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FROM THE VINE
MAY/JUNE 2009 NEWSLETTER
2009 WINEMAKER
INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR WINE COMPETITION
It seems so long ago we boxed up our wines and sent them off to be judged. Sometimes it was hard to part with
one of a few bottles left of a favorite wine, but in the end we all sent it for judging.
The results are in after what seems to be a very long wait.
Congratulations to everyone that submitted their wines and I’m so excited for those that won medals.
Steve Cammick – 3 Gold, 2 Silver and a Bronze Steve has won many medals in various contests and we are
delighted to have him as a customer.
Don & Nadine Michaels – Silver
Tom & Judi Land – Bronze
Last but not least
Ed & Sue Kelley – 2 Gold and a Bronze - (We were so excited at winning one Gold and then realized we won two Gold
and the Bronze.) I don’t think we have come down to earth yet.
If I missed anyone, please let me know. I hope you will stop and bring your tasting notes so we can discuss the
comments made by the judges.
R J SPAGNOLS AND 2009 RQ WINE KITS
Many thanks to those customers waiting patiently for the final wine kit to arrive.
The last word I received was the kits are scheduled to arrive in the USA at the end of May. (Only six weeks behind schedule).
I usually order a few extras of the RQ and currently have one (1) February selection
Argentinean Trio (Viognier, Riesling, and Chardonnay) and one (1) March selection of the Okanagan Valley Red Meritage (Cabernet
Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc).
EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES
Or
Should I have a spare?
Or
Nothing lasts forever
HYDROMETER
The most frequently replaced piece of equipment is the hydrometer. Many of us have
broken at least one hydrometer during our winemaking career or suddenly discovered the hydrometer is giving incorrect readings. It is
a good idea to have a spare.
SIPHON HOSE
Consider replacing the hose every 3 or 4 years. If you make a lot of wine, especially
red, the hose will start to look unclean. No matter how many times you clean and sanitize, it will appear stained.
FERMENTING BUCKET
If you make a lot of wine and de-gas your wine in the fermentation bucket, pay
attention to the scratches and scrapes on the bucket. These can become a haven for bacteria. Be sure to thoroughly clean the bucket
and replace when you feel the bucket no longer appears clean. This will be a different time period for everyone depending on the
amount of wine they make and how many fermenting buckets they own.
CLEANER/SANITIZER
There is nothing more frustrating that to run out of sanitizer when you are in the
middle of working on wine. Keep a spare.
REMINDERS
Don’t rely on air lock bubbles to evaluate how fermentation is going. The only sure
way to tell how or if the wine is fermenting will be to take the specific gravity. If there is no change in the SG after 3 days then
either your wine has completed the fermentation or if the SG reading is still very high, then you may have a stuck fermentation.
MEMORIAL WEEKEND
The store will be
closed on May 23rd (Saturday) and reopen on Tuesday, May 26th. If you have a wine or beer crisis, feel free
to contact me at home. We plan to be around the house most of the weekend. Have a safe and fun filled holiday.
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