Wine making.

[toxo]

Fool that I am have decided to have a go this year. Know nothing about it except picking up bits through life.

Only been here for 3 yrs and last year there was so few bunches that I didn't bother but this year there's about 5 times more. There's still not enough to make it worthwhile so I'll have to supplement with either more grapes from somewhere or some concentrate. A couple peeps on facebook don't want theirs so I'm going tomorrow to see what's left.

A whole new learning curve coming up and equipment to buy but two of my daughters will no doubt push me to get it done.

[mbnaegle]

A few generations before my time (before 1830 that is) my Naegle ancestors were wine makers. They emigrated to the US from Alberweiler Bavaria, which to my understanding is an area that's bounced around from German rule to Swiss rule and back for centuries. As far back as I've been able to go (1500's?) the Naegle's were there and made wine like the rest of the village and their fathers before them. The old village is still there and they're still making wine. I Google translated the village website a while back, and I think I remember finding a page that listed the families/vineyards in the area and there was at least one with a similar spelling of Naegle that might be a distant cousin, so one day I want to go back and look them up.

Now after 1830, not long after arriving in the states my great great grandfather John ran away from home and joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons!) who teach abstinence from alcohol. At that time, they still used wine for the sacrament and grandpa John made wine for that purpose and he sold some too, but the church eventually moved on to just using water for the sacrament and John moved on to other endeavors like growing vegetables, livestock, etc. My family is still part of the LDS church and I don't have any desire to drink wine, but I like learning about the process and feel a bit of kinship to it. A couple years ago I started some vines in my back yard and have gotten into making grape jams every year. I've thought about canning grape juice too, but I still need to learn how to keep it from fermenting but still getting it to store well. Maybe next year...

Around here in south Texas the Muscadine varieties do really well. They have a tougher skin so while they're not a good table grape, but they can process down into other things just fine and to my unrefined pallet they taste a bit like a concord. I've also got a couple or hybrid vines going that haven't put out much yet, but should put out red table grapes eventually.

[chuck123wapati]

I make wine every year, and have done so for most of my life. It's a great hobby if you like wine. We make ours from wild Chokecherries and Service Berrries that we pick, sometimes apples, and grapes. I've even made wine from our canned jellies that we had after quitting sugary food. The absolute most important part is your yeast selection, and clean equipment.

 Good luck and have fun with it!!

[toxo]

15 minutes ago, chuck123wapati said:

I make wine every year, and have done so for most of my life. It's a great hobby if you like wine. We make ours from wild Chokecherries and Service Berrries that we pick, sometimes apples, and grapes. I've even made wine from our canned jellies that we had after quitting sugary food. The absolute most important part is your yeast selection, and clean equipment.

 Good luck and have fun with it!!

Have been out and about today picking free grapes. Now have loads. On the  journey for sure now. 

[bladegrinder]

I had 20 bottles of homemade champagne that I made at me and my wife’s wedding 39 years ago, it went over great. Use to make orange wine from the trees in my yard and made a LOT of beer. But I quit drinking and haven’t had a drink in 16 years. Good luck on your endeavor!