Category Archives: CABERNET CRISES: MY FOURTH WINE

FABRICATED.FIZZ.

Posted on January 23, 2012 by waywardwine

A lifetime has passed since I picked up Vidal Blanc juice, fresh from harvest in New York’s Finger Lakes on October 23rd. Between then and present, my wine underwent fermentation, fining, cold stabilization, and at least three rackings. Once the … Continue reading →

Posted in CABERNET CRISES: MY FOURTH WINE, OENOLOGICAL ODYSSEY | Tagged bottle, Champagne, Champagne cages, Fingerlakes, France, hamlet, methode cap classique, methode champenoise, New York, Remueur, riddling, Shakespeare, Sparkling wine, Sugar, Vidal Blanc, wine, yeast | 2 Comments

CLEANLINESS.WINELINESS.

Posted on January 16, 2012 by waywardwine

It’s time. Real wineries have machines that sterilize, fill, cap, and label hundreds bottles in seconds…those lucky (rich) bastards. My advice, just buy wine, because making it will ruin you. Round two…bubbly: Tune in next week for the final bottling … Continue reading →

Posted in CABERNET CRISES: MY FOURTH WINE, OENOLOGICAL ODYSSEY, Uncategorized | Tagged bottling, Cleanliness, Food, home winemaking, wine | 1 Comment

HAPPY.NEW.SAME.

Posted on January 4, 2012 by waywardwine

Wine follows its own calendar. You can’t rush it. All you can hope is to avoid panic. It has taken two months for it to settle, since I picked up vidal blanc grapes in October. I itch to bottle it. … Continue reading →

Posted in CABERNET CRISES: MY FOURTH WINE, OENOLOGICAL ODYSSEY | Tagged Christmas break, corks, detritus, Food, Grape, light snow, New year, October, Oregon, tank bottom, Vidal Blanc, vidal blanc grapes, vignoles, wine, yeast | Leave a comment

NOW.WHAT?

Posted on December 19, 2011 by waywardwine

A little wine-down-time, and I go to re-rack… Fine. Dandy. Now what? I try the wine left in the tank. It’s hopelessly mild. My wife tastes it. There’s alcohol, something citrus, pear, maybe mineral hiding around there. But she likens … Continue reading →

Posted in CABERNET CRISES: MY FOURTH WINE, OENOLOGICAL ODYSSEY | Tagged Canada, France, George Lucas, Germans, October, Star Wars, Vidal Blanc, vignoles, wine | 2 Comments

SECOND.SHOT.

Posted on December 13, 2011 by waywardwine

Clearly I can’t multitask. Last week’s post proved that babbling on camera and racking wine don’t mix… Self-reflexive! For those out of the loop, since October 23rd, I’ve been fashioning wine out of Vidal Blanc juice, which I bought from … Continue reading →