# New Year Wine?



## chevyguy65 (Nov 30, 2007)

What will everyone start for there "New year " 


It has to be your first started after the First of January and you must label it 
*"New year 2008"*













Then possibly a category for Winefest 2008 and/or exchange among members here.? (approved by George of course)







It can be fruit or kit but it must be started after 01/01/08




Anyone in for it?


Ours will be a Zinfandel or a Shiraz 



*Edited by: chevyguy65 *


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## grapeman (Nov 30, 2007)

I have a few kits coming soon. I could try to wait until after the 1st for one of them I suppose. Maybe the Mosti Vinfera Vignoble - Franc Sauvignon. I know I will start the Mosti Renaissance Amarone with Raisins as soon as I get it because I want to try to make a couple Ports with it using the Amarone as a base.


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## jobe05 (Nov 30, 2007)

I'd be in for that, sounds like fun.

Now what would be considered the "First", the first bottled, or the first that started fermenting after Jan 08?

Then Theres the swap............ Who gets who's wine?

Should we vote on who makes what wine then just pick? Once someone picks the wine, no one else can take that one?

I could make a French Chardonnay kit,
or a fresh fruit Muscadine, a Scuppernong or a Blueberry Port...................


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## Waldo (Nov 30, 2007)

I could do a good job of testing whatever all of you start..you know, just to help out friends...no charge at all for my services either.


My first one I think will be a Peach


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## JWMINNESOTA (Nov 30, 2007)

Wow Waldo, with a deal like that I'll start one for sure!



Good to see a real team player here!


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## swillologist (Nov 30, 2007)

I have got some highbush cranberries in the freezer. 










After deer season closes in January. I will dig them out and see if I can make something drinkable out of them. I know they are not fit to eat off of the bush.



I tried them. *Edited by: swillologist *


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## CajunTim (Nov 30, 2007)

My manderen tree will be ready to pick by 08. So that will be one,and my apple came out so good, that it will be my #2 wine for 08.


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## PolishWineP (Dec 1, 2007)

Ours would have to be a kit as nothing from fresh fruit or juice would be ready by even December. And since we're out of kits, you know what that means, girls and boys, the PWP must go shopping!



The princess hates going to the stores to shop, but she always has loads of fun at The Winemaker's Toy Store! Now, let's see...


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## chevyguy65 (Dec 2, 2007)

The idea I had was ....the first batch that goes into primary would be your New Year wine. then we could exchange at Winefest 2008 or do an exchange via PM with who ever you wanted to. It would be for fun unless we could get FVW to do a category at WF 08 I thought we could use. frozen/fresh fruit,fruit base, kit or ?. It would only get about 8 or 9 months for aging but gives us another reason to start a new batch!!


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## PolishWineP (Dec 2, 2007)

I see! So this wouldn't necessarily need to be ready for drinking by that time. I'm in.


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## Harry (Dec 2, 2007)

Iam in also, I have 2 1/2 gallons of blackberry juice I hope to start in Jan 2008. I plan on starting on Jan 1 , So we will see how its doin by winefest 08. I may need some help from Waldp the Blackberry man.I also have 4 gallons of Mustang grape juice i need to get started ferminting. 










Harry


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## Jack on Rainy (Dec 3, 2007)

Chevyguy,

Fun idea! 

I will be out of kits by year end but have the Meglioli amarone and a
CC Super Tuscan coming in January and one or both of those will be
started right away. But I am certain those will not be ready anytime in
"08. (None of my reds made this year are drinkable yet. Opened the
first WE Lodi Zin last night and it was not drinkable but did have
potential. Yeast pitched on that one 3/7. A WE Lodi Cab started 4/5 is
similar. Three whites are drinkable now.) So maybe I follow the PWP's
example and browse for a white this month. Bet George still has some....



Loved the pict of highbush cranberries, Swill. They are fairly common
in the wild here although not in great patches. Grouse love them and I
love grouse with them!


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## JimCook (Dec 3, 2007)

Thanks to George's Planned Shipment Program™, I'll be enjoying two kits delivered each month for the next four months. Conjunctively with the recent success of the carboy breeding program, the scheduled kits to start in January are Mosti AllJuice Montepulciano,JohannesburgRiesling,and Bourg Royal Rouge.


- Jim


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## swillologist (Dec 3, 2007)

Thanks Jack! The guy that had the place before us planted two bushes in the yard. The bird planted them down in the slough. We have a pretty good patch now. We will see if theywill make good wine. If not the birds will have more to eat.


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## s.arkvinomaker (Dec 5, 2007)

You can count me in. I will havwe a couple of fruit wines to start. I was planning on a two and three gallon batch but could always increase to five gal . instead. Once the details are worked out let us know.


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## JWMINNESOTA (Dec 5, 2007)

Hmmmm , January..Ill have theMeglioli Amarone, Orange Muscat Port, or Malvasia Bianca to pick from. At least thats all planned so far to start at the first of the year.


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## uavwmn (Dec 6, 2007)

Swill, those cranberries look wonderful!!!


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## swillologist (Dec 6, 2007)

Thank you uav! I will be getting them into the primary after the first of the year.


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## chevyguy65 (Dec 27, 2007)

Ok .....we changed our mind.... the "New Year"wine will be a Cherry Grape blend 60/40. hopefully we can get the mead out of primary soon or we'll be buying a new bucket!


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## Wade E (Dec 27, 2007)

Hopefully I can get Lisa from Vincor(RJ Spagnols) to send a grape pack for my Super Tuscan kit since it was missing, so this can be my New Years wine.


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## jobe05 (Dec 27, 2007)

What would it mean if I started all 5 kits and 5 fresh fruit wines all on the same day? Jan 1! I'm not that ambitious........ but just in case I may start 2 kits at once.................


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## Wade E (Dec 27, 2007)

It would mean that you would have to ship all 60 bottles to my house!


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## jobe05 (Dec 27, 2007)

wade said:


> It would mean that you would have to ship all 60 bottles to my house!



In good time..................


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## jobe05 (Jan 1, 2008)

Started 3 kits today...........

A French Chardonnay, Piesporter and a Watermelon Merlot.






Here is the Watermelon Merlot 






Your probably asking what is so special about this one.......... well........ 2 things.... This is the wine that Wade turned me onto... it's very good. and it's being fermented (for the first time use) with this:






Waldo's Bubbler......... Starting the first of the year with this item means a lot to me.

Then I have the wine I finished the year with. My wife and I spent yesterday morning Bottling the Scuppernong....... 74 bottles (750ML) and one 1.5 liter bottle........ this is Great Scuppernong....... again, it has a label to live up to.





Then to finish my rack to put it up on.......... No matter how big a wine rack you make...... you fill it up.......
















This rack isn't finished yet, but it will be soon...........

The family room is a disaster......... I have to find another place to store my empty bottles. I have about 30 cases in my wine room, and another 74 cases out here............






I'm thinking next summer when we go to NY of taking the truck since my father inlaw has an antique wood cooking stove he wants us to have ad I need to bring back, I'm thinking I may load up a bunch of these and stop over to Applemans house with a few dozen cases.



*Edited by: jobe05 *


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## Wade E (Jan 1, 2008)

Way to kick off the new year buddy!


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## Jack on Rainy (Jan 1, 2008)

jobe05 said:


> Started 3 kits today...........
> 
> A French Chardonnay, Piesporter and a Watermelon Merlot.



A good start to the new year jobe, what Fr Chard is it?


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## jobe05 (Jan 1, 2008)

It's a Wine Expert (WE) Selection International kit.

I have made it before and liked it a lot.


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## Wade E (Jan 1, 2008)

Nice Red Oak racks buddy.


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## jobe05 (Jan 1, 2008)

I'm not done with them yet, I have some decorative (Carved) trim pieces that will be stained dark to cover the front slate that the bottles sit on, and then a wider piece that goes from the floor to ceiling to cover the screws, each cross section is inset into the uprights to give greater weight support. Very pleased with it so far. It's about 14 feet wide and 8 feet tall and will hold about 1400 to 1500 bottles when finished............ around the first of March..

Oh yea....... it's pine....... But I tried to select each board to look like it was better than pine. I feel good now that I know I must have done a good job...... it fooled the professional!



*Edited by: jobe05 *


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## Wade E (Jan 1, 2008)

It looks like Red Oak with a golden oak stain on them in the picture!


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## grapeman (Jan 1, 2008)

You certainly have had a busy day today! The rack really does look great! You are getting a HUGE selection of wine going! Keep up the good work. Let me know when you are coming north so I can free up a little time to share with you! So which wine is your FIRST for the New Year?


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## jobe05 (Jan 1, 2008)

The "FIRST" would have been the French Chardonnay.

I should have thought about that and dumped the 3 yeast all at once...........

I'll still let whoever draws my name to select the wine they want.


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## jobe05 (Jan 1, 2008)

wade said:


> It looks like Red Oak with a golden oak stain on them in the picture!



I went down and through up a couple of the risers and cross pieces to show you what I was talking about. It hides all the screws and seams and offers a nicer finish. I also like the vine type design in the trim.
















OH Yea Wade, I almost forgot to tell you..........

Thats all Blackberry Port on that top shelf..........................


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## myway22 (Jan 1, 2008)

Great racks Jobe! So when you guys say that now matter how big the rack is you'll find a way to fill it, you're not joking. 1400 to 1500 bottles? Who am I kidding, with the inspiration from this forum I'll probably be there by the summer



! If I don't get thrown outta my house first.


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## jobe05 (Jan 1, 2008)

It doesn't take long to fill a rack and get your inventory built up. Also......... this isn't the only rack I have............... I have 3 more, smaller than this.

I have only been doing this for a little more than 2 years now........ well...... I guess it'll be 3 years in March. I'm not into it or am as good at it as some here, but this is a hobby, not a race.

*Edited by: jobe05 *


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## PolishWineP (Jan 1, 2008)

Nice job! And you started 3 wines today! We usually pace ourselves to 1 or 2 starts in a day...



Great job on the rack. It's funny how quickly things can overtake a house...


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## Wade E (Jan 1, 2008)

Jobe, Im pretty sure you have thought this out well looking at the racks, please tell me each rack length is screwed in a few spots or at least in the middle as thats a lot of wine you got their partner and if a top rack let go it would probably take the rest down on the way. I may have to redesign my room as it is almost exceeding the racks I built.
*Edited by: wade *


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## jobe05 (Jan 1, 2008)

Yea, in 3 locations, on each cross board, screwed into concrete........... It aint moving at all! My only concern was the front boards, that they may give way over time. But the rack on the left (the fullest one) has been there for 2 years with no signs of sagging at all. I built it and kept that one shelf, then 2 then 3, but that one shelf was always full. Then I proceeded with the rest of it. It's a lot of wood, about $500 so far, I wanted to make sure it was going to last before I built the whole thing.

I think the best decision I made was at the beginning stages when I decided to inset the 1 x 3's into the 1 x 12 uprights.

*Edited by: jobe05 *


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## chevyguy65 (Jan 2, 2008)

Very Nice job,Jobe!!!


We have yet to start ours.I took my youngest out rabbit hunting on Sunday Morning and by night I felt pretty bad.Went to work on Monday and by the end of my shift I was down for the count.



Called in sick the last 2 days.. I bet my Sgt. and Lt,. are not too happy with me today! But, I cant do my job safely in this condition. 


We picked up the grape to add to our cherry juice, so our "New Year Wine" will be a blend 60/40 Cherry to Grape. As soon as I kick this "cold"or whatever it is We'll get it started.


Happy New Year to the "Family"


Mr and Mrs Chevy


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## swillologist (Jan 2, 2008)

I hope you are feeling better soon Chevy.


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## jobe05 (Jan 2, 2008)

Sorry your feeling down for a few days Chevy, I think the body "Gets" sick on purpose sometimes to tell us to slow down when we neglect to........ I wish it would find another way to talk to me though......

The "Family" says hi and get well........ well.......... most of the "Family" anyways......... A few came of "age" over the weekend and "sipped" away....... I told dem dat "decant" do dat............




............. OK...... I'll put a cork in it........


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## Wade E (Jan 2, 2008)

Sounds like the Chevy needs a tune up! Hope you feel better soon Chev.
*Edited by: wade *


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## OilnH2O (Jan 2, 2008)

Okay, here is my entry in _whatever_ we end up doing for New Year's Wine -- this pic is just after innoculating a Mosti Mondiale "Grigionnay" -- Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay -- with the EC-1118 yeast!



Started today!


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## Jack on Rainy (Jan 3, 2008)

Changed my mind! 

Didn't get the que empty before Christmas so had the MM AJ Castel del
Papa on hand to start ON 1/1/08! Really wanted to start my OC Port but
the RJS instructions are confusing so waited to ask questions before
starting.


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## jobe05 (Jan 3, 2008)

Hey Jack, I got that same kit for christmas but didn't start it yet either.

Maybe we can start a thread in a month or 2 and make it at the same time..... Gotta post pictures and notes!


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## Jack on Rainy (Jan 4, 2008)

jobe05 said:


> Hey Jack, I got that same kit for christmas but didn't start it yet either.
> 
> Maybe we can start a thread in a month or 2 and make it at the same time..... Gotta post pictures and notes!





That could be fun and if we started a new thread would likely get a fermenter full of advice from this forum



!



So what is keeping you from starting right away? In my case, I have to
free a brew belt which will happen this weekend so I could begin as
early as Sunday night.



BTW we ARE talking about the Crew Select OC Port kit, right?


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## jobe05 (Jan 5, 2008)

I have 3 fermentors going right now..... Although I have 4, I only have 3 - 6 gallon carboys.

The Chardonnay will need a couple of of months in one, the piesport about the same, and the Watermelon merlot should come out on about 30 days or so. Since the Watermelon Merlot has such a big F pack however, I may put that one in a 5 Gallon carboy and a gallon jug when it comes out, then I can start the OC Port. Also, because I started these on Tuesday...... I may not be racking till next weekend, I'll check them today.

I just re-read the direction for the OC Port and Re-read the "Makes 30 bottles" part again..... It makes 30 - 375ML bottles........ I just read 30 bottles. So this is a 3 gallon kit.

I have an empty 3 gallon carboy, so I can start whenever you are ready.

I am a bit under the weather right now though, so I'll wait for your lead. When I see te new "Orange Chocolate Port thread, I'll start also. Oh Yea, yes, mine is a RJ Spagnols kit as well.

*Edited by: jobe05 *


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## Wade E (Jan 5, 2008)

All the Port kits are 3 gallon jobe! Just cause your used to making 2o gallons of port must have confused you!


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## grapeman (Jan 9, 2008)

I know its a week after New Year's Day, but I finally got around to starting my first wine of 2008. It is the Vinifera Noble Franc Suvignon wine, a delicious blend of Cab Franc and Cab Sauvignon. Due to my wife being sick since New Year's Day and the trip to the Hospital and her staying theree for a day, I got delayed, but all is well now-sorta. 


Here is the kit- a new series of Mosti Mondiale George is carrying now. I think they will be a good inexpensive full wine. I know it won't be as full bodied as an all juice or like, but hey, it's VERY well put together. This one has 2- 30 packs of a medium toast oad and one pack of light toast oak. Mixed up to 23 liters it gave a full 1.092 SG reading at 70 deg. While not as powerful smelling as the all juice kits, it has a very pleasing smell and nice delicious flavor. Once made up I believe this one will be a keeper. I will also be interested to see if there is any hint of KT with this kit as compared to the WE less expensive kits.



<TABLE borderColor=#000000 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 width="100%" border=2 ="maintable"><T>
<T>
<TR>
<TD>Item Number</TD>
<TD>VN165</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD>Description</TD>
<TD>


Franc Sauvignon


Dark, rich and full bodied, only begin to describe this wonderful blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.


Mosti Mondiale’s 10L Vinifera Noble is a unity between fresh musts and concentrate to preserve the properties of each varietal and enhance their natural characteristics. Wines produced with Mosti Mondiale’s 10L Vinifera Noble are characteristically warm, 


Mosti Mondiale™ wines are made from only the finest 100% varietal grape juice and grape concentrates from among the world’s premier vineyards. Many kits include specially chosen toasted oak chips for barrel-aged character and increased depth.</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD>Current Price</TD>
<TD>$70.99</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD>Status</TD>
<TD>Stocked</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD>Order</TD>
<TD>Order</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD>Picture</TD>
<TD>



</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD>Flavor</TD>
<TD>Franc Sauvignon</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD>Brand</TD>
<TD>Vinifera Noble</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD>Manufacturer's Description</TD>
<TD>Dark, rich and full bodied, only begin to describe this wonderful blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. A bouquet of blackcurrant and black cherry with a spicy undertone. A very generous wine with solid tannins and rich mellow oak, this combination will send your taste buds into a state of euphoria. Pairings: Well spiced game, grilled red meats, and strong cheeses (very old cheddar, Gorgonzola etc.) </TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD>Sweetness</TD>
<TD>0</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD>F-Pack</TD>
<TD>N</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD>Oak Type </TD>
<TD>Toasted </TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD>Oak Intensity </TD>
<TD>3</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD>Minimum Recomended Aging </TD>
<TD>3 Months</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD>Wine Peaks At </TD>
<TD>1 year </TD></TR></T></T></TABLE>


I will keep you all updated on this one. Sorry no pictures yet, but it is a beautifully assembled kit with all the normal ingredients we have come to expect with the Mosti kits.*Edited by: appleman *


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## chevyguy65 (Jan 11, 2008)

The New Year Wine was started on the 6th and it smells incredible!!


Its a 6gal batch of cherry/whitegrape.Should be ready for secondary tomorrow! pics after the racking.


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## joeswine (Jan 14, 2008)

I'AM totally confused


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## joeswine (Jan 15, 2008)

I still have a boat load to finish bottling and you people are starting to make,my next batch of wine coming in will be in march when the chilean juice arrives,then I'll do about 30 gallons of variety,may the Italian juice I'll do another 30 gallons and I,ll finish with the californians about another 30 gallons or so depending on what I need to have ageing also in september /oct/I get at least 24 gallons of new york state juice that will round out my year,so you can do the math by jan/feb,I need to bottle in a big way


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## JWMINNESOTA (Jan 20, 2008)

Still a little hope the Meglioli gets here soon....or the first wine will be in February


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## chevyguy65 (Feb 3, 2008)

We have had a crazy past month here in Chevyland!!! We did manage to rack the "new year" wine to secondary and now its settling out a bit before we rack again. 


Mrs Chevy has been working on the Church Auction the past year and last night we attended it. Between working,buying,dinner and clean up we started at 4:30pm and didnt get home until 1 am!!! but it was for a good cause and its 2 years untilthe next one!!!!!


We've been house hunting the last several weeks and after being beat out on one offer we finally found another we liked so the Chevy's will have a new nest/winery location in mid march!!!!!!!


All new batches will need to wait until April. Between the Auction, workand house stuff Im ready to open "a few" bottles to lighten up the inventory!!


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## joeswine (Feb 3, 2008)

JUST got done bottling my pinot nior and sharza from cal. netted 120 bottles,still need to drive head on through the rest//


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## moto-girl (Feb 3, 2008)

Today I started the first wine of the new year. It's a CC red mountain cab. It smells wonderful so far.


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## corn field (Mar 16, 2008)

started my first wine for 2008 it is a coffee citrus wine. Found the recipt on Jack Kellers blog. Sure smells good and it just started.


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