Greetings from south central Indiana (Lawrence County. I have lived here in the country for over 12 years, have horses and garden but only now thinking of growing grapes with which to make wine (for my own consumption only). Not originally from Indiana so still figuring out what grows well here given our cold winters, high humidity, and local heavy clay soil.
I am also new to winemaking but my mom makes her own wine and is a great resource (she is California -so not quite hands on training). I love extra brut and brut nature French grower Champagne AKA "farmer fizz", Favorite producers include Benoit La Haye, Françoise Bedel, Val Frison, Marie Courtin. Also appreciate older generation growers like Yves Ruffin and the venerable king of Meuneier, René Collard. Have not tried many domestic sparklers aside from Schramsberg and Gloria Ferrar but will be trying Cabot's Brut Zero (have heard wonderful things about it including favorable comparison to some of my favorite French grower wines_.
I would like to make sparkling wine using méthode champenoise with longer aging on lees in oak or else méthode Charmat, using steel. Having said that I am going to keep an open mind, not limiting myself to one method or style, trying different approaches while keeping in m buzz zone and having fun.
Right now have in various stages of first fermentation- a blackberry wine blackberry ( varietal bred by a friend, grown by me), a pinot grigio (wine kit). a couple Walmart grape cuvées (I highly recommend their red skin/green flesh 'flame' grapes). Average batch size is anywhere from 1-2 gallons down to 16 oz mason jars (which will not make it past first ferment because I will end up drinking them).
So far really enjoying my nascent winemaking efforts, nice to get some rather highly quaffable fizz this early on. Having said that I am certain not a few failures are in my future -thus for now keeping things on a modest scale. Also I have adult onset type 1 diabetes - another reason to keep small scale and low/no dose.
Look forward to learning and sharing. Would especially be interested in hearing from fellow Hoosiers who have experience growing grapes.
I am also new to winemaking but my mom makes her own wine and is a great resource (she is California -so not quite hands on training). I love extra brut and brut nature French grower Champagne AKA "farmer fizz", Favorite producers include Benoit La Haye, Françoise Bedel, Val Frison, Marie Courtin. Also appreciate older generation growers like Yves Ruffin and the venerable king of Meuneier, René Collard. Have not tried many domestic sparklers aside from Schramsberg and Gloria Ferrar but will be trying Cabot's Brut Zero (have heard wonderful things about it including favorable comparison to some of my favorite French grower wines_.
I would like to make sparkling wine using méthode champenoise with longer aging on lees in oak or else méthode Charmat, using steel. Having said that I am going to keep an open mind, not limiting myself to one method or style, trying different approaches while keeping in m buzz zone and having fun.
Right now have in various stages of first fermentation- a blackberry wine blackberry ( varietal bred by a friend, grown by me), a pinot grigio (wine kit). a couple Walmart grape cuvées (I highly recommend their red skin/green flesh 'flame' grapes). Average batch size is anywhere from 1-2 gallons down to 16 oz mason jars (which will not make it past first ferment because I will end up drinking them).
So far really enjoying my nascent winemaking efforts, nice to get some rather highly quaffable fizz this early on. Having said that I am certain not a few failures are in my future -thus for now keeping things on a modest scale. Also I have adult onset type 1 diabetes - another reason to keep small scale and low/no dose.
Look forward to learning and sharing. Would especially be interested in hearing from fellow Hoosiers who have experience growing grapes.
