# Windber, Pennsylvania Amateur Winemaking Competition



## frenzy92 (Feb 20, 2013)

Hey everyone, just got an email today from Fine Wines and Winemaking in Windber, PA. They are hosting an amateur winemaking competition May 18, 2013. Just wanted to let anyone who is interested know!

I attached the information PDF file that I got. 

View attachment WindberWineEntryGuide2013.pdf


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## dangerdave (Feb 20, 2013)

_"All proceeds benefit the Windber Fire Company No. 1 and the Windber Recreation Authority"_

Awesome! I'm in on this one, for multiple entries. I always love a chance to support my fellow firefighters.


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## frenzy92 (Feb 20, 2013)

We won't be able to attend the day of the vent, but we figure we will still enter a couple wines! This will be our first competition


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## Pumpkinman (Feb 21, 2013)

> Judging will take place from April 28th and May 17th,


 That a big window of judging, kind of wonder how they will be able to compare the wines over a course of several weeks?


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## Runningwolf (Feb 21, 2013)

Tom they will probably judge each wine using a point system then take the highest scoring wines and rejudge for best of show.


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## ckassotis (Feb 21, 2013)

How are they going to rejudge a wine from April 28th on May 17th though? I mean I have all the wine preservation accessories, but that's pushing it even for the vacuum seals in my opinion.


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## wineon4 (Mar 3, 2013)

I live just 30 miles from here. Nice and close to enter, BUT the time between judging concerns me. Unless they did not set a judging date and will choose a day within that time frame and judge all wines.Will wait and see how t pans out before enetring any. Waiting for the Pittsburg results I had 4 in that one.


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## Runningwolf (Mar 3, 2013)

wineon4 said:


> I live just 30 miles from here. Nice and close to enter, BUT the time between judging concerns me. Unless they did not set a judging date and will choose a day within that time frame and judge all wines.Will wait and see how t pans out before enetring any. Waiting for the Pittsburg results I had 4 in that one.


 I agree with you on wanting all wines judged the same day.

On the other hand I can tell you about a local competition where there was only one judge. He took all the wine home and over a two week period he judged each individual wine on a point system. When you got your wines back you not only got the score sheet but a page of information about the wine and it's characters. This gentleman was more qualified than most judges out there. Today he runs the online oenology coarse that Hokapsig is taking. I would take that kind of feedback and judging any day.


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## wineon4 (Mar 4, 2013)

I did some more reasearch on this and it will be a GREAT competion so I plan to enter. After the results from Pittsburgh I now have to determine what wines I want to enter but I will have at least 2 for sure, maybe 4. As of now I plan on my Cherry/Chocolate and my Strawberry and maybe a Black Current and a Concord both of which are still young and not yet bottled. Encourage all to enter and help out the Windber Fire Department such a good cause.


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## wineon4 (May 19, 2013)

Had a great time at Windber Wine in the Park. Tasted some good wines from the 5 Winerys present and had some good food from Rizzo's. Tasted a great Ice Wine called Fire and Ice made with a chilli pepper in the bottle WOW. 

Best part is I came away with a Double Gold for my Cherry Chocolate and a Double Gold Best of Show for my Blackberry/Apple and a Silver for my Strawberry/Chocolate.


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## Runningwolf (May 19, 2013)

Congratulations, that's an awesome win!!


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## pjd (May 19, 2013)

wineon4 said:


> Had a great time at Windber Wine in the Park. Tasted some good wines from the 5 Winerys present and had some good food from Rizzo's. Tasted a great Ice Wine called Fire and Ice made with a chilli pepper in the bottle WOW.
> 
> Best part is I came away with a Double Gold for my Cherry Chocolate and a Double Gold Best of Show for my Blackberry/Apple and a Silver for my Strawberry/Chocolate.


 
I would be interested in your Cherry Chocolate recipe. I have been working on one and it certainly would not take double gold!


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## Runningwolf (May 19, 2013)

I second that...the part of I would like the recipe.


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## wineon4 (May 19, 2013)

pj

Much a standard wine recipe. I do use pure cherry juice I buy it at walmart in quart jars ,with 2 large cans of Vinters Harvest Cherry wine base and no water 4 teaspoons acid blend, pectic enzyme and Red Star Cuvee yeast, for the chocolate I use Lindts 90% coca dark chocolate bars in the primary. I use the 3.5 oz bars and only 3 and transfer them from the primary into the secondary then discard in the first rack after 2 weeks in the secondary. Clear with Bentonite stabiize and backsweeten to 1.004. All the judges commented that the chocolate was perfect, just a hint on the back not overpowering as most are because winemakers over do it with chocolate. You need to taste the fruit first then chocolate then have the fruit in the finish. Most winemakers think the chocolate needs to be powerful that is the problem with most chocolate wines. They are not to be chocolate drinks, but a fruit wine with a wisp of chocolate. The juice at walmart is $5 a quart and the chocolate is $4 a bar and $25 a can for the wine base, an expensive wine to make but then it brought home a Gold.


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## pjd (May 19, 2013)

Nice, Thanks for the reply. I have 6 gallons of pure cherry juice that i purchased at Walkers. I added 4 oz of cocoa nibs and can definately taste them in the background. The wine is very dry now and I know I need to sweeten it some but it seems to be missing something. Maybe I should add the Vintners Harvest cherry as a flavor pack and sweetener. I also thought about adding some vanilla beans.
Congratulations on the win! Makes it all worth while.


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## Runningwolf (May 19, 2013)

Wineon4 I agree with you so much about tasting the chocolate on the back half. I also add my chocolate in the same manner as you but have not yet mastered that exact amount. Mine was good and not too over powering but still the chocolate is still noticed right away. Thanks for sharing what you did.


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## wineon4 (May 19, 2013)

Vinters Harvest makes a Puree for there fruit bases it comes in the smaller can. That may help you more than the large can of whole fruit. Is the wine clear because this may cloud it for a while. Back sweetning helps the fruit flavor come forward. Try bringing the sugar up to around 1.002 to 1.004 in small samples before you add more fruit. How is the body, some Glycerin helps with body in a finished fruit wine. The acid should be at .70% with a sugar of 1.002. I make 6 gallon batches.


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## pjd (May 19, 2013)

Thanks for that info. I need to meet up with Runningwolf at Presque Isle and buy one of those fancy new Vinmetrica 300's Then Dan will need to teach me how to use it. I am glad he is my friend, he won't mind teaching me. I make decent wine but make all my acid additions by taste and don't really know what they are. I do appreciate your information!


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## Runningwolf (May 19, 2013)

Yes you do and yes we are!


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## frenzy92 (May 20, 2013)

wineon4 said:


> I did some more reasearch on this and it will be a GREAT competion so I plan to enter. After the results from Pittsburgh I now have to determine what wines I want to enter but I will have at least 2 for sure, maybe 4. As of now I plan on my Cherry/Chocolate and my Strawberry and maybe a Black Current and a Concord both of which are still young and not yet bottled. Encourage all to enter and help out the Windber Fire Department such a good cause.



We entered too and took home a double gold for the coffee port and two bronze for a tropical dragon's blood and okanagan peach ice wine 

This was our first competition so we were thrilled!!


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## wineon4 (May 20, 2013)

Congrats that is an awesome win for your first. I heard the announcement for the Coffee Port and was going to talk with you guys but did not find you after. If you noticed less than 40% of the wines entered received a Medal, I have seen competions where close to 100% of the wines received at least a Bronze. This either is an indication that the Judges were tough on scoring or since it was the first year for the event that not many winemakers were aware of the competion. Only 62 bottles were judged and 25 received medals leaving 37 without an award. The medals were 6 Gold, 6 Silver, and 13 Bronze. I will be entering next year. I have a competion in Lanchaster this Saturday.


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## frenzy92 (May 20, 2013)

wineon4 said:


> Congrats that is an awesome win for your first. I heard the announcement for the Coffee Port and was going to talk with you guys but did not find you after. If you noticed less than 40% of the wines entered received a Medal, I have seen competions where close to 100% of the wines received at least a Bronze. This either is an indication that the Judges were tough on scoring or since it was the first year for the event that not many winemakers were aware of the competion. Only 62 bottles were judged and 25 received medals leaving 37 without an award. The medals were 6 Gold, 6 Silver, and 13 Bronze. I will be entering next year. I have a competion in Lanchaster this Saturday.



I was actually in Florida during the event this weekend, but John went to find out the results. I know he stuck around to talk to the judges, but he had to drive to Pittsburgh shortly thereafter. We will hope they were just tough and our wines were that awesome . We will definitely be entering some other competitions!


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