First a word about strawberries. They are probably one of the yuckiest things to make wine from. Very slimy to press off the pulp, and then throwing inches of lees making it necessary to have lots of frozen reserve for top-up at racking. Also time consuming to remove the green hulls for pulp fermentation, so enzyme extraction and fermentation of the juice might be easier. The solids content of the juice is high, which tends to throw the initial readings off, eg; this recipe had a starting ph. of 3.48 and yet after 3 rackings the ph. was down to 2.92. Most varieties are above 10 gr./litre in acid and yet have a ph. above 3.5, so adjustment is needed. The variety "Startyme" from ontario seems to have the most potential because it picks easily without the hull. Bitterness from the seeds has not been a problem for me, even after 5 to 7 days of pulp fermentation.(without hulls).
Strawberry Wine: 25 lbs. frozen "Startyme" strawberries thawed to 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Initial ph.- 3.65; acid- 10.25; brix- 8.0. Added 4 litres water ph.- 3.9 acid- 7.75 brix- 6.0.
Added 8 tsp. acid blend ph.- 3.48 acid- 10.50 added pectic enz. and 50ppm. sulphur. 24 hrs. later- 6lbs. sugar = starting br.20 sg. 1.080 + yeast nutrient. Yeast = cote des blancs. ferm. active 24 hrs. later at 65 Fahrenheit.
After 6 days press thru filter bag (yuckie part) - very murky. Yielded 16 litres, put into 12 litre carboy, froze 4 litres for top-up and left lots of headspace (Strawberry tends to "roil" over). Racking - once a week - lots of sediment. after 2 wks. sg. already down to .996.
Used bentonite after 3 wks. to help clear. 4th wk. ph. = 2.92 so topped with 1 litre water sweetened to 19 br. Finished at ph.-3.10 acid- 1.05 0 - added 25 ppm sulph. and filtered thru #1 & #2. Sweetened to 4 br., sorbate and bottle in 375ml.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Grape Growing
Juicy, sun-warmed, homegrown grapes are a real taste sensation. And once you've had your fill of fresh grapes, you can use the rest to make flavorful wines, juices, and jellies. Grapes are available in a variety of different types. The hardiest Vitis labrusca grapes are American, or fox, grapes, robust growers with rich flavor for fresh eating, jelly, or juice. Vitis vinifera grapes, also known as European wine grapes, are less hardy but produce top-quality wines. They are also good for fresh eating or drying. French-American hybrids combine the best traits of V. vinifera and various American species. Vitis rotundifolia or muscadine grapes grow into extra long vines that thrive in the heat and humidity of warm climate summers. Enjoy these grapes fresh or make them into jelly, juice, or wine. Best Climate and Site You have to use cultivars appropriate for your area. Here is what you can expect. American Grapes: Most American grapes are hardy but are most reliable where winter low temperatures seldom reach -10 degrees F. They also grow best with a growing season of at least 165 to 180 frost-free days. This allows later-maturing grapes to ripen but is just as necessary for early-ripening cultivars. French-American Hybrids: These hybrids have a wide range of adaptability. Before you buy, check catalog descriptions to find those that are best suited to your particular climate and the length of your growing season. Also look for cultivars that are resistant to disease problems common in your area. Vinifera Grapes: These disease susceptible types are best in arid climates with perfect grape growing conditions.
Look for cultivars that need a short winter rest period. For example, 'Cabernet Ruby needs only 50 chill hours; 'Thompson Seedless needs only 100 chill hours. Vitis rotundifolia or Muscadine grapes: Many cultivars have well-developed disease resistance and can withstand high humidity as well as high heat. All of these different kinds of grapes need full sun, good air circulation, and deep, well-drained garden soil. Avoid low spots and other sites prone to late spring frosts. Eliminate any wild grapes growing nearby; they can carry problems that might attack your cultivated grapes. Expanding Your Options You can choose from a variety of different grape types. The most popular table grapes are seedless and easy to eat. Some seedless cultivars include 'Seedless Concord', 'Mars', 'Canadice', and 'Reliance'. You also can dry seedless grapes into raisins; 'Delight', 'Flame Seedless', and 'Lakemont' are a few that are especially good. If you have room for several plants, choose early-, midseason-, and late ripening cultivars to extend your harvest season. Some early-ripening grapes include 'Baco Noir', 'Beta', 'Buffalo', and 'Cascade'. Midseason-maturing grapes include 'Chardonnay', 'Delaware', 'Niagara', 'Sauvignon Blanc', and 'Concord'. Late-ripening cultivars include 'Catawba', 'White Riesling', and 'Sheridan'.
Choosing Your Plants Start with 1- year-old plants that are virus-indexed and certified disease-free. For many American and hybrid grapes, it's fine to buy cuttings grown on their own roots. But for vinifera grapes, you'll probably need plants grafted on phylloxera-resistant rootstocks. Also look for cultivars that resist or tolerate the diseases that are most troublesome in your area. Be certain to read nursery catalog descriptions carefully to find out if a cultivar you're considering is self-fertile which means you can get fruit from just one plant. Most cultivars need cross- pollination with a second compatible cultivar to produce fruit. Planting and Care Before planting, set up a support system. You need to space American, hybrid, and vinifera grapes about 8 feet apart along the support, with 5 feet between rows. You also need to space muscadines up to 20 feet apart, with 12 feet between rows. On grafted grapes, set the graft union about 2 inches above the soil level. Set others at the same level they were growing before. After planting, you may want to let grapevine grow untrained for a year to develop a stronger set of roots. Pinch off grape flowers during that year. You'll start training the vine early the following spring. Keep the soil around your vines moist. After the first year or two, when vines are established, they usually don't need supplemental water. In fact, it's preferable to grow fruit-bearing wine grapes in dry conditions to encourage maximum flavor. It's important to mulch under the vines to control weeds. Feed with compost in spring. Vigorously growing muscadines may benefit from some nitrogen-rich fertilizer, such as alfalfa meal, at bloom time. If your vines are growing too vigorously, plant cool-season annual cover crops, such as rye or winter wheat, around them to use up some of the extra nutrients. If your vine sets a heavy crop, thin out some of the clusters to minimize disease problems. While the fruits are still small and hard, remove some of the weakest clusters entirely. It's necessary to snip off some of the fruits in the remaining clusters to open up the bunches. Pruning and Training There are many different grape-training systems appropriate for different cultivars and needs. For example, in cold or disease-prone areas, you can start with two trunks per vine and train them on a V-shaped double trellis. That way, your plant will have another stem if one gets damaged. For vigorously growing vines, use a T-shaped trellis and let the longer side branches cascade over the top to get the maximum amount of light. Most grapes adapt equally well to different training systems. Harvesting Grapes are ready to harvest when they develop ripe color and sweet flavor. On most grapes, entire bunches will ripen simultaneously; harvest the clusters by clipping them off the vine. On muscadines, pick individual grapes as they ripen. Muscadine grapes have to be stored for a week or two in the refrigerator. Other grapes may last about 4 weeks. Freeze, dry, can, or make wine out of what you can't eat fresh.
Look for cultivars that need a short winter rest period. For example, 'Cabernet Ruby needs only 50 chill hours; 'Thompson Seedless needs only 100 chill hours. Vitis rotundifolia or Muscadine grapes: Many cultivars have well-developed disease resistance and can withstand high humidity as well as high heat. All of these different kinds of grapes need full sun, good air circulation, and deep, well-drained garden soil. Avoid low spots and other sites prone to late spring frosts. Eliminate any wild grapes growing nearby; they can carry problems that might attack your cultivated grapes. Expanding Your Options You can choose from a variety of different grape types. The most popular table grapes are seedless and easy to eat. Some seedless cultivars include 'Seedless Concord', 'Mars', 'Canadice', and 'Reliance'. You also can dry seedless grapes into raisins; 'Delight', 'Flame Seedless', and 'Lakemont' are a few that are especially good. If you have room for several plants, choose early-, midseason-, and late ripening cultivars to extend your harvest season. Some early-ripening grapes include 'Baco Noir', 'Beta', 'Buffalo', and 'Cascade'. Midseason-maturing grapes include 'Chardonnay', 'Delaware', 'Niagara', 'Sauvignon Blanc', and 'Concord'. Late-ripening cultivars include 'Catawba', 'White Riesling', and 'Sheridan'.
Choosing Your Plants Start with 1- year-old plants that are virus-indexed and certified disease-free. For many American and hybrid grapes, it's fine to buy cuttings grown on their own roots. But for vinifera grapes, you'll probably need plants grafted on phylloxera-resistant rootstocks. Also look for cultivars that resist or tolerate the diseases that are most troublesome in your area. Be certain to read nursery catalog descriptions carefully to find out if a cultivar you're considering is self-fertile which means you can get fruit from just one plant. Most cultivars need cross- pollination with a second compatible cultivar to produce fruit. Planting and Care Before planting, set up a support system. You need to space American, hybrid, and vinifera grapes about 8 feet apart along the support, with 5 feet between rows. You also need to space muscadines up to 20 feet apart, with 12 feet between rows. On grafted grapes, set the graft union about 2 inches above the soil level. Set others at the same level they were growing before. After planting, you may want to let grapevine grow untrained for a year to develop a stronger set of roots. Pinch off grape flowers during that year. You'll start training the vine early the following spring. Keep the soil around your vines moist. After the first year or two, when vines are established, they usually don't need supplemental water. In fact, it's preferable to grow fruit-bearing wine grapes in dry conditions to encourage maximum flavor. It's important to mulch under the vines to control weeds. Feed with compost in spring. Vigorously growing muscadines may benefit from some nitrogen-rich fertilizer, such as alfalfa meal, at bloom time. If your vines are growing too vigorously, plant cool-season annual cover crops, such as rye or winter wheat, around them to use up some of the extra nutrients. If your vine sets a heavy crop, thin out some of the clusters to minimize disease problems. While the fruits are still small and hard, remove some of the weakest clusters entirely. It's necessary to snip off some of the fruits in the remaining clusters to open up the bunches. Pruning and Training There are many different grape-training systems appropriate for different cultivars and needs. For example, in cold or disease-prone areas, you can start with two trunks per vine and train them on a V-shaped double trellis. That way, your plant will have another stem if one gets damaged. For vigorously growing vines, use a T-shaped trellis and let the longer side branches cascade over the top to get the maximum amount of light. Most grapes adapt equally well to different training systems. Harvesting Grapes are ready to harvest when they develop ripe color and sweet flavor. On most grapes, entire bunches will ripen simultaneously; harvest the clusters by clipping them off the vine. On muscadines, pick individual grapes as they ripen. Muscadine grapes have to be stored for a week or two in the refrigerator. Other grapes may last about 4 weeks. Freeze, dry, can, or make wine out of what you can't eat fresh.
Wine Trending in 2010
Do you want to know what's hot in the wine world? Here's the top 10 trends:
1. Rosé Wines
Rosé wines are all over the shelves in local Seattle wine shops but the trend is still growing! I'll let you in on the secret: rosé wines are perfect for BBQs, lazy afternoon tea time, light lunches and family gatherings. What makes these wines so great is that they beg to be drunk and enjoyed, not brooded over like their darker counterparts. Here are a couple great rosé wines to try:
Barnard Griffin Rosé of Sangiovese - omg the color of this wine is incredible w/ tangy citrus fruit, blood orange, peach and sweet cranberry
Muga Rosé - 60% garnacha, 30% Viura and 10% tempranillo wow, this one smells so fruity and fabulous, with a backbone of some more earthy notes than the Barnard Griffin, still zesty and fun
K Vintners Syrah of Rosé - If you're looking for a crazy rose experience, syrah tastes much meatier as a rosé wine, I find it to smell like strawberries and salumi at the same time, super whacky!
2. Grower Producer Champagne
Grower producer Champagne is actually a bit of a rarity. Most of the wine grapes from over 15,000 growers in Champagne go directly to large Champagne houses like Moet & Chandon and Veuve Clicquot. Originally, this was due to the expense of the Champagne production method, but with the help of technology advancement we will see more "recoltant-manipulant (RM)" or grower champagnes in the market! Growers have greater power and incentive to ensure the grapes they select for their own wines are at the best possible ripeness level. Often, you can find producer champagne for a better value than the a comparable major brand. If you are interested in grower champagne, look for the letters "RM" (récoltants-manipulant) on the label, which indicates that it's a grower-producer. You can also look for CM (co-opérative-manipulants) but not NM (négociant manipulant) or MA (marque d'acheteur). I'll list a few of my favorites below.
Egly-Ouriet Brut Tradition Grand Cru (NV)
Veuve Fourny & Fils Rose Premier Cru Vertus Brut (NV)
2002 Launois Brut Blanc de Blancs Vintage Champagne
Collard-Picard "Cuvee Selection" Brut Champagne
3. Metropolitan Wineries
Brooklyn Winery, City Winery (Manhattan) and Crushpad in San Francisco are making a big splash in cities around the country. Metropolitan wineries often source their grapes from the state they're in, although some grapes travel a very long way to get crushed and fermented (California to New York or even Bordeaux to California!). The great thing about city wineries is that it gives the public greater exposure to the wine making process. You can literally make your own wine label! Wanna make wine? Note that a typical wine barrel will produce about 280 bottles of wine which is only about 23 cases. the perfect starting size...
4. Natural Wines
The term "natural wine" is a little nebulous, but since the term resembles the whole food, slow food, and eco-sustainability movement, natural wines are gaining popularity. A natural wine typically has a hands-off approach to wine making. Once the grapes have been crushed, fermentation happens with wild yeasts and there is no fining or filtering done to the wine. White wines can be cloudy or even have an orange tinge from lack of fining agents to remove yeasts and excess coloring. Red wines have sediment from skins and dead yeast particles. Of course, there would be no sulfur added to a natural wine. Many French and European wines are made in this "natural" fashion and some are wonderful, but lots have this funky old baby diaper aroma that I like to describe at poogy (half splooge, half poo). Despite all the pooge out there... there are also natural wines that will put a sparkle in your eye:
Zind-Humbrecht 2007 "Pinot d'Alsace" (Alsace, France) - Pinot d'Alsace is kind of a catch all name for a wine style made in Alsace, France using free-run juice of pinot noir, pinot munier & pinot gris, it has a honey-gold hue and has flavors of honey, tangerine, lemon rind & this really captivating and intense fresh green crunch that reminds me of biting into a celery stick!
2000 (or 2002!) Lopez de Heredia "Viña Bosconia" Reserva Rioja (Rioja Alta, Spain ) - Possibly the oldest bodega in Rioja that despite a beautiful redesigning of the winery still practices very ancient techniques of winemaking.
5. Fruit Day, Flower Day, Root Day & Leaf Days
Have you ever tried a delicious bottle of wine and then drank the same wine on a separate occasion only to find it didn't taste as good? Apparently, the moon effects the taste of wine! Observing moon cycles is a biodynamic farming technique which indicates the best times to plant, prune and harvest. Every day the month can correlated to a fruit day, root day, leaf day or flower day. For example, a root day is a good day to prune plants or cut your hair. In the UK a supermarket chain tested this theory by coordinated their wine tastings either on fruit or flower days. So I've been casually testing this theory for the last 6 months and wine does taste better on fruit days and flower days! Don't take my word for it, try it out for yourself!
6. More Wine Drinkers in America
Wine drinking and wine drinkers are on the rise in the United States! According to Trade Data & Analysis (TDA) the United States is pulling out their corkscrews and drinking more wine all around. Since 2004 wine consumption in the US has increased by 15%. Although consumption is relatively low at 10 liters per person (only 12 bottles per person per year), we cannot deny that with a population of 300 million, that's almost 4 billion bottles of wine a year. Compared to the UK (who drinks almost 20 liters per person per year) they still are only at around 1.5 billion bottles annually. we are wine-drinking winners... woot!
7. Screwcaps and Box Wine
Screwcap wines try harder. We Americans are fickle, we associate screwcaps with low value wine, however, this might not always be the case! In Australia, most wineries have completely converted to screwcaps, including one of my favorite high-end barossa wines: Elderton. I have to admit it's a little shocking paying $90 for a wine with a screw top, but I usually forget about this small detail when I smell the fantastic aromas pouring out of the glass. One saving grace about screwcaps: you don't get corked bottles! (which is known to affect about 10-15% of corked wines) Here are a couple of no-joke screwcap wines that are so awesome they will make your face hurt:
Plumpjack 2007 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon - McWillians Oakville, CA drink now till 2019
Kay Brothers Block 6 2005 Shiraz - McClaren Vale, South Australia drink now till 2025
8. Lower Alcohol Wines
Randy Dunn of California cult wine Dunn Vineyards has been a proponent of lower alcohol wines (nothing above 14%) since he started his Howell Mountain estate up in the hills above Napa. The rest of new world winemakers are starting to head that way as we realize that complexity in a wine is often overshadowed by the burn of alcohol. California cult wine makers like Helen Turley, Sine Que Non and Washington state's, Quilceda Creek, had the world in a tizzy over high alcohol wines in the early 2000s. Skeptics immediately responded noting how alcohol levels were so high that the wines would "trick" wine reviewers with their overwhelming oily sensation based on the alcohol viscosity. We'll be seeing lower alcohol wines as new world winemakers move towards balance.
2002 Dunn Vineyards Cab Sauv Howell Mountain
9. Biodynamic and Eco-Friendly Wines
The turn towards biodynamic farming started as an outcry against mass market agricultural science of the 1950s. The idea of biodynamics is relatively simple, but in practice can be very involved and a even a little strange. Basically, the idea is to observe the natural conditions of the vineyard; the land, the vine and the microclimate. With these observations then a vineyard keeper can decide to apply or remove natural agents to produce an optimal harvest. Natural agents can be anything from choosing to grow grass in between the vineyard rows or sending a herd of goats into the vineyard to clear weeds. In a situation where soil needs to be affected, composts and organic matter (the more bizarre involves animal bones) may be added to the top soil to affect the pH balance of the soil or salinity. Recently the Wine Institute in the USA has implemented a third-party certified sustainable wine program. Originally the program was based on self-evaluation, but now, with third-party approval, there will be more truth to putting the "sustainable" label on wines.
10. Dessert Wine, Port & Sherry - STICKIES!
Port, sherry and dessert wine has come a long way since our moms and grandmothers sipped their sherry. In Portugal, Port houses have renewed their winemaking methods and facilities to produce even higher quality and age worthy vintages. In 1994 and 2007 we saw two remarkable declared vintages that will be the future Ports of the century. Producers in Australia and California excel at getting ultimate levels of ripeness which makes them perfect candidates for dessert wine (sticky) production on a international level. Since fortified wines like Sherry and Port last open for up to a month, they make great night caps. here's my list of tasty ports, sherries and sweet-n-tasty wine:
Smith & Woodhouse 1994 Vintage Port
Toro Albala 1979 Gran Reserva P.X.
Hidalgo Napoleon Amontillado Sherry
RL Buller Tawny
RL Buller Fine Muscat
1. Rosé Wines
Rosé wines are all over the shelves in local Seattle wine shops but the trend is still growing! I'll let you in on the secret: rosé wines are perfect for BBQs, lazy afternoon tea time, light lunches and family gatherings. What makes these wines so great is that they beg to be drunk and enjoyed, not brooded over like their darker counterparts. Here are a couple great rosé wines to try:
Barnard Griffin Rosé of Sangiovese - omg the color of this wine is incredible w/ tangy citrus fruit, blood orange, peach and sweet cranberry
Muga Rosé - 60% garnacha, 30% Viura and 10% tempranillo wow, this one smells so fruity and fabulous, with a backbone of some more earthy notes than the Barnard Griffin, still zesty and fun
K Vintners Syrah of Rosé - If you're looking for a crazy rose experience, syrah tastes much meatier as a rosé wine, I find it to smell like strawberries and salumi at the same time, super whacky!
2. Grower Producer Champagne
Grower producer Champagne is actually a bit of a rarity. Most of the wine grapes from over 15,000 growers in Champagne go directly to large Champagne houses like Moet & Chandon and Veuve Clicquot. Originally, this was due to the expense of the Champagne production method, but with the help of technology advancement we will see more "recoltant-manipulant (RM)" or grower champagnes in the market! Growers have greater power and incentive to ensure the grapes they select for their own wines are at the best possible ripeness level. Often, you can find producer champagne for a better value than the a comparable major brand. If you are interested in grower champagne, look for the letters "RM" (récoltants-manipulant) on the label, which indicates that it's a grower-producer. You can also look for CM (co-opérative-manipulants) but not NM (négociant manipulant) or MA (marque d'acheteur). I'll list a few of my favorites below.
Egly-Ouriet Brut Tradition Grand Cru (NV)
Veuve Fourny & Fils Rose Premier Cru Vertus Brut (NV)
2002 Launois Brut Blanc de Blancs Vintage Champagne
Collard-Picard "Cuvee Selection" Brut Champagne
3. Metropolitan Wineries
Brooklyn Winery, City Winery (Manhattan) and Crushpad in San Francisco are making a big splash in cities around the country. Metropolitan wineries often source their grapes from the state they're in, although some grapes travel a very long way to get crushed and fermented (California to New York or even Bordeaux to California!). The great thing about city wineries is that it gives the public greater exposure to the wine making process. You can literally make your own wine label! Wanna make wine? Note that a typical wine barrel will produce about 280 bottles of wine which is only about 23 cases. the perfect starting size...
4. Natural Wines
The term "natural wine" is a little nebulous, but since the term resembles the whole food, slow food, and eco-sustainability movement, natural wines are gaining popularity. A natural wine typically has a hands-off approach to wine making. Once the grapes have been crushed, fermentation happens with wild yeasts and there is no fining or filtering done to the wine. White wines can be cloudy or even have an orange tinge from lack of fining agents to remove yeasts and excess coloring. Red wines have sediment from skins and dead yeast particles. Of course, there would be no sulfur added to a natural wine. Many French and European wines are made in this "natural" fashion and some are wonderful, but lots have this funky old baby diaper aroma that I like to describe at poogy (half splooge, half poo). Despite all the pooge out there... there are also natural wines that will put a sparkle in your eye:
Zind-Humbrecht 2007 "Pinot d'Alsace" (Alsace, France) - Pinot d'Alsace is kind of a catch all name for a wine style made in Alsace, France using free-run juice of pinot noir, pinot munier & pinot gris, it has a honey-gold hue and has flavors of honey, tangerine, lemon rind & this really captivating and intense fresh green crunch that reminds me of biting into a celery stick!
2000 (or 2002!) Lopez de Heredia "Viña Bosconia" Reserva Rioja (Rioja Alta, Spain ) - Possibly the oldest bodega in Rioja that despite a beautiful redesigning of the winery still practices very ancient techniques of winemaking.
5. Fruit Day, Flower Day, Root Day & Leaf Days
Have you ever tried a delicious bottle of wine and then drank the same wine on a separate occasion only to find it didn't taste as good? Apparently, the moon effects the taste of wine! Observing moon cycles is a biodynamic farming technique which indicates the best times to plant, prune and harvest. Every day the month can correlated to a fruit day, root day, leaf day or flower day. For example, a root day is a good day to prune plants or cut your hair. In the UK a supermarket chain tested this theory by coordinated their wine tastings either on fruit or flower days. So I've been casually testing this theory for the last 6 months and wine does taste better on fruit days and flower days! Don't take my word for it, try it out for yourself!
6. More Wine Drinkers in America
Wine drinking and wine drinkers are on the rise in the United States! According to Trade Data & Analysis (TDA) the United States is pulling out their corkscrews and drinking more wine all around. Since 2004 wine consumption in the US has increased by 15%. Although consumption is relatively low at 10 liters per person (only 12 bottles per person per year), we cannot deny that with a population of 300 million, that's almost 4 billion bottles of wine a year. Compared to the UK (who drinks almost 20 liters per person per year) they still are only at around 1.5 billion bottles annually. we are wine-drinking winners... woot!
7. Screwcaps and Box Wine
Screwcap wines try harder. We Americans are fickle, we associate screwcaps with low value wine, however, this might not always be the case! In Australia, most wineries have completely converted to screwcaps, including one of my favorite high-end barossa wines: Elderton. I have to admit it's a little shocking paying $90 for a wine with a screw top, but I usually forget about this small detail when I smell the fantastic aromas pouring out of the glass. One saving grace about screwcaps: you don't get corked bottles! (which is known to affect about 10-15% of corked wines) Here are a couple of no-joke screwcap wines that are so awesome they will make your face hurt:
Plumpjack 2007 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon - McWillians Oakville, CA drink now till 2019
Kay Brothers Block 6 2005 Shiraz - McClaren Vale, South Australia drink now till 2025
8. Lower Alcohol Wines
Randy Dunn of California cult wine Dunn Vineyards has been a proponent of lower alcohol wines (nothing above 14%) since he started his Howell Mountain estate up in the hills above Napa. The rest of new world winemakers are starting to head that way as we realize that complexity in a wine is often overshadowed by the burn of alcohol. California cult wine makers like Helen Turley, Sine Que Non and Washington state's, Quilceda Creek, had the world in a tizzy over high alcohol wines in the early 2000s. Skeptics immediately responded noting how alcohol levels were so high that the wines would "trick" wine reviewers with their overwhelming oily sensation based on the alcohol viscosity. We'll be seeing lower alcohol wines as new world winemakers move towards balance.
2002 Dunn Vineyards Cab Sauv Howell Mountain
9. Biodynamic and Eco-Friendly Wines
The turn towards biodynamic farming started as an outcry against mass market agricultural science of the 1950s. The idea of biodynamics is relatively simple, but in practice can be very involved and a even a little strange. Basically, the idea is to observe the natural conditions of the vineyard; the land, the vine and the microclimate. With these observations then a vineyard keeper can decide to apply or remove natural agents to produce an optimal harvest. Natural agents can be anything from choosing to grow grass in between the vineyard rows or sending a herd of goats into the vineyard to clear weeds. In a situation where soil needs to be affected, composts and organic matter (the more bizarre involves animal bones) may be added to the top soil to affect the pH balance of the soil or salinity. Recently the Wine Institute in the USA has implemented a third-party certified sustainable wine program. Originally the program was based on self-evaluation, but now, with third-party approval, there will be more truth to putting the "sustainable" label on wines.
10. Dessert Wine, Port & Sherry - STICKIES!
Port, sherry and dessert wine has come a long way since our moms and grandmothers sipped their sherry. In Portugal, Port houses have renewed their winemaking methods and facilities to produce even higher quality and age worthy vintages. In 1994 and 2007 we saw two remarkable declared vintages that will be the future Ports of the century. Producers in Australia and California excel at getting ultimate levels of ripeness which makes them perfect candidates for dessert wine (sticky) production on a international level. Since fortified wines like Sherry and Port last open for up to a month, they make great night caps. here's my list of tasty ports, sherries and sweet-n-tasty wine:
Smith & Woodhouse 1994 Vintage Port
Toro Albala 1979 Gran Reserva P.X.
Hidalgo Napoleon Amontillado Sherry
RL Buller Tawny
RL Buller Fine Muscat
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Wine Making Lessons
Homemade wine making is fast becoming very popular across the world. There are several reasons for this.
The biggest one is that the cost to transport that yummy nectar from where they grow, harvest, and ferment it is going up right along with the cost of fuel. There's no two ways around it - we are about to see bottles of wine at the grocery store and wine shops double.
In the last year, there has been a flurry of "How To" guides crop up around the internet. All of the guides are helpful and at least can get a beginner started.
The truth is, you can make high quality wine, award winning wine, at home, in a 5 gallon food bucket.
Some preparation and materials are required. You have to at least have a hydrometer. You need at least the 5 gallon bucket. AND - you need some kind of near air tight secondary fermentation vessel. In the industry we call this a "carbouy".
There are very inexpensive airlocks and some plastic tubing to round out the equipment.
Some chemicals may be required as well. Yeast is an obvious first one (not really a chemical but a dormant microbe). Citric acid, potassium sorbate, metabisulfate, campden tablets, pectin enzyme and a few others are pretty common.
The biggest secret in home wine making is: get the good stuff to start with.
There are actually vineyards that will sell small quantities of grapes or even crushed grapes and juices, fresh from the vineyard. Although these are hard to locate, they do exist. I have found at least one wine making guide that lists these sources.
Aside from the money savings (you can make wine for about 25 cents a bottle), there is the actual enjoyment of making something that you can drink! If your batch comes out really good, you will be calling all your neighbors and friends to come and give it a try.
Cheers and happy wine making!
Check out The Home Winemaker's Inner Circle - This is where I have learned everything I know about winemaking. It is a super simple guide!
The biggest one is that the cost to transport that yummy nectar from where they grow, harvest, and ferment it is going up right along with the cost of fuel. There's no two ways around it - we are about to see bottles of wine at the grocery store and wine shops double.
In the last year, there has been a flurry of "How To" guides crop up around the internet. All of the guides are helpful and at least can get a beginner started.
The truth is, you can make high quality wine, award winning wine, at home, in a 5 gallon food bucket.
Some preparation and materials are required. You have to at least have a hydrometer. You need at least the 5 gallon bucket. AND - you need some kind of near air tight secondary fermentation vessel. In the industry we call this a "carbouy".
There are very inexpensive airlocks and some plastic tubing to round out the equipment.
Some chemicals may be required as well. Yeast is an obvious first one (not really a chemical but a dormant microbe). Citric acid, potassium sorbate, metabisulfate, campden tablets, pectin enzyme and a few others are pretty common.
The biggest secret in home wine making is: get the good stuff to start with.
There are actually vineyards that will sell small quantities of grapes or even crushed grapes and juices, fresh from the vineyard. Although these are hard to locate, they do exist. I have found at least one wine making guide that lists these sources.
Aside from the money savings (you can make wine for about 25 cents a bottle), there is the actual enjoyment of making something that you can drink! If your batch comes out really good, you will be calling all your neighbors and friends to come and give it a try.
Cheers and happy wine making!
Check out The Home Winemaker's Inner Circle - This is where I have learned everything I know about winemaking. It is a super simple guide!
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