# Hippie...Watch for that bottle



## Waldo (Aug 10, 2005)

Settling down under the shade of the big oak tree at the rivers edge, the sun casting her diamonds across the crystal clear waters as I slowly lean back against the knarled old trunk, the moss cool to my aching back. I began wondering, what do I do next with my Blackberry Wine? I begin my mental check list, fully aware that my procedures and techniques to date were somewhat erroneous, including not making notes anywhere except in my God given Palm Pilot. Slowly and carefully I recall the steps to date, hoping Hippie will bear with me through all of this as I write down the events as I recall them.


I Fermeted the blackberries with Fleischmans yeast for approximately 20 days in my bucket. Er uh "Primary Fermenter" , stirring the goo, I mean "Must" about every day or so. I then strained it through some nylon stockings stretched over a plastic funnel from Wally World into my "Carboy"...see, I'm getting there.I then put an airlock on the carboy and have watched it bubble for about 3 weeks. With the bubbling slowing to about one bubble every 15-20 seconds.Last saturday, I racked it into another carboy, drawing a sample with my new Wine Thief I checked it with my new hydrometer and it showed no signs of any sugar remaining. I replaced the airlock and there it has set until Monday evening when at the behest of possibly some bad advice I : The following is the instructions I received.
<DIR>


1. If you haven't added Campden / potassium metabisulfite yet, then crush and dissolve one Campden tablet for each gallon of wine in your carboy. Stir it in real good with your whiz-bang stirrer. This will give a 'knock out' punch to the old yeast. 2. Put an airlock on the carboy. Wait 48 hours. 3. Remove the airlock. Rack the wine to a clean, sanitized primary fermenting bucket. Take specific gravity reading with a sanitized hydrometer. 4. Add yeast nutrient according to the package directions, then sprinkle the wine yeast on top of the wine. 5. Secure the lid on the bucket, insert the airlock into the lid.
6. Sit back and wait for the action to start. 7. Monitor fermentation, and rack back to carboy when hydrometer reading indicates 1.000 or lower. Insert airlock. 8. When all fermentation has ceased (hydrometer around .998 and no further bubbling in airlock), then add a bit of potassium sorbate (according to package directions) and another round of crushed Campden tablets and stir. The wine will foam up a bit. Stir well. 9. Allow the wine to fall clear, then bottle your masterpiece! 


I make note that I have done none of the above except for adding the campden tablets and stirring it good. Slowly I roll up the piece of paper I have written on, place it inside a 750 ml wine bottle, and inserting the cork tightly I toss it into the river, knowing ole Hippie will be downstream taking his saturday bath and will retrieve the wine bottle, hopefully read my notes inside and offer me his advise on just what steps I should really take. </DIR>


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## Hippie (Aug 15, 2005)

LMAO! You are quite the poet!


I think you need to search the newsletter archives for Martina's scratch winemaking instructions!


I looked off the White River bridge at Augusta today (monday) when we crossed it coming home. I didn't see the bottle yet. I was on Pensacloa Beach on fri, sat, and sun and didn't see it down there either!


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## Waldo (Aug 16, 2005)

Glad to have you back Hippie. I will see if I can find Martinas instructions. I am just not sure what Ii need to do now.


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## Waldo (Aug 16, 2005)

Martina...where are your instructions at?


Comon Hippie.I know you found that bottle...gimme a hint of what I need to do here...


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## MedPretzel (Aug 16, 2005)

http://www.finevinewines.com/April_2005.htm





SInce ya asked so nicely!


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## Waldo (Aug 16, 2005)

Thanks Med...I am forever indebetted to ya


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## Hippie (Aug 16, 2005)

Let us know if you still need help or have any questions. Do you have a good winemaking book? Nothing will help you more than reading and studying up.


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## Waldo (Aug 17, 2005)

And a good recommended book would be?


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## MedPretzel (Aug 17, 2005)

Terry Garey "The Joy of Home Winemaking"





CJJ Berry "First Steps in Winemaking"





Check with George what he's got or look on www.amazon.com for used books. I got both books for under 8 bucks.


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## Waldo (Aug 17, 2005)

Thanks Martina..I found Joy of Winemaking on ebay and have a bid in at 5.00 so if that doesnt work out I will check with George.


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## Waldo (Aug 17, 2005)

OK Martina and Hippie...I added my sorbate this morning ( Yep, I dissolved it first in some wine I drew out of the carboy with my wine thief and stirred it good with my whiz banger stirring stick) along with some oak. Took a picture for you guys/gals to scrutinize and put in back in the corner. How is it looking? Tried another vinometer test for alcohol content but I just can't read that danged thing.








*Edited by: Waldo *


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## Hippie (Aug 17, 2005)

It looks good! 


That airlock isn't supposed to be full though. When the wine is still, the level in the airlock should be midway up the bubblers.


You asked for scrutiny.


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## Waldo (Aug 17, 2005)

And scruinty I wanted..Thanks Hippie I will agjust the level.


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## Hippie (Aug 17, 2005)

If the wine is finished fermenting (no change in hydrometer reading for a couple weeks) stabilize with sulphite and sorbate at the next racking, if you haven't already done so. Each time you rack off the lees or sediment, catch the oak cubes in a colander, rinse them off, and readd before topping up. I would not rack more than 1 time every 4 weeks. Bulk age for as long as you can stand it. Top up as needed with your favorite red wine, or blackberry brandy! Remember, never bottle any wine until the carboy will remain sediment free for 4 weeks and the wine is clear. Sometimes you can have a haze and not have any sediment. I have remedied haze with a filter, but most of the time in fruit wines, it is due to not using enough pectic enzyme in the must. For really stubborn hazes which do not respond to additional pectic enzyme treatments, a 2-part fining may be required. George has it available for shipment, of course. Also remember, there is no hurry to bottle the wine ever and also no hurry to get rid of a haze. BULK AGE. Keep topped up and don't let the airlock go dry.


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## Waldo (Aug 18, 2005)

There was no peptic enzyme used at all during primary fermenting and I have already stabilized with campden tablets and sorbate. Should I go ahead and rack it again this weekend and add some bentonite or try some pectic enzyme first?


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## Hippie (Aug 18, 2005)

I wouldn't do anything right now except let it sit, unless you haven't racked in 4 weeks. I would not use bentonite at all at this point. NO HURRY!


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## Waldo (Aug 19, 2005)

Gotcha Hippie......The grasshopper must now learn patience. I am fighting that "patience my butt, I wanna bottle something"


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## PolishWineP (Aug 19, 2005)

Butt if you don't learn patience you will never have a good wine. Once it is in the bottle it is available to drink. If you bottle too soon or drink it to early, you'll never have good wine.



So sit your butt down and admire your carboys, but don't bug it!


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## Waldo (Aug 19, 2005)

Plopping down on my butt.........Not even gonna look at them carboys again until around the end of September


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## Hippie (Aug 19, 2005)

Unless it develops a layer of sediment, then go ahead and rack if it has been 4 weeks since.


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## Waldo (Aug 21, 2005)

It has a small layer of sediment as of 10am this morning Hippie. Should I go ahead and rack it or wait. It has been in the carboy for a little over 2 weeks now.


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## MedPretzel (Aug 21, 2005)

what's the SG? if it's lower than 1.020, then rack.





If it's lower, rack.





If it's higher, wait a little bit.





No, it doesn't have to be EXACTLY 1.020, but thereabouts.


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## Waldo (Aug 21, 2005)

Thanks Martina. I will check it and see where it is at.


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## Hippie (Aug 21, 2005)

I thought it has already been racked to glass? Leave it alone and rack at 4 weeks like I said. You don't need to rack more than is necessary.


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## Hippie (Aug 21, 2005)

Just went back and read the first part of this topic. The wine is stabilized and topped up. It will continue to drop lees and sediment so you might as well wait 4 weeks between rackings. If the lees get 2 inches deep before 4 weeks, go ahead and rack, add nothing, and top up well again.


Got it? You are getting impatient. Bad kharma.


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## Waldo (Aug 22, 2005)

Got it Hippie....Grasshopper fights off the bad Karma and resolves to learn patience, practice patience and become known as "The Patient One"


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## Hippie (Aug 22, 2005)

Now that is good to hear!


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## Waldo (Aug 26, 2005)

Picture of lees in Blackberry as of this morning Hippie. Let er sit or rack it again?


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## MedPretzel (Aug 26, 2005)

I'd say let 'er sit a couple of days and then rack again. Sediment's there, but not that much. You don't want it to sit on the sediment for weeks, but you don't have to rack constantly.



I'd say "It's your call"









Looks nice, by the way.


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## masta (Aug 26, 2005)

Another tip: I always give my carboys agentle rocking back and forth to help knock the fines off the sides and also help settle the lees down.


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## Hippie (Aug 26, 2005)

I concur with the above 2 posts.


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## Waldo (Aug 27, 2005)

Now gosh dang it I dont mind singing to em and maybe caressing them a little but I be danged ifI am a gonna start holding em and rocking them



Thanks all for the advice.


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## Hippie (Aug 27, 2005)




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## Waldo (Aug 29, 2005)

Well, Sunday was a busy day for the Newbie. I Racked the blackberry to my fermenter. Rinsed the oak chips well. Cleaned and sterilized the carboy and racked it back to carboy. Topped it off with some store bought Blackberry wine attached airlock and set her back in the corner. Sang her a couple of tunes and( I swear I heard it burp so I quit singing



) covered



her with a towel.











*Edited by: Waldo *


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## Waldo (Aug 29, 2005)

Checked the sg on my Vinters Harvest Peach. It was .098 so I went ahead and racked it to my fermenter. Cleaned and sterlized the carboy and racked the peach back to carboy. I dissolved 5 campden tablets and 2.5 tsp. of Potassium Sorbate ( *Was a little confused here George. The description in the glossary says to add 1/4 tsp.pergallon and on the bottle it says to add 1/2 tsp. per gallon. )*in warm water. Added it to the carboy and stirred with my whiz x.


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## Waldo (Aug 29, 2005)

My "Frozen Strawberry Wine" was also racked from fermenter to bottles. It was a little shy of a two gallon batch so I got a full gallon, about a 2 liter bottle and some early early test sipping. Was actually pretty good. A little dryer than I like but good.


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## MedPretzel (Aug 29, 2005)

Looks like you did everything right!



You might want to top up just a little more in the larger carboys, but that's just me. 





Way to go, Waldo-Winemaker! You're half way to _*your*_ diploma, I think!


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## Hippie (Aug 29, 2005)

Maybe you have a different strength and maker of your sorbate, but mine says quarter tsp. per gallon. Don't worry about getting all the gas out of your scratch wines right now. They will naturally degas over time, and probably will not need finings. I think you meant to say SG .998, right? Everything looks and sounds good so far! Have a drink on me!


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## Waldo (Aug 29, 2005)

Thanks Martina...Can I just use filtered water to top it off. Dont have any more wine. As for the diploma....Ima long ways from being ready to "gradiate" but I am learning.....lots


OOps..Your right Hippie. I even wrote it wrong in my log. It must have been the strawberry wine






On the sorbate, I went back to my notes from Jack Kellers Homepage and he says, *"The potassium sorbate is not listed as a separate ingredient because some folks don't stabilize their wines and therefore don't need it, but if you "stabilize" a wine you'll need 1/2 teaspoon of the sorbate plus a crushed Campden tablet per gallon of wine.*





*Edited by: Waldo *


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## Hippie (Aug 29, 2005)

OK. I reckon what I have been using is a stronger concentration.


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## Waldo (Aug 31, 2005)

Topped em off Martina. I am excited about both the Blackberry and Peach. Right now they are both pretty dangedgood.


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## Waldo (Sep 6, 2005)

Martina......MARTINA !!! Has anyone seen Martian ?


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## MedPretzel (Sep 6, 2005)

Hehe, 





sorry Waldo, I was temporarily set-back for a couple of days. 





But now I'm back and in full-force, smart-ass and all!


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## Waldo (Sep 7, 2005)

Was skeered I was gonna have to jump on my ole mule "Addar" and come rescue you outa a wine vat somewheres


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## Waldo (Sep 12, 2005)

Racked the peach off the lees yesterday and it had an odor, not really unpleasant, that I can't describe. The alcohol content I am going to guess is around 14-16% and it tasted good. Still don't have the vinometer testing down pat yet but the wine had a very strong "kick" to it.


Was thinking maybe someone who has made Peach wine might help me identify the odor and give me some assurance that it is normal/OK/Will go away/Need to do something


*Edited by: Waldo *


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## MedPretzel (Sep 12, 2005)

Peach wine can smell disgusting for quite a while. It *is* normal. It *will* go away.









Let your tastebuds be your guide. The smell will tone down eventually. Mine did, at least.


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## Hippie (Sep 12, 2005)

Next time you rack, splash it really good against the side of the recieving carboy.


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## Waldo (Sep 12, 2005)

Thanks Martina &amp; Hippie. I shall keep the faith.


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## jobe05 (Sep 13, 2005)

Waldo:





New to this board but I find i very interesting. 





I am just finishing up a blackberry that I started a couple of months ago. I too kept no notes because I was only going to experiment with a gallon. After it almost completed it's ferment, I realized how good it tasted so I had to get another gallon of juice. After many scratches and bug bites I got another gallon. I crushed the blackberries and added to the almost completed ferment bucket (in a straining bag of course. I week later I realized that blackberrie season was almost over here and if I could just get a few more, I could have three gallons. So off I went for more scratches on my arms and another gallon of berries. I never had to add any more yeast after the initial start, but it always chugged along very well. The only water I ever added was a cup or 2 to dilute the sugar with. What I have now is 3 gallons of the best wine I had ever tasted. 





I added all the chemicals at almost all the right times. I think the reason for the great flavor is due to adding the blackberries over a period of time as to not wash out the full flavor, and not having to add too much water. What saddens me deeply now is that I DIDN"T TAKE NOTES! How will I ever repeat this with a 6 gallong batch next year? Lol


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## Angell Wine (Sep 13, 2005)

Hippie is the Buffalo River running or is it just pebbles with water puddles right now ?


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## Waldo (Sep 13, 2005)

Thanks jobe. I think my Blackberry is going to be veryyy good. I have also learned ( The Hard Way) that in wine making it is well to follow an old saying of Confucious which is "Short Pencil Much Better Than Long Memory"


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## Hippie (Sep 13, 2005)

Angell Wine said:


> Hippie is the Buffalo River running or is it just pebbles with water puddles right now ?




Pebbles and water puddles all over this part of the state, my friend. Very seriously dry and hot. Slight chance of rain next 2 days.


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## Waldo (Sep 17, 2005)

Racked the Blackberry again today and was pleased with how it is coming along. I can only wonder how it might have been if I had used the proper procedures and yeast from the onset. I think I may get enough frozen blackberries for at least a gallon and see how it goes.








My first "offical" glass of my homeade wines








Mmmm Looks good. Just wondring how it will be a year from now


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## Hippie (Sep 17, 2005)

How does it taste?


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## Waldo (Sep 18, 2005)

Tastes good Hippie. Unfamiliar with proper wine tasting terminology and stumbling through I would describe it as, smooth, very dry,with a definite fruity aroma and taste,albeit not totally Blackberry. No foaming orbubbling when I poured it in the wine glass. Did have just a hint of chemical odor


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## Hippie (Sep 18, 2005)

Are you planning on sweetening?


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## Waldo (Sep 19, 2005)

Probably a little. At least part of it. I may keep a couple of bottle dry and see how it turns out


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## MedPretzel (Sep 19, 2005)

Just getting into the thread now, but it looks great, you look relaxed, and the wine don't look too shabby either!



Are you seriously going to wait *a year*?!?!? Kudos to you!


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## Waldo (Sep 20, 2005)

Thanks Martina.. At least a couple of bottles will be put back for a year. I have several friends who have requested bottles so it is probably going to go pretty quick.


Hippie, what method do you aspire to when sweeting? I have some wine conditioner Ibought but some seem to advocate the use of sugar syrup too.


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## Hippie (Sep 20, 2005)

If you have sorbated when you stabilized, make a syrup on the stovetop with an eighth cup of sugar per gallon, dissolved in an equal amount of either water or the wine itself, over low heat, do not boil.Wait and do it when it needs racked again, then rack onto it so it will be integrated well. Wait until you need to rack again to taste. Repeat if necessary. I sense you getting in a hurry. Don't.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2005)

this business of being patient is killing me.


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## Waldo (Sep 20, 2005)

The "Grasshopper" hears and listens to the instructuion Hippie and will adhere to every bit of it.


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## Waldo (Oct 23, 2005)

My Blackberry continues to clear nicely. I think I am getting close to being ready to bottle it. Just have to get me some more bottles delabeled and cleaned. I had two left after this weekends Peach and Port bottling.


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## Hippie (Oct 23, 2005)

As long as it has been 4-5 weeks since the last rack and it has not dropped sediment since, you are sureit is stable,and you are satisfied with the clarity and taste. (sweetness)


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## Waldo (Oct 23, 2005)

It has been almost 5 weeks since last racking and has just a smidgen of sediment in the bottom Hippie. That is why it is up on the table. I am going to rack it another clean carboy tomorrowevening and let it continue to age until I can get enough bottles together and cleaned. That will be at least another couple of weeks. *Edited by: Waldo *


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## Hippie (Oct 23, 2005)

Sounds like a good plan! It looks great!


Good job!


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## Waldo (Oct 24, 2005)

Thanks Hippie. I am wondering if any of our wiineries here in Arkansas sell their reject bottles. I could care less if they have a couple of scratches on them. I also looked for recycling but could find none.


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## Hippie (Oct 24, 2005)

I have no idea, though I have been there once. You are closer than I.


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## Waldo (Oct 29, 2005)

Bottled my Blackberry today.








Was pleased with the way it tasted and the clarity of it. It will get much better with some age on it so it is going to storage as soon as I get my labels on it.








All I had was mostly dark green bottles and for an old fart, it's difficult soem time to see when the bottle is full so I had a couple of run overs


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## Hippie (Oct 29, 2005)

Looks great Waldo. 


Good job!


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## Waldo (Oct 30, 2005)

Thanks Hippie !!


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## rgecaprock (Oct 30, 2005)

Waldo,


Your wines look very nice!!!


Ramona


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## Waldo (Oct 30, 2005)

Thanks Ramona. I am just anticipating a year from now when i can begin enjoying them


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## PolishWineP (Oct 30, 2005)

Waldo said:


> Thanks Hippie. I am wondering if any of our wiineries here in Arkansas sell their reject bottles. I could care less if they have a couple of scratches on them. I also looked for recycling but could find none.




When we went to a winery and did tasting we found out that they can't reuse the bottles. They have all these empties from which samples are poured, but they can't use them!


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## Waldo (Oct 30, 2005)

PolishWineP said:


> Waldo said:
> 
> 
> > Thanks Hippie. I am wondering if any of our wiineries here in Arkansas sell their reject bottles. I could care less if they have a couple of scratches on them. I also looked for recycling but could find none.
> ...




But ca they give them to you to you to "haul them off" for them


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## Waldo (Oct 30, 2005)

Blackberry is labeled











Capped








And Ready for aging


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## Hippie (Oct 30, 2005)

Very nice package!


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