What R you doing today?

[Kraffty]

Last racking before bottling in Sept. All looking and tasting good, adjusted KMeta levels is all.

 

[sour_grapes]

How about those Milwaukee Bucks, huh?

 

[Kraffty]

They looked strong and more determined, congrats!

 

[mainshipfred]

I got invited to a winemaker's luncheon yesterday from the group I get my California grapes from. I met the organizer a few times at the pick up but the never spent much time talking to him about wine, the 4 others I never met. It was interesting talking to winemakers outside the forum. These folks have been making wine far longer than me and their wines were very nice. It was surprising though most didn't blend, some didn't measure sulfite levels and if I understood correctly some didn't pay much attention to pH. As silly as it may sound what surprised me most was no one had an AIO. All in all it was a very nice time, about 4 hours, and the host was an excellent cook.

 

[Kraffty]

Yesterday I finally cranked up the 2nd hand small wood lathe I bought a few months ago and made a pen that my wife instantly claimed as her's. Today, for my second attempt, I made one for me. Shown next to a blank of the same material before turning and polishing. For Christmas this year friends are getting a bottle of wine and a pen to write a Thank You note to with! I probably have 20 of the pen hardware kits but most need the ink cartridge replaced because
they've dried out. Replacements on order.

 

[crushday]

Yesterday I finally cranked up the 2nd hand small wood lathe I bought a few months ago and made a pen that my wife instantly claimed as her's. Today, for my second attempt, I made one for me. Shown next to a blank of the same material before turning and polishing. For Christmas this year friends are getting a bottle of wine and a pen to write a Thank You note to with! I probably have 20 of the pen hardware kits but most need the ink cartridge replaced because
they've dried out. Replacements on order.
View attachment 77070

Very nice!

 

[sour_grapes]

Yesterday I finally cranked up the 2nd hand small wood lathe I bought a few months ago and made a pen that my wife instantly claimed as her's. Today, for my second attempt, I made one for me. Shown next to a blank of the same material before turning and polishing. For Christmas this year friends are getting a bottle of wine and a pen to write a Thank You note to with! I probably have 20 of the pen hardware kits but most need the ink cartridge replaced because
they've dried out. Replacements on order.
View attachment 77070

Very nice, Mike! In service of your new hobby, you may need to learn a new word: chatoyant (and other forms, chatoyance, chatoyancy).

 

[Kraffty]

Thanks Paul, I looked it up and now have a new term to impressively throw out when I'm talking wood turning or stone polishing with fellow nerds.
My original hunch was wrong, it wasn't about premonition, being irritated by of finding a way to miss a chat session. Like chatovoyance, chatoannoyance and chatoavoidance.

 

[Kraffty]

I put together a new label for bottles to be gifted this year. For years I've played with incorporating the idea of drinking alcohol from a paper bag into a wine label, lowbrow and humorous vs a snobby wine take. It clicked a while back that most grocery bags are made from "brown kraft" paper so I threw a play on our name into the mix. Lastly, as a way to have a master bag, I made a "receipt" to slip into the bag that I can customize for my different wines. A little labor intensive to do so it's just for gift bottles. Bags and Rubber stamp ordered online. Receipt printed at home, cut in inserted as needed.

 

[sour_grapes]

Wow, Mike. That one is very clever and well-executed! (And I love the kraft paper pun, too.)

 

[crushday]

Today I dressed and labeled last years Cab Franc. Earlier than I expected but the new barrel was providing too much oak. It’s very drinkable now and will only improve over the next couple years.

 

[Obbnw]

Today I dressed and labeled last years Cab Franc. Earlier than I expected but the new barrel was providing too much oak. It’s very drinkable now and will only improve over the next couple years.

View attachment 77113

Nice job on the label, looks great. I'm a if I like the label I buy it wine buyer and I would definately put that in my basket.

 

[crushday]

I put together a new label for bottles to be gifted this year. For years I've played with incorporating the idea of drinking alcohol from a paper bag into a wine label, lowbrow and humorous vs a snobby wine take. It clicked a while back that most grocery bags are made from "brown kraft" paper so I threw a play on our name into the mix. Lastly, as a way to have a master bag, I made a "receipt" to slip into the bag that I can customize for my different wines. A little labor intensive to do so it's just for gift bottles. Bags and Rubber stamp ordered online. Receipt printed at home, cut in inserted as needed.
View attachment 77097

Love this!

 

[DizzyIzzy]

Yesterday I finally cranked up the 2nd hand small wood lathe I bought a few months ago and made a pen that my wife instantly claimed as her's. Today, for my second attempt, I made one for me. Shown next to a blank of the same material before turning and polishing. For Christmas this year friends are getting a bottle of wine and a pen to write a Thank You note to with! I probably have 20 of the pen hardware kits but most need the ink cartridge replaced because
they've dried out. Replacements on order.
View attachment 77070

That pen is absolutely beautiful.......................have you considered selling them?.....................................DizzyIzzy

 

[DizzyIzzy]

I put together a new label for bottles to be gifted this year. For years I've played with incorporating the idea of drinking alcohol from a paper bag into a wine label, lowbrow and humorous vs a snobby wine take. It clicked a while back that most grocery bags are made from "brown kraft" paper so I threw a play on our name into the mix. Lastly, as a way to have a master bag, I made a "receipt" to slip into the bag that I can customize for my different wines. A little labor intensive to do so it's just for gift bottles. Bags and Rubber stamp ordered online. Receipt printed at home, cut in inserted as needed.
View attachment 77097

You definitely have a creative mind! Val-The-Brew-Gal also has some very unique labels that I am quite jealous of. LOL.......................DizzyIzzy

 

[crushday]

Continuing to dress some bottles of wine - 2020 Port. Drinkable now but going to get WAY better in time! 375ml bottles. Just noticed that I’m terrible at putting the labels on straight! Lol…

 

[mainshipfred]

Continuing to dress some bottles of wine - 2020 Port. Drinkable now but going to get WAY better in time! 375ml bottles. Just noticed that I’m terrible at putting the labels on straight! Lol…

View attachment 77183

With the shape of that label I think getting them straight would be extremely difficult.

 

[crushday]

With the shape of that label I think getting them straight would be extremely difficult.

That’s super kind, Fred. I have a couple dozen more opportunities to get it right as I only dressed 6 of the 32 bottles. I made this port last year from a La Bodega kit. It was fortified with Christian Brothers brandy. The taste is good but unlike any port I’ve had before. Mosti must put chocolate in the sweetener pack because it’s pretty chocolatey - maybe too inauthentically so. And, the brandy…

I’m making a port again this year (last years wine) but my plan is very different. I’ll be using my own wine, made from grapes and barrel aged. I’m going to use Petit Verdot, Petite Sirah and Cabernet Sauv. All three are inky, have a grand viscosity and very flavorful. I’ll use a simple syrup and fortify with brandy and, bulk store it for a couple more years on heavy French oak spirals before bottling.

Any suggestions?

 

[mainshipfred]

That’s super kind, Fred. I have a couple dozen more opportunities to get it right as I only dressed 6 of the 32 bottles. I made this port last year from a La Bodega kit. It was fortified with Christian Brothers brandy. The taste is good but unlike any port I’ve had before. Mosti must put chocolate in the sweetener pack because it’s pretty chocolatey - maybe too inauthentically so. And, the brandy…

I’m making a port again this year (last years wine) but my plan is very different. I’ll be using my own wine, made from grapes and barrel aged. I’m going to use Petit Verdot, Petite Sirah and Cabernet Sauv. All three are inky, have a grand viscosity and very flavorful. I’ll use a simple syrup and fortify with brandy and, bulk store it for a couple more years on heavy French oak spirals before bottling.

Any suggestions?

No suggestions, it sounds like a good plan to me. I really like your choices of wines.

 

[ibglowin]

Sounds like its too late since you are using last years wine but I made a Zinfandel Port a few years ago from fresh grapes. If you step feed the must as its fermenting you can get the ABV up until the yeast craps out. The higher you get it the less brandy you need. Brandy can thin out the mouthfeel IMHO. Its still good but as you say different. I back sweetened with some of that Alexander's Zinfandel juice in the can.

Any suggestions?