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I have both red and white wines fermenting, both started at the same time with the same yeast and nutrients, both started with the same brix level. The red visibly started fermenting the day I applied the yeast and was and is still very vigorous, the white did nothing for the first 2 days and...

Thanks, I will read up on grafting, I have nothing to lose with the Verdelho, as many vines yielded nothing, although the few that did, did very well. Why do you think your grafting failed ? bad luck, or did you do something wrong?

Thinking to next year. I have recently harvested my Alverino, Verdelho and American Tinte grapes. The Verdelho have had a low yield this year, and are prone to Downy Mildew. The previous owner explained to me he has been thinking about removing the Verdelho grapes, and replacing them with...

What is the main reasons for some wines lasting a long time and others not? Is it the use of higher levels of Potassium Metabisulphate or something else? Potassium sorbate perhaps? I was having dinner with a medical doctor last week, who thinks he knows something about everything. He informed...

This year is a learning year for me. I hope not to make too many mistakes! Last year apparently the vineyards produced 750 litres. This year this is not going to happen as a didnt treat the downy mildew fast enough in my biggest vineyard so lost a lot of the crop. That was mistake number 1. The...

I have recently purchased a new house complete with woodland, orchards, and vineyards. The barrels and old wine making equipment were part of the deal. When I pulled the cork on one of the wooden barrels, it smelt of stale wine. So I tried filling and cleaning with various chemicals sold...

I was once told by a African wine making expert, that ALL wines are deteriorating after 5 years, and if I was to buy a 100 year old bottle at some fancy wine auction, I would likely be buying a bottle of wine vinagre. Is there an optimum time for aging wine? How soon can a wine be drank...

I really do know nothing. Do I also need to add meta/camden at the same time as the sorbate? I was under the impression the initial dosing of the mash with Meta was to kill of the existing wild yeasts and bacteria, before adding good yeast and nutrients, is this wrong?

You mentioned Sorbate in your first post, is this really needed, when you are using potassium metabisulphate?? By Wine conditioner do you mean Yeast nutrient??.

Thanks! We had some very light rain, but It rained most of the day yesterday. I am off to have a look, and taste! I think I would rather add water to bring the brix down, than add sugar to raise it. The birds dont seem to be a problem yet.

I know nothing! Are Campden tablets not Potassium Metabisulphate(sorbate E202) ?

I know nothing, nada. I was told to spray every 2 weeks for mildew by a local Portuguese expert. I didnt read the label on the packet I was given, written in Portuguese, until last week. I have now read the label on the packet, which states grapes should not be consumed, for 6 weeks after...

Is there any differences/benefits between using Potassium Metabisulphate K-Meta or Sodium Metabisulphate? Are they used in exactly the same way, ie Prior to fermentation and adding yeast and prior to bottling?

What indicators are there, indicating you need extra nutrient management?

I was a slow treating some downy mildew in my biggest vineyard, which spread quickly before I treated it. Many of those vines lost a lot of foliage compared to the others. They are now recovering, but the downy mildew might be the root cause of my uneven ripening this year, in that vineyard. My...

We do have lots of birds here, (blackbirds and finches) which I have been told can be a problem! I note they are eyeing my grapes up, and some grapes look like they have been pecked at! I have fastened shiny things around the vines to try and scare them off. Some of the grapes are still a little...

I know nothing. I have 3 cultivated vineyards, + 2 other areas full of grapes, growing over rock, and up the back of my house. The grapes are becoming ripe, at different rates, across all my vines. Should I pick in stages, taking only the ripe bunches, or should I pick the vineyards clean...

A slight problem I have here in Portugal is that to buy chemicals, I need a licence, which I havent got. The previous owner has left a few chemicals behind which I am working my way through. This is going to run out soon, and without a Portuguese chemical licence I cant buy anymore legally...

Thanks for the response Since the post I have had an Portuguese agricultural advisor in to inspect all my vines, I have downy mildew, known as Oidio here. I have sprayed, the vines and grapes are starting to recover.

I note some vines were doing badly in comparison with the others, before the mildew problem became apparent. I wonder if this is because they had mildew last year!