The wine sat silently in the carboy in a dark somewhat cool area. No fermentation bubbling was observed probably because there was little if any sugar left to ferment. On the 13th day I took a reading of the specific gravity at 0.990. This was down 0.002 from the previous reading. Time to go onto to step three of the instructions.
We dissolved a package of metabisulphite and a package sorbate in a 1/2 cup of cool water. This was added to the wine in the carboy. We then had to vigorously stir the contents for two minutes. I watched a video on You-Tube showing the stirring by hand. I decided to buy a stirring attachment for my drill. After sanitizing the attachment, the wine in the carboy was stirred using the drill to power the stirrer. It worked fantastically. Next added to the carboy was a package of chitosan. Once again I used my drill stirrer to stir the wine for two minutes.
The carboy once again rests in a somewhat cool dark place while the wine clarifies. The directions state that this can take 14 days or longer.
So far the entire process was quite simple. Most of the time the wine just sits there doing its fermentation or clarifying or aging. The bug to start another batch has already bitten.
Are you influenced by terroir when you purchase a bottle of wine? I really like the idea of tasting at wineries in different areas and noticing the difference between the wines despite the same grape used in producing the wine. The concept of terroir includes many items that can affect grapes as they grow. Some of these include soil composition, climate, longitude, placement of the vineyard, and amount of water available. Even in the area of the Finger Lakes especially known for producing great Riesling wines, there is a difference between the wines. Riesling tends to have floral, mineral or fruity nuances. Riesling is a very versatile grape and reflects different characteristics depending on the soil in which it is grown.
At Félsina winery, in Tuscany a single lane road separates a vineyard. According to our guide, despite the fact that the same grapes are growing on each side, there is a noticeable difference in the wines produced from each part of the vineyard. Closer to home, Coyote’s Run Estate Winery in Niagara, Canada has two types of clay soil – red and black, in the vineyard. Using the same varietal grapes, different wines are produced from each area. It is interesting to taste and note the difference.
If you believe in the concept of terroir as I do, remember wine is also influenced by the winemaker’s wine style, once the grapes arrive at the winery. Where have you noticed terroir making a difference in wines?
Cheers!
Kathy
This is a reminder for anyone who will be traveling to northern Virginia this summer. Before you leave print a coupon for a free tasting at Barrel Oak Winery http://winetrailtraveler.com/listings/images/barreloak1.pdf. Barrel Oak Winery recently opened in May and has events, tours and an artist exhibit to enjoy. Their state of the art winery is worth a tour. Check the winery out and read a review of it at http://winetrailtraveler.com/virginia/barreloak.php.
We haven’t come across many wineries that offer coupons for a wine tasting. Many wineries will offer to deduct a tasting fee from a purchase you make. What is your preference when visiting a winery? Would you rather use a coupon or have the tasting deducted from your purchase?
Cheers!
Kathy
Granted that visiting wineries in your own backyard mqy use a little more gas, but you can save gas by going to Wine Festivals where many wineries are pouring tastings. Besides having an array of wines to choose between, you also may likely have music, food vendors and arts/crafts vendors. I will continue to add wine festivals to this blog and Wine Trail Traveler, LLC website as I become aware of them. If you know of any that should be posted, let me know. I just came across this one today: Discover Virginia, Location: Virginia, Date: August 30 & 31, 2008, Tickets: $22 or $15 for designated drivers. Visit Discover Virginia for more information.
Mayle’s novel A Good Year is delightful. When Max leaves his life in London to visit his inherited French property and vineyards, he encounters a completely different lifestyle. As a young boy, he spent many summers in France with his uncle. His adventures begin when he arrives in Provence and meets the locals. Travel with Max from London to his property in Provence as he meets a variety of locals and learns his way around the area. This is a fun book and would be great for the beach. This is the first book I have read by Mayle and I am looking forward to reading his other novels. What have you read by Peter Mayle?
This evening I have been enjoying a peach spumante from Glenora a winery in New York. The tiny bubbles gave an elegant cast to the champagne glass. The aroma was a definite peach. On the first taste I could feel the peach flavor spreading. The Peach Spumate is semi-sweet and is a refreshing summertime drink. Consider pouring some over a dish of sliced fresh peaches. This is non-vintage and bottle fermented. A great buy at 12.99 per bottle
Glenora Wine Cellars is the oldest winery on Seneca Lake. This is definitely a destination site with an inn and restaurant. This is a great place to stay when visiting some of the many wineries in the area.
Last night we had a lovely dinner with family in Virginia. The dinner offered a picture perfect potato salad and a green salad served in crystal serving dishes. Between the potato and green salads and tender chicken, there was no need for the Lemon Fluff dessert I contributed to the dinner. With the dinner, we had a dry Riesling.
Before dinner, we opened a bottle of the Garfield Estates Syrah 2005 from Colorado. We wanted to introduce my sister and brother-in-law to Colorado wine. We enjoyed conversation including a touch of politics and talk of visits to Italy as we tasted the Syrah. We enjoyed the wine which had a mixed fruit jam nose and the taste of earthiness with fruit jam, cinnamon and cloves. The wine was dry and smooth. The Syrah would pair well with beef dishes.
Garfield Estates Vineyard and Winery is located in Palisade, Colorado. The tasting room opened in 2002. The vineyards are located at 4,720 feet above sea level. Grapes growing in the vineyards include Viognier, Muscat-Ottonel, Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Syrah.
Located in Paso Robles, Safe Haven Wine Services opened in June to provide wine storage services with a difference. The owners, Daniel and Corrine Appelbaum are providing a personal wine storage facility for wine country travelers, local wineries and collectors. In addition to the storage vaults, members will discover a private tasting lounge, wet bar, barbecue, wine glasses and more. Visitors to wineries can have their wines picked up by Safe Haven Wine Services and the Safe Haven Wine staff will ship the wine.
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Wine and the Internet
Today almost everyone I know uses the Internet to some extent. A few people either don’t want to use the Internet or may not be able to afford it, but the Internet today is an important communication tool for most people and businesses. Here in the U.S. many wineries have websites with information about their history, wines and events. Depending on the state you live in, online visitors can even order wine online. Some even include a blog.
Today I discovered that according to the way French law is interpreted, wine cannot be publicized on the Internet. And I thought the wine shipping laws in the U.S. reflected Prohibitionist attitudes!
How can a country such as France with such along wine history and a wine reputation to try to live up to, have such an archaic interpretation of the law? According to Decanter, the French Senate recently had the opportunity to pass an amendment to allow wine to be publicized on the Internet. The amendment failed but will be presented in the Fall. What do you think?