I transferred the winemaker notes from my cellar notebook to the Winemaker Notes tab at the top of the blog. The notes detail what transpired from harvest on Aug. 1 to the completion of fermentation of the first grapes harvested in 2017.
The Hybrid Wine Trial 1 (HWT1) is a red field blend of 42 lbs. of Baco Noir and 16 lbs. of Arandell grapes picked on August 1. All the notes, and a few pictures, can be viewed by clicking on the page tab so named, above.
Although I did not achieve the kind of ripeness I had unrealistically hoped for, I am happy with this first pass at real winemaking. The lower sugars are likely the result of youthful vines that are only three years old (this is their second season in my vineyard), a strange year of unseasonably hot weather and late, heavy rains. No matter. It has been a learning experience that has also provided a sense of accomplishment. My first white (HWT2) was another matter; a nice harvest but a total failure in the winery, all the fault of the inexperienced winemaker.
I still have all the vinifera (Cab, Zin, Syrah and Merlot) and two hybrids (Chambourcin and St. Vincent) left to pick. That harvest day is soon approaching.
The Hybrid Wine Trial 1 (HWT1) is a red field blend of 42 lbs. of Baco Noir and 16 lbs. of Arandell grapes picked on August 1. All the notes, and a few pictures, can be viewed by clicking on the page tab so named, above.
Although I did not achieve the kind of ripeness I had unrealistically hoped for, I am happy with this first pass at real winemaking. The lower sugars are likely the result of youthful vines that are only three years old (this is their second season in my vineyard), a strange year of unseasonably hot weather and late, heavy rains. No matter. It has been a learning experience that has also provided a sense of accomplishment. My first white (HWT2) was another matter; a nice harvest but a total failure in the winery, all the fault of the inexperienced winemaker.
I still have all the vinifera (Cab, Zin, Syrah and Merlot) and two hybrids (Chambourcin and St. Vincent) left to pick. That harvest day is soon approaching.
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