Old Country Wine Makers Question

[Giuseppe]

For you old country wine makers like me that don't add anything to their wine. Just crush and ferment... how often do you rack?

 

[MFC]

My grandfather made wine like this for years. He would "rack" once after pressing by draining the wine through cheese cloth. Also once before putting the wine to sleep (into the barrels until Easter). Again this time through cheese cloth. That's it. I wouldn't recommend it though. His wine was always excellent and because it was zin the stuff lasted for years, but one bad batch and you ruined your barrels. So unless you need 65 gals of vinegar per year or lots of expensive planters I really think sulfite is the way to go. He even uses it now. If they had known about it years ago I'm sure the would have used it too. It's just not worth risking ruining a whole batch in my opinion.

 

[Giuseppe]

Agreed.... Although I've been doing in now for many years and haunt made a vinegar yet lol I don't use cheese cloth but that's a very interesting method I do it right before I put them in carboys and once before the demijohns... Interesting it's basically the same... "Easter" makes me laugh because thats when I judge time also

 

[Sirs]

sounds about cept I'm not able to use barrels as of yet and may not as it seems my wife doesn't care for an oaky taste she strictly thinks the wine should mainly have the taste of what it's made from whether it be grapes or fruit, so I normally rack mine for first pressing naturally of course then I wait a couple months and rack again unless there is a ton of sediment then maybe abit earlier. So far looks like I'm gonna be investing in a good amount of glass LOL

 

[Sirs]

so basically you all let it age around 6 to 7 months right??

 

[MFC]

Agreed.... Although I've been doing in now for many years and haunt made a vinegar yet lol I don't use cheese cloth but that's a very interesting method I do it right before I put them in carboys and once before the demijohns... Interesting it's basically the same... "Easter" makes me laugh because thats when I judge time also

It's basically just a matter of time before the barrel goes bad you have to change them out. About every couple of years (4-5). If your not using barrels and just glass you might have better luck but from tasting the wines that I now make with sulfites and the ones that we used to make they really are better. Not initally but if you plan on kepping the wine for a period over 1 year you will see a rapid decline in unsulfited wines. If you plan on making old school field wine and drink it all before next years vintage like many old timers do you might not have a problem.

 

[Sirs]

I've got blackberry thats over 3 almost 4 years old and it keeps getting better as time goes on, of course I may just be lucky on that one

 

[MFC]

sounds about cept I'm not able to use barrels as of yet and may not as it seems my wife doesn't care for an oaky taste she strictly thinks the wine should mainly have the taste of what it's made from whether it be grapes or fruit, so I normally rack mine for first pressing naturally of course then I wait a couple months and rack again unless there is a ton of sediment then maybe abit earlier. So far looks like I'm gonna be investing in a good amount of glass LOL

Barrels take a lot of work, and the flies are relentless but it dies make the wine very nice

yea about 7 months maybe a little longer. But now I bottle age for at least 6 months before drinking for zin anyway.

 

[Sirs]

LOL up till this year the only thing I aged anything in was a mason jar and it didn't get to much age on it before it was gone

 

[MFC]

I really have no experiance with anything besides grapes. Getting enough fresh fruit for me to make a batch of wine is usally a challenge. Im making my first apple wine this year. Yea one batch of my grandfathers wine was good for ten years but usually 2-3 was the max.

 

[Sirs]

well I make mine where it has abit more alcohol than normal so that might help abit

 

[Rock]

My grandfather made wine like this for years. He would "rack" once after pressing by draining the wine through cheese cloth. Also once before putting the wine to sleep (into the barrels until Easter). Again this time through cheese cloth. That's it. I wouldn't recommend it though. His wine was always excellent and because it was zin the stuff lasted for years, but one bad batch and you ruined your barrels. So unless you need 65 gals of vinegar per year or lots of expensive planters I really think sulfite is the way to go. He even uses it now. If they had known about it years ago I'm sure the would have used it too. It's just not worth risking ruining a whole batch in my opinion.

Funny how all are different ,my father grew up in Italy back in the 40s and they used what i think was campden tablets.He also used them here up untill my brother taught him about k-meta an already crushed sulfite.

 

[Rock]

Hey Giuseppe,you say your old school i guess you rack by the moon,and only on nice sunny days right?Just wondering.

 

[Sirs]

hey now doing stuff by the signs is not a bad thing

 

[Rock]

Didnt say it was just asking if it is being done.

 

[Sirs]

understood I just know it works even though alot say it doesn't

 

[MFC]

Funny how all are different ,my father grew up in Italy back in the 40s and they used what i think was campden tablets.He also used them here up untill my brother taught him about k-meta an already crushed sulfite.

He told me that they never heard of the stuff or used additives. I'm guessing bc info was not as easy to come by as it is these days. Now that we know we use it. I didn't even think that the use of sulfites went back that far. Shows how much I know.

 

[Wade E]

I have a friend who also didnt use sulfites until about 4 years ago when he ended up with 110 gallons of vinegar. I must say the vinegar was pretty good though!

 

[Giuseppe]

I use glass carboys and demijohns. Haven't had a single bad batch and I love the way it tastes. I press is OCT. Enjoy starting Easter and I'm lucky if that gets me to the following Easter. I don't age for more than that. Hey if your happy doing it your way and adding the chem. GREAT! I enjoy doing it this way. I think I'm going to try a few buckets of frozen grapes and add all the goodies it comes with.
Thanks for the tips

 

[Giuseppe]

Hey Giuseppe,you say your old school i guess you rack by the moon,and only on nice sunny days right?Just wondering.

Not quite LOL I said I brew my wine the old country way, following my grandfathers recipe and how his father was taught aging goes by seasons and holidays Crush in early to mid OCT. Rack when needed and enjoy on Easter. I apologize If I misinterpreted the meaning of your reply but it sounds to me like you were being a smart a*s? If not I STAND CORRECTED and apologize there have just been a few people who have sent me PM trying to tell me the way i do it is wrong in my methods or that I'm a liar, both things in which I do not appreciate in a PM when the idea of this site is to learn and help others not critique and criticize people who dont follow specific recipes or have their own methods. Everyone makes wine in their own unique way and that's what makes this hobby interesting.
Regarding Camden and K-meta I have not tried this, not saying I work just saying I haven't yet. From what I have been told and what i have read about wine making started off not adding anything because they didn't know to add anything nor did they have the money too. It wast until the once thought as a peasants juice became a delicacy did they start to add things to speed up the ferment and the stabilization. The wealthier people were able to afford such additives to improve the wine. With additives come certain thing for instance know several people who never drank wine because of the head aches they got. However they loved my grandfathers homemade wine, turns out it's the sulfites that is added to wine that mazes her break out in minor hives her skin get flushed and she receives headaches. A large population if people are in the same boat as she. So as far as am concerned whether u age in oak or glass add yeast or not Camden k-meta you name it. Just enjoy your juice and remember to have fun, a bad day of while making is better than a good day at work

THIS WAS NOT AIMED AT ANYONE IN THIS THREAD, I AM SIMPLY POSTING MY THOUGHTS AND KNOWLEDGE. PLEASE DO NOT TAKE OFFENSE!