Backyard vino project redux.
I can't believe it's been 3 years since I made my last batch of wine. I think it took that long for the trauma of pressing without a real grape press to wear off. And for me to decide to try pressing without a real grape press again. Well, I did use a press intended for grapes, just not for 240 pounds of grapes all at once. Judging by the yield, it was effective, if not terribly efficient. It wasn't as traumatic as the 2008 experience, and I even did this entire pressing and racking by myself. That was important to me, since I'm constantly dragging Greg into these epic projects that he doesn't have time for and in this case doesn't even benefit from. And I'm kinda proud of myself for handling it on my own, since a lot of this equipment is heavy, pressing is messy and tiring, and cleanup involves getting completely soaked in water and suds which is usually Greg's forte.
My setup was this:
It involved a strainer/press thingy called a Victorio (with the grape attachment), sawhorses with a 2x2 run between them, oodles of buckets, a paint strainer, massive rubber bands, the honey strainer Greg made for me (out of buckets of course), miscellaneous kitchen utensils, and more buckets. It was messy.
No really. It was messy.
After about 8 hours of pressing (YES 8 HOURS) I was left with these beauties. For the same amount of grapes, this is over 50% more juice than last time (effective, but not efficient).
The next step is racking, which I did a little early this time around, after hemming and hawing for days like some neurotic Napa Valley winemaker. I siphoned off the good stuff, letting a bit of the lees (sediment) through since that will help finish up the fermentation.
Mmmmmmm, sediment.
All topped up, and still 50% more juice than the 2008 batch.
Next step: A very long rest in my studio, with occasional rackings, and sometime after the world ends I'll bottle a whole new vintage of One Sheep Hill Cabernet.
My setup was this:
It involved a strainer/press thingy called a Victorio (with the grape attachment), sawhorses with a 2x2 run between them, oodles of buckets, a paint strainer, massive rubber bands, the honey strainer Greg made for me (out of buckets of course), miscellaneous kitchen utensils, and more buckets. It was messy.
No really. It was messy.
After about 8 hours of pressing (YES 8 HOURS) I was left with these beauties. For the same amount of grapes, this is over 50% more juice than last time (effective, but not efficient).
The next step is racking, which I did a little early this time around, after hemming and hawing for days like some neurotic Napa Valley winemaker. I siphoned off the good stuff, letting a bit of the lees (sediment) through since that will help finish up the fermentation.
Mmmmmmm, sediment.
All topped up, and still 50% more juice than the 2008 batch.
Next step: A very long rest in my studio, with occasional rackings, and sometime after the world ends I'll bottle a whole new vintage of One Sheep Hill Cabernet.