fighting WINE SNOB haters

[Dino466]

I make wine from kits. And hand out around 10 to 12 bottles each (all varies types) to my brothers and sister (6 in total) for Christmas. This is the third year I have done it. First year you could see the look in theirs eyes - oh no 12 bottles of crappy wine. No they are not big wine drinkers and since I am the youngest - there is no way I could make anything good. I will admit the first maybe not all 12 were good. The next year - mainly because of this forum and buying better kits - I think the quality of my wine went up. Even still they were almost glad to get the goody basket last year. This year - man they were almost standing in line for it. My 2 sister - again not big wine drinkers - called each to see if I was making wine and if the other had gotten any yet. They live a couple of hours away from me and I did not get them their baskets until well after Christmas. One sister brings it to all the dinner parties and parties she is invited too (and their are some snobs there) she says she rarely gets a glass because her friends are on the bottle right away. I made a chocolate Port - she barely had a glass and one her more uppity friends grabbed the bottle and would not let it go.
My other sister always has a college reunion of 6 of the closest friends every year. She takes a few bottles with her and she said all of them look forward to it.
This year when I dropped it off to one of my brothers house. My sister got so excited she kissed my on the cheek ( and we are not a touchy feely family - so if you get the OK from anyone of them it must be good)
All of them have told me they really enjoy it - and I almost always make a different type or brand.
I am no means a very good wine maker - I do it because I like it and I like what I make. And most people like a good homemade wine, they may not admit it.

 

[dangerdave]

Very true, Dino. I've made wine for two Xmas's now. This year, prior to our family gathering, my brother---this past year's host---asked if I was bringing wine. After the gathering, my sister texted me, "Thanx for making the family gatherings more tolerable!" LOL!

The wine helps!

 

[JohnT]

I am no means a very good wine maker - I do it because I like it and I like what I make. And most people like a good homemade wine, they may not admit it.

It seems that there are some that would disagree. If you successfully make what you like, even if it is (glup) welches, you are a good winemaker.

 

[jswordy]

It seems that there are some that would disagree. If you successfully make what you like, even if it is (glup) welches, you are a good winemaker.

Wow, I know how hard to was for you to say that, John!

 

[Deezil]

Wow, I know how hard to was for you to say that, John!

I thought about quoting John for my signature, but thought that might be a bit much for the boy

 

[JohnT]

Wow, I know how hard to was for you to say that, John!

Yes, I am so glad that I was sitting when I typed it.

 

[jswordy]

That's why you, ummm, might have noticed my sig?

 

[sour_grapes]

If you emended his "glup" to "gulp," couldn't you also emend his "Welches" to "Welch's"?

 

[JohnT]

Hey, That's a fine signature!

I would also like you to add...

"After all, one needs that perfect wine to go with a peanut butter sandwich"

... to the end of it.

 

[JohnT]

If you emended his "glup" to "gulp," couldn't you also emend his "Welches" to "Welch's"?

SG,

I em sew glad eye learnt how to spel.

johnT.

 

[wineforfun]

It seems that there are some that would disagree. If you successfully make what you like, even if it is (glup) welches, you are a good winemaker.

Did someone hack JohnT's account? There is NO way he just said that.

 

[JohnT]

et tu wine4fun????

 

[jamesngalveston]

johnT...u going make sg go nuts with that comment, he will go back and check every post he has ever made..rolfmao

 

[sour_grapes]

johnT...u going make sg go nuts with that comment, he will go back and check every post he has ever made..rolfmao

Huh? Je ne comprende pas.

This will surprise perhaps no one, but I really like Jericurl's signature.

Hey, who says I DON'T check my old posts? Once, I was reading an old post of mine, and I gasped as I realized I had used a "greengrocer's apostrophe." Yikes! Needless to say, I edited it.

 

[JohnT]

Wow, I know how hard to was for you to say that, John!

If you emended his "glup" to "gulp," couldn't you also emend his "Welches" to "Welch's"?

<sigh>.

This is the price I pay for encouraging others. Shame on both of you. I feel slighted. I think the two of you need to send me wine until you have been forgiven!

Julie... They're being mean to me. Perhaps some time in the corner for good measure????

 

[sour_grapes]

<sigh>.

This is the price I pay for encouraging others. Shame on both of you. I feel slighted. I think the two of you need to send me wine until you have been forgiven!

Ummm, you do understand what kind of wine that request will elicit, right?

In all seriousness, it was indeed big of you to make that concession about Welch's wine being, you know, wine and all.

For the record, I have not had Welch's wine yet, so I am not in the pro- or anti- camp yet. However, I recently did have some Concord (or was it Catawba?) wine that I could not finish.

 

[JohnT]

Ummm, you do understand what kind of wine that request will elicit, right?

Well, I am just banking on a good act of contrition and he will send some of his best.

In all seriousness, it was indeed big of you to make that concession about Welch's wine being, you know, wine and all.

ROTFLMAO. You mean I might get a reputation as a nice guy??

For the record, I have not had Welch's wine yet, so I am not in the pro- or anti- camp yet. However, I recently did have some Concord (or was it Catawba?) wine that I could not finish.

Camp? You hear that folks... I have a camp!!!! I am not alone! (tearing up now)

Seriously, we had an old winery called "Four Sisters". They put concord in all of their reds. They even added it to their Pinot. The stuff made me want to puke it was so bad. Not surprisingly, the winery went out of business about 3 months later. They were big when they were the only game in town, but since a number of more serious wineries opened up, their business did a nose dive.

 

[sour_grapes]

Oh, dear lord. Here is something that Wikipedia has to say about Concord grapes:

Non-toxic sprays that contain methyl anthranilate, the smelly part of the Concord grape, can be sprayed on the bushes as a cost-effective bird control management. The spray repellent renders the fruit and foliage unpalatable to the birds.

And here is the journal article backing this up, which goes on to say that this grape flavor agent deters birds (as noted) and also rodents.

Jeez, if rats and birds won't eat it.....

 

[dangerdave]

Dang! I just made a batch of concord grape wine out of real concord grapes...but I refuse to spritz it on my trees! It's pretty good, IMO.

So, is wine made from real concord grapes---instead of Welch's juice---acceptable, or should I fire up my sprayer?

 

[jamesngalveston]

I agree with dave, I made some last year from concords and its not bad at all...I have had much much worst store bought 20 dollar wines, that were name brand and from a notable grape...
But....i did not like calf fries but love steak...