Endless Summer Winery

[winemaker_3352]

Yeah - could something simple like this:

 

[umbrellalady]

I think that the view of the valley is an excellent idea. I think that although the sunflower is striking and you would be able to pick it out on a shelf very easily, it might be too simplistic and somewhat misleading.
Could you get a good morning picture just when the sun is coming up and hits the trees? I don't know which way you face but when the sun hits the trees everything just glows. It would be nice. Or could you possibly do an artfully arranged still-life display of all the various fruits, etc that you are planning to use and just watermark them with a darker two-tone font on top?

 

[Midwest Vintner]

this is to the west watching as the sun goes down

sometimes the simplest things work. IMO, the pic of the winery or their view is overdone. i've looked at over 1000 labels probably just trying to get a good handle on it. there is sooo much you can do, but in the end, the most recognizeable labels are the ones with a simplistic label. there are also a few lables without any real pictures on them, but most are old school french/italian brands.

 

[grapeman]

How is the winery coming along? How are the plastic tanks working out for you guys? I need to add more storage myself as I find myself in possesion of around 800 gallons of wine in the works. I just bought a 162 gallon stainless tank today- not cheap - but well buildt.

 

[Midwest Vintner]

stainless is awesome, but we just can afford it. so far the plastic is good. we have a few soft scrubbers to clean them and it takes a little time. i will say though, the primaries are not as suitable as they will bow out with more than 150 gal in them and they are supposed to hold 240 gal. this means we cannot ferment two larger batches at once. not an issue right now, but might be if we expand. that said, i hope we can afford a nicer ss tank to ferment in that can do 300 gal. also, the 300 gal are not easy to clean from the top due to being taller.

we have about 600-700 gallons going right now. i'm not sure on the exact number, but in that ballpark. i will announce the starting lineup closer to opening. i would hate to have a competor beat us to the punch, as there are 7 wineries close, 2 not too far and i hear more might be opening.

that said, all batches have gone well and i've even changed up some of normal yeast variants per batch due to wade and others ravings of the red starr brand. we used to use them more (about 5 years ago), but stalled batches converted us to using lalvin. now we have a better understanding of wine, better tools and more control over fermentation, so we are trying a few new/old (?) things.

in this economy i could see getting some good used tanks, but i'm not sure if our AVA area is being hit so bad. so there might not be what we need in this area for pickup.

On a side note, my aunt brought her own honey from her hives in the country and we've made our FIRST mead. Considering all the other wines we've done, i'm glad we're trying mead as i do like it from what i've tasted. Her bees were working on wild prairie, so the taste is a very complex flowery (<is there a word for it?) taste and aroma. Very impressed with the honey and i wish we could get good honey commercially for a descent price. We will look into that after this batch is finished.

Grapeman, i like your active role in critisicms and feedback. It's good to get some real feedback from people with knowledge and experience. New ideas are always welcome!

 

[grapeman]

I can understand your needing to keep some things vague. It seems like others just look and wait for tidbits of information you post to take advantage of you. So far there aren't that many competitors near me, so I can be a bit more free with the rest of you.

I am using mostly plastic myself, but I decided to add at least some longer lasting storage each year as I expand. I had planned on about 500 gallons this year, but am up to about 700 gallons so far. Next year I should have double this year and then the following year about triple - then who knows.........

 

[Wade E]

Grapeman is about as experienced in vineyards as anyone I can think of and a great asset to this forum. Kind of a character in person too. Oh hey Rich, is that you over there? I think Floral was the word you were looking for with the honey. I hope the Red Star works well for you, Ive never had a problem with it ever, only the Lalvin. Im playing around with yeasts also and tried the Enoferm BM45 on my Petite Sirah today only to find that my friend that had won best red wine and best of show with his Petite Sirah last year did it with Red Star Pastuer Red, the exact yeast I had on hand and was going to use! hehehe

 

[winemaker_3352]

I have to agree - rich knows his stuff - he has helped me numerous times..

 

[Midwest Vintner]

I think Floral was the word you were looking for with the honey.

yep, thanks wade, was super tired yesterday. had a wedding over the weekend and had to drive 4 hrs early in the morning on Saturday after working the night before. didn't get much sleep that night and had to drive back yesterday.

i would love to have enough property to raise more fruits myself, including some grape varieties. 4 acres isn't near enough. i don't think we could afford it either. it will take time before come out ahead and i can't imagine how the larger wineries started. must of had some real rich proprietors. i guess to make a small fortune in the winery business, you need to start with large one.

i will say this forum has very good information and members. that's is why i stay on and try to be helpful.

 

[robie]

Hey Wade,
Watch that BM45. It can foam like crazy (8 to 12 inches) and fool you into thinking it doesn't need any nutrients, then turn stinky on you. I do love the results, though. Might consider not racking to a secondary container, as it can still foam a lot even below an SG of 1.010. In my secondary, I couldn't keep foam out of the air lock, so I run a hose from the top of the bung down into a jug of kmeta solution.

 

[Midwest Vintner]

update:

we now have 5 wines in the making. 1 more will go in soon. should start with 6-7 wines available, hopefully.

one really big thing, we might be offering shipping within Missouri. Not sure about that yet. 3 concerns, will there be enough of a market to justify the hassle, how to implement the order taking/shipping and do we have enough wine to sell! the good thing about shipping is there won't be tasting losses, so shipping can be offset some. will research and report back as soon as I know for sure. i'm not sure when that will be as of yet.

 

[countrygirl]

can't wait to come visit hermann! i'm planning on another trip to farmington area in the fall to get more grapes from st. francois. may try to plan a longer trip and see u guys, too!

 

[winemaker_3352]

can't wait to come visit hermann! i'm planning on another trip to farmington area in the fall to get more grapes from st. francois. may try to plan a longer trip and see u guys, too!

When are you coming to farmington and what are you getting?

 

[countrygirl]

When are you coming to farmington and what are you getting?

hoping to have the proper equipment for next year's crop! if i am successful in this, i will get a couple hundred pounds! i have loved the chardonel and it is clearing beautifully, so i know i'll get more chardonel! what else did u get this year?

 

[winemaker_3352]

hoping to have the proper equipment for next year's crop! if i am successful in this, i will get a couple hundred pounds! i have loved the chardonel and it is clearing beautifully, so i know i'll get more chardonel! what else did u get this year?

I just have the Seyval and Chardonel - cold stabilizing them now. So far they are both turned out wonderful.

I would like to get the Vidal - but he sells out of those.

Next year i will double my batches. 500#'s of chardonel and 300#'s of seyval.

FYI - St. Francois Winery offers their press and crusher.

 

[Catfish]

This is a great thread. We can't wait to make it down there and try your finished product.

 

[Ron22]

Nice information. Keep us informered on you status.
I work in the St Louis area I guess there is a new winery my wife and I will have to stop at when you are open.

 

[Midwest Vintner]

another update.

We have issues with our tasting room which is going to cost us, but it means no portable bathrooms. We are now going to have indoor bathrooms!

We have a few more kinks, that should be worked out in the next month. I'm praying it goes well and then I will report back. Also, at that point, I will put up our opening wine selection.

Labels have been sent in for federal approval. Wish i could have made them more artistic, but my parents are old school farmers. I just wanted to showcase some of my computer graphics background, but atleast making it was easy!

So, hopefully i will be able to do all this by the end of feb. still aiming for an opening in September. it's going to be tough. We are up to ~1700 gallons in bulk storage! Most wine I've ever made in a year! lol

 

[winemaker_3352]

Nice!! I know you are busy - but when you get some time - post some pics!!

 

[AlFulchino]

monitor your TTB COLA page...999 times out of a thousand you get an email back after you have submitted it saying it needs correction or its been approved...but once in a blue moon after you have submitted your label you may not hear back via email.....so go log in and see its status.....this will insure that you dont lose any unnecessary time getting final approval....you can also call them if you have any trouble understanding why a label did not get approved...they are extremely helpful

also, if you didnt already do so......... you have wine now make sure you submitted the yr end gallonage sheet, it was due the 15th or 16th of january....it puts you on their map....essentially its a gallonage and bottle ledger sheet so the TTB can track your history