# New to forum and winemaking



## Goldwinger (Nov 23, 2006)

I have completed one Merlot kit. I cannot wait until it is ready to drink and share with friends. I found The Winemaker's Toy Store on line and visited yesterday. There are several kits and pieces of equipment on my wish list. There is lots of great information on this forum about wine makeing and I cannot wait to get it all read. I need lots of information and have lots of wine to make. This is the best information!!!! Hope to get to know some of you soon.


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## sangwitch (Nov 23, 2006)

welcome aboard Goldwinger! In my opinion, this is not only the best wine making forum, but the best forum I've ever been a member of. The folks here are awesome and very helpful.


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## grapeman (Nov 23, 2006)

Welcome Goldwinger! You will find help here for more types of wine than you ever knew existed. Ask any question you have and someone will probably give you an answer. Some might even make sense.





What kind of Merlot kit did you do?


If you want to see a few of the members, check out Masta's music video
http://www.finevinewines.com/wiz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2252*Edited by: appleman *


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## smurfe (Nov 23, 2006)

Welcome to our forums. We are very proud of this place and our group. That is what is so great about hanging out here. You are part of a family that happens to be very knowledgeable. I have yet to ever see a post with a question go unanswered and you normally get your answer very quick. 


There is a dedicated group here that loves to share their knowledge as well as just make more friends. I know I am quite proud to be a member here and know many of the fine folks here. I have even been accused of having a financial interest of George's company and trying to sell items on other boards as I always post links to this forum or to the catalog if someone asks where they can get an item on other forums. I have even been asked to take the links to this forum out of my signature lines on other forums I "used" to participate in. Guess they were sponsored by George's competitors. 


It just boils down to I lovethis place, all of the people here, and truly believe you can't find a better place to buy your supplies from. If you are big into customer service like I am, it can't be beat. PERIOD! Plus, the prices are as good as anywhere, thereare no exorbitant,bogus "handling" up charges on shipping, plus George always makes himself available to the customer. Hell, I bet if you called his business number in the middle of the night he would answer it






Welcome aboard!


Smurfe


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## PolishWineP (Nov 23, 2006)

Heck yeah! What Smurfe said! It's kind of like Cheers around here but the characters are a lot more interesting!



Welcome! *Edited by: PolishWineP *


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## Wade E (Nov 23, 2006)

Welcome Goldfinger and Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. Please feel free to ask any questions.


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## NorthernWinos (Nov 23, 2006)

Welcome Goldwinger....share your experiences here.


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## geocorn (Nov 23, 2006)

Welcome Goldwinger. Glad to have you aboard. BTW, which Merlot kit did you make?


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## bmorosco (Nov 24, 2006)

Welcome!!


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## Goldwinger (Nov 24, 2006)

The merlot was a Heron Bay kit. The wine has been bottled for about 3 weeks.


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## Joanie (Nov 24, 2006)

It's killing you to let it age, isn't it? =)

Welcome!


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## kutya (Nov 24, 2006)

Gold: Welcome to the fourm....


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## Goldwinger (Nov 24, 2006)

I may have to test a bottle tonight. We will need to experiment with the aging process. I can compare a bottle a week and really see the difference aging makes. This is after all my first batch and I really need to test it out good. By the way, how do you post a picture to the forum?*Edited by: Goldwinger *


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## James (Nov 24, 2006)

Welcome, Goldwinger, from another newbie. This forum is very interesting and informative. It is amazing how much different "wine" people are making. I am on my 7th kit and I learn something new every time I get on the forum.


I tasted my kits before I bottled and they honestly did not taste good. I was concerned. Forum members assured me that age makes the difference. I have several batches that I have tasted now at six months and man what a change. They are bordering on excellent and I can't wait to leave them a year.


Have a good holiday and when you figure out how to post a picture let me know.


James


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## Joanie (Nov 24, 2006)

Goldwinger,

Hit the "reply" button on the upper right of a post and it will open up a box that has a lot of bells and whistles around it. Look for the "tree" icon above the reply box. Click on it and it will open up another window. 

You can "Browse" on the lower left hand side and find the photo you want to post on your hard drive. Then hit "Upload".

The other way is to park photos at a place like photobucket.com (free). Copy and paste the URL link from photobucket and paste into the URL box on the upper right of the window. Be sure to have only one "http://" in that box. Hit the "Preview" button. Wait for it to be sure it's going to load then "OK" it. That should take you back to the window where you started to reply and your photo should be there. Write what you need to write. Then you "Post Reply".

Here's the best part...now you get to sit back and look at your handiwork!





I hope that was a bit clearer than mud!





*Edited by: Joan *


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## NorthernWinos (Nov 24, 2006)

How to Post photos on the Forum...depends on your computer and the settings....and how lucky you are. 

I had great luck...then my computer crashed and was restored...after that it was impossible for me to Upload photos

Click on the Reply button on the Post you are reading...Click on the UpLoad Button [little blue arrow on an icon] An Upload box will apppear... Browse through your computer and find the photos you wish to Post...Click on it and download....*</font> If your really lucky that will work!!!

There is a size requirement on the photos and the type of file you are using...to resize the Photos go to Power Toys to download the resizer....

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/digitalphotography/learnmore/tips/eschelman2.mspx

*</font> if you are unlucky [like me] and it doesn't download for you then you have to try another way.Waldo, one of the Forum members turned me on to downloading the photos by going to Photobucket and set up an account...FREE...

http://photobucket.com/

Upload your photos there, click on the bottom box under your photos in your Photobucket account [ the IMG choice], Copy & Paste to your reply....It works that way for me.

Good luck...and show us your stuff!!!*Edited by: Northern Winos *


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## Goldwinger (Nov 24, 2006)

I see picture of wine bottle trees. None of them look quite like mine. There are about 200 bottles waiting on wine.


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## Wade E (Nov 24, 2006)

I would love to grow one of those trees.When you pick them are they full?


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## NorthernWinos (Nov 24, 2006)

Goldwinger said:


> I see picture of wine bottle trees.  None of them look quite like mine.  There are about 200 bottles waiting on wine.



Glad the download worked for you...your on a roll now!!!

I see Joan also posted, I must have started my note while she was posting...same info...good that something worked for you.....

Looking forward to more photos...we love photos on this Forum!!!*Edited by: Northern Winos *


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## Goldwinger (Nov 24, 2006)

Unfortunately they are not full when picked.


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## jsmahoney (Nov 24, 2006)

Welcome Goldwinger!




WOW! Awsome Tree! I need to get one of those! Where can I buy one? Do they spread and grow sprouts?


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## Goldwinger (Nov 24, 2006)

It really belongs to my wife. I use it to store bottles until I need them.


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## Goldwinger (Nov 24, 2006)

This is my other hobby!!!


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## Wade E (Nov 24, 2006)

I' bet thats where you got your name from.


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## grapeman (Nov 25, 2006)

I figured that was you real first passion with your name. Before long you will need another bottle tree and a cooled warehouse for storage like the rest of us. By the way, what is that structure behind your baby? I just can't figure it out with those ramps, steel beams, concrete abuttments and fence all around. May some secret military installation like area 51..


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## Goldwinger (Nov 25, 2006)

That picture was taken at the spillway at Beaver Bend Reservoir.


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## bmorosco (Nov 25, 2006)

Nice shot....


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## summergirl (Nov 25, 2006)

I want to make homemade wine for the first time ,any suggestions of where to beging .Should I buy a kit if so what kind .......HELP where do I begin??????


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## NorthernWinos (Nov 25, 2006)

Welcome summergirl....You already got a good start by coming here and asking your first question.
I started by buying a couple books and reading...reading....reading.
*Edited by: Northern Winos *


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## Wade E (Nov 25, 2006)

What kind of wine do you like, white, red sweet as in Ice wine, fruit.
There are all kinds of kits and thats where I would start. Oh, by the
way welcome to the forum and feel free to ask any questions you have.
Thats why we're all here to help others or be helped ourselves.


*Edited by: wadewade *


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## jojo (Nov 25, 2006)

summergirl said:


> I want to make homemade wine for the first time ,any suggestions of where to beging .Should I buy a kit if so what kind .......HELP where do I begin??????




Posting a picture of yourself might help. I mean it's impossible to know which wine kit you should begin without knowing what you look like.






Welcome summergirl


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## PolishWineP (Nov 26, 2006)

Summergirl,
We will really need to know what types of wines you like to help guide you to the right kit. Sweet? Dry? Full-bodied? Wine cooler? And not only would we need to know what you like, but we also need to know what you DON'T like.



That may be even more important than what you do like. So give us some 411, the info, the facts and helpus to feel useful!


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## rgecaprock (Nov 26, 2006)

Greetings, Goldwinger and summergirl!!!


Welcome to a Fun Forum!!!!


Ramona


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## Goldwinger (Nov 28, 2006)

My first batchof Merlot. It has been bottled for about 4 weeks. I used magnum bottles. That way when I opened a bottle there is more that I will have to drink. I cannot wait to sample.


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## Wade E (Nov 28, 2006)

Very nice Goldwinger. We need a closeup of the label you designed though.

*Edited by: wadewade *


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## Goldwinger (Nov 29, 2006)

Here it is. My daughter does the art work and design.


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## NorthernWinos (Nov 29, 2006)

I like it...very original...got any more to show us???


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## bmorosco (Nov 29, 2006)

Very Nice Label!!


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## Joanie (Nov 29, 2006)

Goldwinger, your label is beautiful! Simple, elegant, and I especially like the "Micro Winery"! That's perfect! =)


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## Wade E (Nov 29, 2006)

Very cool , looks like Parchment paper.


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## Goldwinger (Nov 29, 2006)

My daughter created this label using Adobe Photoshop.


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## Wade E (Nov 29, 2006)

Very impressive, how old is she?


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## Goldwinger (Nov 29, 2006)

She is 23 and works in the High Performance Computer Center at Texas Tech University.


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## Goldwinger (Nov 30, 2006)

This is the label that is going on the Pinot Grigio that I will bottling and giving away for Christmas presents.


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## Wade E (Nov 30, 2006)

Very nice Goldwinger, did she do that one to? And while I'm at it, does she do all your labels?


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## NorthernWinos (Nov 30, 2006)

Nice!!!!



I'm sure everyone will love the wine and the label....Is that you in disguise?????


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## Goldwinger (Nov 30, 2006)

She is the artist. She made about 10 or so and I choose what I wanted.


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## Goldwinger (Dec 1, 2006)

Here is another label.


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## Waldo (Dec 1, 2006)

Great labels goldwinger..I especially like the first one


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## Goldwinger (Dec 15, 2006)

Test driving a new toy. I am having a hard time making this decision.


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## Angell Wine (Dec 15, 2006)

I want this one:




2007 dodge challenger


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## Wade E (Dec 15, 2006)

Yes me too Angell Wine, but I will settle for a 70 Cuda or Challenger


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## Dean (Dec 17, 2006)

I used to have a 73 Challenger. Man I loved that car! However, I did pretty much have to spend each weekend under the hood to keep it running nice.


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## Waldo (Dec 17, 2006)

Well I didn't have the money that the big cats had 
I couldn't get a Ford much less a Cad
But I'm not the kinda guy to be outdone.
So you know what I did, I went a made me one.
I got the front end here, I got teh rear end there
and I come by the middle about everywhere.
I got it all together and I made it fit
but the hardest part was naming it,
It was a Cheva Kizer Olds ma lika Stude wa Lincoln Baker with a Continental kit
Yeah, a Cheva Kizer Olds ma lika Stude wa Lincoln Baker and I was proud of every part of it.
Yeah i was clipping off 80 in a 30 mile zone and I asked the Police what did I do wrong?
He said there's one thing I just gotta know.
If you tell me what ya call it, I'll let you go



*Edited by: Waldo *


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## grapeman (Dec 17, 2006)

Waldo said:


> Well I didn't have the money that the big cats had
> I couldn't get a Ford much less a Cad
> But I'm not the kinda guy to be outdone.
> So you know what I did, I went a made me one.
> ...






Just call him "Waldo Cash"


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## OilnH2O (Dec 17, 2006)

I had a "Champaigne Gold" special-order 1969 Mach 1 with a 390 that was just amazing! I sold it in 1973 for $875 to buy a Dodge Power Wagon -- my 15-year-old Able Assistant reminds me of that decision every time we talk about "making good decisions!"


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## summergirl (Dec 21, 2006)

ok ok I read read and read.. now I have started merlot ,concord,strawberry,and labrusco started so how is that???? wine is looking good.I will try to post some pictures,not to good at computer.Thanks for the warm welcome!!!! You guys are the best!!!!


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## NorthernWinos (Dec 21, 2006)

summergirl said:


> ok ok I read read and read.. now I have started merlot ,concord,strawberry,and labrusco started so how is that???? wine is looking good.I will try to post some pictures,not to good at computer.Thanks for the warm welcome!!!! You guys are the best!!!!




Way to go summergirl...keep it up....Will be looking forward to seeing your photos....*Edited by: Northern Winos *


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## Bert (Dec 21, 2006)

This sounds great summergirl...looks like you have jumped in with both feet and on the run...Isn't it great fun....Welcome


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## Wade E (Dec 21, 2006)

Now thats a great start! Welcome to this addictive hobby.


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