2022, What are your plans?

[Khristyjeff]

i defiantly ain't uppity, and i believe that what's in the bottle is all that counts,
and this hobby/addiction is most enjoyable,, now in my area,, most wines are going to be Boones Farm, TY Swan and Maddog 2020.. also called mogen david wine, my area went wet a year or 2 ago, but so far it is liquor stores,, even our laws are behind,,,beings it is still a felony for me to ship wine to friends,,, but i posted that link in case it might help you or any others,,,
Dawg

@hounddawg I have a Boone's Farm story . . . years ago, probably in the '80's, I got to meet Mr. Boone of Boone's Farm fame. The story I was told (by others, not him) was that Gallo introduced a wine marketed to women that they named Galloette. It flopped. Then someone suggested a name change and asked the Gallo Farm Manager if he would mind them using his name for the wine. Mr. Boone had no objection and Boone's Farm wine was born. I don't believe he made any money from it other than his salary as the Gallo Farm Manager.

 

[Arne]

If making jelly from the leftovers, anybody have problems with it jelling? We tend to have it full of pectic enzime and that is supposed to get rid of the pectins. Just wondering. Arne.

 

[NorCal]

I’m doing:
- 60 gallon barrel fermented Chardonnay
- 60 gallon barrel Cab Franc / estate Cab Sauv
- 20 gallons estate Zin
- 20 gallons estate Syrah

While I don’t have a good record of doing what I said I was going to do, I’m pretty confident this year .

I did:
- 60 gallon barrel fermented Chardonnay CHECK
- 60 gallon barrel Cab Franc / 5% estate Cab Sauv / 3% Petit Verdot CHECK
- 60 gallon GSM ('22 Grenache a gift, '22 estate Syrah, '21 Mourvedre) KINDA CHECK
- 15 gallon Rose (Zin and saignee of Cab Franc) KINDA CHECK
- 5 gallon Petit Verdot...for future blending UNPLANNED

Given my track record, I'll say I stayed to the plan pretty well

 

[mainshipfred]

I did:
- 60 gallon barrel fermented Chardonnay CHECK
- 60 gallon barrel Cab Franc / 5% estate Cab Sauv / 3% Petit Verdot CHECK
- 60 gallon GSM ('22 Grenache a gift, '22 estate Syrah, '21 Mourvedre) KINDA CHECK
- 15 gallon Rose (Zin and saignee of Cab Franc) KINDA CHECK
- 5 gallon Petit Verdot...for future blending UNPLANNED

Given my track record, I'll say I stayed to the plan pretty well

I'd say considering your track record you stayed on plan really well.

 

[winemaker81]

Given my track record, I'll say I stayed to the plan pretty well

Plans are important, but reality adjusts things, and we have to adapt. Here's a toast to successful adaptation!

 

[BarrelMonkey]

My answers from 5 Jan 2022:

Good question and I'm still working on the answer. But so far...

(i) buy a crusher/destemmer, potentially some other gear as well CHECK! (Not quite what I wanted thanks to my LHBS screwing up, but it's mine now)
(ii) make some as yet unspecified amount of elderflower - definitely sparkling, maybe still as well CHECK! 2 gal of sparkling elderflower, not 100% success but a learning experience
(iii) hopefully make 5 gal elderberry if my bird protection measures succeed CHECK!
(iv) either 30 gal of non-pinot noir red, or 15-30 gal of something white. CHECK! 15 gal blanc de noir, 12-15 gal white pinot noir and 5 gal white field blend in carboy

I also made a gallon of lemon wine/skeeter pee. It's OK I guess but not sure I'll repeat it.

 

[Dan M]

On January 14, 2022, I posted my goals for my 3rd year of winemaking. Let's see how I did:

1. I started an Island Mist Black Cherry kit. Why? It was on the shelf, and my family loves it. I'm tweaking my process based on some good advice from the senior members here. I prefer a nice dry red, but you can't beat this sweety by the pool over ice. Complete. I'll probably start off 2023 the same way. That stuff disappears from my basement faster than I can make it. The Green Apple is nice too.

2. I'm planning to get me some of them Finer Wine kits! I've made quite a few Winexpert kits over the last 2 years, and the wine is decent, but I think I can do better. I'm thinking a Super Tuscan and maybe a Strawberry Frutta to start. Complete. I also made Blueberry Frutta. While I have struggled with the tartness of the fruit wines, the Super Tuscan is amazing. These are now my kits of choice.

3. My biggest goal is to improve my processes to produce better tasting wines. I may stray away from the kit directions in some areas to experiment. I hope to try some of the ideas in the "Tweaking Cheap Kits" thread and see where that takes me. Sorta complete. Through trial and error, I decided I prefer to stick with more expensive kits. The journey continues...

4. Lastly, I hope to have a good recipe or two by juice season, so that I can make a wine without a kit (scary). I know yinz guys will help me... Complete. I learned that if I just make a juice bucket like a kit, I don't really need a recipe. I made Dragon Blood from a recipe, but it didn't taste the way I thought it would. I may try a new flavor in 2023.

I'm looking forward to next year. How about you?