# Rich or AL



## Wade E (Jun 27, 2010)

What are the general rules of wine making at commercial level. Are you allowed to add sugar up front to up the abv on your wine, what is the limit of abv before they start really socking it to you tax wise and are you allowed to sweeten back or is cold crashing and sterile filtration the only way?


----------



## grapeman (Jun 27, 2010)

I will let Al answer this question for you Wade. I can say that some states allow the addition of sugar, realizing that in some years there is not adequate natural sugars. There are also rules about the addition of water, even when used to dilute the acid. You are allowed to add about 10% of the juice as water, but it can vary a bit. 


Al can confirm this, but I think the alcohol level is 14% or lower for the normal tax rate. Above that is taxed at a higher rate.


Sweetening is allowed also as far as I know, at least here it is. Some wineries overdo it though in my opinion, but they are making it the way a lot of people want it- oversweet!


----------



## AlFulchino (Jun 27, 2010)

as usual rich is on top of things..let me tell you an interesting aside...i stopped a fermentation early on one white wine in a 3 gallon carboy as an experiment, the result as a 7% abv....if you do that then the wine cannot be termed a wine and instead one of them funny drinks that people other than i drink 

anyway there is a 11% category then 14% and 21%, and they are taxed accordingly

sweetening is allowed, but that can be dangerous in my view if you are not watching what you are doing and also if you have wine in multiple aging vessels...you gotta make sure they all come out alike because your reputation is always on the line

water was also mentioned...i can say categorically, i NEVER EVER utilize this practice..in my view there is no place for this practice....i have had some rather hot wines emanating from some 28 and 29 brix numbers...i let them age away their heat...the result, top notch wine...it wasnt me...it was the aging...it was time, i recently sold 50 gallons of sangiovese in about 5 weeks right out of my little hole in the wall micro-winery

i went on a bit of a ramble so hope i didnt miss any part of your question was missed


----------



## Wade E (Jun 27, 2010)

Thanks guys, a subject came up here at home which aroused my curiosity about a few of these things.


----------



## ibglowin (Jun 27, 2010)

Man, guess I know where we stand, none offered up to your FVW homies!






Also isn't the alcohol % error pretty wide. IOW, a wine that is labeled (and taxed at the 13% rate could actually be 13% +/- 1% ?



Al Fulchino said:


> i recently sold 50 gallons of sangiovese in about 5 weeks right out of my little hole in the wall micro-winery


----------



## AlFulchino (Jun 27, 2010)

yes its a +/- 1%

and as to offering you guys wine....its not that i dont want to TRUST ME...i havent added any wine to vino shipper and i should, but i was selling like crazy and the greenhouses have been crazy too! a very good problem to have....we have a Sangiovese right now i could make available as well as two sig blends, Mirabella and Vivace....i have a new white in the works...and a new red blend i plan on calling Tutto di Rossi which means All the Reds...its a blend of five red grapes...its been in blend a month and shows promise...some other wines are in the works as well...i need to clone myself for about 30 days....


----------



## ibglowin (Jun 27, 2010)

Ha!Just giving you a hard time. We are all VERY happy for you and wish you much continued success in all your endeavors.


----------



## Runningwolf (Jun 27, 2010)

ibglowin said:


> Ha!Just giving you a hard time. We are all VERY happy for you and wish you much continued success in all your endeavors.





I agree with what Mike said and wish you guys all the best in the world!


----------



## AlFulchino (Jun 27, 2010)

shoot...you tell me now...i got this on teh handheld that i dont own...was halfway to albuqerque


----------



## ibglowin (Jun 28, 2010)

Wait a minute, you don't have a smartphone of your very own?

Cosa succede?


----------



## AlFulchino (Jun 28, 2010)

i dropped one phone in a puddle.....another episode i was cleaning the pool , slipped while in that pool....phone in pocket, you can figure out what happenned....then i ruined an ipod ..another water episode...dont ask

need i say more? so i have a phone that lets me talk....and i skip the frill phones


----------



## ibglowin (Jun 28, 2010)

Al, Al.....

Che cosa devo fare con te?


----------



## Wade E (Jun 28, 2010)

Not big on spending all the extras with the phones. I have internet access on my phones and had that option and texting shut off. I do like the IPod though but the only chance I really have to use it is when Im mowing and weed whacking anymore. I used to use it at work until the boss decided he didnt like the idea!


----------



## rrawhide (Jul 1, 2010)

Go Al Go - sounds like things are progressing nicely!!!

I like the $$$$$$$$$$$$$ that you are bringing in - ah, I can only dream.

rrawhide


----------



## AlFulchino (Jul 1, 2010)

give me the english translation on that Mike!


----------



## ibglowin (Jul 2, 2010)

I can only do Italian!

"Come si fa a fare un milioni di dollari la produzione di vino?"

"Inizia con 2 milioni di dollari!"

Grazie, grazie mille!


----------



## AlFulchino (Jul 2, 2010)

i know a few words in italian...cant repeat them here...and i know from watching Lidia's Italy that tutte e tavola e mangiare means everyone to the table and eat!


----------



## ibglowin (Jul 2, 2010)

I had an old friend that I have lost touch with, we used to work together when I was just a twentysomething. He was from Philly and 110% Italiano. His mom would make this huge spread for dinner every night and keep telling everyone mangia, mangia! 

Man I swore his familia was the basis for the Soprano's!


----------

