Done!

[MikeC]

I bottled my "first born" yesterday. Vintners Reserve Merlot.


I'm sitting here with Styx dvd playing onmy secondarymonitor (Dennis DeYoung is singing Show Me The Way), drinking a glass of Merlot that I made myself, typing this onmy primary monitor.


Life just doesn't get any better than this.


It's clear that it's a young wine and I suspect 2-3 months in the bottle will do it a lot of good. But it's as good as many $8-10 bottles I've purchased.


I also made a couple newbie mistakes-I filled a couple bottles too full. Also wasn't paying attention and lost about 1/2 bottle on the floor as I was starting the auto siphon. Overall things went very well. I was surprise at how easy it was to cork the bottles with my Portuguese floor corker.


I raise my glass and salute everyone here, and especially George who made this possible. Many thanks to all here.


Next is the Sangiovese which should be ready in a couple weeks. I also have a primary that is empty and 3 kits on the shelf...which should be next?

 

[jobe05]

Congrats on your first bottled wine............


For future reference however............


overfilling bottles is not a newbie mistake

 

[Waldo]

Congrats Mike.So which kit is coming next

 

[Wade E]

Another one hooked!

 

[MikeC]

Congrats Mike.So which kit is coming next

I'm leaning toward the VR Riesling-it will be my first white wine. I still have to check the directions and check the timeline. I travel a lot and wouldn't want to be out of town when I need to transfer it or degas it.

 

[PolishWineP]

Congratulations!

As far as spilling some wine, as long as no one notifies the Board of Alcohol Abuse then everything should be fine.

 

[Michael Vino]

Mike,
Congratulation on the New Borns!

Now that hard part...... waiting for them to age. But i can can you that you'll be rewarded for waiting. At 5 week my Merlottasted much, much better than when I bottled.


I'd do the white wine next.

 

[OilnH2O]

Mike, congrats!

Some great white kitsout thereand they are fun too -- check out the old posts for the battonage process ("buttery") if you're looking to start exploring!

 

[CajunTim]

Way to go Mike!! You made me laugh at myself when I read the part about you spilling some on the floor. I racked my Cranberry yesterday and knocked half a small bottle all over the table top.

Well, so much for being careful.

 

[MikeC]

Thanks for the positive comments. I'm amazed at how civil this board is-many other boards would have chastised me for spilling the wine and overfilling the bottles. Instead I'm encouraged to continue on. It's a great bunch of people here!


I'll return to listening Huey Lewis singing "It's Alright" while I raise my glass of store-bought Cabernet Sauvignon and ponder the next wine I'll start.


Thanks!

 

[MikeC]

Another one hooked!

Indeed. Hook, line and sinker!