The All in One saved my back!

[Rocky]

I don't think the All in One that Vacuumpumpman provides needs another kudo but I am offering mine just the same. My Bride and I recently bottled more than 32 cases of wine and I could not have done it so easily or quickly without the AIO. Very frankly, I used to dread bottling! It was tedious, time consuming and physically arduous. I hated it!

Now, with the AIO, I can stand and bottle quickly and painlessly. I cannot say enough about how it makes this job a breeze. If you are a winemaker and you don't have one, you really need to invest in this set up. You will never regret doing so.

 

[bkisel]

32 cases! Wow! Are you what I call a "binge" wine maker? [i.e. Buy a lot of juice at one time of the year and start it all at once.] My kit and fruit wine making is pretty evenly spread throughout the year.

 

[Rocky]

Bill, I tend to make wine in quantity, say 50-75 gallons, in the Spring (Southern Hemisphere juice) and Fall (Northern Hemisphere juice). Then, throughout the year, if something catches my fancy or I read a great review here on the forum, I might put on another 50 or so gallons. Lastly, Mamma likes white wines (Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc and Traminer-Riesling) so I make sure to have a ready supply of those at all times. "If Mamma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy!"

 

[bkisel]

LOL... I hear you about keeping the wife happy. Fortunate for me my wife has been very happy with results coming from RJS 9L [now 10L] and WE 10L kits. Make just about any white wine, back sweeten with 2 cups of sugar and she leaves me and my big reds alone. Mix in a DB or other fruit wine batch here and there... Life is good.

I have made a friend here in PA who is a "binge" wine maker. Goes up once a year, I believe sometime in Sept.?, to the nearby NY Finger Lakes region, buys a ton of juice and goes to town. I'm hoping I can go with him this year and pick up a batch or two worth of juice for myself.

 

[vacuumpumpman]

Rocky -
I will typically do the same thing. It is alot easier once everything is out - just to keep bottling the wine till the carboys are emptied.

I could not imagine bending over to gravity fill bottles - In the past I would not be able to move because of it,.

 

[Boatboy24]

The days of lifting up a carboy onto a bar or countertop, then squatting for an hour while I filled bottles are long, long gone. But I still have nightmares about it. Bottling really does seem almost effortless now.

 

[JohnT]

32 cases and not one single photo posted???


For shame Rocky!

 

[Arne]

32 cases and not one single photo posted???


For shame Rocky!

LOL, he bottled 32 cases. Probably didn't have time to take any pics. But since he is done bottling maybe now he will have time to go . Arne

 

[JohnT]

I hear you. I am bottling this Saturday myself and photos usually wait until the very end.

 

[Rocky]

I am getting the feeling that I have a credibility problem with you guys.

OK, here they are getting over bottle-shock, letting the corks "remember" and awaiting labeling. You can see my very intricate label on top of some of the cases.

 

[JohnT]

I am getting the feeling that I have a credibility problem with you guys.

OK, here they are getting over bottle-shock, letting the corks "remember" and awaiting labeling. You can see my very intricate label on top of some of the cases.

No Credibility issues here.. I just wanted to see some photos! Thanks for sharing...

Looks like you have a couple of different wines there. Care to share what you bottled?

 

[Boatboy24]

@Rocky: there's a lot of bubble wrap on those racks. You have a bunch of stock in 3M or something?

 

[Rocky]

Here is what is in the bottles:

87 bottles of Sauvignon Blanc (from California Juice)
20 bottles of Old Vine Zinfandel (from CC Showcase kit)
31 bottles of Merlot (from WE Eclipse kit)
30 bottles of Cabernet Sauvignon (from WE Eclipse kit)
30 bottles of Carmenere (from WE kit with skins)
87 bottles of Amarone (from WE kit with skins)
129 bottles of Cabernet Sauvignon-Sangiovese (from Italian juice)

Just about all had some "tweaking" with the exception of the Sauvignon Blanc. My tweaking usually takes the form of one or more of the following:

- adding homemade grape packs,
- adding fruit purees or Vintner's Harvest 96 oz. fruit bases,
- adding raisins,
- altering the yeast that came in kits,
- adding additional oak to some of the bolder reds.

Moving into bulk aging, I have two Malbecs, one from California and one from Argentina, Valpolicella, Cabernet Sauvignon and Brunello. On deck are three each kits of Pinot Grigio and Australian Traminer-Riesling. I am going up to L'Uva Bella this Saturday to see if there is anything else I "can't do without" so there may be another red or white (or both) on soon. It is going to be a busy Spring!

 

[Rocky]

@Rocky: there's a lot of bubble wrap on those racks. You have a bunch of stock in 3M or something?

Jim, I buy that at Sam's and it is very reasonable. As a matter of fact, you can see the box in the background of the third picture showing the bottled wine. It keeps the bottles cleaner and helps prevent them slipping off the shelves.

 

[roger80465]

Jim, I buy that at Sam's and it is very reasonable. As a matter of fact, you can see the box in the background of the third picture showing the bottled wine. It keeps the bottles cleaner and helps prevent them slipping off the shelves.

That's a great idea and I will probably steal it!. I hate hearing glass bottles clinking together when I'm not ready for them.

 

[the_rayway]

I hear you Rocky, my Dad's back is so bad these days. Chemo drugs are the only thing keeping it in check. The AIO completely changed the way he can do wine - he can still DO wine! Steve is a life(back)saver

 

[Rocky]

I hear you Rocky, my Dad's back is so bad these days. Chemo drugs are the only thing keeping it in check. The AIO completely changed the way he can do wine - he can still DO wine! Steve is a life(back)saver

Ray, I wish your Dad all the best. Making wine is therapeutic and I am happy to hear that he is enjoying the hobby.