and funnel it into them (make sure your funnel is clean, too!) to fill them up. It will be hot so be very careful. Place the lids and metal rings onto the jars to seal them.
*Note*_: we put the very hot liquid into the jars while it is hot so as it cools it creates a vacuum seal to keep the mixture good. Done this way, your simple syrup will have a very long shelf life. _

Zesting Made Simple​
Zesting is the process of the removal of the color of most citrus fruits and other entities that are oil extracted (for their essence). We use a micro plane zester to accomplish our end.See pictures. (If you do not have a micro plane zester you can use a fine cheese grater (Your goal is to get the color off the fruit, not the pitch, which is the “white stuff” underneath the very top layer of the fruit.)


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## joeswine

*Revisit zesting and extracts*

EXTRACTS AND ADDING ZEST CAN BE VERY REWARDING,HAVE YOU TRIED ONE??? ..GO BACK AND REVIEW...............


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## joeswine

*Party wine kits*

SUMMERS COMING AND SUMMER WINES ARE THE ITEM TO HAVE ON THE PATIO,,,,,,,,


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## joeswine

*The bind that ties*

wine making can be a very rewarding hobby ,the people you meet and come in contact with and the cause and effect you have on each other can be joyful,thank you *corinth* for your kind gesture and always ,think outside the box..


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## joeswine

*Finished product*

it's nice to finish a product that in some small way you added your own touch to it,here's two i just completed.


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## joeswine

*Coffee port*

THIS IS THE PRE-ORDER SEASON FOR SOME OF THE BEST PORT KITS AVAILABLE..LETS TAKE A LOOK AT MY TESTED AND TRUE WINNER OF A *COFFEE-PORT ...BY THE WAY THE INSTANT COFFEE GOES DIRECTLY INTO THE SECONDARY,THIS THEN ADDS THE BOOST OF DEPTH AND COFFEE THAT IS REQUIRED TO BALANCE OUT THIS PORTS SWEET FPAC,REMEMBER TO BRING THE ABV. UP.* FOR THE ADVENTUROUS TYPES ADD 3 WHOLE COFFEE BEANS TO EACH BOTTLE THEN SEAL.


*Cru Coffee Port Kit*​

*The box includes the following: *
·Large bag of juice
·2 packs of Lavin EC-1118
·1 Coffee Port F-Pack
·Package of bentonite
·Package of Metabisulphite
·Package of Potassium Sorbate
·Package of each Chitosan-D2 and kiesesol-D1(Fining Agents)

*Our additions:*
·Oak Tannin (Tannic Acid)
·Instant Coffee
·Spring Water

*Tools you will need:*
·Primary Fermenter (minimum 30 Litres/7.9 US gallons capacity)
·Long stirring spoon (Plastic or stainless steel)
·Measuring cup
·Hydrometer and test jar
·Thermometer
·Wine thief
·Siphon rod and hose 
·Carboy (3 US gallon capacity)
·Bung and Air lock
·Solid Bung (if you are bulk aging)
·Unscented winemaking detergent for cleaning (we recommend One-step or any other oxygenating cleaner, including Kmet....JUST NOT BLEACH!)
·Metabisulphite Powder for sanitizing 
·15 wine bottles, 15 corks , 15 seals
·Corking machine (there are various types, we use an Italian floor corker.)

*The Process:*
·As always, sanitize anything that comes in contact with the wine. Including yourself. 
·Add the large juice package. (Be careful, it’s heavy!) Rinse this out with a little bit of spring water to make sure you get it all. 
·We have our bucket measured to 3 gallons. The kit didn’t quite come to 3 gallons so we topped up until we reach 3 gallons. 
·Add the bentonite and give it a good stir. 
·Then add the oak tannin, stir, and then take your SG reading. It should read 1.10. 
·We then took a PH test and it read 4.0. Typically, it should be around 3.5. 
·Finally, we pitched the yeast, made up a tag, and covered it up to rest. 




After it ferments dry: (Approx. 2 weeks)

After it fermented dry (SG: 0.98) we racked it into our secondary, 3 gallon fermentation carboy. 
We had to take out approx. 1.5 wine bottles of wine out of the carboy so that we will have room for the coffee F-pack.We set that aside with an air-lock. If when we rack the wine again and we come up short and have extra air-space, we will add it. 
We checked the ph of the wine and it is at 3.5 which is perfect for this type of port. 
We added the sorbate, K-met packet, and gave it a good stir. 
Next, we added packet #1 (of the 2 packet combination) of Kiesesol and set our time for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, we add packet #2 of Kiesesol and stirred again. (Learning tip: The reason for the 5 minute wait time is you are waiting for the molecules from packet #1 to bind to certain molecules in the wine. The second packet will bind to the molecules in the first packet and then the clearing process starts. (Positive and negative particles will attract, become heavy, and fall to the bottom of the carboy, taking the sediment with it.) 
Next, we added the Coffee F-Park. Note: Not all of the F pack fit into my 3-gallon carboy. I should have taken out possibly 2 bottles of extra wine instead of 1.5. I put the extra F-Park in the refrigerator. When I rack this again to a final mixing bucket I will add everything to the bucket and give it a good stir. 
**


----------



## joeswine

*Coffee port continued*

TRULY A MEMORABLE KIT TO MAKE AND IT'S FUN,ALONG WITH THE CARAMEL KIT TWO OF THE BEST ....


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## joeswine

*Coffee port*

GO BACK AND REVIEW THE COFFEE PORT KIT ,A GREAT AFTER DINNER TASTE AND A EXCELLENT NIGHT CAP.............................


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## joeswine

*Coffee port*

coffee port a winner in it's own right review and see the tweaks that makes this a true winner................


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## joeswine

*Fontana wine kits*

FOLLOW THIS SIMPLE FLOW AND WATCH ME AND TOM TAKE INEXPENSIVE WINE KIT AND MAKE IT TASTE LIKE A GOOD ONE.WITH THE PRICES OF WINE KITS TODAY AND THE WAY THEY ARE ON THE RISE THIS COULD BE A DECENT WAY TO GO.FOLLOW THE FLOW SIMPLE AND EASY A 4 WEEK WINE WONDER??


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## joeswine

*Cheap kits*

cheap kits continue..
TOM AND I ARE GOING TO MAKE TWO INEXPENSIVE WINE KITS FROM *FONTANA WINE THESE* ARE 4 WEEKS KITS SOMETHING TO PLAY AROUND WITH AND TO EXPERIMENT WITH AS WELL.WERE NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING FANCY WITH THEM JUST WANT TO MAKE THESE CHEAP KITS SO THAT WHEN THEY FINISH THEY TASTE GOOD,WE’LL SEE.
 1. SHORTEN THE VOLUMN FROM A 6 TO A 5 GALLON
 2. CAPITALIZE EACH TO A STARTING SG OF 1.10 
 3. ADDED OAK TO BOTH ONLY/ONE CAME WITH OAK
 4. IN THE SECONDARY WILL ADD 1 TABLE SPOON OF OAK TANNINS.

THE IDEA OF *SHORTENNING* THE VOLUMN WAS TO INCREASE THE DENSITY OF THE BASE, AS IT WAS IF WE WERE TO MAKE A 6-GALLON BATCH AS DIRECTED THE WINE WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY THIN AND VERY LITTLE ALCOHOL. THE INEXPENSIVE KITS THAT STATE FOR 6 GALLONS IN MY OPPION CAN BE MADE INTO A 5 GALLON BATCH WITH OUT SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES *UNLESS THEY HAVE A FPAC FROM THE MANUFACTURE.*

THIS SHOULD BE A SHORT PROCESS AND MAYBE,JUST MAY BE, A WAY TO CURVE THOSE HIGHER WINE KIT COSTS???


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## ceeaton

Tom and Carol. You are Saints for putting up with Joe's antics.

Joe, thanks for the always informative (and entertaining) posts. I love them! Keep them coming!


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## Tom

We have known Joe for years and we both help each other.


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## joeswine

*To old wine-o's*

GO BACK AND REVIEW THE TWO INEXPENSIVE KITS *TOM* AND* I* DID THIS IS ANOTHER REAL ALTERNATIVE TO EXPENSIVE WINE KIT'S OR FOR THOSE WHO ARE JUST STARTING OUT IN THE WINE MAKING HOBBY. THERE EASY AND YOU CAN REALLY *THINK OUT SIDE THE BOX WITH THESE............*


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## Bartman

In my experience, reducing the volume of water added to these cheaper kits is one way to increase the "density" by not diluting the ratio of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) as much as the manufacturer directs. However, this can easily be taken too far - I have sampled another winemaker's "experiment" in which he took a 7L kit designed to make 6 gallons of wine (similar to the kits in Joe's post above) and added only enough water to make 4.5 gallons. The final result was a dry but syrupy red wine - the taste was ok, but the texture was all wrong because it was still too concentrated.

I reduce the water addition for these kits to a total of 5.5 gallons initially (instead of 6 gallons), expecting to lose some in racking, and usually end up with a little over 5 gallons of finished wine. I think that is the right compromise of dilution and value - reducing the initial volume to 5 gallons would be too much, IMO. But hey, it's your nickel, so do what you want.


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## joeswine

*Cheap wine kits*

THE BASIC PREMISE IS TO HAVE THE CORRECT *SG BEFORE* AND* AFTER* AND THAT'S WHAT WE SET OUT TO DO,ADDING THE WOOD FOR THE *PH *AND *TANNINS* IN THE_ SECONDARY_, WE SHOULD BE PERTY WELL BALANCED NOT WITH SYRUP BUT A BETTER BALANCED WINE OVERALL.BUT TIME WILL TELL AND IN THIS CASE NOT MUST TIME IS NEEDED......STAY TOONED...


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## joeswine

*Toms wine*

DOES ANYONE KNOWN WHAT CAUSED THIS????/WENT TO UPLOAD PICS AND RECEIVED THIS ..
Your submission could not be processed because a security token was missing.​If this occurred unexpectedly, please inform the administrator and describe the action you performed before you received this error.

 *WHATS A SECURITY TOKEN???*​


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## roger80465

Isn't that what they call TSA?


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## Bartman

joeswine said:


> *WHATS A SECURITY TOKEN???*
> [/INDENT]


I think it's a badge that says "Security" on it.


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## ibglowin

I thought that was "Token Security" LOL



roger80465 said:


> Isn't that what they call TSA?


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## joeswine

*Toms wine*

AS I SUSPECTED KNOW PROBLEM SO FAR WITH TAKING THESE KITS FROM A 6 GALLON MIX DOWN TO A 5.BALANCE WAS GOOD TEXTURE WAS SPOT ON AND FOR WHAT ITS WORTH THE VALUE MADE SENSE TO DO .CAN'T PUT UP PICS I'M BEING BLOCK SOME HOW ON ALL THREADS,STAY TUNED AND WILL WORK IT OUT.


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## NorCal

It is the high end kit makers attempt to hush your project.


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## 2020steve

Joe,
I think the "over size font police" have stepped in and locked you out.
Good luck


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## joeswine

*Toms wine kits*

here's whats happened as stated the 5 to 6 gallon reduction on these kits only enhanced the products overall texture and quality,don't get me wrong it's not going to be a 12.99 bottle of wine but it will be 9.99 and that's a fact,the degassing process is on going and should be completed this week then we'll rack and TRANSFER back to our clean carboys add a little more oak FOR bite and tannins for texture then let it rest for 2 weeks then rack and bottle.


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## joeswine

*Toms wine kits continued*

THE BALANCE OF THE FLOW....


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## joeswine

*TOMS kits continued*

you can always upgrade a kit if you can learn to *THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX*, follow the process so far so good..


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## JohnT

Looking good there Joe....


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## joeswine

*Cheap wine kits*

*johnt* in all honesty you would think that these kits _wouldn't _do any creditable wine making but they have a place in the kit industry and can be made into a contender maybe not with the higher end kits but truly the middle ground ones and especially for those just starting out as a base wine kit to experiment and move up with and learn from.


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## joeswine

*Toms wine kits continued*

were going to rotate forward ,review and then bottle,these are inexpensive wine kits with a future in this industry,really..


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## joeswine

*Toms wine kits continued*

WERE DOING TWO KITS AT A TIME SO HANG IN THERE.....


----------



## joeswine

*Toms wine kits continued*

TOM AND I ARE GOING TO MAKE TWO INEXPENSIVE WINE KITS FROM *FONTANA WINE THESE* ARE 4 WEEKS KITS SOMETHING TO PLAY AROUND WITH AND TO EXPERIMENT WITH AS WELL.WERE NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING FANCY WITH THEM JUST WANT TO MAKE THESE CHEAP KITS SO THAT WHEN THEY FINISH THEY TASTE GOOD,WE’LL SEE.
 1. SHORTEN THE VOLUMN FROM A 6 TO A 5 GALLON
 2. CAPITALIZE EACH TO A STARTING SG OF 1.10 
 3. ADDED OAK TO BOTH ONLY/ONE CAME WITH OAK
 4. IN THE SECONDARY WILL ADD 1 TABLE SPOON OF OAK TANNINS.

THE IDEA OF *SHORTENNING* THE VOLUMN WAS TO INCREASE THE DENSITY OF THE BASE, AS IT WAS IF WE WERE TO MAKE A 6-GALLON BATCH AS DIRECTED THE WINE WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY THIN AND VERY LITTLE ALCOHOL. THE INEXPENSIVE KITS THAT STATE FOR 6 GALLONS IN MY OPPION CAN BE MADE INTO A 5 GALLON BATCH WITH OUT SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES UNLESS THEY HAVE A FPAC FROM THE MANUFACTURE.

THIS SHOULD BE A SHORT PROCESS AND MaYBE,JUST MAY BE A WAY TO CURVE THOSE HIGHER WINE KIT COSTS???
Well so far so good no problem on the *consistence or taste* of the product going into the _secondary,_ we’ve added *wine tannins* and a *cup of oak *again this time to the secondary, we’ll degas for the next week every other day take a ph reading see were where at then will add the chems and start the fining process. _There were no difficulties with the volume reduction_ on the contrary it gave the wine more body and flavor for a 4 week wine kit, not bad so far at all. Now if this had an fpac okay don’t mess with the volume, but it didn’t sometimes the *process isn’t always just right*, we as wine makers have the ability to adjust to our needs…follow the flow.


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## joeswine

*Fontana wine kits*

up date we've degassed added chems and cleared both reds ,tom,carol and i bottled today and of course tasted the finial product,not bad for a _4 week kit_ the *Merlot *needed a little more time to set up but had great promise the *Cabernet* was spot on .we produced 25 bottles of finished wine for our efforts per kit.final enter on these two without counting the bottles or corks each cost us per bottle *$1.80* to produce, not bad for a decent everyday red.


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## joeswine

*Fontana 4 week kits*

4 week kits continued..


----------



## joeswine

*Fontana 4 week kits*

4 week kits the ​
TOM AND I ARE GOING TO MAKE TWO INEXPENSIVE WINE KITS FROM *FONTANA WINE THESE* ARE 4 WEEKS KITS SOMETHING TO PLAY AROUND WITH AND TO EXPERIMENT WITH AS WELL.WERE NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING FANCY WITH THEM JUST WANT TO MAKE THESE CHEAP KITS SO THAT WHEN THEY FINISH THEY TASTE GOOD,WE’LL SEE.
 1. SHORTEN THE VOLUMN FROM A 6 TO A 5 GALLON
 2. CAPITALIZE EACH TO A STARTING SG OF 1.10 
 3. ADDED OAK TO BOTH ONLY/ONE CAME WITH OAK
 4. IN THE SECONDARY WILL ADD 1 TABLE SPOON OF OAK TANNINS.

THE IDEA OF *SHORTENNING* THE VOLUMN WAS TO INCREASE THE DENSITY OF THE BASE, AS IT WAS IF WE WERE TO MAKE A 6-GALLON BATCH AS DIRECTED THE WINE WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY THIN AND VERY LITTLE ALCOHOL. THE INEXPENSIVE KITS THAT STATE FOR 6 GALLONS IN MY OPPION CAN BE MADE INTO A 5 GALLON BATCH WITH OUT SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES UNLESS THEY HAVE A FPAC FROM THE MANUFACTURE.

THIS SHOULD BE A SHORT PROCESS AND MaYBE,JUST MAY BE A WAY TO CURVE THOSE HIGHER WINE KIT COSTS???
Well so far so good no problem on the *consistence or taste* of the product going into the _secondary,_ we’ve added *wine tannins* and a *cup of oak *again this time to the secondary, we’ll degas for the next week every other day take a ph reading see were where at then will add the chems and start the fining process. _There were no difficulties with the volume reduction_ on the contrary it gave the wine more body and flavor for a 4 week wine kit, not bad so far at all. Now if this had an fpac okay don’t mess with the volume, but it didn’t sometimes the *process isn’t always just right*, we as wine makers have the ability to adjust to our needs…follow the flow.
end​​​


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## Boatboy24

Hey Joe: Where'd you get those nice wine log bags for the carboy?


----------



## JohnT

There are some that are sold at Staples. I like them because they are thick plastic and a little bit rigid (you can use them to write on). They are cheap (under $3) and are durable/wipe clean.


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## Tom

They came with the kit



Boatboy24 said:


> Hey Joe: Where'd you get those nice wine log bags for the carboy?


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## ibglowin

Good to see you Tom!


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## joeswine

*The other alternative*

with the prices increasing on the kits we normally use it makes good sence to take a good look at these alternative kits for the beginner and for the pro..you can make it your own but you need to _{think ouside the box}_


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## joeswine

*Basic wine chemistry*

THINGS TO REMEMBER????
*Basic Wine Chemistry *​ 
*Chaptalization* is the process of adding sugar to unfermented grape developed by the French chemist Jean-Antoine-Claude Chaptal, for whom it was named. Contrary to popular belief, this process does not make the wine sweeter but only artificially inflates the alcohol content. Additionally, the sugar in chaptalized wine cannot be tasted. 
*Potassium Metabisulfite* is a common wine or must additive, where it forms sulfur dioxide gas (SO2). This both prevents most wild microorganisms from growing, and it acts as potent antioxidant, protecting both the color, and delicate flavors of wine. 
Typical dosage is ¼ tsp potassium metabisulfite, per 6 gallon bucket of must (yielding roughly 75ppm of SO2) prior to fermentation, and ½ tsp per 6 gallon bucket (150 ppm of SO2) at bottling. ......
Winemaking equipment is sanitized by spraying with a 1% SO2 (2 tsp potassium metabisulfite per L) solution. 
*Potassium Sorbate* is used to inhibit molds, and yeasts in wine. Also known affectionately as “wine stabilizer”, potassium sorbate produces sorbic acid when added to wine. It serves two purposes. When active fermentation has ceased and the wine is racked for the final time after clearing, potassium sorbate will continue fermenting any residual sugar into CO2 and alcohol, but when they die no new yeast will be present to cause future fermentation. When a wine is sweetened before bottling, potassium sorbate is used to prevent refermentation when used in conjunction with potassium metabisulfite. It is primarily used with sweet wines, sparkling wines and some hard cider but may be added to table wines which exhibits difficulty in maintaining clarity after fining.


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## joeswine

*Toms wine kits*

these kits could be an a lternative to the expensive ones and are great for first timers learning the process,follow the flow with tom and carol and me ....


----------



## joeswine

*TOMS kits continued*

things are going as expected reducing these kits from a 6 gallon mix down to a 5 gallon mix works and works well .
TOM AND I ARE GOING TO MAKE TWO INEXPENSIVE WINE KITS FROM *FONTANA WINE THESE* ARE 4 WEEKS KITS SOMETHING TO PLAY AROUND WITH AND TO EXPERIMENT WITH AS WELL.WERE NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING FANCY WITH THEM JUST WANT TO MAKE THESE CHEAP KITS SO THAT WHEN THEY FINISH THEY TASTE GOOD,WE’LL SEE.
 1. SHORTEN THE VOLUMN FROM A 6 TO A 5 GALLON
 2. CAPITALIZE EACH TO A STARTING SG OF 1.10 
 3. ADDED OAK TO BOTH ONLY/ONE CAME WITH OAK
 4. IN THE SECONDARY WILL ADD 1 TABLE SPOON OF OAK TANNINS.

THE IDEA OF *SHORTENNING* THE VOLUMN WAS TO INCREASE THE DENSITY OF THE BASE, AS IT WAS IF WE WERE TO MAKE A 6-GALLON BATCH AS DIRECTED THE WINE WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY THIN AND VERY LITTLE ALCOHOL. THE INEXPENSIVE KITS THAT STATE FOR 6 GALLONS IN MY OPPION CAN BE MADE INTO A 5 GALLON BATCH WITH OUT SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES UNLESS THEY HAVE A FPAC FROM THE MANUFACTURE.

THIS SHOULD BE A SHORT PROCESS AND MaYBE,JUST MAY BE A WAY TO CURVE THOSE HIGHER WINE KIT COSTS???
Well so far so good no problem on the *consistence or taste* of the product going into the _secondary,_ we’ve added *wine tannins* and a *cup of oak *again this time to the secondary, we’ll degas for the next week every other day take a ph reading see were where at then will add the chems and start the fining process. _There were no difficulties with the volume reduction_ on the contrary it gave the wine more body and flavor for a 4 week wine kit, not bad so far at all. Now if this had an fpac okay don’t mess with the volume, but it didn’t sometimes the *process isn’t always just right*, we as wine makers have the ability to adjust to our needs…follow the flow.


----------



## Tom

Now ready to start 2 more kits.


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## joeswine

*Toms wine kits*

they can be additive as well as rewarding as long as you* think outside the box.*


----------



## joeswine

*Shiraz /viognier*

TALK ABOUT OUTSTAND IN FLAVOR THIS KIT HAS IT ALL,REALLY............


----------



## joeswine

*Shiraz /viognier*

FOLLOW THE FLOW........


----------



## joeswine

*Amarone the king of italian reds*

this is for KKENTERT,for your wine making experience this is the way I did it juice or kit follow the process and it will be a winner and oh by the way tell Michael pinto Joe Pauline said to say hello. The idea is to process the juice using raisins and capitalizing along the way the process seems a little long but I try to brake down all the steps as I go, follow the flow. Even though I'm showing you a kit the process and the chemistry is the same the process time and elements are the same ,GOT IT!..... step one get all your elements together first.


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## joeswine

*Amarone the king of italian reds*

notice the kit came with a grape fpac you can make one, no problem. Also it has dexterous your going to use 1 quart of simple syrup for the capitalization precess,this will boost the (abv.) alcohol level of the finished sun maid raisins for depth and richness sounds like a lot but your making the KING of ITALIAN REDS, no short cuts. Follow the flow you can by oak dust online along with any other oak you want to add to the mix, remember get all your product in line before you start and when you get the juice home alow the wine to set until it reaches room temperature don't try starting the process until then that's critical GOT IT !


----------



## kkentert

Thanks Joe!
So you think raisins are as god or better than ordering a grape skin pack? If so, how many raisins would you recommend in a 6 gallon batch?
Oak - Should I add it in the beginning stage, during aging, or does it matter when?
Any thoughts on reducing the juice down a bit by simmering it instead of adding sugar?
Thanks again, 
Kevin


----------



## sour_grapes

kkentert said:


> Any thoughts on reducing the juice down a bit by simmering it instead of adding sugar?



I do not know if this is a good idea or not, but let me point out that you wouldn't need to "simmer" your juice to concentrate it. The kit described already _is_ a concentrate, and you need to add water to bring it down to normal strength. Thus, if you desired to, you could simply add less water.


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## wineforfun

I don't understand some of these kits listed. Their SG range is 1.074-1.100. That is a HUGE difference. The two kits I have done (RJS WS) have listed the SG as 1.090-1.100, much tighter gap.
With the former, it is assumed as long as you obtain 1.074, you are good to go, which would make a very weak and lackluster red wine........in my opinion.
Just something I have noticed.


----------



## kkentert

sour_grapes said:


> I do not know if this is a good idea or not, but let me point out that you wouldn't need to "simmer" your juice to concentrate it. The kit described already _is_ a concentrate, and you need to add water to bring it down to normal strength. Thus, if you desired to, you could simply add less water.



Paul, 
thanks for the input. Joe posted this in response to a specific question I had private messaged him. I informed him that I was planning to get 6 gallons of JUICE that a local winery imports from Italy, so this is not a kit, but rather a fresh juice.


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## sour_grapes

Oh, okay. Sorry 'bout that, I did not realize this.  Carry on!


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## joeswine

*Amarone the king of italian reds*

WHEN using_ fresh juice_ I don't recommend cooking it or trying to reduce it down to enhance the concentrated effect. Picture it if you will as a sauce now's the time to add to the mix all the components it takes to make this wine as true an Amarone as we can at home.

primary: bentonite, med. toasted oak chips, if you can get them, yeast(icv-d254) or (bm45) these yeast will help build the structure of the base wine. THE STARTING SG.to 1.13/ 1.14.if not there then capitalize the base and get it there, Amarone is a high alcohol content wine but with good balance ,once this is done let it set until fermentation is underway when it gets down to 1,09 add to the base 1 quart of simple syrup and the raisins and oak powder if you have some this will also be used in the secondary,cover it and walk away you should have fermentation for about 9 day (give or take)..So far so good.
at this point we have entered to some a lot of items but the quantities aren't that much as far as the raisins go 1 full cup will do ,after a day or two take a reading and post where you are. Yours jp and by the way it's a open conversation to all..


----------



## kkentert

Thanks again!!! I think I'm going to do two 6 gallon batches, each slightly different.


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## joeswine

*Corinthian grapes*

OUTSTANDING TO WORK WITH AND A DELETE TO THE SENSES.


Black Corinth Grapes

*Black Corinth* (aka Zantes Currant, the Champagne grape, etc.). An ancient grape, probably of Greek origin. While the main variety is black, there are red and also white forms of the grape, though they are less common than the black form. One of only a very few parthenocarpic grapes in commerce. Other grapes are seedless because the seeds start to develop, then abort. Parthenocarpic grapes have no seed development at all. Black Corinth has the smallest berries of all seedless grapes and must be sprayed with hormone, or have the vine girdled for the berries to set evenly and have any size to them at all. Without treatment, the berries are mostly pinhead size. Very susceptible to powdery mildew, even for a vinifera grape. The name "Champagne Grape" comes from a pictorial in Sunset magazine. © Lon J. Rombough, B.S., M.S., ATM. · bunchgrapes.com · All Rights Reserved.


----------



## JohnT

joeswine said:


> OUTSTANDING TO WORK WITH AND A DELETE TO THE SENSES.


 
But what if I don't want my senses deleted???


----------



## sour_grapes

JohnT said:


> But what if I don't want my senses deleted???



Stop drinking wine!!


----------



## joeswine

*Oversight*

Just wanted to see if you are paying attention,.,.,


----------



## Rocky

Joe, I understand that you do not recommend "cooking down" juice to concentrate it and I agree with that. I would like to know your view on cooking down crushed grapes when making a grape pack to concentrate the sugars and solids. Thank you.


----------



## joeswine

*Fpacs*

MY THOUGHTS ,take any basic wine grape about 1 to 2 lbs. and let them simmer down just enough to start releasing natural sugars and enzyme's in to the mix. Unlike the grape packs we get in the kits even the high end kits the contentedness is dehydrated and dense with stems, seeds and yes grape skins and sugars.
when your talking about 6 gallon batches my way works out and if you can get a hand full of grapes with talent then all the better,simmering brings out the best in what you can make on your own and can be there anytime you require it.Making your own concentrate can work but you have to be on top of it and be able to do the chemistry or all you end up with is colored liquid*.I've tried it.Making* your own fpac adds a touch of *ME* to my wine.


----------



## Rocky

Joe, the grape packs I have are Cabernet Sauvignon. I purchased three lugs, stripped and crushed them and put them in freezer bags. I note that there is quite a bit of liquid (wich is mostly water) in the bags and I am about to use a bag on a Malbec experiment. I was thinking about reducing the water in the grape pack by simmering it on the range until the volume is reduced by 1/3 or so and putting that in primary with a Malbec concentrate and oak chips. In secondary, I was going to follow your lead on the raisins, tannin and oak and use medium toast American Oak cubes. The concentrate is from Williams Brewing in California and did not set me back a bunch (about $70 for 5 gallons of wine) and I am just experimenting. I have a big WinExpert kit of Argentine Malbec going and the taste is really great, a lot like Zinfandel.​


----------



## joeswine

*In the mix*

HERE'S WHAT I WOULD DO PRESS OUT THE WATER NOT GOOD FOR THE MIX WHEN YOUR READY TO MOVE FORWARD PLACE THE CRUSHED GRAPES AND SOME *RED WINE* IN A POT THAT WILL HOLD YOUR VOLUME- OF- NOW CRUSHED GRAPE PAC.( ABOUT 2CUPS WINE) SIMMER ON LOW UNTIL HEATED THOROUGH THEN HERES THE TRICK ADD 1 TABLESPOON OF SUGAR TO THE MIX ,STIR IT IN WELL,BRING THE MIX UP TO A SMOOTH WARM TEMP AND THEN LET COOL.NOW YOU HAVE RE HYDRATED THE PACK IN A SEMI ORIGINAL NATURAL STATE . *THAT'S WHAT I WOULD DO* .

NEVER WORK WITH THE CAN STUFF ,KEEP ME INFORMED,YOURS JP (REMEMBER YOU DON'T NEED A LOT TO BE EFFECTIVE)


----------



## joeswine

*Blackberry /zinfandel*

this is another one of kate's cheap kits done in a 6 gallon fashion,with tweaks..


----------



## joeswine

*Blackberry /zinfandel*

*Vino Italiano Blackberry Zinfandel Kit*​This kit we purchased off Amazon for ~$45.00 shipped. This kit is contained the Zinfandel juice, a blackberry F-pak, labels, corks, caps, packets of yeast, sorbate, bentonite, k-met, and chitosan. This kit contains the essentials for any new winemaker (minus the basic equipment that is needed.)
*What we added: *
• 2 ball jars of simple syrup (each ball jar will bring the SG up .01%)
• Spring Water
• **Oak Tannin** Note: We will add this in the secondary, not primary
*The steps:*
• First, we added the bentonite and ½ gal. warm water and stirred until dissolved.
• Next, we added the packet of Zinfandel juice and then topped up to 6 gallon mark on our primary fermenter. 
• Then, we took an SG reading. The kit as is, came to 1.070. We wanted our SG reading to be at 1.10, so we added the ball jars of simple syrup, one at a time (and took readings in between). We ended up using both jars and this brought us up to our desired SG reading: 1.09. We wanted this specific SG reading because 1. We like nice alcohol in our wine and 2. We wanted it to be well balanced. This kit contains an F-pak so the higher alch. Will balance it out- it won’t be too sweet . 
• Next, we gave the bucket a good stir and added the yeast.
• The last step: We document the contents on our tag, hang it on the bucket, and drape a towel over the top. Now we wait. 
Update!!
We checked the SG tonight (6/20/14) and it is at 0.98. This is dry and ready to rack to the secondary carboy. We racked it to our secondary, marked the SG reading and the date on our tag and hung it on the carboy. 
Our wine is coming along!
Stay tuned... 

**Update**
Hello Everyone!
We haven't posted the all-anticipated posts of this economically pleasing wine kit.  So tonight is the night! For those who are catching the back end of this tutorial, this is a Blackberry-Zinfandel Kit from Vino Italiano. This kit’s average price is ~$45.00. 
On 7/3/2014 we added the Blackberry F-pak, the clearing agent that came with the kit, the K-Met (Metabisulphate), Sorbate, stirred it up, and let it sit. 
Tonight we checked-in on this wine and gave it our winemakers check-up.
Appearance: Nice dark purple color
Aroma: Berries, oak, and a slight tar smell (which is indicative of a drinkable dark, red wine)
Taste: Definitely taste the blackberry. It's right on the money. Has a light oak taste. This wine finishes sweet but not overly sickening, which is nice. The higher alcohol content (from adding the extra sugar/simple syrup in the beginning) really balances it out like we thought going into this kit.
Although this wine is definitely drinkable to the average wine drinker, I would let this one sit another month to really let the flavors come together. However, if I was invited last minute to a BBQ, this I wouldn't be ashamed of grabbing a few bottle of this to share. 
This was a good purchase. It's a "filler" wine that I can share or drink while the other stuff I have is aging. 
Oh, and for the count- we got 27 bottles (plus one that was not quite full- we drank that). 
The total cost per bottle: $1.66. Can’t Beat that!

Cheers! 
Joe and Kate


----------



## joeswine

*kates blackberry cheap kit*

from vino Italiano....


----------



## joeswine

*Gift idea*

i would have normally never had bought this one gallon kit but i thought what a great gift to give to someone who wanted to start making wine but wasn't sure,and that you could help them along the way, in your cellar....or if you thought about it* thinking* *outside the box style*,you now have a 1 gallon _*pinot grigio*_ concentrate to add shall we say to a chardenay or a chenin blanc,get the idea,very cool.


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## joeswine

*Torrents the making of the kit*

excellent finish to this wine great for any occasion follow the flow......................


----------



## joeswine

*Torrents the making of the kit*

continue the flow it's a bite long but worth the view.......................


----------



## joeswine

*Torrontes the making of the kit*

*the prize is in the bottle,*


----------



## joeswine

*Understanding the yeast*

When i first decide to make a style of wine i usually look for the wines *profile *from *different views of reading*. Then i decide on what attribute I want the wine to take on for that style of wine and my tastes, keeping in mine that when I make a wine I usually aiming for _competition wine making_ and try to make the wine, in the profile that it really should be *not how i like it* .I know that, statement doesn't sit well with a lot of my fellow wine makers and so be it,by veiwing different wine yeast charts I have gained different prospectives on the same wines and as most of you know by now I learned how to *think outside the box* . 


check all the possibilities in the yeast world for the style and profile of the wine you intend to make take time to explore the world of yeast ,remembering their not all created equal and learn to think outside the box always. Happy new year.


----------



## joeswine

*Yeast charts*

THINK OF THE POSSIBILITIES,
.
*• **MT: *Ability to enhance varietal fruit and floral aromas. In Cab Franc MT emphasizes berry, along with straw&shy;berry jam, caramel, and some spice notes. Good colour stability along with enhanced tannic structure and rich mouthfeel. Great by itself or as part of a blend. 
*• **BDX: *Good all-around choice for berry, plum, and jam in the Classic Bordeaux profile. Moderate rate fermenter with good colour retention. Useful for developing struc&shy;ture in the wine by re-enforcing existing tannins- both good and bad, so don’t use with un-ripe fruit.
*• **BM45: *Big mouthfeel, strong plum along with notes of cherry liquor, rose petal, jam, and some berry. Classi&shy;cally Italian in style. Good colour stability and helps to minimize vegetative characters.
*• **ICV-D21: *Fresh berry fruit along with big mouthfeel and positive tannic structure. Maintains good acidity and inhibits herbaceous characters from developing. Useful for hot climate fruit (high pH) and in blends for main&shy;taining a lively freshness.
*• **ICV-D254: *Big mouthfeel and rounding of tannins. In&shy;tense fruit: more dried than
• fresh with a focus on plum. Helps with colour stability and is useful for adding body to blends.
*• **ICV-D80: *Big volume and fine grain tannin, with plum and spice in Cabernet Franc. Great for bringing more positive tannin intensity to a blend.
*• **ICV-GRE: *Brings fresh, berry fruit foreword along with good mouthfeel. Useful for adding fresh fruit to a blend. Effective for reducing herbaceous and vegetal notes in under-ripe fruit.
*• **RC212: *Contributes to structure, with ripe berry, bright fruit and spice. Good colour stability and great for add&shy;ing complex fruit to a blend.
*• **RP15 (VQ15): *Useful for adding spice and colour sta&shy;bility to a blend.
*Cabernet Sauvignon*
*• **MT: *Ability to enhance varietal fruit and floral aromas, along with strawberry jam, caramel, and spice notes. Good colour stability along with enhanced tannic struc&shy;ture and rich mouthfeel. Great by itself or as part of a blend. 
*• **BM45: *Big mouthfeel, notes of cherry liquor, rose petal, jam, plum, berry, along with earthy and spicy elements. Classically Italian in style. Good colour stability and helps to minimize vegetative characters.
*• **BDX: *Good all-around choice for berry, plum, and jam in the Classic Bordeaux profile. Moderate rate fermenter with good colour retention. Useful for developing struc&shy;ture in the wine by re-enforcing existing tannins- both good and bad, so don’t use with un-ripe fruit.
*• **ICV-D21: *Fresh berry fruit along with big mouthfeel and positive tannic structure. Maintains good acidity and inhibits herbaceous characters from developing. Useful for hot climate fruit (high pH) and in blends for main&shy;taining a lively freshness.
*• **RP15 (VQ15): *Emphasizes the berry aspects of the fruit, along with delivering colour stability, increased mouth&shy;feel and agreeable tannins.
*• **ICV-D254: *Big mouthfeel and rounding of tannins. In&shy;tense fruit: more dried than fresh with a focus on berry and jam characters. Helps with colour stability and is useful for adding body to blends.
*• **ICV-D80: *Big volume and fine grain tannin. Great for bringing more positive tannin intensity to a blend.
*• **ICV-GRE: *Brings fresh, berry fruit foreword along with good mouthfeel. Useful for adding fresh fruit to a blend. Effective for reducing herbaceous and vegetal notes in under-ripe fruit.MoreWine!™ MoreManuals are trademarks of MoreFlavor!™ Inc. This document is copy written by MoreFlavor!™ Inc. 
*Grenache*
*• **ICV-GRE: *Strong berry and fresh fruit characters, along with some spice if present in the fruit. Enhances fore-mouth impact.
*• **SYR: *Berry and spice, along with an enhanced mouth&shy;feel is nicely brought out by SYR in Grenache.
*• **MT: *Soft berry notes along with colour stability and en&shy;hanced mouthfeel.
*• **RP15 (VQ15): *Rich berry characters, along with min&shy;eral notes. Enhances mouthfeel to make a lush wine.
*• **ICV-D254: *Concentrated fruit with a focus on soft plum in Grenache. Great mouthfeel enhancement. Good for adding body to a blend.
*• **ICV-D80: *Plum, spice and structure. Great as a blending component.
*• **BDX: *Plum characters developed, in addition to colour stability and tannic structure re-enforcement. Useful as a blending component.
*• **BM45: *Jammy plum, with some earthy spice. Big mouthfeel contribution along with good colour stability.
*Merlot*
*• **MT: *Ability to enhance varietal fruit and floral aromas. In Merlot, MT emphasizes berry, along with strawberry jam, caramel, and some spice notes. Good colour stability along with enhanced tannic structure and rich mouthfeel. Great by itself or as part of a blend.
*• **BM45: *Big mouthfeel, strong plum along with notes of cherry liquor, rose petal, jam, and some berry. Classically Italian in style. Good colour stability and helps to minimize vegetative characters.
*• **BDX: *Good all-around choice for berry, plum, and jam in the Classic Bordeaux profile. Can often bring out spice notes if in the fruit. Moderate rate fermenter with good colour retention. Useful for developing structure in the wine by re-enforcing existing tannins- both good and bad, so don’t use with un-ripe fruit.
*• **RP15 (VQ15): *Emphasizes the berry aspects of the fruit, often along with some spice in Merlot. In addition, colour stability, increased mouthfeel and agreeable tannins are also contributed.
*• **ICV-D21: *Fresh berry fruit along with big mouthfeel and positive tannic structure. Maintains good acidity and inhibits herbaceous characters from developing. Useful for hot climate fruit (high pH) and in blends for maintaining a lively freshness.
*• **ICV-D254: *Big mouthfeel and rounding of tannins. Intense fruit: more dried than fresh with a focus on plum characters in Merlot. Helps with colour stability and is useful for adding body to blends.
*• **ICV-D80: *Big volume and fine grain tannin, with plum and spice in Merlot. Great for bringing more positive tannin intensity to a blend.
*• **ICV-GRE: *Brings fresh, berry fruit foreword along with good mouthfeel. Useful for adding fresh fruit to a blend. Effective for reducing herbaceous and vegetal notes in under-ripe fruit.
*Nebbiolo*
*• **SYR: *Côtes du Rhône isolate usually for classic Syrah aromas: however when used in a Nebbiolo it nicely emphasizes berry, and licorice.
*• **ICV-D80: *Big volume and fine grain tannin, with spice and licorice in a Nebbiolo. Great for colour stability and for bringing more positive tannin intensity to a blend.
*• **RP15 (VQ15): *Emphasizes the berry aspects of the fruit, along with licorice notes. In addition, colour stability, increased mouthfeel and agreeable tannins are also contributed. 
*• **ICV-D21: *Plum jam emphasized, along with big mouthfeel and positive tannic structure. Maintains good acidity and inhibits herbaceous characters from developing.
*• **BM45: *Big mouthfeel, plum jam, along with earthy and spicy elements. Good colour stability and helps to minimize vegetative characters.
*• **AMH: *Enhances clove and nutmeg spicy elements, along with cherry notes in a Nebbiolo. Complex with good red fruit flavours and aromas.
*Pinot Noir*
*• **AMH: *Enhances clove and nutmeg spicy elements, complex with good red fruit flavours and aromas. Colour friendly, some mouthfeel and structure, as well.
*• **RC212: *Ripe berry, bright fruit and spice. More structure than mouthfeel, with good colour retention.
*• **BM45: *Big mouthfeel and jam along with some earthy and spicy elements. Good colour stability and helps to minimize vegetative characters.
*• **RP15 (VQ15): *Emphasizes red fruit, along with spice. In addition, colour stability, increased mouthfeel and agreeable tannins are also contributed.
*• **ICV-GRE: *Brings fresh red fruit foreword along with good mouthfeel. Also effective for reducing herbaceous and vegetal notes in under-ripe fruit. Useful as a blending component.
*• **W15: *Normally for German whites, when used in a Pinot W15 will give bright fruit focusing on berry notes as well as contribute mouthfeel.
*Sangiovese*
*• **BM45: *One of the best all-around choices for Sangiovese. With big mouthfeel, plum, fruit jam, rose, and cherry  

*• **MT: *Colour intensity, tannic structure, and mid-palate enhancement stressed, along with berry, red fruits and floral notes being emphasized in a Sangiovese.
*• **SYR: *Côtes du Rhône isolate usually for classic Syrah aromas: however when used in a Sangiovese it nicely emphasizes the berry, plum, and floral aspects.
*• **ICV-D254: *Big mouthfeel and rounding of tannins. Intense fruit: more dried than fresh, emphasizing plum in Sangiovese. Helps with colour stability and is useful for adding body to blends.
*• **ICV-D21: *Fresh berry fruit along with big mouthfeel and positive tannic structure. Maintains good acidity and inhibits herbaceous characters from developing. Useful for hot climate fruit (high pH) and in blends for maintaining a lively freshness.
*• **ICV-D80: *Big volume and fine grain tannin, floral notes in a Sangiovese. Great for bringing more positive tannin intensity to a blend.
*• **AMH: *Enhances clove and nutmeg spicy elements, along with berry in a Sangiovese. Complex with good berry flavours and aromas.
*• **ICV-GRE: *Brings fresh, red berry fruit foreword along with good mouthfeel. Also effective for reducing herbaceous and vegetal notes in under-ripe fruit.
*Syrah / Petit Syrah*
*• **SYR: *Côtes du Rhône isolate for classic Syrah aromas: violets, raspberries, cassis, strawberries, black pepper, and grilled meat.
*• **BM45: *Big mouthfeel, emphasizes the fruit and structure along with some earthy and spicy elements. Good colour stability and helps to minimize vegetative characters.
*• **ICV-D254: *Big mouthfeel and rounding of tannins. Intense fruit: more dried than fresh along with a nice spice quality if present in the fruit. Helps with colour stability and is useful for adding body to blends.
*• **RP15 (VQ15): *Emphasizes the fruit, along with spice and black pepper notes. In addition, colour stability, increased mouthfeel and agreeable tannins are also contributed.
*• **ICV-D80: *Big volume and fine grain tannin, smoke and licorice, along with spice and pepper notes. Great for bringing more positive tannin intensity to a blend.
*• **AMH: *Enhances clove and nutmeg spicy elements, complex with good fruit flavours and aromas. Some mouthfeel and structure, as well.
*• **ICV-GRE: *Brings fresh fruit foreword along with spice and violet aromas. Good mouthfeel enhancement, as well. Effective for reducing herbaceous and vegetal notes in under-ripe fruit.
*• **BDX: *Good all-around choice for berry and jam. Will also bring out some of the leather and spice elements if they are in the fruit. Moderate rate fermenter with good colour retention. Useful for developing structure in the wine by re-enforcing existing tannins- both good and bad, so don’t use with un-ripe fruit.
*• **ICV-D21: *Fresh berry fruit along with big mouthfeel and positive tannic structure. Maintains good acidity and inhibits herbaceous characters from developing. Useful for hot climate fruit (high pH) and in blends for maintaining a lively freshness.
*Tempranillo*
*• **MT: *Good choice for berry, red fruits and floral notes, along with mid-palate enhancement. Nice by itself, or as a blending foundation.
*• **SYR: *Côtes du Rhône isolate usually for classic Syrah aromas: however when used in a Tempranillo it nicely emphasizes the berry, plum, and floral aspects. Nice by itself, or as fruit and top-notes in a blend.
*• **RP15 (VQ15): *Emphasizes the berry aspects of the fruit, along with mid-palette enhancement in Tempranillo. Colour stability, increased mouthfeel and agreeable tannins are also contributed.
*• **BDX: *Good all-around choice for berry and jam. Moderate rate fermenter with good colour retention. Useful for developing structure in Tempranillo by re-enforcing existing tannins- both good and bad, so don’t use with un-ripe fruit.
*• **ICV-D254: *Big mouthfeel and rounding of tannins. Intense fruit: more dried than fresh, emphasizing plum in Tempranillo. Helps with colour stability and is useful for adding body to blends.
*• **BM45: *Big mouthfeel and plum are brought out in Tempranillo by BM45. Good colour stability and helps to minimize vegetative characters.
*• **ICV-GRE: *(brings fresh, red berry fruit foreword along with floral notes. Good mouthfeel. Also effective for reducing herbaceous and vegetal notes in under-ripe fruit)
*• **ICV-D21: *Fresh berry fruit along with big mouthfeel and positive tannic structure. Maintains good acidity and inhibits herbaceous characters from developing. Useful for hot climate fruit (high pH) and in blends for maintaining a lively freshness.
*• **ICV-D80: *Big volume and fine grain tannin, along with floral tones in a Tempranillo. Good tool for bringing more positive tannin intensity to a blend.
*Zinfandel / Primitivo*
*• **BM45: *Good all-around choice with big mouthfeel, jam, plum, and berry along with earthy and spicy elements. Good colour stability and helps to minimize vegetative characters.MoreWine!™ MoreManuals are trademarks of MoreFlavor!™ Inc. This document is copy written by MoreFlavor!™ Inc. 
*• **RP15 (VQ15): *Emphasizes the berry aspects along with mineral and spice elements in Zin. Colour stability, increased mouthfeel and agreeable tannins are also contributed. Higher alcohol tolerance may also be helpful in making certain styles.
*• **ICV-D80: *Big volume and fine grain tannin, mineral, black pepper, and spice in a Zin. Great for bringing more positive tannin intensity to a blend.
*• **AMH: *Enhances “clove” and “nutmeg” spicy elements, along with minerality in a Zin. Complex with good berry flavours and aromas.
*• **BDX: *Good all-around choice for berry, and jam notes. If there is some spice in the fruit, BDX will help bring it out. Moderate rate fermenter with good colour retention. Useful for developing structure in the wine by re-enforcing existing tannins- both good and bad, so don’t use with un-ripe fruit.
*• **ICV-D254: *Big mouthfeel and rounding of tannins. Intense fruit: more dried than fresh, emphasizing plum and berry. Helps with colour stability and is useful for adding body to blends.
*• **SYR: *Côtes du Rhône isolate usually for classic Syrah aromas: however when used in a Zin emphasizes the berry and plum aspects.
*• **ICV-D21: *Fresh berry fruit along with big mouthfeel and positive tannic structure. Maintains good acidity and inhibits herbaceous characters from developing. Useful for hot climate fruit (high pH) and in blends for maintaining a lively freshness.
*WHITES (Vinifera):*
*Chardonnay*
*• **ICV-D47: *Complex white with citrus, dried apricot, pineapple and floral notes. Lees contact gives ripe spicy aromas with tropical and citrus tones developing, along with nuts. Adds volume/mouthfeel. Barrel fermentation and lees aging recommended. Good single-strain or as a blending component.
*• **T306: *Exotic fruit and pineapple, with elegant white fruit notes in Chardonnay. Contributes to mouthfeel and lees aging is recommended. Good as a single-strain or as a blending component.
*• **CY3079: *Classic white burgundy: rich, full mouthfeel with aromas of fresh butter, almonds, honey, white fruit, flowers and pineapple. Barrel fermentation and lees aging recommended.
*• **QA23: *Usually used in terpenic whites, it enhances the floral, aromatic aspects of a grape. In Chardonnay, floral, white peaches are emphasized with an equal clarity in both aroma and taste. Great as a “top-note” in a blend.
*• **BA11: *Fresh fruit aromas of orange blossom, pineapple, and apricot develop, along with clean aromatics, lingering flavours, and an intensified mouthfeel.
*• **Rhône 4600: *Apricot and tropical fruit with enhanced mouthfeel contribution. Delivers fat roundness and balance along with light esters. Good as a blending component.
*• **ICV-D254: *Usually used as a blending component, D254 gives stone fruit flavours, aromas of nuts, smoke, and sourdough, along with a creamy mouthfeel. Good for adding complexity and mouthfeel to a blend.
*• **ICV-GRE: *Brings fresh melon foreword along with good mouthfeel. Also effective for reducing herbaceous and vegetal notes in under-ripe fruit.
*Gewürztraminer*
*• **QA23: *Often used in terpenic whites, it enhances the aromatic aspects of a grape. In Gewürtztraminer, QA23 focuses on citrus and spice notes and makes an elegant, fruit-focused, floral, and aromatic wine.
*• **W15: *Swiss isolate used to create white wines with a focus on intense, bright fruit and a heavy mouthfeel that gracefully stands up to long term aging. In Gewürtztraminer, spice, rose and citrus notes are nicely emphasized. Good as a single-strain or as a blending component.
*• **ICV-D47: *Elements of flint stone/mineral, along with rose are brought out by D47 in a Gewürtztraminer. Lees contact gives rise to ripe spicy aromas with tropical and citrus tones developing. Adds volume/mouthfeel.
*• **BA11: *In Gewürtztraminer, rose and flint stone/mineral elements are developed, along with clean aromatics, lingering flavours, and an intensified mouthfeel)
*• **R2: *Sauternes isolate used for expression of spice and flint stone/mineral notes in an intense, direct fruit-style Gewürztraminer.
*• **ICV-GRE: *Brings fresh citrus tones foreword along with flint stone/mineral. Good mouthfeel. Useful for reducing herbaceous and vegetal notes in under-ripe fruit.
*Muscat*
*• **R2: *Sauternes isolate well suited for the creation of floral, intense, direct fruit-style wines, such as Muscat.
*• **QA23: *Often used in terpenic whites, it enhances the aromatic aspects of a grape. In Muscat, QA23 really brings out the floral notes and makes an elegant, fruit focused, aromatic wine.
*• **W15: *Swiss isolate used to create white wines with a focus on intense, bright fruit and a heavy mouthfeel that gracefully stands up to long term aging.
*• **ICV-GRE: *In Muscat, GRE will create a wine with intense fruit and a big mouthfeel. Useful for reducing herbaceous and vegetal notes in under-ripe fruit, as well.MoreWine!™ MoreManuals are trademarks of MoreFlavor!™ Inc. This document is copy written by MoreFlavor!™ Inc. 



*• **BA11: *Floral with soft apricot notes, along with good mouthfeel contribution. Good for blends.
*• **ICV-D47: *Elements of flint stone/mineral, along with rose are brought out by D47 a Muscat. Lees contact gives rise to ripe spicy aromas with tropical and citrus tones developing. Good as a blending component. Adds volume/mouthfeel.
*Pinot Gris/Grigio*
*• **BA11: *In Pinot Gris, floral, peach, apricot, and tropical fruit elements are developed, along with clean aromatics, lingering flavours, and an intensified mouthfeel. Good single-strain choice.
*• **QA23: *Usually used in terpenic whites, it enhances the aromatic aspects of a grape. In Pinot Gris, QA23 focuses on floral, along with peach/apricot notes. It makes an elegant, fruit-focused, floral, and aromatic wine.
*• **Rhône 4600: *Peach, apricot and tropical fruit with enhanced mouthfeel contribution. Delivers fat roundness and balance along with light esters. Good either as a single strain or as a blending component.
*• **ICV-D47: *Tropical fruit, along with a rich mouthfeel is brought out by D47 in a Pinot Gris. Lees contact gives rise to ripe spicy aromas with tropical and citrus tones developing. Adds volume/mouthfeel. Lees aging recommended. Good single-strain or as a blending component.
*• **ICV-GRE: *Brings fresh pear and melon tones foreword along with good mouthfeel. Useful for reducing herbaceous and vegetal notes in under-ripe fruit.
*• **R2: *Sauternes isolate used in a Pinot Gris for expression of, tropical fruit notes in an intense, direct fruit-style wine.
*• **ICV-D254: *As a blending component, D254 gives stone fruit flavours, aromas of nuts, smoke, and sourdough, along with a creamy mouthfeel. Good for adding complexity and mouthfeel.
*• **CY3079: *Classic white burgundy: rich, full mouthfeel with aromas of fresh butter, almonds, honey, white fruit, flowers and pineapple. Barrel fermentation and lees aging recommended. Good for adding complexity and mouthfeel to a blend.
*Riesling*
*• **BA11: *In Riesling, floral and tropical fruit elements are developed, along with clean aromatics, lingering flavours, and an intensified mouthfeel.
*• **W15: *Swiss isolate used to create white wines with a focus on intense, bright fruit and a heavy mouthfeel that gracefully stands up to long term aging. In Riesling, floral and citrus notes are emphasized. Good as a single-strain or as a blending component.
*• **QA23: *Usually used in terpenic whites, it enhances the aromatic aspects of a grape. In Riesling, QA23 focuses on citrus notes and makes an elegant, fruit-focused, floral, and aromatic wine.
*• **ICV-D47: *Elements of apple, rose and peach are brought out by D47 in a Riesling. Lees contact gives rise to ripe spicy aromas with tropical and citrus tones developing. Adds volume/mouthfeel.
*• **T306: *Rose and peach notes are nicely emphasized. Contributes to mouthfeel and is a good blending component.
*• **R2: *Sauternes isolate used for expression of tropical/passion fruit notes in an intense, direct fruit-style Riesling.
*• **R-HST: *Austrian isolate that retains fresh varietal character while contributing body and mouthfeel, rose and peach characteristics are accentuated. Used
• to produce a crisp, leaner-styled Riesling capable of showing minerality that is intended for aging.
*• **ICV-GRE: *Brings fresh tropical fruit tones foreword along with good mouthfeel. Also effective for reducing herbaceous and vegetal notes in under-ripe Fruit.
*Roussanne*
*• **W15: *Swiss isolate used to create white wines with a focus on intense, bright fruit and a heavy mouthfeel that gracefully stands up to long term aging. In Roussanne, elements of mineral, spice, citrus zest, and floral notes are Emphasized. Good single-strain choice.
*• **VL3: *Mineral, spice, and citrus zest are all enhanced by VL3 in Roussanne. Good single-strain choice or as a blending component.
*• **BA11: *In Roussanne, floral elements are developed, along with clean aromatics, lingering flavours, and an intensified mouthfeel.
*• **ICV-D47: *Elements of spice, as well an increase in volume are brought out by D47 in Roussanne. Lees contact gives rise to ripe spicy aromas with citrus tones developing. Good for adding spice to a blend. Lees aging recommended.
*• **QA23: *Usually used in terpenic whites, it enhances the aromatic aspects of a grape. In Roussanne, QA23 focuses on citrus zest notes and makes an elegant, fruit-focused, floral, and aromatic wine.
*• **ICV-D21: *Floral and citrus zest notes are emphasized, along with an increase in volume. Maintains good acidity.
*• **ICV-D254: *Contributes mineral, spice, and volume to a Roussanne. Good as a blending component.
*Sauvignon Blanc*
*• **VL3: *Enhances the classic Sauvignon Blanc characteristics MoreWine!™ MoreManuals are trademarks of MoreFlavor!™ Inc. This document is copy written by MoreFlavor!™ Inc. 
including citrus zest, lemon grass, and lime leaf. Very French in style, with complexity and not just fruit being emphasized. Good single-strain choice or as a blending component.
*• **QA23: *Usually used in terpenic whites, it enhances the aromatic aspects of a grape. In Sauvignon Blanc, QA23 focuses on citrus notes and makes an elegant, fruit-focused, floral, and aromatic wine.
*• **ICV-D47: *Complex white with citrus and floral notes. Lees contact gives ripe spicy aromas with tropical and citrus tones developing. Adds volume/mouthfeel. Barrel fermentation and lees aging recommended. Good single-strain or as a blending component.
*• **T306: *Exotic fruit and pineapple, with elegant tropical notes in Sauvignon Blanc. Contributes to mouthfeel and lees aging is recommended. Good as a blending component.
*• **BA11: *In Sauvignon Blanc, fresh fruit aromas of citrus, pear/melon, tropical fruit and some spice develop, along with clean aromatics, lingering flavours, and an intensified mouthfeel.
*• **R2: *Sauternes isolate used for expression of Sauvignon Blanc aromas, tropical/passion fruit notes in an intense, direct fruit-style wine.
*• **ICV-K1: *Creates a light, crisp, fresh wine that will bring out the grassy/asparagus qualities of a Sauvignon Blanc.
*• **W15: *Swiss isolate used to create white wines with a focus on intense, bright fruit and a heavy mouthfeel that gracefully stands up to long term aging.
*• **Rhône 4600: *Tropical fruit with enhanced mouthfeel contribution. Does not enhance varietal characteristics, but does contribute fat roundness and balance along with light esters. Good as a blending component.
*• **ICV-GRE: *Brings fresh pear and melon tones foreword along with good mouthfeel. Useful for reducing herbaceous and vegetal notes in under-ripe fruit.
*Viognier*
*• **BA11: *In Viognier, floral, stone fruit and tropical flavors and aromas develop, along with clean aromatics, lingering flavours, and an intensified mouthfeel. Great single strain.
*• **QA23: *Often used in terpenic whites, it enhances the aromatic aspects of a grape. In Viognier, QA23 really brings out the floral and tropical notes, making an elegant, fruit focused, aromatic wine.
*• **R2: *Sauternes isolate well suited for the creation of a floral, tropical, intense, direct fruit-style wines, such as Viognier.
*• **ICV-D47: *Complex white with stone fruits and spice. Adds volume/mouthfeel. Barrel fermentation and lees aging recommended. Lees contact gives ripe spicy aromas. Good single-strain or as a blending component.
*• **ICV-GRE: *Brings fresh tropical fruit and a good mouthfeel. Useful for reducing herbaceous and vegetal notes in under-ripe fruit.
*• **ICV-D254: *Usually used as a blending component, D254 gives stone fruit flavours, aromas of nuts, smoke, and sourdough, along with a creamy mouthfeel. Good for adding complexity and mouthfeel to a blend.
*ROSÉ:*
*• **Rhône 4600: *Complex aromatics along with strawberry, pear and pineapple. Enhances mouthfeel and volume. Great single strain choice or as a blending component.
*• **ICV-GRE: *Stable fresh fruit characters, along with high fore-mouth volume enhancement. Good as a single-strain or as a blending component.
*• **ICV-D21: *Enhances mouthfeel while maintaining acid&shy;ity for bright, fresh fruit in the final wine. Useful as a blending component to freshen-up hot climate/high pH fruit.
*• **W15: *Bright fruit with heavy mouthfeel makes W15 a good single strain-selection by itself, or as a blending component.
*• **71B: *“Fruit salad” character, long-lived aromas from production of esters and higher alcohols. Can metabo&shy;lize up to 30% of the malic acid in a must.
*REDS (Hybrids & Labrusca):*
*• **Baco Noir: *Wood, spice, richness, rustic, smoky. High acidity. Suggested yeasts: AMH, BDX, MT, SYR, BM45, ICV-D254.
*• **Chambourcin: *Spicy, fragrant, herbaceous, with good  


acidity and structure. Suggested yeasts: AMH, SYR, RC212, T306, MT, BM45.
*• **Chancellor: *Rich body, tannic, Good for adding body and structure to blends. Flavours of plum and cedar. Suggested yeasts: BDX, MT, SYR, VQ15, BM45
*• **Concord: *Suggested yeasts: BDX, MT.
*• **De Chaunac: *Fruity, with low to mild tannins. Suggested yeasts: BDX, MT, SYR. BM45, RC212.
*• **Maréchal Foch: *Deep purple colour, medium structure, with deep berry fruit. Suggested yeasts: AMH, RC212, ICV-GRE, BDX, MT, SYR, BM45, T306, VQ15.
*• **Norton (Cynthiana): *Deeply pigmented, spicy rasp&shy;berry, often with coffee and chocolate notes. Suggested yeasts: ICV-D254, ICV-GRE, BM45, AMH, BDX, MT, SYR.
*• **Frontenac: *BM45, RC212
*WHITES (Hybrids & Labrusca):*
*• **Aurore: *Suggested yeasts: W15, R2, ACV-GRE, AMH, ICV-D47, QA23, T306, 58W3, 
*• **Catawba: *Suggested yeasts: T306, R2, W15, ICV-GRE
*• **Cayuga: *Suggested yeasts: ICV-D47, T306, W15, 58W3, R2, ICV-GRE
*• **Delaware: *Suggested yeasts: W15, R2, T306
*• **Muscadine: *Suggested yeasts: W15, R2, 58W3, T306, QA23, ICV-D47, AMH, ICV-GRE
*• **Niagara: *Suggested yeasts: W15, T306, QA23, R2.
*• **Seyval: *Suggested yeasts: W15, ICV-D47, QA23, T306, R2, ICV-GRE, 58W3
*• **Vidal: *Suggested yeasts: QA23, T306, W15, R2, ICV-GRE, 58W3, AMH
*• **Vignoles: *Suggested yeasts: R2, T306, W15, ICV-D47, 58W3, AMH, ICV-GRE


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## joeswine

*talking yeast*

GO BACK AND REVIEW THE YEAST CHART AND COMPARE THAT TO THE WINES PROFILE YOU INTEND TO MAKE ,THE CHART COULD CHANGE YOUR MIND AS WELL AS THE QUALITY AND TASTE OF YOUR FINISHED PRODUCT.


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## joeswine

*Basic wine chemistry*

TIME TO REMEMBER THE WHAT ,WHERE AN
*Basic Wine Chemistry *​ 
*Chaptalization* is the process of adding sugar to unfermented grape developed by the French chemist Jean-Antoine-Claude Chaptal, for whom it was named. Contrary to popular belief, this process does not make the wine sweeter but only artificially inflates the alcohol content. Additionally, the sugar in chaptalized wine cannot be tasted. 
*Potassium Metabisulfite* is a common wine or must additive, where it forms sulfur dioxide gas (SO2). This both prevents most wild microorganisms from growing, and it acts as potent antioxidant, protecting both the color, and delicate flavors of wine. 
Typical dosage is ¼ tsp potassium metabisulfite, per 6 gallon bucket of must (yielding roughly 75ppm of SO2) prior to fermentation, and ½ tsp per 6 gallon bucket (150 ppm of SO2) at bottling. 
Winemaking equipment is sanitized by spraying with a 1% SO2 (2 tsp potassium metabisulfite per L) solution. 
*Potassium Sorbate* is used to inhibit molds, and yeasts in wine. Also known affectionately as “wine stabilizer”, potassium sorbate produces sorbic acid when added to wine. It serves two purposes. When active fermentation has ceased and the wine is racked for the final time after clearing, potassium sorbate will continue fermenting any residual sugar into CO2 and alcohol, but when they die no new yeast will be present to cause future fermentation. When a wine is sweetened before bottling, potassium sorbate is used to prevent refermentation when used in conjunction with potassium metabisulfite. It is primarily used with sweet wines, sparkling wines and some hard cider but may be added to table wines which exhibits difficulty in maintaining clarity after fining.


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## joeswine

*Basic wine chemistry*

*Basic Wine Chemistry *​

*Chaptalization* is the process of adding sugar to unfermented grape developed by the French chemist Jean-Antoine-Claude Chaptal, for whom it was named. Contrary to popular belief, this process does not make the wine sweeter but only artificially inflates the alcohol content. Additionally, the sugar in chaptalized wine cannot be tasted. 
*Potassium Metabisulfite* is a common wine or must additive, where it forms sulfur dioxide gas (SO2). This both prevents most wild microorganisms from growing, and it acts as potent antioxidant, protecting both the color, and delicate flavors of wine. 
Typical dosage is ¼ tsp potassium metabisulfite, per 6 gallon bucket of must (yielding roughly 75ppm of SO2) prior to fermentation, and ½ tsp per 6 gallon bucket (150 ppm of SO2) at bottling. 
Winemaking equipment is sanitized by spraying with a 1% SO2 (2 tsp potassium metabisulfite per L) solution. 
*Potassium Sorbate* is used to inhibit molds, and yeasts in wine. Also known affectionately as “wine stabilizer”, potassium sorbate produces sorbic acid when added to wine. It serves two purposes. When active fermentation has ceased and the wine is racked for the final time after clearing, potassium sorbate will continue fermenting any residual sugar into CO2 and alcohol, but when they die no new yeast will be present to cause future fermentation. When a wine is sweetened before bottling, potassium sorbate is used to prevent refermentation when used in conjunction with potassium metabisulfite. It is primarily used with sweet wines, sparkling wines and some hard cider but may be added to table wines which exhibits difficulty in maintaining clarity after fining.


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## joeswine

*Coffee port*

THIS is one outstanding kit to tweak and win with ,REALLY,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,


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## joeswine

*Coffee port continued*

*Cru Coffee Port Kit*​

*The box includes the following: *
· Large bag of juice
· 2 packs of Lavin EC-1118
· 1 Coffee Port F-Pack
· Package of bentonite
· Package of Metabisulphite
· Package of Potassium Sorbate
· Package of each Chitosan-D2 and kiesesol-D1(Fining Agents)

*Our additions:*
· Oak Tannin (Tannic Acid)
· Instant Coffee
· Spring Water

*Tools you will need:*
· Primary Fermenter (minimum 30 Litres/7.9 US gallons capacity)
· Long stirring spoon (Plastic or stainless steel)
· Measuring cup
· Hydrometer and test jar
· Thermometer
· Wine thief
· Siphon rod and hose 
· Carboy (3 US gallon capacity)
· Bung and Air lock
· Solid Bung (if you are bulk aging)
· Unscented winemaking detergent for cleaning (we recommend One-step or any other oxygenating cleaner, including Kmet....JUST NOT BLEACH!)
· Metabisulphite Powder for sanitizing 
· 15 wine bottles, 15 corks , 15 seals
· Corking machine (there are various types, we use an Italian floor corker.)

*The Process:*
· As always, sanitize anything that comes in contact with the wine. Including yourself. 
· Add the large juice package. (Be careful, it’s heavy!) Rinse this out with a little bit of spring water to make sure you get it all. 
· We have our bucket measured to 3 gallons. The kit didn’t quite come to 3 gallons so we topped up until we reach 3 gallons. 
· Add the bentonite and give it a good stir. 
· Then add the oak tannin, stir, and then take your SG reading. It should read 1.10. 
· We then took a PH test and it read 4.0. Typically, it should be around 3.5. 
· Finally, we pitched the yeast, made up a tag, and covered it up to rest. 



After it ferments dry: (Approx. 2 weeks)

After it fermented dry (SG: 0.98) we racked it into our secondary, 3 gallon fermentation carboy. 
We had to take out approx. 1.5 wine bottles of wine out of the carboy so that we will have room for the coffee F-pack. We set that aside with an air-lock. If when we rack the wine again and we come up short and have extra air-space, we will add it. 
We checked the ph of the wine and it is at 3.5 which is perfect for this type of port. 
We added the sorbate, K-met packet, and gave it a good stir. 
Next, we added packet #1 (of the 2 packet combination) of Kieselsol and set our time for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, we add packet #2 of Kieselsol and stirred again. (Learning tip: The reason for the 5 minute wait time is you are waiting for the molecules from packet #1 to bind to certain molecules in the wine. The second packet will bind to the molecules in the first packet and then the clearing process starts. (Positive and negative particles will attract, become heavy, and fall to the bottom of the carboy, taking the sediment with it.) 
Next, we added the Coffee F-Pak. Note: Not all of the F pack fit into my 3-gallon carboy. I should have taken out possibly 2 bottles of extra wine instead of 1.5. I put the extra F-pak in the refrigerator. When I rack this again to a final mixing bucket I will add everything to the bucket and give it a good stir.


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## joeswine

*yeast charts*

Take the time to make a plan and plan out your yeast according to your work climate, wine types and styles and alcohol levels. Know the taste profiles of your wine. Then apply your_ PLAN.._


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## joeswine

*Coffee port*

*Go back* and review the coffee port a true award winner if you plan your work and work your plan.This has never failed to *Ribbon for me *, never.


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## joeswine

*Basic wine chemistry*

Things to remember things you need to know, basic wine chemistry..
*Basic Wine Chemistry *​ 
*Chaptalization* is the process of adding sugar to unfermented grape developed by the French chemist Jean-Antoine-Claude Chaptal, for whom it was named. Contrary to popular belief, this process does not make the wine sweeter but only artificially inflates the alcohol content. Additionally, the sugar in chaptalized wine cannot be tasted. 
*Potassium Metabisulfite* is a common wine or must additive, where it forms sulfur dioxide gas (SO2). This both prevents most wild microorganisms from growing, and it acts as potent antioxidant, protecting both the color, and delicate flavors of wine. 
Typical dosage is ¼ tsp potassium metabisulfite, per 6 gallon bucket of must (yielding roughly 75ppm of SO2) prior to fermentation, and ½ tsp per 6 gallon bucket (150 ppm of SO2) at bottling. 
Winemaking equipment is sanitized by spraying with a 1% SO2 (2 tsp potassium metabisulfite per L) solution. 
*Potassium Sorbate* is used to inhibit molds, and yeasts in wine. Also known affectionately as “wine stabilizer”, potassium sorbate produces sorbic acid when added to wine. It serves two purposes. When active fermentation has ceased and the wine is racked for the final time after clearing, potassium sorbate will continue fermenting any residual sugar into CO2 and alcohol, but when they die no new yeast will be present to cause future fermentation. When a wine is sweetened before bottling, potassium sorbate is used to prevent refermentation when used in conjunction with potassium metabisulfite. It is primarily used with sweet wines, sparkling wines and some hard cider but may be added to table wines which exhibits difficulty in maintaining clarity after fining.


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## joeswine

HAVE A GREAT HOLIDAY


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## joeswine

*MY space*

this is my work area sometimes no movement and at other times like an expressway..


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## joeswine

*Black current desert wine*

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.


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## joeswine

*Black current wine continued final*

moving on if your lost go back and review then move forward with us.


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## joeswine

*Tools in the tool box*

my space..............


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## joeswine

I OFTEN MAKE WINE FOR OTHERS AND THIS PINO GRIGIO FROM 2014 WAS NO EXCEPTION,I MADE IT FOR MY FRIEND *SAM *FROM FRESH JUICE FROM_ GINO_ _PINTOS_ .STARTED IT IN * 2014* AND BOTTLE IT TODAY CLEAN,CRISP AND A MOUTHFUL OF TASTE .THIS PINO HAS SIT LONG ENOUGH NOW IT'S TIME TO BOTTLE AND DRINK..


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## joeswine

*Simple syrup a key tool*

Simple syrup 

simple syrup is a key component in wine making weather your boosting the alcohol level or doing a capitalizations process (same thing) or just back sweetening at the finish ,simple syrup is fundamentally a more assured way to go and the process is simple this is a tool every wine maker should have available in his or hers tool box.
To make Simple Syrup We use Pure Can Sugar Only.
Simple syrup is a 2 to 1 blend (2 parts sugar, 1 part water)
We use ball jars as a measuring device because that is what I store it in.
So, this batch was 4-to-2 blend. (4 ball jars sugar, 2 ball jars water)
which equates to 4 full ball jars of simple syrup ready to use anytime.
 
First:
-Measure out sugar to water ratio. 
-Next, add sugar to a large metal pot.
-Now is a good time to take the ball jars and place them in the sink in a tray and have your lids ready and your hot mittens (cooking gloves, whatever you call them!)
-Make a well in the center, then dump the water into the well and stir until blended (not disolved yet.)
-Next, turn the heat up to high. Stirring frequently until you see it start to clear a little with a light foam on top. Once you see this, you want to stir it constantly. It will go from simmer to rapid boil almost instantly when it's ready to go. Continue to stir, being careful to NOT GET ANY ON YOU! It will take your skin off, it's very HOT!
-With a metal spoon you should see through the simple syrup just like water, it will be clear. You will know you are done when this happens. (It will be at a hard boil when this happens.)
-You should already have your ball jars clean and ready to go. I place mine in a tin tray in the sink and fill the tray half way up w/ water. I place a wide mouth funnel inside the jars and take the boiling hot simple syrup and CAREFULLY fill the ball jars. Use your mitten and put the lids and rings on the jars and tighten them up. Turn the cold water on them and allow it to run in the tray. The process of the water cooling down the simple syrup will cause a vacuum in the jars and you will hear a "POP!". This will seal your ball jars and by the morning they will be cool and ready for you to handle. This simple syrup will stay good indefinitely. 

This is how I make simple syrup. Another tool in the toolbox.


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## joeswine

*My space*

this is my work place


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## joeswine

*Spanish wine tour continues*

Taking a trip to Spain was outstanding the food the history and OH YA the wine follow me on my trip to a Spanish bodega


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## joeswine

*Amarone vacuumn pumpman style*

hay vman nice wine I know it's taken me time to get around to it but time is this wines friend, here's how it goes ,nice upfront on the taste buds, smooth to the finish and a great job all the way around.


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## wineforfun

joeswine said:


> Taking a trip to Spain was outstanding the food the history and OH YA the wine follow me on my trip to a Spanish bodega



Dang Joe, that post brought back some great memories from our Spain trip last year. The food, wine, cava and hanging out on our balcony, great time.


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## joeswine

Got any pics from the trip to shared?


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## joeswine

*Spanish wine tour continues*

wine making Spanish style


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## joeswine

*Simple syrup a key tool*

Simple syrup 

simple syrup is a key component in wine making weather your boosting the alcohol level or doing a capitalizations process (same thing) or just back sweetening at the finish ,simple syrup is fundamentally a more assured way to go and the process is simple this is a tool every wine maker should have available in his or hers tool box.
To make Simple Syrup We use Pure Can Sugar Only.
Simple syrup is a 2 to 1 blend (2 parts sugar, 1 part water)
We use ball jars as a measuring device because that is what I store it in.
So, this batch was 4-to-2 blend. (4 ball jars sugar, 2 ball jars water)
which equates to 4 full ball jars of simple syrup ready to use anytime.
 
First:
-Measure out sugar to water ratio. 
-Next, add sugar to a large metal pot.
-Now is a good time to take the ball jars and place them in the sink in a tray and have your lids ready and your hot mittens (cooking gloves, whatever you call them!)
-Make a well in the center, then dump the water into the well and stir until blended (not disolved yet.)
-Next, turn the heat up to high. Stirring frequently until you see it start to clear a little with a light foam on top. Once you see this, you want to stir it constantly. It will go from simmer to rapid boil almost instantly when it's ready to go. Continue to stir, being careful to NOT GET ANY ON YOU! It will take your skin off, it's very HOT!
-With a metal spoon you should see through the simple syrup just like water, it will be clear. You will know you are done when this happens. (It will be at a hard boil when this happens.)
-You should already have your ball jars clean and ready to go. I place mine in a tin tray in the sink and fill the tray half way up w/ water. I place a wide mouth funnel inside the jars and take the boiling hot simple syrup and CAREFULLY fill the ball jars. Use your mitten and put the lids and rings on the jars and tighten them up. Turn the cold water on them and allow it to run in the tray. The process of the water cooling down the simple syrup will cause a vacuum in the jars and you will hear a "POP!". This will seal your ball jars and by the morning they will be cool and ready for you to handle. This simple syrup will stay good indefinitely. 

This is how I make simple syrup. Another tool in the toolbox. 

a tool for many reasons........


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## joeswine

*MY space*

THIS IS MY SPACE AND MY MAN CAVE IT HASN'T CHANGED MUCH OVER THE YEARS JUST ME.


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## joeswine

*Zesting for flavor and fun*

if you haven't tried to use the zest of a grapefruit or lemon as well as other citrus fruits then your missing out on a flavor treat,really....zesting for fun and flavor..


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## joeswine

*Amarone the king of italian reds*

THE KING OF ITALIAN REDS NOT AN EASY WINE TO MAKE CORRECTLY DO TO MANY FACTORS,LETS FOLLOW THE FLOW IT'S LONG VERY LONG BUT THE END RESULT WITH AGING IS EXCELLENT.FOLLOW THE FLOW........................................


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## joeswine

*Amarone classic/ amarone style*

still with me lots to go .............. that's enough for now ....keep looking for stage #5.........................


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## joeswine

*Amarone the king of italian reds*

LETS MOVE ON THIS ONE IS ALMOST COMPLETED...

*Wineexpert Amarone*


**UPDATED**​
Here is our kit that we received from Wineexpert. This kit is a Wineexpert Selection Series Amarone. This kit has the following included. (This list is a little different from the usual kit that you receive. This is a top of the line kit.)

*The box includes the following: *
· Large bag of juice
· Grape skin pack (You can actually see that there are grape skins in it!)
· 2 packs of Lavin RC-212
· 2 Chaptalisation Packs (bags of sugar)
· Package #2 (bentonite)
· Package #3 (Metabisulphite)
· Package #4 (Sorbate)
· Package #5 (Chitosan-(Fining Agent)
· Mesh Straining Bag
· 3 Packages of European Hungarian Oak
*Just for reference, I’m sure everyone knows by now if they have been following the posts, that you will need certain equipment to make this kit. For the newbies, I’m going to put it below so you know what you need:*
· Primary Fermenter (minimum 30 Litres/7.9 US gallons capacity)
· Long stirring spoon (Plastic or stainless steel)
· Measuring cup
· Hydrometer and test jar
· Thermometer
· Wine thief
· Siphon rod and hose 
· Carboy (6 US gallon capacity)
· Bung and Air lock
· Solid Bung (if you are bulk aging)
· Unscented winemaking detergent for cleaning (we recommend Onestep or any other oxygenating cleaner, including Kmet....JUST NOT BLEACH!)
· Metabisulphite Powder for sanitizing 
· 30 wine bottles, thirty corks , thirty seals
· Corking machine (there are various types, we use an italian floor corker.)
*The Process:*
· As always, sanitize anything that comes in contact with the wine. Including yourself. J
· Add half gallon of warm water to the primary fermenting bucket with the bentonite packet and stir until dissolved.
· Add the large juice package. (Be careful, it’s heavy!) Rinse this out with a little bit of spring water to make sure you get it all. 
· Next, we added the smaller “grape skin packet”. It’s lumpy so you also want to rinse the bag out w/ water also, to get all the grape skins.
· Now, we take the SG reading. We’re at 1.10. 
· Next, we added the smaller “grape skin packet”. It’s lumpy so you also want to rinse the bag out w/ water also, to get all the grape skins.
· Now, here comes all that Hungarian oak! We are adding 3 packets of Hungarian powdered oak (wow!). 
· Here comes the fun part. YEAST! 2 packets of RC-212 yeast. Cover with a towel and wait 5-7 days, gently punching down the grape skins. 
*Secondary Fermentation:*
Now that we fermented dry (SG reading is 1.010), now it’s time to rack it. 
Notice the grape skins on top? This is the cap that formed from the grape skin packet that was provided in the Wineexpert Amarone Kit, along with the addition of California Raisins (that I added to add more body). 
We racked this down to a carboy but it is pretty gassy. I’m going to let this settle out for a few days and degas some on its own. Over the weekend, I will force-gas it (If I have to) by giving it a good old-fashioned stir. Once I feel that it’s de-gassed enough, I will stabilize it with the potassium sorbate packet, K-Met Packet, and packet of Chitosan (clearing agent). 


UPDATE:​
We finished bottling our super-awesome, Winexpert Selection International Amarone Kit. We are quite happy with the results. Our end result is a dark, inky-color, rich, full bodied, wine. It has a spicy-earthy, sour cherry aroma, dried fruit, bitter almond, from the huge volume of tannins. 

For a kit wine that started just 2 1/2 months ago, the results are quite impressive. (We started this kit on August 22, 2013. We bottled tonight, 10/24/2013. After doing this kit, we would def. recommend this one for any true Italian red-wine drinker. 

We would like to thank Winexpert for giving us the opportunity to present one of their finest wine kits they have available. We would definitely recommend this kit to the novice and experienced winemakers alike as it truly is exceptional. 

We are looking forward to our next tutorial now that this one is complete. Please give us feedback and recommendations of what type of wine you would like to learn how to make.


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## joeswine

*Amarone the king of italian reds*

just a little more to the flow...


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## joeswine

*Basic wine chemistry*

*Basic Wine Chemistry *​ 
*Chaptalization* is the process of adding sugar to unfermented grape developed by the French chemist Jean-Antoine-Claude Chaptal, for whom it was named. Contrary to popular belief, this process does not make the wine sweeter but only artificially inflates the alcohol content. Additionally, the sugar in chaptalized wine cannot be tasted. 
*Potassium Metabisulfite* is a common wine or must additive, where it forms sulfur dioxide gas (SO2). This both prevents most wild microorganisms from growing, and it acts as potent antioxidant, protecting both the color, and delicate flavors of wine. 
Typical dosage is ¼ tsp potassium metabisulfite, per 6 gallon bucket of must (yielding roughly 75ppm of SO2) prior to fermentation, and ½ tsp per 6 gallon bucket (150 ppm of SO2) at bottling. 
Winemaking equipment is sanitized by spraying with a 1% SO2 (2 tsp potassium metabisulfite per L) solution. 
*Potassium Sorbate* is used to inhibit molds, and yeasts in wine. Also known affectionately as “wine stabilizer”, potassium sorbate produces sorbic acid when added to wine. It serves two purposes. When active fermentation has ceased and the wine is racked for the final time after clearing, potassium sorbate will continue fermenting any residual sugar into CO2 and alcohol, but when they die no new yeast will be present to cause future fermentation. When a wine is sweetened before bottling, potassium sorbate is used to prevent refermentation when used in conjunction with potassium metabisulfite. It is primarily used with sweet wines, sparkling wines and some hard cider but may be added to table wines which exhibits difficulty in maintaining clarity after fining.


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## joeswine

*My favorite wines*

DO YOU LIKE A GOOD SPARKLING WINE TRY THIS ONE...I ENJOY SPARKLING WINE CHILLED AND REFRESHING ........HOW ABOUT YOU?


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## joeswine

*Building body into your wine*

LIKE MELBEC TRY THIS IN THE PRIMARY...


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## joeswine

*Apple cidar*

IT'S FALL WHY NOT BRING IN THE SEASON,,IF YOU NEVER DID THIS KIT BEFORE IT WOULD PAY FOR YOU TO READ AND REVIEW EACH PIC,,,BEFORE YOU START..REALLY


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## joeswine

*Simple syrup a key tool*

Simple syrup 

simple syrup is a key component in wine making weather your boosting the alcohol level or doing a capitalizations process (same thing) or just back sweetening at the finish ,simple syrup is fundamentally a more assured way to go and the process is simple this is a tool every wine maker should have available in his or hers tool box.
To make Simple Syrup We use Pure Can Sugar Only.
Simple syrup is a 2 to 1 blend (2 parts sugar, 1 part water)
We use ball jars as a measuring device because that is what I store it in.
So, this batch was 4-to-2 blend. (4 ball jars sugar, 2 ball jars water)
which equates to 4 full ball jars of simple syrup ready to use anytime.
 
First:
-Measure out sugar to water ratio. 
-Next, add sugar to a large metal pot.
-Now is a good time to take the ball jars and place them in the sink in a tray and have your lids ready and your hot mittens (cooking gloves, whatever you call them!)
-Make a well in the center, then dump the water into the well and stir until blended (not disolved yet.)
-Next, turn the heat up to high. Stirring frequently until you see it start to clear a little with a light foam on top. Once you see this, you want to stir it constantly. It will go from simmer to rapid boil almost instantly when it's ready to go. Continue to stir, being careful to NOT GET ANY ON YOU! It will take your skin off, it's very HOT!
-With a metal spoon you should see through the simple syrup just like water, it will be clear. You will know you are done when this happens. (It will be at a hard boil when this happens.)
-You should already have your ball jars clean and ready to go. I place mine in a tin tray in the sink and fill the tray half way up w/ water. I place a wide mouth funnel inside the jars and take the boiling hot simple syrup and CAREFULLY fill the ball jars. Use your mitten and put the lids and rings on the jars and tighten them up. Turn the cold water on them and allow it to run in the tray. The process of the water cooling down the simple syrup will cause a vacuum in the jars and you will hear a "POP!". This will seal your ball jars and by the morning they will be cool and ready for you to handle. This simple syrup will stay good indefinitely. 

This is how I make simple syrup. Another tool in the toolbox.


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## joeswine

*Going back to the basics*.....
*Basic Wine Chemistry *




*Capitalization* is the process of adding sugar to unfermented grape developed by the French chemist Jean-Antoine-Claude Chantal, for whom it was named. Contrary to popular belief, this process does not make the wine sweeter but only artificially inflates the alcohol content. Additionally, the sugar in chaptalized wine cannot be tasted.

*Potassium Metabisulfite* is a common wine or must additive, where it forms sulfur dioxide gas (SO2). This both prevents most wild microorganisms from growing, and it acts as potent antioxidant, protecting both the color, and delicate flavors of wine.

Typical dosage is ¼ tsp. potassium metabisulfite, per 6 gallon bucket of must (yielding roughly 75ppm of SO2) prior to fermentation, and ½ tsp. per 6 gallon bucket (150 ppm of SO2) at bottling.

Winemaking equipment is sanitized by spraying with a 1% SO2 (2 tsp potassium metabisulfite per L) solution.

*Potassium Sorbate* is used to inhibit molds, and yeasts in wine. Also known affectionately as “wine stabilizer”, potassium sorbate produces sorbic acid when added to wine. It serves two purposes. When active fermentation has ceased and the wine is racked for the final time after clearing, potassium sorbate will continue fermenting any residual sugar into CO2 and alcohol, but when they die no new yeast will be present to cause future fermentation. When a wine is sweetened before bottling, potassium sorbate is used to prevent refermentation when used in conjunction with potassium metabisulfite. It is primarily used with sweet wines, sparkling wines and some hard cider but may be added to table wines which exhibits difficulty in maintaining clarity after fining.


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## sour_grapes

*C̶a̶p̶i̶t̶a̶l̶i̶z̶a̶t̶i̶o̶n̶ Chaptalization* is the process of adding sugar to unfermented grape developed by the French chemist Jean-Antoine-Claude C̶h̶a̶n̶t̶a̶l̶ Chaptal.


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## joeswine

JUst looking back at the sanginovese merlot blend its turning out to be a very nice wine,


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## joeswine

balance to follow............................


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## joeswine

a really nice white great finish .follow the flow short and sweet..


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## joeswine

Do you like a decent cider ,Brewers Best makes a decent product but you need to read directions first and plan ahead for best results. follow the flow after you've bottles place it in a space that anything unforeseen happens nothing the worst for where take your time and you'll be pleasantly surprise how this cider grows into a pleasantly surprise.
PHASE#1


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## joeswine

PHASE#2.............


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## joeswine

just a little more PHASE#3


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## joeswine

Ciders and Ports are fun to play with.. hers another that in time will take GOLD.
PHASE#1


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## joeswine

PHASE#.............2


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## joeswine

PHASE#3....................with me so far????


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## joeswine

PHASE#4 .............._and last but not least_. *The finish* some times its takes real work and above all patience. Thanks for following this thread.


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## joeswine

SOME THING FROM ITALY........


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## joeswine

PHASE#2..................this turned out excellent..


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## joeswine

FINAL PHASE>............... to all of you who dought a kit can't make a really good bottle of wine this one will prove you incorrect.


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## GaDawg

joeswine said:


> *spoiled rotten*
> 
> Have you read the thread when good wines gone bad what was your thoughts ,how you or might you want to try some of these techniques in the future and whats in your carboys?


I have and have started checking the SG before I add the last bit of water. I look forward to reading the thread.


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## sour_grapes

bumping for my convenience....


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## sour_grapes

bumping for my convenience


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## joeswine

Took best Of Show at the Winemakers magazine contest ,Dessert wines.


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## joeswine

Phase #2 at this point in time the port is about 5 years old.


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## ibglowin

Congratulations! 



joeswine said:


> Took best Of Show at the Winemakers magazine contest ,Dessert wines.


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## Boatboy24

joeswine said:


> Took best Of Show at the Winemakers magazine contest ,Dessert wines.



Wow, Joe! Congrats!


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## joeswine

This thread is still #1 (tweaking cheap wine kits) on Facebook and google


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## joeswine

Something from Spain...................


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## joeswine

PHAE#@


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## joeswine

PHASE#3 This wine over time has turned out excellent...Thinking outside the box


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## joeswine

*something different comes your way???..*


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## joeswine

This one has it all depth and, flavor.


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## joeswine

*AND last but not least the finish.*


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## joeswine

*Spanish *red from work place.


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## joeswine

phase #2


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## joeswine

Final Phase. Would do this one again without a dought.


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## joeswine

something from Italy


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## joeswine

Phase #2 this is a little long, be patient


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## joeswine

Phase#3..I said it was long


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## joeswine

Something from Spain, Spanish wines are outstanding


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## joeswine

Making Simple Syrup. a great tool in your tool box always remember this is very hot when finish don't rush.


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## joeswine

MORE SUMMER TREATS


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## joeswine

PHASE #@ simple cheap and tasteful


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## Darrell Hawley

joeswine said:


> MORE SUMMER TREATS


Making the Pinot Noir on Wednesday, need to take out the blackberries from the freezer today.


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## winemanden

joeswine said:


> PHASE #@ simple cheap and tasteful


Great label Joe


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## joeswine

Keep on thinking outside the box and above all have fun.


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## Rice_Guy

A photo is worth a thousand words.


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## Darrell Hawley

joeswine said:


> MORE SUMMER TREATS


Finally got around to starting the Pinot Noir, opened up the box and the instructions are for a 1 gallon recipe. Found the 6 gallon recipe online.


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## Ajmassa

Rice_Guy said:


> A photo is worth a thousand words.



This ones my favorite


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## joeswine

Ya. I get into my work


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## joeswine

something sweet and rich.


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## joeswine

Phase#2


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## joeswine

PHASE#3 only get s better with time.


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## joeswine

Knowing when and how to make and use simple syrup is a tool in every winemaker's toolbox.


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## joeswine

Winter fpac, did you plan ahead??


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## joeswine

this is my place, home  to me and my wine.


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## Khristyjeff

Your setup looks like the result of years of getting the space just right for you. If you're like me, you are probably still thinking of ways you can make it even better. It's all part of the wine-making fun for me.


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## joeswine

It’s been fun and a total learning experience, although, I've had my share of ups and downs along the way.
And what I know from not having any tools or knowledge on how to, I thought and asked my way through it,
So, when tweaking cheap wine kits first was a thought, I said to myself, less is more, plan your work and work your plan, then I learned how to do more with less until I had more than what I really needed,
Love my basement, it’s my world and you are all welcome in it.


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## joeswine

let's make a port


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## joeswine

PHASE # extracts can be used is verse forms


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## joeswine

ROSE'S are among my favorite WINES WHEN DONE RIGHT
'the addition of a fresh strawberry fpack put this one on top of the list, fruity yet semi-dry


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## joeswine

Making a decent bottle of wine isn't hard unless you take the fun out of it.


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## joeswine

Phase #2 follow the flow


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## joeswine

Phase #3 little more to go


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## joeswine

Phase #4


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## joeswine

using extracts can be fun and rewarding, have you tried it yet??


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## joeswine

making simple syrup


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## joeswine

simple syrup text


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## joeswine

helpful hints


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## joeswine

HERE’S MY TAKE ON BLENDING, THE FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS IS TO ESTABLISH WHAT IT IS IN A TASTE PROFILE, YOUR TRING TO ACCOMPLISH AND WHAT TYPE OF FINISH YOU WANT YOU’RE PROFILE TO HAVE.

NOW THAT YOU HAVE ESTABLISHED THE PROFILE AND FINISH LOOK FOR BLENDS THAT REALLY GO WELL TOGETHER, THAT MAKES WINE BLENDING A WHOLE LOT EASIER.

EX: MAKING A CAB AND MERLOT BLEND IS EASY RIGHT? BUT IF YOU’RE A KIT PERSON NOT SO. A WINEMAKER WHO USES GRAPE AND OR FRESH JUICE HAS THE ADVANTAGE OVER US, WHAT TO DO? *UNDERSTAND? SO, WHAT DO WE NEED TO KNOW AND HOW DO WE GET THERE?

BLENDING CONSISTS OF TWO DIFFERENT WINES OR MORE HAVING SOME OF THE SAME CHARISTERICTS YET DIFFERENT ENOUGH IN THE BLEND TO STAND OUT ON ITS OWN WITH RESPECT TO THE OTHERS ROLL IN THE MIX.USUALLY, THIS IS ALL DONE AFTER THE WINES ARE COMPLETED AND READY FOR BOTTLING.*

KIT MAKERS CAN DO ALL THE SAME MOVES ONLY GOING DOWN A VERY DIFFERENT AVENUE, IF YOU THINK OF ALL THE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS, WE HAVE TO WORK WITH THERE IS NO REAL DIFFERENCE. WE HAVE THE BASIC CONCENTRATES TO WORK WITH AND DEPENDING ON THE VALUE OF THE KIT A LARGER AMOUNT OF VARIETAL JUICE THEN CONCENTRATE, ADDING FRESHLY MADE FPACS TO THE BASE OR ZEST TO THE SECONDARY ALONG WITH THE ADDED AMOUNTS OF OAK, OAK DUST AND TANNINS ADDED ALL ALONG THE WAY. OUR VOLUMES ARE SMALL ENOUGH TO TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION AS LONG AS WE ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO THE BASIC WINE RULES AND SANITATION THAT ARE REQUIRED, WE CAN CHANGE PRETTY MUCH ON A DIME AND DO WHAT IS NECESSARY FOR OUR PRODUCT.

LET'S SAY I WAS GOING TO MAKE A BLACKBERRY PINOT NOIR, THE FIRST QUESTION I ASK IS WHAT THE PRIMARY FLAVOR IS AND WHAT THE SECONDARY. DEPENDING ON WHAT PROFILE I WANT THE WINE TO HAVE (TASTE) WILL LET ME KNOW WHO IS THE LEADER IN THIS DANCE, THE PINO OR THE BLACKBERRY, IF I USE THE PINO AS THE BASE AND THE BLACKBERRY FPAC IN THE PRIMARY THEN THE BLEND SHOULD BE A PARTNERSHIP OF FLAVORS, IF I USE THE PINO AS MY BASE AND THE BERRIES IN THE SECONDARY THEN THE BERRIES BECOME THE BACKGROUND.

*I want to make a pinot Gris, from California and wanted to create crispness and a better bite to the wine's finish, I would finish out the wine by making sure I first had good abv. At the finish then either in the secondary or as a closing step a couple of weeks before bottling I would add the zest of 1 grapefruit or lemon to the wine and allow it two sit to infuse its acidity and freshness into the wine, then rack and bottle.

Making your own fpac from fresh grapes whenever and wherever you find them adds a better mouthfeel to the finish.*

There are a lot of different ways kit winemakers can infuse, enhance and create our wines to have a touch of our own hand in the making but you must take the time to *plan your work and work your plan*, and always think outside the box.



*at least that's my view*


----------

