Howdy from WI

[CortneyD]

Hi Everyone! I'm Cortney and I've been wine making for just shy of a year now in northern Wiscons. I started wine making as a way to use up the accumulating fruit in the freezer- lots of black raspberries, cultivated raspberries, rhubarb, blackberries and serviceberries. I'm big into research/learning before I do anything and have been using recipes primarily from Terry Garey's book and the purple Winemaker's Recipe Handbook on the advice from our local supplies guy (who is a very helpful mentor!). I've already made and bottled a number of varieties and have more in the works now. I'm excited to learn more and get to know y'all.
Thanks!
Cortney

 

[She’sgonnakillme]

Welcome, soon you will be making all sorts of wine and have many many carboys going at once lol….it’s a fun disease we have

 

[ceeaton]

Hi Everyone! I'm Cortney and I've been wine making for just shy of a year now in northern Wiscons. I started wine making as a way to use up the accumulating fruit in the freezer- lots of black raspberries, cultivated raspberries, rhubarb, blackberries and serviceberries. I'm big into research/learning before I do anything and have been using recipes primarily from Terry Garey's book and the purple Winemaker's Recipe Handbook on the advice from our local supplies guy (who is a very helpful mentor!). I've already made and bottled a number of varieties and have more in the works now. I'm excited to learn more and get to know y'all.
Thanks!
Cortney

Hi Cortney! Welcome to WMT!

I have that book too, my wife bought it for me a few years ago. From what I remember, she may have been a little high on the sugar to fruit ratio, so always remember you'll make a better wine the more fruit you have and the less added sugar you have.

I know sometimes you have to add some sugar to get it up above 10% ABV, which helps keep nasties from growing in your finished wine. But if I don't have enough fruit for a 5 or 6 gallon batch I back it off for a 3 gallon batch to keep the sugar additions to a minimum.

Enjoy your research, this is a great place to learn more about wine making!

 

[CortneyD]

Thanks Craig- I've found upping the fruit by 20% or so gets better fruit flavor- that's what I'm working on now with a batch of rhubarb. Thanks for the advice!

 

[Jovimaple]

Welcome to WMT! My family has a cabin in Shell Lake which I guess is more NW Wisconsin than northern WI.

 

[CortneyD]

Welcome to WMT! My family has a cabin in Shell Lake which I guess is more NW Wisconsin than northern WI.

That's not too terribly far from us- we are near Eau Claire!

 

[Ohio Bob]

Welcome to WMT.

Your lucky to have access to all those fruits. I just have wild blackberries.

 

[Bossbaby]

Welcome to WMT, I'm about 3.5 hours south of you in jefferson county. There is lots of great info on this site and plenty of willing winemakers to help answer questions.

 

[ChuckD]

Welcome from another Badger! I’m straight across the state from you. Pretty new here myself and I’m constantly amazed at the knowledge and skill displayed by the folks on this site.

 

[sour_grapes]

Welcome to WMT! (SE corner!)

 

[Rembee]

Welcome to WMT Cortney! There is a wealth of knowledge here.

 

[vacuumpumpman]

Welcome !! There is a great wine making club near you in Marshfield WI. PM me for details - if interested

 

[Vinobeau]

And, another Welcome! PM iif you want to try Wild Grapes.

 

[hounddawg]

Welcome @CortneyD to WMT.
be for warned this is a great addiction ,, but a great addiction,,
their is unbelievable knowledge here, shoot i'd be happy to know 1/100th of these vintners
Dawg

 

[Rice_Guy]

Welcome @CortneyD
FYI; There are several wine making clubs in Wisconsin which do things as group juice bucket/ fresh grape buys or having speakers as the U of Minnesota winery manager or putting on the state fair wine contest.

 

[CortneyD]

Welcome @CortneyD
FYI; There are several wine making clubs in Wisconsin which do things as group juice bucket/ fresh grape buys or having speakers as the U of Minnesota winery manager or putting on the state fair wine contest.

That is great to know! I'll get searching! Thank you!

 

[Rice_Guy]

I am mainly a rhubarb/ gooseberry/ cyser fermentor like you. The Dane county club has one member from LaCrosse who I see twice a year at the juice bucket buys. Wausau has Jenny Craig Corkers which again ties into juice buys.

That is great to know! I'll get searching! Thank you!