How much do you engage others?

[NorCal]

I use to host crush, press and bottling parties as well as look for help while racking barrels. Over the past few years I’ve figured out how to do it by myself, with the Mrs or a buddy. Now I’m thinking I’m missing one of the real joys of wine making, the social aspect. I need to rethink this from having an efficient process to one that is enjoyable with those I like spending time with.

How many of you make your wine making a social event?

 

[ChuckD]

I fully intend to when my vines start producing. I’m planning an outdoor pavilion for just such events.

 

[winemaker81]

My elder son usually helps, and I've had a friend help on occasion.

That's a lot more fun than doing it by myself.

Sunday Mrs. WM81 and I helped our son perform major surgery on the bushes in front of his house (he purchased last year, previous owners didn't do any maintenance for years). We waited for winter time due to the potential for poisonous snakes and spiders. The 3 of us completed the job in less than 2 hours, where it would have been closer to 8 if he'd done it alone. Many hands make the job go faster!

 

[Ericphotoart]

I would love to teach someone the basics of wine making and things I've already learned and could share but so far my kinds when visiting us, enjoy my wines and get freebies when they leave. Maybe one day. So far it's a one man job. Oh, my wife buys some sugar for me if I ask her to.

 

[winemaker81]

I would love to teach someone the basics of wine making and things I've already learned and could share but so far my kinds when visiting us, enjoy my wines and get freebies when they leave. Maybe one day. So far it's a one man job. Oh, my wife buys some sugar for me if I ask her to.

Teaching my sons was/is a joy. The elder makes his own and collaborates with me, and the younger is considering it. My niece and her husband started making last year, and I've helped them, some in person but mostly remotely.

Although it's not quite the same, the work we all do here in teaching the beginners and helping each other is satisfying.

 

[Crewmember]

We have a co-op wine making group of about 45 people...we do the crush, ferment, press and then store most of the wine in oak barrels for a year before distribution. We process about 9,000 lbs a year from CA and WA but are located in TN. I wish I could get the members to appreciate how lucky they are to have all of this (especially the chemistry/yeast etc.) done for them, LOL. This year we started a group bottling event too, for the newbies and it is more fun to do all of this as a group.

Anyone on here members in local group?

 

[winemaker81]

Anyone on here members in local group?

I belong to a group that makes a bulk purchase, but everyone does their own thing.

 

[distancerunner]

Great topic!

When I first started it was with a friend. He moved to pursue a masters degree. I plodded on by myself.

Most years it was a solitary activity. Changes in business and personaI life led me to quit for a long time. When I started again a friend started helping. That made it at least social.

Two years ago I was invited to a bottling party at another guy's house. I figured there would be five or six guys working. Boy, was I wrong. It was a full blown party. Guys brought their wives, many of whom pitched in. People who were not part of their crush, like me, were working next to everybody else. There was a massive charcuterie table. Laughter. Camaraderie. Last year's wine.

This year we put together a buying group. Some just buy and take their grapes home. Some are part of our crush. Many hands make the work light. After we cleanup we eat. Cheeses of various textures and odors. Heavily processed meats. Fresh baked bread. Olives. Peppers. Last year's wine. Some from the year before that. Lots of fun.

We'll be having a bottling party when the time comes. Count on it.

Having done it both ways I can say that this way is much better. Way more fun, too.

If you're in Western Pennsylvania and would like to be part of a buying group send a PM.

 

[CDrew]

I have one friend who very reliably helps me to pick and occasionally to bottle. But I do most of the cellar work myself. He comes by at least every other week for a wine tasting, or dinner or both. His wife is quite ill and this gives him a break, I think.

To make it social, we have one pick day in the fall where everybody comes. Wives, sweethearts (may they never meet!), kids, friends, out of town relatives etc. Everyone helps with the harvest. It's a big party outdoors starting as soon as all of the grapes are harvested and crush is complete. Everyone brings a favorite dish and multiple wines. Last year I took a 5 year vertical of Syrah and a 4 year vertical of Primitivo. Really good times. It's nice to get feedback from multiple other home wine makers.

During the year, outside of harvest, we have multiple wine themed dinners, though not specifically about home wine making. We also have a very informal backyard picnic with about 4 other couples, all home winemakers. But again, it's more about the food, but plenty of wine is in the picture too. Actually, this is usually the most competitive venue, but all in good fun.

Honestly, I'd like to get together for a bottling party, but it never seems to quite work since everyone has a different schedule.

 

[NorCal]

Great feedback. I once asked my brother (who is a contractor) how long it would take to build this loft I wanted in the garage in a previous house. He asked me if I was going to help, which I said yes. He said 4 hours if I do it myself and 5 hours if you help. While I think the same applies to making the winemaking tasks an event, I think I am missing out on an opportunity to share some good times with friends and family. I'm going to make it a point this year to make one or two of these a fun social event: estate harvest, crush, press, bottling.

 

[BarrelMonkey]

The first few wines I helped to make were with a group of folks... multiple people helping with crush, press/barreling (carboying?) down and bottling. We were working with a ton of grapes, so it definitely helps to have many hands at that scale. To take bottling as an example - you have one person to load bottles onto the bottling table, a couple of people filling, one person to adjust fill levels (if some bottles are short) and one person running the corker. Plus a 'runner' to help offload the finished product and any other tasks that crop up along the way. Sure, you can do it with fewer people but it is a bit more onerous.

The downside of having lots of people helping out is that the likelihood of drama intensifies. My last wine (and the first one for which I feel I can call myself the winemaker) was a joint effort between me and Mrs Monkey. We know each other well and work together well, and it all went smoothly with no drama. I can envisage that we might have friends and family helping out in the future, but in that case I think it's important to have one person calling the shots and for the others to have a clear picture of their roles in the proceedings.

 

[CDrew]

Interesting post @BarrelMonkey . I have deliberately kept the volume and workload to what I can handle alone, usually 60 gallons -100 gallons per year. My wife does help here and there but I'm the one doing 90% of the work and 100% of the clean up. To me, the fermentation, pressing, racking, lab and the planning, is the fun. The clean up after operations is the work. It's sometimes a lot. But, remember that @crushday goes way beyond most home wine maker's volume, and I believe he does most of the work alone. So my hat is off to him. I aspire to that level of home wine making!

Anyone else looking forward to fall 2023? I sure am.

 

[crushday]

Interesting post @BarrelMonkey . I have deliberately kept the volume and workload to what I can handle alone, usually 60 gallons -100 gallons per year. My wife does help here and there but I'm the one doing 90% of the work and 100% of the clean up. To me, the fermentation, pressing, racking, lab and the planning, is the fun. The clean up after operations is the work. It's sometimes a lot. But, remember that @crushday goes way beyond most home wine maker's volume, and I believe he does most of the work alone. So my hat is off to him. I aspire to that level of home wine making!

Anyone else looking forward to fall 2023? I sure am.

LOL - I may or may not be above legal limits per adult living under my roof. And @CDrew is correct. I am a solo operation but only because I can’t find anyone who wants to learn this awesome hobby. Mrs. Crushday helps populate the crush pad, when asked. She hasn’t helped bottle for a couple years. A couple weekends ago I filtered, bottled, corked, labeled and capped 550 bottles of whites all by myself. It’s very therapeutic to me…

 

[vinny]

I always try to ensure I drink it with others!

If no one is available I don't get too worked up about it! We must keep on keeping on.

 

[winemaker81]

Although I've certainly bottled a lot of wine solo, it goes much faster when working with one of my sons. We are in sync, and while there are occasional bobbles, the process goes quickly.

A lot of the fun is the conversation, just talking about whatever comes to mind as we work.

I have one friend who's willing to help, but has no interest in doing it himself. Outside of family, there's no one local to teach. So y'all have to deal with me.

 

[Rice_Guy]

Anyone on here members in a local group?

Yes, I am part of Wisconsin Vinters (Milwaukee) and Sun Prairie Vinters (Madison). Prairie has four members that also post here once and a while. There is no substitute for having several folks who I can ask for opinions on a finished wine.

a Wisconsin point of view, there are multiple groups available in the Midwest. I have had contact with ones on the west (LaCrosse) , north (Wausau) and south (Chicago-land). . . . . Beer clubs seem to be more numerous since I could include Green Bay, Sheboygan, Oshkosh . . etc

 

[vinny]

Although I've certainly bottled a lot of wine solo, it goes much faster when working with one of my sons. We are in sync, and while there are occasional bobbles, the process goes quickly.

A lot of the fun is the conversation, just talking about whatever comes to mind as we work.

I have one friend who's willing to help, but has no interest in doing it himself. Outside of family, there's no one local to teach. So y'all have to deal with me.

I didn't realise that we are your legacy!

 

[winemaker81]

I didn't realise that we are your legacy!

Yup!

Or I'm your punishment

 

[wood1954]

I think this year I’m going to ask for some help picking and crushing. A couple we know is interested in learning how to make wine.

 

[BarrelMonkey]

I think this year I’m going to ask for some help picking and crushing. A couple we know is interested in learning how to make wine.

Picking is a whole different ball game. I picked for the first time last year and it's hard, hard work - definitely time to call in the crew. With appropriate snacks and libations as incentive/reward of course...