What are you making and what have you made ???

[ceeaton]

Craig, do you have a real job. That's about 15 batches a year. Where do you find the time?

Priorities...priorities...

I'm sure if you look hard enough you'll find a post or two where my wife is wearing a coat and/or sweatshirt as she is studying at the kitchen table. Now is that much to ask to have a good environment to make, hopefully, quality wine (and beer)?

Priorities...

 

[KristopherSmith]

Running a small batch of concord right now. Make it every year, so this should be a good batch.

Have made - Cabernet sauvignon kit x2, White Zin kit x2 (this was a big hit with the ladies), Cherry (did not turn out well). The concord turns out really good, but didn't at first.

 

[mainshipfred]

Running a small batch of concord right now. Make it every year, so this should be a good batch.

Have made - Cabernet sauvignon kit x2, White Zin kit x2 (this was a big hit with the ladies), Cherry (did not turn out well). The concord turns out really good, but didn't at first.

One of my wifes favorites is White Zin. She started drinking Sutter Homes and on the bottle was or still is when it should be enjoyed. One was Girls Night Out and another was Getting a Mani Pedi. With that being said I hate to admit I like it as well. I have a batch aging now and when it's ready it's going to be called Manipedi. I'll just have to drink it when noone is around. LOL

 

[KristopherSmith]

One of my wifes favorites is White Zin. She started drinking Sutter Homes and on the bottle was or still is when it should be enjoyed. One was Girls Night Out and another was Getting a Mani Pedi. With that being said I hate to admit I like it as well. I have a batch aging now and when it's ready it's going to be called Manipedi. I'll just have to drink it when noone is around. LOL

That's awesome. You should label those bottles for their respective special occasions. lol

 

[Donatelo]

I have made : 6 gals Peach Chardonnay, 6 gals Gewurztraminer. 3 gals white cranberry , 3 different gals of Welchs Concord grape , 3 gals of cherry Blackberry wine.
I just finished bottling a 1 gal batch of Concord grape that turned out VERY nice . Dry, and full flavored. 14% alc. and really sets well with me . Should go well with beef, Bar-b-que, or roast duck.. It is really a kick ass wine! I like it!

 

[Billpizzaiolo]

I have 12 gallons of Nebbiolo/Old Vine Zinfandel blend in oak barriques that I crushed fermented and racked back in September-October. 15 gallons of the other half of the same crush is in 3 glass carboys waiting to go into the oak in May or June. This fall also made 12 gallons of Pinot Blanc and it's now in bottles waiting to be enjoyed soon.

 

[KristopherSmith]

I have made : 6 gals Peach Chardonnay, 6 gals Gewurztraminer. 3 gals white cranberry , 3 different gals of Welchs Concord grape , 3 gals of cherry Blackberry wine.
I just finished bottling a 1 gal batch of Concord grape that turned out VERY nice . Dry, and full flavored. 14% alc. and really sets well with me . Should go well with beef, Bar-b-que, or roast duck.. It is really a kick ass wine! I like it!

Concord is a tough wine to get right, but I like it a lot. it requires a lot of measurement to get the acid right. I have to dilute it a bit with water to reduce the acid. I started backsweetening with Old Orchard Concord 100% grape concentrate. I use 2 per 6 gallon carboy, and it gives it a great flavor. I am looking forward to making a batch of good dry red wine this year. Hopefully a cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir, or merlot.

 

[kyle5434]

Just racked a WE LE17 Petit Ruby Cab from secondary fermentation to a carboy for 3 months of bulk aging. Also racked a RJS Cru International Chilian Malbec from primary to secondary, which freed up a brew bucket. So tonight, in pursuit of a quick drinker, I started a Fontana Malbec, made to 5.5 gallons with tweaks of 1/4 cup MT French oak powder, 1-1/2 cups plum puree, 3/4 cup zante currants, 1/2 cup dried elderberries, and 3/4 tsp Ft. Rouge tannin. Initial gravity was right at 1.092. Sprinkled a packet of BM-4x4 on top to get 'er going.

 

[Donatelo]

Kristopher, I must be doing something right. I have made 3 one gallon batches of this wine(Concord) and I can't seem to make t last for 3 months before consumption. It is my wife's favorite wine. I think that addition of water is the key. Instead of 96 oz. of juice, I used about 76 oz and topped it up after fermentation.
Incidentally, I like a good Merlot. What kit would you recommend?

 

[cmason1957]

Incidentally, I like a good Merlot. What kit would you recommend?

Eclipse Stag's Leap Merlot is a very, very good Merlot at a fairly young age (under 1 year since yeast pitching). It is getting even better as it gets older.

 

[jgmann67]

Eclipse Stag's Leap Merlot is a very, very good Merlot at a fairly young age (under 1 year since yeast pitching). It is getting even better as it gets older.

Agreed. My second batch is even better at 18 months than the first was at the same age. I've got two batches of MV Cherie Merlot going right now. Tastes great, darker than the SLM.

 

[kevinlfifer]

My version of a Super Tuscan this fall, 30 gal Cab Sav, + 18 gal Sangiovese, + 80lb Merlot grapes. Adding home toasted oak this week

The other 30 gal of Cab Sav is un-blended with 80lb of Cab Sav grapes.

 

[farmerjack]

My first - a Cheeky Monkey kit combo of 3 Spanish Grapes. Still in the primary fermenter

Just procured 10 gallons of apple juice which I'm reducing down to seven. When it gets to seven it will go into the FastFerment and someday become hard cider.

I am loving the prospects for this hobby! I can make stuff that people actually want to be gifted

 

[Donatelo]

Running a small batch of concord right now. Make it every year, so this should be a good batch.

Have made - Cabernet sauvignon kit x2, White Zin kit x2 (this was a big hit with the ladies), Cherry (did not turn out well). The concord turns out really good, but didn't at first.

Welch's Concord makes an excellent wine. and My cherry/ blackberry turned out so sweet that I had to pour it down the sink. I wonder what it is about cherries that causes that?

 

[Donatelo]

Just got in a Gran Cru Merlot kit this morning. Tomorrow is the first of March. Wine making time.!!!

 

[gitmo234]

Right now I'm lost. I have a Nebbiolo I made from a 5 gallon must bucket that is in aging/MLF.

I have a Sangiovese I also made from a 5 gallon frozen must bucket. MLF/aging

Today I racked/pressed a Mourvedre, so its sitting a few days to settle and then rack off the gross lees.

Now I'm making nothing. I dont know what to do with myself

 

[wildhair]

2018 so far - mostly from my garden & fruit trees.
Not your typical wine list.....................

Bottled - 2018
Dandelion (made 2017) - 1 gal
Dandelion-Lemongrass (made 2017) - 1 gal
Chocolate-Raspberry (Apres kit) - 2.5 gal

Started 2018 - Various stages of clearing & aging
Pink Grape - 4 gal
Apple - 6 gal.
Apple-Cinnamon -3 gal
Lemongrass-Ginger - 2.5 gal
Dragon's Blood - 7 gal
Black Raspberry - 4 gal
Red Raspberry - 2.5 gal
Black & Red Raspberry - 2.5
Mint - 2 gal
Sweet Cherry - 2 gal
Strawberry - 1.25 gal
Rhubarb - 5 gal
Cranberry - 2 gal

In the queue - waiting in the freezer
Beet
Carrot
Cucumber
Honeydew Melon
Sweet Cherry
White & Alpine Strawberry-Rhubarb (need more strawberries)
Goji berry
Chamomile
Red Currant (need more currants)
Rose Petal
Lemongrass, lemon balm and other fresh vacuum sealed herbs for possible additions...???

Might be something else in the freezer, too.

 

[Donatelo]

Right now I have a 6-gallon Merlot, three gallons of Gewurztraminer and 3-gallons of white cranberry-apricot all ageing in the cellar.
I have a chardonnay kit waiting for me to start it. Just as soon as I have time and the proper primary free.

 

[Trevor7]

It's been a year and a couple of months since I decided to see if I enjoyed this hobby... It's a blast! And WMT has contributed greatly to my enjoyment.

2017
WE Vintners Reserve Chardonnay (First kit)
MV LE Chardonnay (x2)
WE Sommelier Select Chardonnay (Nicknamed CR - Cost Reduction)
MV LE Cabernet Sauvignon
MV LE Merlot

2018
WE LE17 Rawsonville Chard/Chenin Blanc

MV LE Chardonnay in clearing

In Primary
CC Showcase Chard

On Deck
Dragon Blood

Waitin on Delivery
RJS RQ Tempranillo
WE LR Pacific Quartet

 

[Jal5]

Bottled a 5g kit of Valpolicella in Dec. then made 5g of Dragons Blood quadberry that was yummy bottled in March. Now have one more gallon aging of a tweaked DB and just purchased a juice Chilean version of reisling 6g. Will do another DB or some other fresh seasonal fruit in the summer. Probably a juice bucket in the fall of a red variety. A pretty good amount for my first year into this hobby!