Any winemakers out there?

[Wrenchtraveller]

I have been making my own wine for over 20 years and I just filtered and bottled 5 gallons of Cabernet Sauvignon and 5 gallons of Merlot.

I have made wine right from the fresh picked grapes but the wine kits are so much easier and can make wine I really like so I do almost all kits now.

One of the things I love about travelling to California is that good wines are affordable down there. Here in Canada , booze is heavily taxed and a small bottle of rot gut red will set you back 8 bucks.

It seems every week you hear another health benefit of red wine so a couple glasses a day might be a good habit.

[Hemlockusa]

I didn't know Canada was that heavy into taxing God's necter.....I tried it one time. Got wild cherrys. (that was the first bad move) took me forever to PIT the darn things. So I put the cherry's in warm water to assist in the pitting. Which worked.. Ok I guess I didn't wait long enough for the cherry's to cool. I poured them through a funnel into a 10 gallon glass jug.. I guess I didn't read the correct recipe, because I had not had a beer, I was plumb sober. I continued by putting in 20 pounds of sugar.. I had most of the sugar melted in warm water and added that to the jug. I grabbed the side of the jug (it was heavy) and I swirled it around for good measure and then slapped this cork with a plastic stopper on top the jug.. That was 8 pm the jug was in the garage with my wife's (white) brand new Buick Park Avenue Ultra windows were down.. About 8-9am I can't quite remember things are still FUZZY - I walked to the detached garage and opened the door.. EVERY THING IN THE GARAGE WAS RED AND STICKY.. never did find the JUG STOPPER. That was three years ago, we have bought our wine from the wine store since then.. I admire your ability to produce a drink, without ruining a car.
Safe Travels John

[Parrothead]

No but I like to drink it! LOL We were amazed as we traveled around this past summer how expensive wine was everywhere we were. Was the only good thing about coming back to California. I'm going to Napa in January for a conference. My daughter works for the city of Napa.
Happy trails.......................

[Wrenchtraveller]

John, how long was it before the wife forgave that one. LOL

Sue , all good Women like wine and Donna can drink me under the table. We went through Napa 6 years back when we picked up our Standard Schnauzer at Sebestapol, north of San Fransisco.

We were on our way home and didn't have time to do some wine tours but I loved the area.

[boat391]

Wrench... I don't make wine but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express I did work for kendal jackson for 2 years driving truck so I got to know alot about there wines and have a very good collection of napa valley wines someday I would like to give it a go but for now I'll stick to drinking the good stuff lol I live right here in the heart of wine country so wine is my drink of choice maybe sometime when your down here in the wine country give me a e-mail and we can give you the tour I love doing it and the Mrs is a good des. driver lol

[Dave e Victoria]

I've been making beer for years (as much as 200 gallons one year) and recently started whe wine thing. I agree, kits make life easy. My favorite is Barolo. A bit more expensive but very good. Much like a pino noir. It is about all I do now. Two batches every year yields 5 cases for $150. Italian Barolo wine sells for 40 to 200 dollars per bottle so it is a pretty good investment.

BTW, I had a bunch of wood chips soaking in Jack Danials ahile we were away all summer. I plan to make a couple of batches of imperial stout and add the chips to the secondary fermenter. The slight burbon flavor ia really a nice touch in a high alcohol beer.