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I just had the same situation. I left Monday afternoon, but I made sure that I did a good punch down before I left. I got back Wednesday late morning and I made sure that I attended to my fermenting grapes and punched them down again shortly after arriving back home. All looked fine and the...

I also live in Minnesota (Southern) and had my soil from 2 small vineyard plots tested for the first time this last fall. Both of my plots showed a PH of 7.8. I'll be watching this thread to see how I might also be able to adjust PH levels down.

I checked the PH on a sample of about 16 grapes pulled throughout my vines and it's still on the low side. The same mixed sample gave me a brix of 27, so the sugar keeps rising and the acid is slowly dropping. I've decided to let it go. Next weekend I'll be out of town so it will be two...

I harvested last year the first week of October, so I can wait. Can anyone suggest a target ph?

I last checked my Marquette last Sunday the 3rd of September and PH had climbed a little bit to from this to 2.78. Brix is at 26 and the weather this weekend in southern Minnesota is perfect for harvest with lows in the 50's. I'm open to opinions though......

I live in Southern Minnesota and checked my Marquette grapes two days ago. Brix was at 25 which is great. But the ph was at 2.73. I'm hoping that the ph will move up soon so I can grab them before the birds and the yellow jackets get too busy

Yes my vineyard has full sun. It is situated on level ground with no slope but good old Minnesota former farm field black dirt. The grape vines seem to love it IF we get enough moisture during the growing season as I have no water source near the plot unless I haul water. Most of the vines...

Here's my small vineyard in southern Minnesota with 25 Marquette, 10 Brianna, and 6 Frontenac vines.

I have used Butchertown 124 proof Brandy before for making port style wine with excellent results: Butchertown Brandy

I use solid bungs on my barrels and I usually top every two weeks. I have a slight vacuum sound each time I open the barrels to top, so I'm good that way. Most of my wines sit 6 to 12 months in a carboy before they hit the barrels, so not much CO2 left after them being vacuum racked a few...

Awesome responses! The barrels came from Mainshipfred and are nice and tight. I love the Idea of having wine in them while I am away. I think that I will take NorCal's advice and make sure that the barrels are topped and SO2 is in the proper range and leave them full. My basement wine area...

38 miles SW of Mankato in the little town of St James

I like the idea of leaving the one barrel full and finding an accomplice to top it off. If I have them do it once at the end of January and once at the end of February it might work out!

I have three 25-30 liter Hungarian oak wine barrels full of wine at the present time. My wife has convinced me to take a three month winter vacation out of the Minnesota cold this year so we will be gone January, February, and March. I know that i can't leave barrels untopped during that time...

I am delighted that you were able to add a 30L barrel for me. I sent you a p.m. with payment and shipping information. Thanks Fred!

Fred Did you ever find out if you could add a 30L to the order, or is the extra 25L still unspoken for? Either one would work for me. I looked back at our pm and shipping was $40 per barrel last time.

If you can add a 30L i will take it and shipping price is no problem. If you can't add to the order i could settle for the 25L.

I'm late to the party but I would take a 30L barrel if you can add to the order. I received a 25L AND A 30L barrel from you last year and they are awesome. No problem if it doesn''t work out. My zip is 56081 and I think shipping on two was around $40

UPS just delivered my two barrels and I am very pleased with them Thank you Fred for making this possible.