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Thanks, can the infected grapes recover and be use-able.

I know nothing, this is my first time growing vines to make wine. I should have sprayed earlier. I have just sprayed for the first time against Downy Mildew. I noted a small problem on some of my vine leaves in one vineyard some weeks ago, and never thought anything of it. I went down to the...

Probably not good examples. I have seen people, dabbing alcohol based hand wash behind their ears and spraying it into the masks as they go into restaurants. :( as well as washing their hands with it :)

I know nothing! I have about 1/3 of my vines going brown in one of my vine yards. The rest are all looking good. Is it normal to spray for mildew every two weeks. ??????

Thanks for the repsonse Yes the vines have some new growth, but not much. The older parts of the vine look just like the older vines that are bearing good fruit. Improperly pruned maybe, the vines have new growth, spaced very close together, I pruned the new growth between the best stems...

Thanks for the link, it seems the selected yeast can reduce the chance of H2S smell in wine also, from your links summary "Hydrogen sulphide (rotten egg) aroma is a serious fault in wine and will result in quality loss in the final product. Its production is mainly found during alcoholic...

I know nothing. Does the type of SO2 added have an influence on H2S production ie liquid solution H2SO3, or Potassium metabisulphate K2S2O5. Is one better than the other with reference to H2S ? Apologies for the stupid questions

Thanks for the reply, does everyone use a brix/refractometer meter for testing grapes ? Am I just as well of testing the must with a hydrometer when I have harvested the grapes, and then adjusting the sugar levels accordingly? What is the best kit for testing Tartric Acid and PH?

I know nothing. What is good yeast nutrition, for the fermentation stage. Sugar ? Does a lack of yeast nutrition cause the rotten egg smell?

Quoting from instructables "Hydrogen Sulfide removal: Copper sulfate is used to remove hydrogen sulfide and other reduced sulfur compounds which are the source of 'rotten egg' like smells. For best results, use as soon as possible after fermentation. If racking the wine once or twice during...

Thanks for the clarification. It removes a small worry. I found a Hydrometer in a box, am I correct in thinking this can this be used to measure sugar content or do i need to buy a brix meter? What other basic test equipment do I need to get my hands on?

I know nothing, is a very concise summary of my starting point. :) I have lots of plastic bins but no lids. Do primary fermentation barrels require lids with gas release devices, or are they normally left open to the air ?

Thanks for confirming that, i have spent the last two days pruning. I seem to have a problem with some of my vines! in one vineyard. some vines dont have any grapes, and the vines are not growing as well as the others. others look like they started to develop grapes, but the clusters have...

Thanks for the tips. The old fella had an old gas oven down in the cellar, he may have been producing steam. I will give it a whirl. I had a look at some of the commercial steamers available, I might still go that way. A 60 gallon barrel is a lot of wine, for a first time wine maker to take...

Would a steam pressure washer suffice to clean my wooden barrels? I am going to buy a pressure washer for another purpose, a steam pressure washer is not much more.

The consensus of opinion is > The wooden barrels can not be successfully cleaned, and re used, without risking the wine. The stainless barrel is my best barrel, should I buy more stainless barrels, or can plastic barrels suffice?

I have recently acquired some vineyards and used equipment, which has not been recently maintained, cleaned. I have 1 x 300 litre stainless steel barrel 1 x 60 gallon wooden barrel 1 x 30 gallon wooden barrel 2 x 10 gallon plastic barrels The stainless, and plastic barrels are light and easy...

I am correct in thinking I am too late to prune the vines now, grapes beginning to develop already??? also am I too late to thin the clusters of grapes? If not > How many clusters of grapes should I be aiming for, on each branch of the vines?

Thankyou very much for the tip.

I have in my selection of wines a bottle of Farias Vinho tinto from Pico. Due to Covid-19 restrictions I am not sure I will be allowed to travel there, in the immediate future, but will try emailing them. I am not keen on making a wine I can not drink. Farias Vinho Tinto is a reasonable wine...