# Making some wine



## atomicsmoke (Sep 11, 2015)

Haven't made my own wine for a few years now.

85% of the Sauvignon Blanc vines in the Niagara region were killed by the nasty two last winters. Couldnt get grapes locally so got some trucked all the way from California.

7 cases of Sauv Blanc. Grapes (a little more than 250lbs)












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__ atomicsmoke
__ Sep 11, 2015






Washed and disinfected all the vessels, airlocks, corks, crusher , press and other accessories needed.

Will start on it tomorrow morning.

Expect the first sip in January-February. No oaking, aging.


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## daveomak (Sep 11, 2015)

I'm in...... thought about it....  seems to labor intensive for me but I'll check your method out.....


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## atomicsmoke (Sep 11, 2015)

Setup and cleanup is actually most of the labour. Pretty much like smoking.:-)

White is pretty straightforward. Red requires some extra steps as some of fermentation (if not whole) takes place on skins (before pressing). There were years when I was doing four grapes grapes. That would fill two weekends easily.

Unlike smoking you get some instant gratification. The freshly pressed juice is excellent. Which reminds me: need to buy some chestnuts. Roasted chestnuts + fresh grape juice - another treat of my childhood.


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## atomicsmoke (Sep 12, 2015)

Crushing...












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Done












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## noboundaries (Sep 12, 2015)

I'm in for the view..      

It is so interesting to read that grape availability back east was impacted by harsh winters and out here it is the drought.  Glad to see you can get grapes shipped back to you.  Contrary to belief wine grapes do pretty well in low water conditions, to a point.  Sugar content increases but yield can decrease.   Makes for some interesting wine!


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## atomicsmoke (Sep 12, 2015)

You are correct. Moderate drought works well for wine grapes. I don't get them shipped. There are a few businesses in the area who import them (lot of Italians and Portuguese around here).


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## atomicsmoke (Sep 12, 2015)

"Scooped" as much free run as I could with a pitcher. About half of the juice. With a spigot at the bottom of the crushing barrel you can get a lot more...2/3. I prefer not to poor the free run thru the press...minimize oxygen exposure.

Grape mash loaded into the press












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## daveomak (Sep 12, 2015)

Is that a hand crank press....   looks pretty old....    Hand-me-down maybe......


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## atomicsmoke (Sep 12, 2015)

Yep...hand crank. Wish it was handmedown.Bought of kijiji (craiglist).


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## atomicsmoke (Sep 12, 2015)

Broke out the science kit.












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Sample












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Brix almost 27...sweet juice












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Translates in 16.7% potential alcohol. Of course you don't get this much with natural yeast (not that I want it anyway).


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## atomicsmoke (Sep 14, 2015)

Note the press screw at the beginning












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And after pressing












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And the cake












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## noboundaries (Sep 14, 2015)

Wow that press brings back memories.  My Italian grandfather had a press similar to that he made himself as a worker in a coal mine foundry.  When they had downtime he could use scrap to make whatever he wanted.  My folks had it for a while but left it outside and the termites feasted on it. 

Right now I'm sipping on a 2010 Sangiovese one of my daughter's Italian inlaws made. Nothing better than homemade wine.  

This is a great thread Atomicsmoke!


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## atomicsmoke (Sep 14, 2015)

Beleive or not winemaking tools have not changed much. Of course you can get stainless steel presses these days. But old school cage build are still available (and more affordable)


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## sfprankster (Sep 14, 2015)

I have a lot of friends scrambling in the annual "grape harvest panic" mode. All of the grapes are coming earlier this year, with smaller yields. From what I've seen so far, the berries have exhibited great flavors and higher than normal brix levels. Most of the local vineyards, the harvests are down 70-80% yield from last year, due to the drought. 

Be fun to see and taste the results in a next couple of years.


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## atomicsmoke (Sep 15, 2015)

Temperatures dropped over the weekend. Had to kickstart the fermentation - put a heater in the garage. We are back to above seasonal, the juice is bubbling nicely, foamy at the top (showing vigurous fermentation).












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__ atomicsmoke
__ Sep 15, 2015


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## disco (Sep 18, 2015)

I am following this with interest. Great thread.

Disco


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## foamheart (Sep 18, 2015)

Ok, I am watching...... but I thought you used voluminous nekkid female virgins to squish the grapes..... you know, dancing around and wrestling in the tub of grapes.


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## atomicsmoke (Sep 18, 2015)

Foam,

I posted the offer but no one showed up. So we all got barefoot.












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## foamheart (Sep 18, 2015)

atomicsmoke said:


> Foam,
> 
> I posted the offer but no one showed up. So we all got barefoot.
> 
> ...


I always think of this:



But I think this would be more fun:


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## atomicsmoke (Sep 19, 2015)

Illustrating oxidation in wine (and grape juice).












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Left hand glass has a sample of the juice taken from the fermentation demijohn. Right hand glass has the same juice but saved in the fridge after pressing (to enjoy as juice - fridge temp prevents fermentation). As we drank the juice there was more exposure to oxygen. The juice in the fermentation vessel has a layer of CO2 instead of the airpocket (from fermentation) - which shileds the juice. Once fermentation is finished and the juice topped up I will add potassium metabisulfite to further prevent oxidation. The main exposure happens during racking.


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## knuckle47 (Oct 8, 2015)

The time may have gone by but the temps just started hitting the mid 60's... Do you think it's too late to start a batch of wine in the pavement state (NJ )


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## atomicsmoke (Oct 8, 2015)

Where will you ferment the juice: garage, cold cellar, basement? What temps you expect there for the following 4 weeks?


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## knuckle47 (Oct 9, 2015)

Likely garage 65-70 daytime 53-60 nights....temps the next 4 weeks are about the same with an occasional 75-78 day


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## atomicsmoke (Oct 9, 2015)

Do you use yeast? 50s and low 60s are a bit low for wild yeasts. I recommend using ec1118 yeast; works well at low temps.


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## knuckle47 (Oct 9, 2015)

Never have used yeasts.  Usually crushed the grapes and not added anything.  It's one of those " here's how your great great grandfather did it in Italy " things that my grand mother showed me nearly 27 years ago.  

I know we usually started mid September .


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## atomicsmoke (Oct 10, 2015)

Well... you need to adapt to the conditions.


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## knuckle47 (Oct 30, 2015)

Seems that we got lucky...it has not really been cold. Night temps dropped to about 60 and the garage stayed closer to 68 at night and daytime has been mid 70's. Tried a small pressing to see if it would work out so we didn't lose it all.

Made a 30+ gallon batch of red Zinfandel looking real good so far.  Sitting in a barrel now for the duration bubbling away


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## atomicsmoke (Dec 8, 2016)

Forgot to "close" this thread. 

I've been making wine on and off  for decades (even before I liked drinking it - just helped dad). First time I ran into stuck fermentation. The grapes were sweet to begin with. The fermentation slowed down quickly and did not complete. I tried every method in the book to restart it, never managed to bring the sugar under 7 brix. 

I think the root cause was juice too sweet and subpar grapes. I am done with California grapes (not that all Cali grapes are bad, just the ones we get).

This year I bought local (Niagara region). Everything was textbook (so far). I am getting ready for the 2nd racking. Maybe I can manage to bottle some for Christmas.


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## noboundaries (Dec 8, 2016)

Interesting.  I wonder if the grapes were treated to prevent spoilage during shipping, killing the natural yeast and inhibiting the action of added yeast.  We have in-laws and friends who make wine here in California.  They buy direct from the fields.  In more than ten years I've known them, and probably 30-40 different wines, I've never heard them talk about stuck fermentation.  I'll have to ask.


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## atomicsmoke (Dec 8, 2016)

Never happened to me either. And I bought Cali grapes before. 

The problem is the growers keep the best for them and local markets and send 2nd grade to Canada. Another problem is some grapes (Sauv B is one) shouldn't be let to ripe to their potential. This is why I prefer cold climate Sauv B and Pinot Noir.


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## atomicsmoke (Jan 25, 2017)

I bottled 3L for a NYE party. It's great. The best I ever made.

I didn't bottle all of it since is not as clear as I want. 












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I am fining it right now. Using bentonite. This is the slurry you make from bentonite granule (in fact a clay).












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__ atomicsmoke
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I left it overnight to hydrate properly than dumped it in the demijohn (1tbs of slurry per gallon). Then stirred well with a degasser attached to an electric drill.












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Will check in 7 days...Hopefully crystal clear. If not enough one more bentonite session.

I can't believe how good this wine is.


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## atomicsmoke (May 3, 2017)

A lesser known wine fact.
You might have noticed sometimes sediment at the bottom of wine bottles that had a crystal appearance: wine diamonds. Cream of tartare crystals. The sediments appear after cold storage. So if the wine has not been thru cold stabilization you will get them in the bottle. Totally harmless. Sometimes you see them on the cork if the bottle was stored on its side.

Just racked the wine from the 2nd demijhon last night. 
These were at the bottom of the demijhon:












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## atomicsmoke (Jan 26, 2018)

Same thread....new batch of wine.

2nd year i am buying from a grower from Niagara (fresh pressed juice). Sauv Blanc ...my fav wine. This guy knows grapes. If the first pails i got from him (2016) led to a very good wine , the juice from Oct 2017 is on track to making a superb wine. It has floral and tropical fruit accents uncharacterisc to Niagara Sauv Blanc, more like a New Zeeland Marlborough Sauv B. Which happens to be my favourite Sauv Blanc.

I am racking it...then attempt some fining with bentonite.

Even the yeast and cream of tartar sediments at the bottom of the demijhon smell like tropical fruit. Amazing.

I guess i anticipated something....i bought twice as much as in 2016.

Here is the cream of tartare


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## daveomak (Apr 9, 2018)

Do you save the crystals and tartar for anything ???


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