What's in your glass tonight?

[jswordy]

Next time I'm in Huntsville...

He announces that he has judged a batch ready and then sells out in a matter of hours, sometimes minutes. The last batch sold out in 37 minutes. I just talked to Jeff on the phone today and told him I have been trying to get a bottle for over a year. I said I understood he may release the next batch to bottle soon and I'd give him my CC number in advance! He said, "No advance orders, just keep watching for the next announcement." I said OK, and we hung up. Then he called back about 30 minutes later and told me he'd see what he could do, and he'll call me maybe in a week! YAY!!! I'm good for at LEAST two bottles, for sure...

 

[jswordy]

2022 Moraine (60/40 blend of deacidified homegrown Marechal Foch and Regent on SO4 rootstock on glacial moraine soil on a south facing hillside 3 degree slope 5 miles noth of Blaine, Washington. (malolactic fermentation, potassium carbonate and Acidex) and tannin reduced (via egg white) from hand destemmed grapes fermented with RC212 for 2 weeks. These grapes were unchaptalized but had too much tartaric acid some of which has settled out as potassium or calcium tartrate after being outside for 3 days with water and vodka in the airlocks so they wouldn't freeze. Most of this was used as a blender into a repaired Washington Syrah from 2020 (had a burnt rubber tire smell from low nutrient malolactic fermentation after RC 212 yeast fermentation + wild blackberry/dried elderberry table wine with a bit of black currant liqueur to make a balanced decent house red/cooking wine.

Back to the 2022 Moraine:

The acid and tannin are fine and in balance.

This is inky purple with a decent smell of, blackberries, red currants, black cherries, leather and coffee.

This has a good after taste and I will definitely make this again with or without the addition of wild blackberries and wild black cherries with dried elderberries.

The deacidification and tannin reduction i.e. 15 mL of egg white into 15 mL water plus a bit of salt with 3 day ice cold storage around freezing temperature worked perfectly.

I added nutrient to the RC212 ferment and got a good smell post malolactic.

High tartaric acid is attributed to low night temperatures during ripening in a cold drought. There was no wasp or bird damage on any of the grapes. The Regent were spaced at 4 feet and allowed to grow 12 single clusters on 4 feet of single cane. The Marechal Foch were spaced at 6 feet and allowed to grow 16 single clusters on 6 feet of single cane. Moraine on my property is basically powder rock mixed with sand and a bit of brown clay with about 6 inches of humus on top from lawn mower deciduous leaf compost from trees all over my property except for black walnut.


The grapes hadn't seen any rain for 3 months and I didn't water them.

RC212 is my secret. Won many a medal using it inappropriately.

 

[ibglowin]

What can I say but...... DNS!

 

[ibglowin]

Slumming it tonight.........

 

[sour_grapes]

Slumming it tonight.........

View attachment 96215

Feeling really sorry for you...

 

[geek]

Cheapo kit made a few years ago.

 

[jswordy]

2016 K Vintners Roma from the River Rock Vineyard in Walla Walla, WA. Rated 91-94 points depending on who's tasting. Does not suck, as the saying goes – especially when bought at 50% off the $53.99 list. I had two of these, so one left. Only 752 cases made. Mmm... I gotta sip slow on this one...

 

[jswordy]

 

[jswordy]

2016 K Vintners Roma from the River Rock Vineyard in Walla Walla, WA. Rated 91-94 points depending on who's tasting. Does not suck, as the saying goes – especially when bought at 50% off the $53.99 list. I had two of these, so one left. Only 752 cases made. Mmm... I gotta sip slow on this one...

View attachment 96239

View attachment 96240

This was my second K Vintners wine, and I will buy whatever reds he makes when it is on deep discount, for sure. My gosh, it was special.

 

[Boatboy24]

View attachment 96267

What, no Guatemalan rum? Do you have a job or something?

 

[ibglowin]

I have a few I have picked up over the years!

This was my second K Vintners wine, and I will buy whatever reds he makes when it is on deep discount, for sure. My gosh, it was special.

 

[jswordy]

What, no Guatemalan rum? Do you have a job or something?

Yep. Until Thursday at 4:30 p.m.

 

[jswordy]

I have a few I have picked up over the years!

View attachment 96278

The Hidden Syrah 2017 was my other one. Also very good.

 

[ibglowin]

Snagged a bottle of this at Costco yesterday. Supposedly pretty good stuff since it was named Whiskey of the Year by WA a few days ago. It was a little cheaper than a bottle of Pappy's and much easier to source.

https://bourbonlens.com/jack-daniels-bonded-whiskey-of-the-year/

 

[vinny]

Yep. Until Thursday at 4:30 p.m.

I wanna know what you are drinking tonight!

 

[jswordy]

I wanna know what you are drinking tonight!

That's easy. Finishing this cabernet up. Overall, it is probably the best $7-$9 bottle of wine I've found and IMO hits above its weight. From South Africa. I keep 8-12 bottles around all the time. Easy "what to drink with dinner" choice.

 

[jswordy]

Snagged a bottle of this at Costco yesterday. Supposedly pretty good stuff since it was named Whiskey of the Year by WA a few days ago. It was a little cheaper than a bottle of Pappy's and much easier to source.

https://bourbonlens.com/jack-daniels-bonded-whiskey-of-the-year/


View attachment 96308

Made 21 miles up the road using the same limestone water I make all my wine and beer from. JD is building new barrel houses like wildfire around here. My county is going to be storing more JD than Lynchburg/Moore County (a unified "metro" government) does, once JD gets done with the last houses they want to put up. My county is Lincoln County, and Lynchburg was once part of it until Moore County broke off. Jack Daniel perfected what he called the Lincoln County Process, which is what JD is made by to this day. For many, many years "Made with the The Lincoln County Process" was included on JD bottles. That process is the basis for almost all Tennessee whiskeys made today. Enjoy!

 

[vinny]

That's easy. Finishing this cabernet up. Overall, it is probably the best $7-$9 bottle of wine I've found and IMO hits above its weight. From South Africa. I keep 8-12 bottles around all the time. Easy "what to drink with dinner" choice.

View attachment 96309

And for dessert?

 

[jswordy]

And for dessert? View attachment 96310

Sorry, that's about it for me on weekdays. Maybe a beer. Enjoy!

 

[vinny]

Sorry, that's about it for me on weekdays. Maybe a beer. Enjoy!

We have SO much work to do!

It's no longer a 'week day' you are retired!