Any wine makers?

Unclebillybonz

Unclebillybonz

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Aug 26, 2008
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North Dakota
I've been doing it semi-seriously going on 3 years now. Even have a few grape vines planted in the ground. Anyone else a wine maker and have some advice for this novice?
 
I do, but it's been about two years since I've made anything. I keep saying I'm going to, but time is so short with three kids these days.
 
jfields said:
I do, but it's been about two years since I've made anything. I keep saying I'm going to, but time is so short with three kids these days.
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Excuses!
 
Unclebillybonz said:
What kind do you/have typical make/made?
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I haven't really made any white wines with great success. I have made some pretty great Cabernet's and Merlot's before that people really enjoy when I give away as gifts.
 
I experimented once by mixing a couple of juice concentrate cans of Grenche Rose with a 96 oz. can of Black Currant Fruit Juice. I followed the recipe on the back of the Vinter's Harvest can in regards to camden tabs, acid blend, yeast nutrient, etc. I remember cutting down the sugar from 12 pounds, just don't remember to what though. That and I used Sugar in the Raw instead of white table sugar. Finished it off with one pound of medium toast oak chips in the carboy.  It turned out excellent surprisingly. The body was amazing and wasn't very sweet considering the black currant fruit base.
 
Another is a Luna Rossa Italian table wine that family and friends still keep asking me when I'm going to make more of. A few have gone as far to say it's the best wine they have ever had hands down.
 
I always make from juice concentrates/recipes. I have never ventured down the crushing my own grapes road before. That would be something though. To do it all from growing your own, down to pulling the cork.
 
I'm way behind on my wine as far as racking and sulfating. I have approx. 40 gallons that is 2 years in glass that needs to be bottled. Finally made it out to the vineyard this weekend to prune as well. This has been a long long winter.
 
I used to for a while, made a few out of fruit other than grapes that came out really well.  Raspberry, blueberry, and cranberry.  I've had zero time lately to do anything, unfortunately.  I do have 4 vines in my yard that I prune and tend to regularly on the off chance that one of these years I'll be able to make something happen.  With a kid on the way I'm sure I wont see that for a while.
 
In my experience and depending on the variety of the grape of course, it takes in the neighborhood of 100lbs of grapes to make 5 gallong of finished wine.
 
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