# Hill House Vineyard



## rrawhide (Sep 13, 2009)

<a href="css_styles/default_style.css" target="_blank">Well, we were offered some grapes if we would pick them. Yeah!! So, 4 of us 
plus the owner picked about 800# of italian varietals. Over 10 different. Was 
not really enough for a good batch of anything so we decided to have a BIG 
blend. Anyway, we are calling it *Armonizzare Italiano. 
*This means Italian Blend. Hope it turns out as we all get a 5th 
portion. Looks good so far Brix 24.5 Ph of 3.43 and TA .65. Coloring up good 
too. So we will see and hope. 
</a></font>css_styles/default_style.css</font>
<a href="css_styles/default_style.css" target="_blank">Anyway, here is the vineyard - nice setting and with white end posts makes 
it look great. Also, varietal names on signs at each post. There an idea for 
ya'll!!!
</font>





</a>
2 bins about full





crusher destemmer and must pump we were able to use - we crushed the 800# in 35 minutes but it took 2 1/2 hours to clean everything!! This equipment is at a different location - Bella La Vina Winery.






end post sign - like this for each varietal






Went back the next day and picked 1 white - this is a Russian White called Georgian Rkatsiteli. Interesting grape unique taste. We were able to get about 150# so we decided to hand process these. So here we are: first of all stripping the grapes (destemming)






and the crusher - 






and Daisy - wine dog - grape thief


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## Wade E (Sep 13, 2009)

Man you guys have all the luck. What are you picking from 2 vineyards now?


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## rrawhide (Sep 13, 2009)

yes Wade - well, you just can't say no. Deparo about 6 miles away and Hill House about 25 miles. They are talking about pushing out the hill house vineyard as they have too much trouble with wild turkeys and raccoons eating everything. They come in 2-3 times a day and make a mess. Turkeys walk and fly in - land on top of trellis wires and just make big holes and eat eat eat. OF course they wait until the sugar is up. The raccoons hit from the ground and we find lots of 1/2 bunches. Empty at bottom of cluster and berries at top. Last several years they got NO wine. This year they, at least, will get a 5th. 

So with them having to irrigate - fertilize - weed control - mow - prune and no harvest - with no wine for the past several years - they are ready to get rid of the vineyard. This is a 30 year old vineyard and happens to be the one that I learned to make wine from over 20 years ago.

The 4 of us are considering taking over the vineyard management but depends what the owners want to do and want us to do. It is a long way to have to run up there every day though and my other friends are 30 miles farther so just do not know at this time. Would hate to see them push this over. Considering dogs!!!


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## grapeman (Sep 14, 2009)

Tons of fun - or at least about 800 pounds!


Have they netted the grapes? It really slows our wildlife down. If there is too much pressure, it might not work but if it hasn't been practices, it might be worth it.


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## AlFulchino (Sep 14, 2009)

wonderful story to watch and follow


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## rrawhide (Sep 14, 2009)

Well, here is where we are now. We pressed the Rkatsiteli today and ended up with approx 10 gallons of juice. I have not done a white wine from scratch for many years and forgot how many more steps are involved. We pressed and filled the carboys up completely and will let rest overnight at 60 degrees. Tomorrow, I will siphon out the juice leaving any berries/pulp behind. They will be put into 2 or 3 - 5 gallon carboys and filling about 2/3rd's leaving lots of headspace. I will probably try 2 different yeasts and see what happens. Since we are working with juice you do not need an open primary as you do not have to punch down a cap but you do need lots of room for the fermentation. Anyway, here we go:


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## rrawhide (Sep 14, 2009)

Steve at the press






and the juice - a 6.5 gallon and a 2.8 gallon full to cap.






so that's all for today - we will keep this going 

rrawhide


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## Tom (Sep 15, 2009)

Boy wish I had friends like yours !
Keep us updated on the progress. What was the Brix on these grapes.


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## rrawhide (Sep 15, 2009)

hey tepe

brix was 25.5 ph 3.73

gotta go and get 'em goin'

have a good day

rrawhide


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## AlFulchino (Sep 15, 2009)

great pictures


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## rrawhide (Sep 16, 2009)

The red wine was ready to press today as the s.g. was under 1.0 so we had a good day.

Here is the next stage of the production:

This is a 100 gallon microbin after fermentation






We used a bladder press - and never using one before it was great. This is a 1/2 ton unit and the bladder is filled with water to 25# pressure when you are ready to press. The bladder expands and juice forced out through the holes.







we put a bag inside and the juice into it. The bladder you can see. 






and bucketing the juice - pour in top and 'free run' out the bottom





that's 50 gallons of 'free run'





we were filling carboys untill we ran out!!!





so we went to a 57 gallon barrel and filled that


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## rrawhide (Sep 16, 2009)

and it's full








and we're done - and did some barrel 'sticking' ie tasting - always fun!!


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## rrawhide (Sep 16, 2009)

and now it is in my wineroom - just waiting - will add 1 pound of french oak tomorrow and then maybe into neutral oak barrel in Dec./Jan. Victor put the barrel into my truck with a forklift and I used my tractor loader to get it out carefully. Gotta be about 600#. Wow!


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## rrawhide (Sep 16, 2009)

We are calling it Armonizzare Italiano which means Italian Blend.

We ended up with 85 gallons - 55 free run and 30 pressed. We pumped the 30 gallons into the blue barrel and then put the free run over the top. The rest of the juice is free run and we may keep separate. We are splitting this 5 ways. Lots of work - lots of fun - and good friends!!

All for now - do ya'll want this tread to continue? Hope you are enjoying what and how we do things.

rrawhide


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## grapeman (Sep 17, 2009)

I think the thread is great. Keep it coming.


That press was just a bit of overkill, don't you think? Ha ha. It probably took longer to cleanthan to use it! But it is quick...............


You guys need a must pump so you don't need to bucket everything.


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## Tom (Sep 17, 2009)

Great pictures!
Looks like you had a full day and a great fun time pressing. I'm guessing the clean up was just as long as the pressing..
Keep the thread going so we can track your progress.


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## fivebk (Sep 17, 2009)

Please continue the thread!! I enjoy reading and learning from all. Right now I can only dream about making wine on that size scale, but you never know where this HOBBY/OBCESSION will lead to. 

Keep the pics coming too!! 

BOB


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## rrawhide (Sep 17, 2009)

Morn'n all

It took about 3 hours to get ready to press - 1 hr to press - 3/4 hours to clean - winemakers use lots of water. Interestingly, Victor uses TSP to clean/scrub everything first - then sprays with citric acid - and then rinses with water. He gets his TSP and Citric acid from Smart &amp; Final. I am going to start doing it this way too. And 1 hour or so to barrel taste! We started at 10:00 am and did not finish until almost dark (unloading barrel) at my house about 7:00pm. Long full day!!!

Rich, a must pump would be great - he has one in the crusher/destemmer and we could have used that. We are thinking about a trash pump with nylon impellers with a 3" hard line. As long as the must is as liquid as this it would work great. $400 compared to $3000 is a big difference. I have a little electric 1/5 hp water pump with 1/2" hoses for the stuff that I do. Takes time but is gentle.

By the way - Victor's barrel room (Bella la Vina Winery, Terra Bella, CA) is a truck container - 8' x 45'. 3 openings were cut in the side and roll up doors installed. Then he built 'walls' around three sides and added additional insulation. Put an evaporative cooler in one end on a thermostat and it all works well for him. He poured a concrete pad with drainage in front and a cover over it. He ferments/stores outside on deck and then transfers into barrels in the fall (late Nov/Dec) after he bottles so barrels are always full. He said the container was $2500 delivered and the doors was another $2000 installed. Plus the concrete and cover. Has a great storage room for not a big price. Just thought you would like to know for those considering making something like this.

As you see, lots of fermentation going on and all the storage tanks that you see are full. These are all 100 gallon microbins. They are all punched down 3 times a day. He is a commercial winery and does a lot of fun stuff.
Their website is www.bellalavinafarms.com.


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## dragonmaster42 (Sep 17, 2009)

Looks like a lot of work, but a lot of fun, too. Bet it smells great with all that fermenting going on!


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## AlFulchino (Sep 17, 2009)

just beautiful to watch


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## rrawhide (Sep 17, 2009)

UPDATE

Added 1.5#'s of French Oak (medium toast plus) cubes to barrel. Added a eye hook to underside of bung and suspended the oak about 1/2 way down barrel. It is suspended in a pantyhose leg.!!!!! Be this way for about 8 weeks and then into a neutral barrel, I hope. Victor said he can add a neutral barrel to his order this year for me and it should be 3 year old for $25. At least that was the price last year. What he does is buy a new barrel and a neutral barrel and make a batch of wine in each. Then when it is ready to bottle he will blend both together - the neutral will soften the harsher new oak and come out gooooooooood!!!

Anyway, this is where it sits for now - more later - we will taste in about a month. In this period of time it should be pretty clear on its own.


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## grapeman (Sep 18, 2009)

Wow, a neutral barrel for $25? That's a deal and a half!


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## rrawhide (Sep 18, 2009)

Hey Rich - go to www.winebusiness.com to the used barrel section and you can get all kinds at all prices. racks too!! Usually prices are negotiable at the bigger wineries. Enjoy the publication - there is lots there!

rrawhide


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## Waldo (Sep 22, 2009)

WOW!!!! You got it going on buddy !!!! WOW !!!!


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## Waldo (Sep 22, 2009)

I received a shipment via UPS today from Oakhill lane Cellars aka wines by rrawhide that are meant to test my patience. 









3 bottles of Syrah and one bottle of Merlot with the following instructions. The Syrah's are all from the same batch but the bottle with the green shrink was aged with American oak, The blue was Hungarian oak and the red was aged on French oak..Now comes the testing..I have to wait one year before opening the Syrah



but...I can go ahead and drink the Merlot ( second bottle with green shrink cap)






Whadda think...Think i can wait a year to pop a cork on these ??


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## grapeman (Sep 22, 2009)

You can do it Waldo, but............... what happens if you don't.......... and who will know?










Where is mine rawhide?



. I'll send you back some of NY's finest! Bribe. Bribe!


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## AlFulchino (Sep 22, 2009)

that all sounds well and good..i want to know who gave Waldo roses

Rawhide i like your color coding system


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## rrawhide (Sep 23, 2009)

Well, here we are with the Rkatsiteli - just about done fermenting:

I decided to try 3 batches - each with a different yeast. Interesting 
results:






They were all (originally) in 5 gallon carboys with different liquid levels (lazy) and different yeasts.

#1 - Lavlin 71-1122
#2 - Lalvin EC-1118
#3 - Red Star - Cote des Blancs






In 7 days the fermentation was pretty much done. 

They all were pretty violent fermenters - - they all left about a 2" band of dead yeast around the inside of the carboy. Just wonder if that is because I used a 5 gr packet in each. Maybe too much yeast for the size container. hummmmmmmm?

#3 was done first - s.g. 1.0 on day 6
#2 was 2nd - s.g. 1.1 on day 7
#1 was is still sorta going on day 8 - s.g. 1.2

#3 today is .998 and is starting to clear. All have been racked into 

#1 - 2.8 gal
#2 - 3 gal 
#3 - 3 gal

I will keep them all separate and finish them and then see if there are any different tastes and which is better/worse or ?. Kinda fun experiment.






This will be the label (i think). I asked our friend Joanie to draw me a mysterious woman.. Kinda on the Marie Laveau - swamp woman song. Well, this is her take-off of that. Marie was pretty scary lookin'. 

Virtually no one has ever heard of this wine Rkatsiteli and it is from the Russian country/state of Georgia so that is where this all came from.

This is where we are now with the white - will be waiting on the red for a long time - so will keep ya'll posted.

rrawhide


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## admiral (Sep 23, 2009)

What a great thread! Please keep it up. Thanks!


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## Waldo (Sep 24, 2009)

Lovin it Rick !!!


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## R Ziegler (Sep 24, 2009)

Just a little info on this grape I found - In caseanyone else was interested. 


I can't find the recommended planting zone yet.


Rkatsiteli



[ruh-KAT-see-TELL-ee] White-wine grape that is the most widely planted variety in what was formerly the Soviet Union-it's extensively grown in Russia and Georgia. Rkatsiteli is also widely grown in Bulgaria and is now thought to be the world's second most planted white grape after Spain's airén. There are even a few acres in California and New York. Rkatsiteli produces good-quality wines with high acidity good sugar levels, and pleasantly spicy, floral characteristics. It's vinified in a variety of styles ranging from dry to very sweet, used in sparkling wine production, and even processed into sherrylike wines and cognac-style spirits.


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