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There isn't really any advantage that I can see to only using the sugar from your fruit. It all turns to alcohol in the end anyway. I thought you might be just puréeing your strawberries and fermenting the juice you get which would use up a lot of strawberries for a small amount of wine.
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Nov 23, 2011 09:14
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Honestly, I have no idea what it is that I'll be doing, exaclty. I guess we'll find out. I mean, you would have to mash the strawberries up, right? Like, you can't just place whole strawberries in there, I'd think. I don't think pureeing them, though.
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Nov 23, 2011 23:33
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ballgameover.mp3 posted:Honestly, I have no idea what it is that I'll be doing, exaclty. I guess we'll find out. I mean, you would have to mash the strawberries up, right? Like, you can't just place whole strawberries in there, I'd think. I don't think pureeing them, though. Meads often use whole or lightly chopped fruits. With fruit they're called melomels. I think you could do it either way, or a little of both. Say you had some fresh and some frozen strawberries, puree or at least mash the frozen ones and chop the fresh ones. From what I've seen it's normal to add sugar to fruit wines to reach a certain specific gravity. If you puree the fruit you probably want to strain it through muslin or cheesecloth before using it. The pectic enzyme is pretty important to make the final product clear instead of cloudy. This page was one of the first google results. You probably want to lean towards the table wine recipe on there. Strawberry mead actually sounds pretty good. I'll have to give it a try.
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Nov 24, 2011 05:35
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When I was an undergrad my friends and I got into home winemaking and the best advise I can give you is to stop posting on the internet for an hour and put some yeast in something sweet. We read "The Alaskan Bootleggers Bible" and made all kinds of poo poo. Most of it was awful, but it got us ripped. We eventually made some stuff that was pretty decent. Here's what you need to know: Step 1: Get a clean bucket, really clean not just rinsed. Step 2: Get a decent inoculum going and add it to some kind of sweet liquid. Step 3: Wait. Step 4: Bottle. Step 5: Drink. Keep good notes so you know what you did, you know, in case you ever want to do it again. Don't think too much about it, blend up a few pounds of of strawberries and see how they go. Next time slice the strawberries and see how the results compare. *edit: Changed link to amazon if you want to buy the book. Stitecin fucked around with this message at 04:57 on Nov 25, 2011 |
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Nov 24, 2011 05:39
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Aw, man, that page is super-helpful! One of the things that is confusing to me is the variation in the amount of strawberries required. Also, Stitecin, that page requires me to become a member of the page - if this book is for free distribution, let me know and I'll find a download elsewhere. Thanks so much, you guys!
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Nov 24, 2011 10:01
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Sorry about that, I bought the book at my local homebrew store. I have no idea if it's free anywhere. Seriously add some strawberries to some sugar water and ferment it. If it lacks strawberry character make another batch with more strawberries. If a batch turns to poo poo you're out what, $25? Also the only reason I recommend that book is it urges you not to fuss too much and just start making something. It really shouldn't turn into another thing to obsess over. Stitecin fucked around with this message at 18:23 on Nov 25, 2011 |
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Nov 25, 2011 04:50
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There are free pdfs of it out there but they could be 
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Nov 25, 2011 06:31
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The critic everyone loves to hate on, Jay Miller, is stepping down from his position at WA. I wish I could read the thread on the eBob forums regarding this. http://insidescoopsf.sfgate.com/blog/2011/12/05/jay-miller-leaves-the-wine-advocate/ I had heard rumors in the past of him taking gifts from wineries or regions based on his reports of various wineries and areas. I wonder how much of those were true?
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Dec 7, 2011 09:06
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Whats that oval office Parker up to these days? I heard he stopped tasting australian wines and shortly afterwards, one of Chris Ringland's ventures went bankrupt. Who would've guessed that people don't like 18%v/v cabernet when they aren't told to like by someone?
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Dec 7, 2011 10:02
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4liters posted:Whats that oval office Parker up to these days? I think he's only reviewing back vintages and the Rhone or something, but this video was posted all over facebook after the announcement was made. The Tweeting Assistant made me laugh.
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Dec 8, 2011 04:10
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Here is a funny article about biodynamic wine: http://www.timatkin.com/articles?272
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Dec 8, 2011 07:36
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4liters posted:Here is a funny article about biodynamic wine: Hah that's a good article. I did a biodynamic farming camp at Paul Dolan/Parducci, and it was...interesting. The way Mr. Dolan spoke about Steiner was the way Christians speak of God speaking the commandments to Moses. I literally couldn't get him to disagree with a single aspect of Steiner's work. He just took it all at face value. Extremely nice people, of course, just like the article says. On an unrelated note, just passed my certified sommelier exam! Super excited. I can slow down on a bit on all the blind tasting, at least until I apply for the advanced.
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Dec 8, 2011 07:56
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Crimson posted:Hah that's a good article. I did a biodynamic farming camp at Paul Dolan/Parducci, and it was...interesting. The way Mr. Dolan spoke about Steiner was the way Christians speak of God speaking the commandments to Moses. I literally couldn't get him to disagree with a single aspect of Steiner's work. He just took it all at face value. Extremely nice people, of course, just like the article says. I know I posted about La Clarine Farm in the last thread, but Hank Beckmeyer, their winemaker, is a former biodynamic devotee who never found what he really wanted in biodynamics. He has a pretty good description of his current farming philosophy up here: http://laclarinefarm.com/La_Clarine_Farm/Our_farming_philosophy.html It's a refreshing alternative to organic farming which is just industrial farming but replacing petrochemicals with fish guts and still leaves the soil depleted, to biodynamics which is mystical bullshit, and to industrial farming which can produce excellent wine but is perhaps not the way forward for the world. Perhaps. Perma-viti-culture? Editing to add a question: Does anyone know a good physical shop in the bay area for German wines? DVW closed down before I got around to visiting. K&L has an aisle, but I'd love to hear of any other places to try. pork never goes bad fucked around with this message at 20:25 on Dec 8, 2011 |
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Dec 8, 2011 18:30
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On the other hand, I know a farmer who likes Biodynamics but primarily because it helps him feel more connected to the soil and to the plants he farms. Sure, there's a bunch of mumbo-jumbo in there but if it helps him be more a part of the system instead of completely imposing his control on everything then more power to him. Like pork said, these days organic farming is still industrial farming. Biod seems to be a little better than that, but it's already been co-opted and manipulated in more than a few ways (ie copper sprays and so on). One of the latest bits making the rounds is an interview with Didier Barrouillet of Clos Roche Blanche - link here. Really interesting stuff, and a much better way of looking at the vineyard. Also I know that the article writer was just trying to get cute, but can people drop the "natural wine is just vinegar har har har!" bullshit already? Yes, when you plant a vineyard and train grapes to grow on stakes and prune them every year and so on and so forth you are making interventions. But there's a difference between spraying every inch of your irrigated Ruby Cabernet with Roundup and pesticides and in doing what you can to reduce the effects of creating monoculture environments. I'm not waving a flag for the "natural wine movement" or anything, but most vineyards tend more towards the former example than towards Didier's.
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Dec 8, 2011 20:38
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Being more environmentally friendly and trying to really get a feeling of terroir is definitely a great thing, in my opinion. It's only when you start bringing in astrology and talking about the difference between root, plant and water days based on planetary positions that I'll start to question it. For example, at Dolan, they had a syrah planting not go well. 7-8 months into it, they looked back and found that they had planted the vines on a water day or something, instead of a plant day, and determined that was the cause. Of course, it's infinitely more likely to be any of hundreds of other variables, but don't tell them that... One of my favorite wineries, Movia in Slovenia, talking about his odd techniques: http://www.movia.si/video-predstavitev Try his pinot nero if you ever get the chance. The only pinot I've ever seen that needs decanting and gets better and better over several days. It's a monster.
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Dec 8, 2011 20:59
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pork never goes bad posted:It's a refreshing alternative to organic farming which is just industrial farming but replacing petrochemicals with fish guts and still leaves the soil depleted, to biodynamics which is mystical bullshit, and to industrial farming which can produce excellent wine but is perhaps not the way forward for the world. Perhaps. Perma-viti-culture? Organic farming isn't always just industrial farming. There are plenty of small organic farms that are using mixed planting techniques to maintain soil quality, that you as an educated consumer can locate and purchase from. Unfortunately that same organic certification is so toothless that without knowing about a specific farm's techniques, it's nearly meaningless. That said, the biodynamic certification isn't the solution. Biodynamics are total bullshit. This isn't to say that there aren't good things in it, but the good things that actually work are the same techniques that are used on an organic farm that knows what it's doing and wants to really be sustainable. Beyond that though, biodynamics are just religious type nonsense. I suppose you're probably right in the context of wine, though. I certainly haven't toured any organic wineries, but I'd bet that they're doing exactly what you're saying, and I suppose if the biodynamic certification is proof of responsible farming techniques, then great. I just wish it didn't require the bullshit, and I have some reservations about giving money to organizations that buy into that kind of quackery.
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Dec 8, 2011 23:26
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AriTheDog posted:I suppose you're probably right in the context of wine, though. I certainly haven't toured any organic wineries, but I'd bet that they're doing exactly what you're saying, and I suppose if the biodynamic certification is proof of responsible farming techniques, then great. I just wish it didn't require the bullshit, and I have some reservations about giving money to organizations that buy into that kind of quackery. It's probably going to turn into the next organic farming - I think you can already buy pre-prepped sprays and supplies and follow the letter but not the intent. Like you say, you basically need to know your producers and know what they do in the vineyard and in the winery. If a vingeron is working in a truly sustainable fashion I don't care if he or she is working organically, biodynamically, or without certification at all. I'm sure many biodynamic supporters are dogmatic as all get out, and I've certainly met people who are insanely over the top about getting organic certification. That doesn't mean that it can't be a tool that some vingerons use to make a better approach.
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Dec 9, 2011 00:06
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I don't think any of us are really disagreeing. All I meant when I said that "organic farming is just industrial farming but replacing the petrochemicals with fish guts" is that organic farming does not have to be anything better than that. Of course, an organic farm could be Salatin's Polyface, but it could also be an entirely industrial farm and the organic certification would not change a thing. As idiotsavant says, I'm entirely unconcerned if a winegrower is certified organic, biodynamic, etc. I'm concerned with what is in the bottle and what is in the vineyard, and the certifications are only a very small part of determining that.
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Dec 9, 2011 02:22
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 Sorry for the double post, but here is what I am drinking/eating today! The food is about to be a pork shoulder pot roast thing, the wine is Bernard Baudry Les Granges, his entry level cuvee. Bernard Baudry is really great, and this is a wine I could drink very often. http://www.thewinedoctor.com/loire/baudry.shtml The Wine Doctor has a good writeup on Baudry - thanks to the poster here who linked this site, I had forgotten about it, but have been using it a lot recently.Here is his TN on this wine: quote:Bernard Baudry Chinon Les Granges 2009: The entry-level cuvée, from young vines on sand and gravel close to the Vienne. An enticing layer of smoky-stony classically Chinon fruit on the nose. It has a sandy-crunchy edge to it, with plenty of freshness, and this stylish embodiment of Chinon will appeal to fans of classicism in this appellation. The palate follows on in the same manner, fresh, with lithe and stony fruit. Unimposing, on the leaner and fresher side, with lots of grip behind it all though, and good fresh acidity too. Overall, attractive. An update from the 2011 Salon. 15.5/20 (January 2011)
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Dec 10, 2011 06:12
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Baudry is the poo poo. Les Granges and the normal domaine cuvee are both great, and really affordable for what you get in the bottle. I met him and his wife at the Fort Mason Kermit Lynch tasting last year, and he seemed like a very nice guy as well.
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Dec 10, 2011 19:33
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drat...this thread is gonna make me go out and buy a bunch of wine shortly :o Edit for content: What's a good region/vintage that's hitting the shelves currently/soon? I know 2008 Oregon pinot was fantastic (and I still have some, though I didn't buy as much as I would have liked), anything of similar quality that's out right now? Shooting Blanks fucked around with this message at 09:53 on Dec 17, 2011 |
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Dec 17, 2011 09:47
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I have a bottle 2006 Jordan Alexander Valley Cab and a 2007 BR Cohn Olive Hill Cab that I've been holding onto for about a year. I plan on serving one with Christmas dinner (we're doing a rib roast and a tenderloin), and I know very little about them both aside from what they're "worth." Either one better off holding onto for a bit longer, or does it really matter?
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Dec 17, 2011 11:40
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2010 was a pretty good vintage in australia, most of what gets exported will sitll be poo poo though i gather
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Dec 17, 2011 13:40
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Shooting Blanks posted:drat...this thread is gonna make me go out and buy a bunch of wine shortly :o I've heard 2009 was considered a remarkable vintage in Burgundy. Most of the Cru Beaujolais has already sold though. The Beaujolais wines I have tasted from 2009 were amazingly good for at their price points. I haven't tasted much in the way of actual 2009 Burgundy wines though. 2007 was considered a very good vintage in California for big red wines/blends. As for Oregon, so far there hasn't been a vintage since 2008 that is anywhere near that level of quality for the vintage. The 2009 has just been OK, kind of like a mix of 2006 (hot year, big abv%) and 2007 (moderate year, some thin wines). 2010 Oregon has been surprisingly good so far. Some wines have been obviously chaptalized, but there have been some really interesting wines I have tasted in the 11%-12.5% abv range that still show great flavor intensity.
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Dec 18, 2011 08:38
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2009 was also excellent in the Loire, particularly in the central regions such as Saumur or Touraine. The whites of Sancerre and Pouilly, normally excellent, were a little hot, and the Muscadet was not up to 2003 standards, but in any other decade 09 would have been in the running for top vintage. 2003, a little older, is one of the top two vintages of the century, apparently. It's often compared to 1947 which means little to me, but I can confirm that 2003 is amazing across the board in the Loire.
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Dec 19, 2011 19:15
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Anyone care to give me a rundown on Wine Tasting etiquette? I went to my first one this weekend and felt like a lost retard. The water between varieties of wine. Drink, spit, what? I've heard to spit the wine out as you drink, rather than actually consume. Yes, no? What other stupid poo poo did I likely do / should I avoid? I had fun, but want to know a bit more for the next time.
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Dec 21, 2011 03:27
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Walked posted:Anyone care to give me a rundown on Wine Tasting etiquette? First off, enjoy yourself, and anyone that makes you feel uncomfortable is a jerk. In general, you should try to preserve your palate (palette?) by working from lighter wines to heavier wines - there is no specific order, but if you ask whoever is pouring what you should try first, they'll be able to tell you. If you feel like your tastebuds are getting overwhelmed, take a sip of water, and either spit it out or swallow it. Crackers or bread between tastes can have the same effect. As far as rinsing your glass, if you stick to the same order as tasting, it'll have minimal effect (though if you're going to higher end wineries, I'd probably be more in favor of rinsing more often). Whether to spit or swallow is a decision best left up to you. If you're only going to be tasting a few wines that day, go ahead and consume. If you're hitting up multiple wineries, you're probably better of spitting - you don't want to get drunk if you're trying to appreciate the qualities of the wine, and spitting will make you more likely to cleanse your palate. I've gone on some tastings with 30+ wines in one day where I mostly consumed, and by the end if you asked me what any given bottling tasted like, all I could've told you is red or white.
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Dec 21, 2011 05:44
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Walked posted:Anyone care to give me a rundown on Wine Tasting etiquette? If you want a quick etiquette lesson, sit down for a minute or two with each wine and write about what you thought about each wine. Be honest with the host and say, "I don't know a lot about wine, and most of them smell alike to me. Can you tell me some of the things that you get on the nose, and what you think about this bottle?" A lot of the answers will be foreign, but they might say something like pineapple or peach or cedar or plum that will resonate with you and you'll form a connection. Be patient. Don't try to get drunk. If you really like something, politely request a second pour and explain what you like about it. It's awesome that you had fun, and the next step is to build on that. Take notes. Start figuring out which grapes and regions you like. Always be polite to the hosts. The more you attend, the better questions you'll be able to ask. If you're going back to the same place often, they'll remember you and will be honest with you. They'll dive in and say, "This is terrible, but we're trying to get rid of it because we had to take three cases as a package deal. Try this one that we're hiding under the table. It's way better and is half the price." Don't beg. Don't complain (wait until you have more experience, then you can complain with authority). Depending on the venue, offer to empty the spit jug or refill the water jug (don't get them confused). Show a genuine interest in learning more about wine and the hosts will be really excited to talk to you, not just in an attempt to sell but because they'll be delighted to talk to someone that wants to learn about good wine.
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Dec 21, 2011 06:06
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Shooting Blanks posted:First off, enjoy yourself, and anyone that makes you feel uncomfortable is a jerk. Yeah, no worries there. Noone did. I just felt kinda retarded because I know nothing. Fortunately I live in a part of Virginia that is _really_ close to all the Virginia vineyards, so while I obviously need to expand beyond local wines, it's a great place to do some tastings / dates. Should I try to hit wine specialty shops over vineyards for tastings?
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Dec 22, 2011 03:20
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Walked posted:Yeah, no worries there. Noone did. I just felt kinda retarded because I know nothing. Yes. Specific wineries will have tastings of all their wines, which is great when you find you enjoy a bottle from a certain brand and want to try their other wines. Specialty shops can be great for trying a wide array of wines. Walked posted:Anyone care to give me a rundown on Wine Tasting etiquette? If you are expected to wear a tuxedo/gown to a tasting, expect to be very polite, and etiquette conscious. As a general guideline, don't go to these tastings until you've got more experience under you. I too felt very lost at my first tasting. I find a good way to get around that feeling of idiocy or of being lost is to bring along a friend who is interested. They can really make it into a great time. You may not be able to taste much when you first start out, and you really don't have to. I can't stress that enough, you don't have to pick out that hint of burnt cocoa nib on the nose with a dry, velvet mouth-feel on your first glass. It takes time to build your palate, don't rush it. The water between wines and the drink/spit conundrum. First thing to realize is that water is not necessary, but it is/can be helpful. It is meant to cleanse your palate, and rinse your glass. Again, neither of which is necessary. If you are a professional wine critic/taster, you may want to seriously consider using it. The second thing is to know how much wine is available for tasting, how many wines you expect to taste that evening, and how long you have. If there are only five or six wines available, like at a small vintner or winery, you can drink them all down no problem (depending on your alcohol tolerance and availability of a safe ride home). If you are at a large tasting with 50, 60, 100, 200 wines, you will obviously be spitting. So the spit as you go advice is rather situational. It is a very good idea to taste from light to full bodied wine. In terms of color this means white to rose/pink to red. This is a very basic guideline. Many good servers will ask and advise you which of their wines to start with, as well as a proper progression through their wines. Don't be afraid to ask about anything that you notice in the wine, or what you can expect. In all my experience with the wine community, I have yet to encounter someone who looks down upon a new drinker. Ask ask ask ask ask. What do the legs mean? What does dry mean? What is the difference between full and medium bodied? And so on. Oh! Before I forget. If you are at a tasting where you choose to spit, there is a easy way to do it. Assuming your wine glass is only filled for a mouthful, once you have tasted that mouthful, spit back into your glass, then pour it out into the spittoon, then rinse it with a bit of water. It's a much less vulgar way to do it. If you like a wine, great! Try and figure out why you like it. Is it the taste? The texture? The after taste? Do you like how it smells? If you dislike a wine, oh well. Spit it back into your glass and pour it out. Again, find out what you didn't like. Was it too bitter? Did it dry your mouth out too much? Horrible after taste? Talk to your server about it, mention what you liked and disliked about it. The more you talk and ask and taste different wine regions, types, varietals, etc, the more you will know what to look for. Wine is fun and delicious and once you know a bit about it, drag your friends into it too! Have wine parties! Above all, have fun and enjoy yourself!
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Dec 22, 2011 08:25
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Just out of curiousity, how are unoaked wines, in comparison with their oak-aged brethren? And what is the goon opinion of blended wines? That is, wines using more than one varietal? Never been a wine drinker, but I like to branch out now and then.
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Dec 22, 2011 09:38
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Mister Macys posted:Just out of curiousity, how are unoaked wines, in comparison with their oak-aged brethren? Unoaked wines generally tend to be sweeter and fruitier. Oaked or unoaked, they're both very worthy of drinking. As for blended wines, they can be incredible! I tend to have the hardest time picking out blends, as they're still fairly new for me. That said, when you find a really good one, it is REALLY GOOD. Don't let it fool you into thinking it's cheap or bad because it is blended. They're blended to bring different flavors and balance. A lot of small wineries do this to increase their product range, and they do it well. Give them a shot!
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Dec 22, 2011 18:46
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Mister Macys posted:Just out of curiousity, how are unoaked wines, in comparison with their oak-aged brethren? Small nitpick but everyone does this: a "varietal" wine is a wine made entirely from 1 grape and generally carries the name of the grape on the label. Grapes come in different varieties, not varietals. Some of the best and most expensive wines in the world are blends, namely those from Bordeaux, France. Definitely no reason to be wary of a blend.
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Dec 22, 2011 20:32
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Mister Macys posted:And what is the goon opinion of blended wines? That is, wines using more than one varietal? Not to confuse the issue but many (most?) wines are blended to some extent. Only a few areas have single varietals that are enforced by law. Most areas allow a single varietal to be listed on the label and still contain 5-10% (or more) of something else. Heck, the famous wine from Bordeaux is always a blend (to a greater or lesser degree) of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Merlot and Carmenere and there isn't a wine snob in the world that would turn his nose up at a bottle from a first growth vinter. So, don't worry about whether something is blended or not, drink what you like. It's not like whiskey where a blending that mutes the distilleries/regions distinct notes is considered a bad thing by purists. A good blend is often celebrated in wine circles.
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Dec 22, 2011 20:52
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Hey SF Bay Area guys! I'm going to be heading to Mendocino by way of Healdsberg tomorrow, and I'm hoping one of you can point me towards some decent tasting rooms in the area. Yes, I realize this is last minute and a long shot. Thanks! Edit: Probably going to hit up Toulouse, Jim Ball, Phillip's Hill, and maybe Navarro. AriTheDog fucked around with this message at 07:11 on Dec 23, 2011 |
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Dec 23, 2011 04:02
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i live in Mendocino! If I know what you like I can give you tips. Toulose has pickled flavored wine! Have to visit. If Navarro has old style pinot noir it is great. I love the unfiltered. Roederer is great if you love champagne. I have a friend who loves Handley for the values. Goldeneye has the rep but crazy prices.. When I go i like Navarro and Roederer for gift buying. Definitely pinot noir and champagne (sparkling) country. Have fun. Stay away from Boonville tasting rooms I think. Best ones are at the wineries themselves.
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Dec 23, 2011 10:07
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Visit Unti as well, if you can make it!
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Dec 23, 2011 19:27
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Mister Macys posted:Just out of curiousity, how are unoaked wines, in comparison with their oak-aged brethren? The best way to understand the difference is to taste the difference. Try to find a shop that sells Torbreck. The Steading and and Cuvee Juveniles are blends made from the same vineyards in really similar proportions with the Steading seeing oak, and Juveniles only stainless.
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Dec 23, 2011 21:15
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Any good books to teach me more about wines / whatever? Internet is scary and I can only do so many tastings and whatnot. Plus I have a 1hr busride twice a day, may as well.
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Dec 24, 2011 03:25
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I got pretty drunk today. It was awesome.
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Dec 24, 2011 09:26
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