Category: Blog

My blog on wines, beers, and making both.

When to Drink a Wine? 0

When to Drink a Wine?

updated 08/27/2024 The headline for this post refers to how long a wine should be aged, not what time of day is appropriate. In August 2019 NorCal, a respected WineMakingTalk member, started a thread...

Wine 2024 – Update #02 1

Wine 2024 – Update #02

12 July 2024 My friend Beth reported that the grapes in the Glade Springs VA vineyard have started veraison and she’s netting the vines. Veraison is the first stage of ripening for grapes, where...

Wine 2024 – Update #01 2

Wine 2024 – Update #01

03 April 2024 We massively overproduced in 2023, so we are ramping down in 2024. We now have three 55 liter class barrels, and the focus is on keeping them full. “55 liter class”?...

Bottle Labels – 2024 0

Bottle Labels – 2024

Wines Bottled in 2024 Note: These labels are from wines bottled in 2024, not started in 2024. 2023 marked the first time in 30+ years that I made French-American hybrids. The first to go...

2023 Vidal in Detail 0

2023 Vidal in Detail

Last updated 06/10/2024 I thought my Metheglin In Detail post would be my last In Detail post for a while, as I didn’t believe I had anything new to say. The intent of these...

2023 Chambourcin in Detail 0

2023 Chambourcin in Detail

Last updated 02/01/2024 As I stated in my 2023 Vidal In Detail post, I didn’t expect to do more of these soon. They’re actually a lot of work, and I don’t want to repeat...

Wine 2023 – Update #03 0

Wine 2023 – Update #03

24 September 2023 Our source for grapes was uncertain throughout August and half of September, so we (me, my son & niece) came up with several alternate plans, one of which included swapping in...

Creating a Winery Logo 0

Creating a Winery Logo

updated 12 September 2023 September 2023 The logo I have used on my labels since 2011 was constructed by a friend for use on a Dungeons & Dragons forum. At the time I was...

Wine Label Creation Process 03 0

Wine Label Creation Process 03

updated 08 September 2023 September 2023 I documented my label creation for a projected 2023 wine, a Cabernet Franc heavy blend with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in this post. This post regards a Cabernet...

Wine Label Creation Process 02 1

Wine Label Creation Process 02

updated 05 September 2023 September 2023 This post is a follow-on to the first Wine Label Creation Process post, which illustrates a different view into my creation process. Sometimes I get an idea and zero...