What R you doing today?

[Hokapsig]

Wife has a girls night out, so I have the house to myself. Hockey game is on, one bottle of B&L Winery's Red Thunder down and I have to get packed for the trip south tomorrow for muscadines.

 

[ffemt128]

Heading out for a few hours of small game hunting once I drop my daughter off at school. Probably wait til 9:00 to give some of the dew a chance to burn off.

 

[JohnT]

Heading out for a few hours of small game hunting once I drop my daughter off at school. Probably wait til 9:00 to give some of the dew a chance to burn off.

Any chance at some pictures?

 

[ffemt128]

Any chance at some pictures?

Didn't see anything but a squirrel and didn't get a shot. I did get 4 1/2 miles of walking in which was quite relaxing....I'll take that over work any day. Seriously considering taking next Monday off and doing pretty much the same..

 

[ffemt128]

John,

Here's a few shots from my hunting excursion yesterday. The area is supposed tobbe stocked with pheasant. Years ago when I hunted this area pheasants, grouse and bunnies where plentiful.

I seem to have deleted a few pics from my phone. Anyway this lake, 5 feet from shorebis 8 feet deep and you can see the bottom. Used to love walking up here and swimming...

 

[PierreR]

Racked 5 gallons each of crab apple, Saskatoon berry, and Valpolicella. Stole a taste of each of course. The apple and Valpolicella both made me smile! The Saskatoon needs some more time in bulk.

Cooke a nice venison stew, from this years hunts. Simmered in a nice Cab reduction.

 

[JohnT]

Racked 5 gallons each of crab apple, Saskatoon berry, and Valpolicella. Stole a taste of each of course. The apple and Valpolicella both made me smile! The Saskatoon needs some more time in bulk.

Cooke a nice venison stew, from this years hunts. Simmered in a nice Cab reduction.

Home made wine and "home-made" meat! You don't get much better than that!

 

[ceeaton]

Took the afternoon off since our Bahamas project is done and printing. Haven't had a day off in quite some time (like three months). Had purchased a kit at the LHBS yesterday and noticed I only had one carboy open, and that one is the 6 gallon glass one I use to degass and transfer batches. All my other ones are full (that's a good problem to have, 50+ gallons need bottled in the next few months).

So I racked and degassed a Peach/Mango batch (Welches of course, next year will be in the WS top 100) and then did the same to a WE SE Sangiovese batch. Was amazed that the Sangiovese didn't show any CO2 until I pulled 25.5 inHG vac, so that baby is ready to bottle. I'm trying to get another case of bottles ready between running the Eaton taxi service for the kids.

Underlying reason for the day off was to allow my wife to max her study for an Algebra test she's taking this evening. If she does well I'm one step closer to retiring and getting the vineyard going.

 

[ffemt128]

Bottled 27 gallons of 2014 Muscadine last night with the help oh Hokapsig. Need to label and place on the shelves for further aging. 18 Gallons of Noble and 15 Gallons of Red. I still have 9 more gallons of Noble which I am in the process of oaking with Medium Toast French Oak.

 

[JohnT]

Took the afternoon off since our Bahamas project is done and printing. Haven't had a day off in quite some time (like three months). Had purchased a kit at the LHBS yesterday and noticed I only had one carboy open, and that one is the 6 gallon glass one I use to degass and transfer batches. All my other ones are full (that's a good problem to have, 50+ gallons need bottled in the next few months).

So I racked and degassed a Peach/Mango batch (Welches of course, next year will be in the WS top 100) and then did the same to a WE SE Sangiovese batch. Was amazed that the Sangiovese didn't show any CO2 until I pulled 25.5 inHG vac, so that baby is ready to bottle. I'm trying to get another case of bottles ready between running the Eaton taxi service for the kids.

Underlying reason for the day off was to allow my wife to max her study for an Algebra test she's taking this evening. If she does well I'm one step closer to retiring and getting the vineyard going.

Time to purchase more carboys (he says with an evil, sinister voice)...

 

[ceeaton]

Time to purchase more carboys (he says with an evil, sinister voice)...

Naw, going to bottle the Sangiovese tomorrow night if I can get the better half to make the pizzas. That will open up a 6 gallon better bottle and leave me with my glass 6 gallon for transfers and degassing.

The other day I could have bought another carboy but went for the "on sale" SE Valipocella, just couldn't pass up the price (if I had bought both I may have been forced to sleep in the garage for a few nights). It has dried elderberries in it, how could I pass that up!

 

[Boatboy24]

(if I had bought both I may have been forced to sleep in the garage for a few nights).

.......

So?

 

[ceeaton]

.......

So?

It's supposed to get kinda cold this weekend....

 

[Julie]

It's supposed to get kinda cold this weekend....

But a few glasses of wine should keep you warm! ::

 

[Runningwolf]

Visited wineries in NY and got a tour of Walkers today. Holy Intimidation! Several rooms had a bunch of 20,000 gallon tanks and there were many other rooms of tanks also. Plus they are expanding even bigger. Great people.

 

[Boatboy24]

Visited wineries in NY and got a tour of Walkers today. Holy Intimidation! Several rooms had a bunch of 20,000 gallon tanks and there were many other rooms of tanks also. Plus they are expanding even bigger. Great people.

Intimidation? I suspect you can hold your own.

 

[ceeaton]

Attended a men's breakfast with some older members of our church, then went hunting for some charcoal. Starting up the smoker to attempt a 16.25 lb turkey. Mom is hosting the family at the club on Thursday, and I couldn't fit the turkey in my freezer (too many frozen grape skins and hops). Pictures at 6.

Edit: Ooops. Got my fire going to well. Had to pull off the top, add some cold water to the tray and close all the vents and remove my Cabella's huggy wrap. Last thing I expected with a 40 deg day will a steady breeze. Guess I started the Valpolicella kit a little too early which took my undivided attention away from the smoker. Fixed that, have porter in hand and will not leave the smokers side...

 

[Boatboy24]

Foiling and labeling my WS Super Tuscan. I need to run over to @Norcal 's and borrow his laser thingy.

 

[NorCal]

Foiling and labeling my WS Super Tuscan. I need to run over to @Norcal 's and borrow his laser thingy.

My garage is always open and you are always welcome to use it....only a few thousand miles in between us.

 

[sour_grapes]

Shoveling snow. Gol'durnit!!!