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I currently make and store my wine in the basement. It is a walkout basement so the walls on the back of the house are above grade. I live in the Northeast USA and the temperature in my basement during winter is 61 degrees and 72-75 in the summer (max out at 78-80 degrees). My wife got me a...

The wizard is not easy to use, but better than doing it by hand. I watched the YouTube video on how to use it. Once I put on the front label, I measure the space of the remaining glass, subtract the label width and then divide in half, to insure the spacing is even on both sides. I use a...

Completed my first bottling, a Winexpert Cabernet Sauvignon Lodi II. In retrospect, I wish I had purchased new bottles. I saved my used wine bottles for about 6 months. Only thing I didn't count on was the variety of bottle shapes. I used a 3 1/2" x 5" label, which didn't work well with...

Thanks, I appreciate the advice.

Racked off the primary and added MLB on 9/30. Added Opti-Malic Nutrient on 10/2 and observed start of MLF. I swirled the fine lees 1x per week to keep MLF moving. The visible bubbles stopped about 1 1/2 weeks ago. Today I measured the Malic Acid levels which show 15mg/L. I used a test kit...

I have one gallon of Strawberry wine that I started in June and it has been aging for the last three months. It has cleared well and I racked it off the fine lees the other day. pH is 3.01 with TA of .9, SO2 is about 20-25ppm. It has an acidic/alcoholic taste with some fruit flavors coming...

I believe the title to your flyer should read 2020 and not 2019.

My first fermentation from grapes is undergoing MLF at this time. In a month or so, when I’m ready to determine if MLF is complete, do your recommend Malolactic Chromatography testing or use of a simple MLF test kit?

Want to give you all an update. Pressed my grapes and separated the free run wine from the pressed. SG=1.004 And a pH of 3.7. TA=.7%. Added MLB and MLF started slowly. Added some Opti-Malic nutrient a few days later and visual inspection shows steady flow of bubbles to the neck of the carboy.

Porkchop....Also during punch down, I like to push the cap down and bring up grapes from the bottom. This way the same grapes aren't always on the top getting dried out. I also gently swirl the bottom of the bucket to mix up the lees, allowing the yeast to completely do their job and help...

PS - Pectin can also help with clarifying the wine and helping to eliminate the haze.

Thanks SB for the suggestion of going slowing on the addition of acid. I read it's a lot easier to lower the acid than to bring it back afterwards. I calculated the amount of TA required and then cut it by 30%. It put my pH just where I thought it should be since fermentation and MLF will...

It is suggested that pectic enzyme be added with the k-meta to the must during crushing and de-stemming. The reason is that pectic enzyme helps with the color and flavor extraction, especially with pinot noir grapes. I adjusted my pH down from 4.07 to 3.47 at 25 brix. 24 hours later, I added...

Thanks everyone. I've adjusted the pH and pitched the yeast!

Thought I’d share a few pix since this is my first grape fermentation. Thanks to Rick of The Home Winemaking Channel on You Tube for the great idea of using a milk crate as a crusher/de-stemmer!

Rechecked my stats this morning. pH=4.06 / TA=.5% and SG adj. for 72 deg must = 1.101

I will recheck today

I crushed and de-stemmed 72 lbs. of Pinot Noir grapes from Lodi today. My SG=1.11 adjusted for 69 degree must. My pH is really high at 4.1. I didn't have enough Pectic enzyme and I don't have any Tartaric acid (only an acid blend which I know you shouldn't use with wine grapes.) I know, I...

As grapes ripen they expand in size. Typically grape vines are pruned during the growing season, reducing the canopy and removing less than desirable clusters. This allows the vine to put all it's nutrients and energy into the remaining grape clusters, not the foliage, resulting in plump, juicy...