Making Wine - Anyone Interested ?

[frederic]

I've been having a go at making wine for 5 years now and whilst is getting along just fine, it's time to get together with like minded people and start to perfect the art.

A relatively cheap process but hugely rewarding when you produce that aromatic and flavoursome wine that energises you to the next harvest season. Great fun travelling to the vineyards once a year and picking your own grapes - a guarantee of a good result.

Love to chat or liase with anyone wishing to extend their wine prowess and passion beyond just buying a bottle. Have a go and impress yourself. You'll be supprised how close you get to a good quatlitywine .

 

[MashPaddler]

I've been having a go at making wine for 5 years now and whilst is getting along just fine, it's time to get together with like minded people and start to perfect the art.

A relatively cheap process but hugely rewarding when you produce that aromatic and flavoursome wine that energises you to the next harvest season. Great fun travelling to the vineyards once a year and picking your own grapes - a guarantee of a good result.

Love to chat or liase with anyone wishing to extend their wine prowess and passion beyond just buying a bottle. Have a go and impress yourself. You'll be supprised how close you get to a good quatlitywine .

I'm at the equipped and ready to press stage, but missed the picking season this year with too much else going on. Are you making whites or reds or both? The quality of the grapes in Canberra is really good, there is a great granite belt around murrambateman (cool climate shiraz, pinot and riesling country) that produces some excellent wines. I have my press, a couple of fridges, a filter and food grade pump set up ready to go, some neat wine bottle tops that can be reused, along with the relevant additives etc and can borrow the de-stemmer from a local brew shop so planning to do a batch next year. Which have you found the easiest to kick off with?

 

[frederic]

Are you making whites or reds or both? around murrambateman (cool climate shiraz, pinot and riesling country) that produces some excellent wines. I have my press, a couple of fridges, a filter and food grade pump set up ready to go, some neat wine bottle tops that can be reused, along with the relevant additives etc and can borrow the de-stemmer from a local brew shop so planning to do a batch next year.
Which have you found the easiest to kick off with?

I'm attempting both reds and whites. First year I did a Shiraz from Mudgee and a Viognier (but small quantites). Last year some Merlot and this year Sangiovese and a little Shiraz.

Lucky to get a small amount of Riesling from Southern Highlands which is just finishing off fermentation. However, I lost out on some Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet also from Sthn Highlands due to low yields.

My first Shiraz was quite OK. Not an award winner but a good drinker. So I'm hoping to improve the processes with each vintage. The biggest battle for me is getting growers to commit to letting me have some grapes. Because the quantities are low, it;s either not worth their trouble and the dollar return is no incentive.

What sort of fridges do you have. Love to get some myself but unsure what type to get. Where about's are you located - right in Canberra or on the outskirts ?. As you can see I'm in the Parramatta area so that's a good 3 Hrs.

Where have you been sourcing your fruit thus far - are the growers approachable and willing to give some stats on the grape varieties etc.

 

[Golani51]

I am very interested to get started. I have access to the gear and the shiraz grapes are available at the moment. If anyone would be interested in making some wine, I should have free (or just about free) use of a destemmer and press. Grapes work out to be around $2.10/kg, including the $0.10/kg home delivery fee. Let me know ASAP if interested.

Please let me know of any good Shiraz instructions.

R

 

[frederic]

Golani, love your enthuisiasm. A pity your in Melbourne. I buy a few supplies from Winequip in Reservoir. Nice guys, always willing to offer sound advice - fair prices also.

I'm the last person to offer advice on Shiraz or any other variety. A few things that I've tried and learnt from include pressing at around SG - 1.030 and allowing fermentation to complete in your secondary vessel - results in a fresh and fruitier (not sweet) wine.

Rack the wine off the gross lees(bulk sediment) between 24 - 48 hours after completion of fermentation into a clean container. And always ensure the containers are topped right up to clear any air head space. Finally, ensure you add the right amount of Potassium Metabisulphite upfront and throughout the matuaration period. But be very careful to not to add too much.

Good luck and I hope this helps a little.

And, any Sydney guys out there that would like to start off or are well and truely into it ?. Let me know, there plenty to learn and lots of reward. I know I've learnt a lot from watching and speaking to those that have years of experience.

 

[GalBrew]

I've been having a go at making wine for 5 years now and whilst is getting along just fine, it's time to get together with like minded people and start to perfect the art.

A relatively cheap process but hugely rewarding when you produce that aromatic and flavoursome wine that energises you to the next harvest season. Great fun travelling to the vineyards once a year and picking your own grapes - a guarantee of a good result.

Love to chat or liase with anyone wishing to extend their wine prowess and passion beyond just buying a bottle. Have a go and impress yourself. You'll be supprised how close you get to a good quatlitywine .

I think you should document your 'vintage' for us non-wineos here at AHB. I would be interested to watch from the comfort of my PC. :beer:

 

[frederic]

I think you should document your 'vintage' for us non-wineos here at AHB. I would be interested to watch from the comfort of my PC. :beer:

Well not much to tell so far.

Currently working on a vat of Sangiovese, one of Shiraz and a blend of Sangiovese and Shiraz.

Also a small vat of Riesling.

Just finishing off fermentation of a small quantity of Cabernet Sauvignon and Mourvedre. Early days yet, but all proceeding OK. Will get a better idea around July

Oh, a small vat of Rose', which looks good. I expect to bottle (and drink) in mid July all being well - fingers crossed.

 

[tiprya]

Hmn. I've had the idea for a half-wine/half-beer experiment. Thinking a golden belgian with some chardonnay juice perhaps.

What options do we have to get wine grape juice in Sydney?

 

[frederic]

Hmn. I've had the idea for a half-wine/half-beer experiment. Thinking a golden belgian with some chardonnay juice perhaps.

What options do we have to get wine grape juice in Sydney?

A bold brew I'm sure. I'll stick to getting the wine under hand first, then maybe go wild and Crazy. Although I do like a good beer and stylish and mature red, separate of course.

I believe you can buy juice in season I think, cost appears to be around $3.50 to $4.00 per litre.

 

[tiprya]

Where would I go looking for that? Wine growers directly?

 

[Robbo2234]

I would love to have a go at this...

can you make GOOD wine at home? I suppose its all about oak aging.

 

[Rowy]

If you enjoy picking grapes you've NEVER done it for a living. Particularly with vines planted by a 5ft tall Italian bloke 50yrs ago. At 6ft 5........it was a helluva way to earn a quid! I drive past new vineyards now and see those vines trained high and think to myself if only........

 

[hoppy2B]

I made 120 litres of red wine this year using 3 different yeast strains. Some of it is very nice.

 

[frederic]

I made 120 litres of red wine this year using 3 different yeast strains. Some of it is very nice.

What variety of red grapes did you nake. And which yeasts did you use. Which yeast did you think gave the best result.

Did you blend the resultant wine.

 

[frederic]

I would love to have a go at this...

can you make GOOD wine at home? I suppose its all about oak aging.

So Robbo, what do you need to start.

Do you have any equipment, storage containers etc. How keen are you to have a go ?.

 

[MashPaddler]

I'm attempting both reds and whites. First year I did a Shiraz from Mudgee and a Viognier (but small quantites). Last year some Merlot and this year Sangiovese and a little Shiraz.

Lucky to get a small amount of Riesling from Southern Highlands which is just finishing off fermentation. However, I lost out on some Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet also from Sthn Highlands due to low yields.

My first Shiraz was quite OK. Not an award winner but a good drinker. So I'm hoping to improve the processes with each vintage. The biggest battle for me is getting growers to commit to letting me have some grapes. Because the quantities are low, it;s either not worth their trouble and the dollar return is no incentive.

What sort of fridges do you have. Love to get some myself but unsure what type to get. Where about's are you located - right in Canberra or on the outskirts ?. As you can see I'm in the Parramatta area so that's a good 3 Hrs.

Where have you been sourcing your fruit thus far - are the growers approachable and willing to give some stats on the grape varieties etc.

You aren't using fridges at the moment? I am surprised you are attempting wine without temperature control, particularly a white without refrigeration - My two large homebrewing fridges with temp control is what I will be using. To all interested, I suggest getting some books on the topic, the best one I picked up was 'Making Good Wine' by Bryce Rankine. It's not rocket science, but it is very much a science, and given vintage happens only once a year, the research is well worth doing.

 

[frederic]

My two large homebrewing fridges with temp control is what I will be using.

So what type of fridges are these ?. Is there a specific brand or style of fridge that better suited.

Last year I made a small batch of Viognier which turned out very well. I managed with a spare fridge. I also have a cellar which keeps a constant temperature. Works OK but refrigeration would be better for larger volumes.

You obviously have a good set up for your whites.

 

[Robbo2234]

So Robbo, what do you need to start.

Do you have any equipment, storage containers etc. How keen are you to have a go ?.

Yeah I am interested in having a go, depends on price.

I have no equipment / skills for wine so a total noob!

 

[frederic]

Yeah I am interested in having a go, depends on price.

I have no equipment / skills for wine so a total noob!

If you are really interested you need to be realistic about your minimum investment. Once set up, the ongoing costs are virtually limited to consumable products.

I'd start to target no less than 35L of wine, which is about 50 bottles. Around $250 will get you some storage vessels, small essentials, necessary consumables etc. For this level, consumables might be $50pa.

However, you need a crusher and a press. OK. you can get away without a crusher, but a small press is a must. If you buy well 2nd hand, you might get that for say $250.

It all depends on how serious and enthusiasic you are about making your own batch of wine.

For me it's not about saving money, but more so about the process and the passion of producing something with your own hands.

 

[manticle]

I tried to set myself up for a while - bought a 2nd hand grape crusher and eventually a small fruit press. However I don't have a car so the idea of getting out to vineyards for picking leftovers was logistically problematic. Missed about 3 grape harvest seasons in a row, moved to a smaller place and sold off the press and crusher.

Likely to stick to beer and cider for the moment but I do have more than a passing interest. There used to be a few winemakers who frequented this forum - some in a more professional capacity - Muggus, Polkobinguy, kirem and probably a couple of others. I think Dr Smurto works in the wine industry (in a yeast related field if memory serves) and has also done a few batches of home made so you might get some good info hunting up some of their threads.

Greg L possibly too?

Here's a decent link to some of the past and present winemakers on the forum:

http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/31935-show-us-your-wine/