Making Wine, the easy way.

Joined Apr 2005
348 Posts | 0+
Tidewater, Virginia
Yesterday afternoon I took my xmas gift certificate, good for I batch of wine, to the new make your own wine store. Picked out an Italian red from the book (Valpoacello)sp. The shop lady went through the whole speil and then commenced to make some wine. They specialize in wine fron concentrate. The did have a bottle from a previous batch so I could sample. Two weeks from yesterday is the first racking. I bought the sample bottle and headed to the cigar store where we finished the bottle while smoking a padron 2000 maduro. When they are finished making I will have 30 bottles of wine on the wall, ready to take one down and pass it around.
 
Tom. Keep us posted. There is one near me called "Su Vino" they have the tanks right out on display. I bought a bottle of their Pinot Noir it was very good. I haven't listened to their speil, I was wondering where the crates of grapes were. Concentrate! what do you just add water? Hopefully it's more involved. How do they age it?
 
OK, Rounds two and three. A couple of weeks ago when I went to Rack my wine, it had all ready been done. I pouted for a wile and wined for a second. The offered me a free bottle of wine and a chance to rack some of the stuff they make for sampling. I took the wine and told them thank you and headed for the cigar shop. Free wine for no work. When I arrived at Emerisons the usuial afternoon crowd was there. I bought a couple of Padron 4000's and opened the free wine. After I insisted that everyone try some the bottle and the plastic glasses were passed around. The wine lasted just long enough for me to finish the cigar.
Yesterday was "Botteling Day". I talked my daughter and her fireman into giving me a hand. On the way I made a quick stop at Sam's for a peperoni and cheese tray. When I arrived there was another guy finishing up his bottling. As I got the munchies ready the wine lady got the wine ready. They have all of this electric equipment that sucks the wine out of the carboy, fills the bottle to the proper level and sucks the overflow into a little container. All you have to do is to stick the bottle on the little stand with the filling device in the bottle and waite. The fireman was facinated with the whole process. I just stood back, made cheese and peperoni snacks and sampled the first bottle to make sure it was up to my high standards.
Its Wine, Its Time.
Next was the corker. Pot the cork in the holder, put the wine on the stand, close the little glass door, watch the cork go into the bottle and then take the bottle out . Oh, I almost forgot, have another glass of wine. The custome labels were the peel and stick type. Did you know that there is a front and back to a round wine bottle? We lined up the lable with the line on the bottle and installed. Of course there was the little label in the back that has the surgen generals warning and the advertising. OH yea have another glass of wine. We added a shrink wrap seal and put the bottles in the cases. We then had time for a final toast to the days effort.
I have to let the wine sit for a week, neck up, to let the wine settle after bottling then I can lay them down in the wine frig. THe wine lady said 3 to 4 months before it would be at the ready. Two years before it starts to loose its prime. I don't believe it will last that long. All in all it was a fun experence.then put