in a bad mood ...

[winemaker81]

No, it wasn't me! I went to Staples to print the labels for a wine I just bottled. I had a PDF on a stick and a box of my preferred media.

The woman who appears to be in charge of the print area is gruff and not all that pleasant to deal with, but she's good at what she does and I only deal with her briefly, a few times a year. I can live with it.

Today was no exception -- from chatter it sounded like she was ticked at management.

I told her what I wanted and she asked me when I wanted it. "What times are available?" We have a storm coming in and I'm not adverse to paying the extra charge for printing while I wait.

She didn't answer -- she just printed the 5 copies, packaged it up and handed it to me. There is normally a receipt I take to the register to pay, but she didn't give me one. I asked if I paid at the register, and she actually smiled at me. I didn't think her face would bend in such a way. "No, you're all set, have a nice day."

It took me a moment, I thanked her, and left.

It appears she took her ire out on management by giving me a free print job. Her bad mood worked out well for me.

 

[Bossbaby]

bring her a bottle of wine next time and you may just keep getting those discounts.

 

[hounddawg]

No, it wasn't me! I went to Staples to print the labels for a wine I just bottled. I had a PDF on a stick and a box of my preferred media.

The woman who appears to be in charge of the print area is gruff and not all that pleasant to deal with, but she's good at what she does and I only deal with her briefly, a few times a year. I can live with it.

Today was no exception -- from chatter it sounded like she was ticked at management.

I told her what I wanted and she asked me when I wanted it. "What times are available?" We have a storm coming in and I'm not adverse to paying the extra charge for printing while I wait.

She didn't answer -- she just printed the 5 copies, packaged it up and handed it to me. There is normally a receipt I take to the register to pay, but she didn't give me one. I asked if I paid at the register, and she actually smiled at me. I didn't think her face would bend in such a way. "No, you're all set, have a nice day."

It took me a moment, I thanked her, and left.

It appears she took her ire out on management by giving me a free print job. Her bad mood worked out well for me.

you ole silver tongued devil,,,,
Dawg

 

[winemaker81]

I'm happy with the labels. The background is a landscape in Tuscany.

 

[wineview]

I'm happy with the labels. The background is a landscape in Tuscany.

View attachment 83642

Is this a Barbera from September 2021?

 

[winemaker81]

Is this a Barbera from September 2021?

Actually August, but yeah. This is last year's FWK, before the Tavola/Forte split, one of the last of the Barberas. I intentionally made it without skinpacks and used 1 oz aging oak cubes, to make an early drinker. It's full bodied, but MUCH lighter in body and color than the Forte kits in production. I was going to wait a couple of months to bottle, but from tasting it was ready to rock at 5 months. In contrast, the Forte's need a year in bulk.

 

[wineview]

Actually August, but yeah. This is last year's FWK, before the Tavola/Forte split, one of the last of the Barberas. I intentionally made it without skinpacks and used 1 oz aging oak cubes, to make an early drinker. It's full bodied, but MUCH lighter in body and color than the Forte kits in production. I was going to wait a couple of months to bottle, but from tasting it was ready to rock at 5 months. In contrast, the Forte's need a year in bulk.

That is amazing. Five months and ready to bottle. I typically wait 12 months. I don’t use kits but rather fresh buckets of juice. My MLF carboys are still bubbling. Haven’t even got them into bulk storage yet.

 

[winemaker81]

That is amazing. Five months and ready to bottle. I typically wait 12 months. I don’t use kits but rather fresh buckets of juice. My MLF carboys are still bubbling. Haven’t even got them into bulk storage yet.

It's less amazing than you believe. "Red wine" is a diverse arena -- wine can be made from very light bodied up to heavy reds that need years to soften the tannins. Grape variety matters, but the winemaking style is just as important.

This Barbera, made with no skin packs and little aging oak, has low tannin and body, and doesn't need the time to soften the tannin the way heavier reds do.

This same kit made with 1 or 2 skin packs + 2 oz aging oak cubes would be a totally different creation, as the tannin and body would be heavier, needing time to soften.

Please note that the current wine WILL improve with age, so another 6 months in the bottle will produce nice changes. Conversely, it will have a shorter shelf life, so instead of 7-10 years, it may have only 3-5. But that's not a concern, as it was made for early drinking, and it shall undoubtedly suffer that fate.

With fresh grapes, it's the same concept, even if the techniques differ, e.g., for a light bodied red, press at 1.010 instead of below 1.000.