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...
Category: Winemaking Plans
Descriptions of my winemaking plans, which may — or may not — come to fruition.
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”?...
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...
Wine 2023 – Update #02
15 June 2023 The plans have changed a bit. We are still planning to purchase 8 lugs each of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, which will be barrel aged. However, instead of creating a...
Wine 2023 – Update #01
08 April 2023 Ideas for the fall 2023 wines are already in motion. While it may sound early, as the 2022 wines are no where near ready to bottle, I like thinking ahead. I...
Wine 2022 – Update #01
03 October 2022 This fall’s plan thankfully lacks the churn last year’s fall grapes did. Everything is straightforward. In past years I’ve made “field blends”, mixing different grapes and fermenting together to produce a...
Wine 2021 – Update #03
04 November 2021 Our wine kits are scheduled to ship Monday, so if all goes well they’ll arrive by the end of the week. At that point Eric and I will have a busy...
Wine 2021 – Update #02
19 October 2021 Our plans changed again. The ship date for the grapes kept slipping, eventually landing on 15 October. Then on the 12th we were notified the date slipped again to the 22nd....
Wine 2021 – Update #01
14 September 2021 This fall’s plans have undergone evolution, as ideas crossed my mind, discussions with my son & niece occurred, and — finally — the list of available grapes solidified. My local group...
Wine 2020 – Update #02
14 October 2020 Wine 2020 is underway! Last Saturday my grapes arrived — as I intended I purchased 16 lugs weighing 36 lbs each, a total of 576 lbs of grapes. Red Wine My...