Super Tuscan Wine is Done and Bottled...

  • Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
SMF is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Burlymanchef

Newbie
Jan 15, 2021
17
10
Brings back some good memories. I should have gone the kit route first as I had wine making on my mind 15 years ago. Bought the electric grape crusher, big press and went all in for 2 years. First year in 700 pounds, crushed and fermented with no yeast just from the air.. Was in 3 food grade garbage cans with a wood paddle to punch everyday... Fruit flys on top of the towels covering was unreal as they were trying to get to it.. Needless to say I have had great memories bringing that purple haze on duck hunting trips and serving it at oyster shucking get togethers. I bottled it in 1 gallon glass jugs... no oak at that time and came in at 17%.. My brethren did not listen to me on potency, and more than I can count on one hand fell on their knees releasing the purple haze that they consumed.. OF Course blamed it on the oysters. I think I will buy your suggested kit and start small as I do enjoy good reds. Thanks for creating this post. Peace out
 
Last edited:

noboundaries

Legendary Pitmaster
OTBS Member
SMF Premier Member
Sep 7, 2013
9,893
4,796
Roseville, CA, a suburb of Sacramento
Fun read! Looking forward to the results.

My Italian grandfather made wine from grapes, which inspired my dad to make wine from kits and concentrates. Both dad and grandpa used gallon jugs. I was really popular at Uni (drinking age 18 at the time in TN) because I always had gallons of red wine in my closet.

One of my HS science projects was making wine out of Welch's grape juice, bread yeast, and water. One of my daughters has an Italian FIL who makes wine from grapes he buys by the half-ton, mostly reds, but he's dabbled in whites. Super Tuscan is one of my absolute favorites. Great first pick!
 

zwiller

Master of the Pit
OTBS Member
★ Lifetime Premier ★
Nov 16, 2016
3,687
2,388
Sandusky, OH
With your family and sausage skills, you're gonna be hooked for sure. Long time brewer and judge but have not made wine yet. HUGE wine producing area here. Everywhere here they sell pressed juice pretty reasonable. Parents have niagara grapes.

My homemade wine story. One hot summer day when I was like twelev I see 2 liter of Coke in the basement fridge. I proceed to guzzle some straight from the bottle only to find out a few seconds later it was homemade wine.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: indaswamp

indaswamp

Epic Pitmaster
Original poster
Staff member
Moderator
OTBS Member
Thread starter
Apr 27, 2017
12,452
10,029
South Louisiana-Yes, it is HOT
Today the S.G. stabilized at 0.992 for 4 days so it was time for the second racking, kill the yeast, and start aging/clarifying.

Got the Carboy full of wine up onto a milk crate so we could siphon to a fresh clean carboy.
IMG_20230208_131248.jpg

The stuff we will be adding...
IMG_20230208_125411.jpg

IMG_20230208_125416.jpg

And here is a funny tool my Uncle made as a joke. It is a 2"x4"; self explanatory...
IMG_20230208_130145.jpg

Transferring...
IMG_20230208_131551.jpg

And now we wait for the magic to happen. We bottle on March 22nd...
IMG_20230208_134641.jpg
 

indaswamp

Epic Pitmaster
Original poster
Staff member
Moderator
OTBS Member
Thread starter
Apr 27, 2017
12,452
10,029
South Louisiana-Yes, it is HOT
Cleaning wine casings today (wine bottles) in preparation for bottling mid next week. My Uncle has sampled the wine and it is smooth and really good! can't wait to taste it and even more looking forward to it after it has aged a bit.
 

indaswamp

Epic Pitmaster
Original poster
Staff member
Moderator
OTBS Member
Thread starter
Apr 27, 2017
12,452
10,029
South Louisiana-Yes, it is HOT
Bottled the wine with my Unlce today. Unsettled weather forced me to take a much needed break from building my workshop.

Transferring from Carboy to Primary fermentator with a spigot to fill bottles...
IMG_20230326_135405.jpg


Sanitized bottles ready to go...
IMG_20230326_135409.jpg


I tell people my family owns a Ferrari......it's a Ferrari wine bottle corker. Best they make!
IMG_20230326_135424.jpg


Open to accept a cork...
IMG_20230326_135435.jpg


Compresses the cork when you pull down the handle...
IMG_20230326_135432.jpg


And pushes the cork into the bottle. You can adjust the depth you want the cork in the bottle.

The wine in the bucket with a spigot ready to bottle. Smells AWESOME!
IMG_20230326_135801.jpg


All corked! we got 30 bottles.
IMG_20230326_153134.jpg


Plus 2 glasses...well of course we had to taste it!
IMG_20230326_155416.jpg


Took a break to let my Uncles back spasms calm down, then it was time to label the bottles and put the heat shrinks on..

Stock label that came with the kit...
IMG_20230326_161621.jpg


And the custom Label for the back my Uncle ordered...
IMG_20230326_161626.jpg


And my Uncle putting the labels on the bottles using his home made jig...
IMG_20230326_161723.jpg

IMG_20230326_161729.jpg

IMG_20230326_161740.jpg

IMG_20230326_161744.jpg
 

pineywoods

SMF Hall of Fame Pitmaster
Staff member
Administrator
OTBS Member
SMF Premier Member
OTBS Admin
Group Lead
Mar 22, 2008
28,370
3,375
Florida
Very cool how did you like it? Looks like a nice little supply to last a little while
 
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

Latest posts

Hot Threads