Pressing with Pops
These grapes are so dark my hands look like I’ve shifted careers and become an auto mechanic. For days, my hands look this way. All from one night of pressing. This is going to be one good vintage of Central Coast Sangiovese.
I keep learning that winemaking, maybe anything you like doing, is really about the time you spend doing it with other people. Last year, Dave Wheaton loaned me everything and we spent a couple hours pressing my quarter-ton of Zin with his candy-apple-red press, whole clusters and all.
This year, who better to have in town for the physical help and spiritual companionship than my own dad. We squeezed the wine out of the fermented Sangiovese, staining our hands, feet, tools, and concrete patio as, bucket by bucket, we transferred the precious wine out of the big half-ton fermentation bin, into my new press (now stained purple thanks to Bob Modie’s amazing Sangiovese fruit), and ultimately into my equally new stainless steel 79-gallon tank. Seems like about 55 gallons, all told, at least if I can judge by the depth to which we’ve filled the tank.
Think I showed the courage to go three days of extended maceration. Armed with my CO2 gas tank, I knew I could go at least a couple days, making up for the fact that there wasn’t any cold soak to speak of.
Inoculated three weeks later with ML culture and “Leucofood,” which feeds the ML bacteria. Doesn’t seem to be resulting in anything yet other than sleeping wine.
Thanks, Dad — couldn’t have pressed this stuff off alone…and there’s no better time than a nighttime press with your father over a couple of beers. Amazing what you talk about, the things you catch up on, as you crank the Italian pressing machinery under the lights and have nothing better or worse to do than watch the wine trickle down from the skins and pour into the transfer bucket.
Ready, a mere two years from now, to be consumed!
October 18th, 2008 at 2:50 am
Brilliant! Now, you need to figure out how to ship bottles from California to the Philippines so that I can taste your work in a couple years.
And, I still say your dad hasn’t changed much (besides, perhaps, his hair being whiter) in the past 30+ years.
December 6th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
Great roll-up of everything we (the Baroness and I) have been discussing and wrestling with for some time. Found the blog during some down time here in Baghdad (US Army Reserve time), while looking for books in the “garage wine maker” genre. Thanks for the referrals.
I commend your decision at the end, to keep it local and personal. Not so much from a business perspective (you appear to havewhat it takes), but from a spiritual one. “Going pro” is always out there. But crafting your dream in a way that brings others you love into the dream you love, may only be yours until you trade it in for the bigger model.
I’ve ordered a few books on-line and will take the UC Davis “Introduction to Winemaking” course from a distance this Winter Quarter, while working here in Baghdad. Hopefully, with those lessons and some hands on experience when I return to Santa Maria (along with visits to your Blog), I too can embark on the wonderful journey you describe.
God bless you and yours this Holiday Season.
December 27th, 2008 at 11:31 pm
Dear Baron,
Thanks for the comments and apologies for the late reply/approval. Seems I’ve been busy enough to allow 1,100 spam comments to plague my site before checking in, sorting through, and finding your gems! Also made some Syrah in the garage this year, and may even have pulled off the ‘going pro” (a mere 50 cases worth) as well. With some grand schemes in mind for the coming year or two or seven. I am thinking the “expanded garage” model might just work professionally, without getting too unwieldy from a passion/soul-for-the-craft perspective on things.
Thanks again for the note… -Will
August 6th, 2009 at 2:43 am
Will:
The exigencies of War seem to have overcome my opportunity to learn, but not my desire to try my hand later this month. I’ll be home in Santa Maria (free from the clutches of Baghdad) later this month, and hoping to start on my own first effort this Fall.
Do you receommend a kit, or a more traditional approach to a first effort?
I am hoping to buy some local grapes if we do the traditional approach, but don’t know how best to dip the proverbial toe into the bath.
Thoughts?
Thanks brother.
B von B
August 7th, 2009 at 10:16 pm
B von B,
Depends on how much wine you intend to make. If you’re going for a quarter-ton or more, I’d say do it kitless. Grab a food grade 44-gallon bin or two 32-gallon bins, visit your local home-winemaking shop, and ask for advice on yeasts, destemmers, presses, etc. You’ll probably need to borrow stuff your first time out, and the home winemaking shop will have resources or friends who can help there (witness my first go-round). But anything less than a quarter-ton, i.e. if you just wanna try it out, then go for a kit, which will teach you how this stuff gets done but without overwhelming equipment costs or borrowing needs. I think there is a great place in Paso Robles and now the Terravant winery in Buellton has a supplies store or soon will. (Wish there were one in Santa Barbara.)
April 11th, 2010 at 4:46 pm
??????? ???, ?????????? - ??? ? ???? ?? ???? ??????????…
???????? ?? ???????? These grapes are so dark my hands look like I’ve shifted careers and become an auto mechanic. For days, my hands look this way…..
April 12th, 2010 at 5:57 am
????? ??????….
??????????? ????????? These grapes are so dark my hands look like I’ve shifted careers and become an auto mechanic. For days, my hands look this way…..
April 21st, 2010 at 1:38 am
????? ?????????? ??????…
???????? ?? ???????? This is going to be one good vintage of Central Coast Sangiovese.
I keep learning that winemaking, maybe anything you like doing, is […….
May 3rd, 2010 at 10:58 pm
?????)…
???????? ?????????? ?????????????? These grapes are so dark my hands look like I’ve shifted careers and become an auto mechanic. For days, my hands look this way…
June 25th, 2010 at 2:43 pm
Pillspot.org. Canadian Health&Care.Special Internet Prices.No prescription online pharmacy.Pillspot.org.< b > < a href=”http://pillspot.org/products/vitamins_herbal_supplements/ Herbal-supplements@buy.online” >.< /a >…
Categories: Mens Health.Weight Loss.Eye Care.Antidepressants.Stomach.Womens Health.Anxiety/Sleep Aid.Antibiotics.Skin Care.Stop SmokingAntidiabetic.Vitamins/Herbal Supplements.Blood Pressure/Heart.Pain Relief.Antiviral.Anti-allergic/Asthma.Mental …