Category — winemaking news

The results are in from this year’s NYS Fair Home Wine Making Competition. Of 283 entries, 25 entries were from juice/concentrate, like the kind you make at Lakeland Winery. Nearly ALL the Concentrate wine won a medal! A DOUBLE GOLD went to Chocolate Raspberry Port (which is available for you to make in November) and the Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. GOLD went to Strawberry Riesling; Peach Apricot Chardonnay, and Orange Blossom Muscat. SILVER went to Sangiovese; Montepulciano; Cabernet Sauvignon; Grenache Mourvedre; Stag’s Leap Merlot, and Green Apple Riesling. BRONZE went to Rioja; Shiraz; Merlot; Gewurztraminer; Three berry Pinot Grigio, and Tempranillo Cabernet Sauvignon.

Thank you to those who made their wine at Lakeland Winery and submitted it for a chance to win. I’m sure your efforts were noticed by the judges, who some were surprised that your wines would taste so good.

As the organizer for this years competition, I am planning to also be part of next years event at the State Fair. I hope you will join me and learn what’s involved in judging wines. Get a close up, personal view of how judging is done.

These are the final comprehensive results for your viewing: 2008-home-wine-competition

The results are in! I had a blast judging The New York State Fair Home Winemaking Competition and can’t wait for the next one. A special thanks to all those who participated.

Click the button on the right side to view full screen:

Stories and news from the wine world:

• The Step-by-Step Process of Making French Wine
  — There is extra care put into a French wine and this thoughtful consideration adds something special to every single French wine on the market today.
• Making White Wine: A Labor of Love
  — The grapes are grown at the wineries and then turned into wine and there are many varieties of grapes; each one either used either alone or combined to make different wines. But how exactly is white wine made?
• Making Your Own Wine: Where to Buy Wine Bottles
  — If you are interested in making your own wine, there are a few ingredients and pieces of equipment that you are going to need to purchase. One of the most important, of course are the wine bottles that you are going to use.
• Wine Region Map of Spain
  — With detailed illustrations of its varied terrain and topography, the map artfully showcases Spainâs vast variety of wines resulting from distinctive terrain, climate and winemaking styles.
• Crop Forecast Increases for 2008 California Wine Grape
  — Wine-type variety grape production for California is forecast at 3.40 million tons, up 6 percent from both the July forecast and from the 2007 crop, according to the USDA-NASS California field office.
• Green Your Wine Cellar
  — The environmental benefits of boxed wine is that cardboard and plastic bags weigh much less than bottles.
• Bargain Wine and the Big Mac Index
  — Wine prices in the U.S. appear to be heading up - what’s a bargain-seeking shopper to do? That’s the question I was asked by the wine and spirits editor of a major cooking magazine. The answer is to try to make the exchange rate work for you, not against you.
• The WineRack - A Wine-Filled Bra!
  — The WineRack has a “special boob-enhancing polyurethane bladder” that holds up to 750ml of the alcohol of your choice.
• What to do with Leftover Wine
  — While it’s easy to throw a vat of macaroni in a Tupperware bowl or wrap a piece of bread in a plastic baggie, the same can’t be said for wine.

I received a call today from Troy at NYS Assemblyman Bill Magee’s office. He said, ‘your bill passed the Assembly by a unanimous vote”. MY BILL?, I think. WOW! UNANIMOUS!

For close to a year I have been trying to get legal permission to do in New York State what has been legalized by the Federal Government for probably 7 years. And now it’s finally here folks: permission for people to make their own wine at a Licensed Winery. The following are the exact words of BILL #7194:

Section 76 of the alcoholic beverage control law is amended by adding a new subdivision 7 is added to read as follows:

7. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, a winery licensed pursuant to this section may engage in custom crush wine production allowing individuals to assist in the production of wine for sale for personal or family use provided, however, that (a) the wine must be purchased by the individual assisting in the production of such wine and (b) the owner, employee or agent of such winery shall be present at all times.

But, this is only one hurdle. A more difficult task is approval by the State Senate, in particular Senator John DeFrancisco, who is co-sponsoring this bill. Please give him a call at (315) 428-7632 and tell him how much you want Bill #7194 passed. They will be recessing for the Summer I think next week, so don’t put off your call.

In the mean time, you can continue to make your own wine as a privilege of membership to our FREE wine making club.

Andy

p.s. There is another bill in the works that will allow people to make wine at a facility NOT licensed by the State Liquor Board. They would be able to get a separate license just for that purpose from the State Department of Agriculture and Market. The wheels turn slowly in government…but they do turn.

Recently, I ran into this nice gentleman named Stanley who convinced me to sample some of his Raspberry Cordial. It tasted a little sweet but for all you women who love sweet alcohol, this one’s for you. It was delicious!

1 qt. berries (red or black raspberries)
1 qt. vodka
1 cup sugar

Thoroughly mix the sugar and vodka into a gallon carboy. Add berries (without crushing) and stir gently. Attach either an airlock or secure a balloon with a rubber band to the opening. Wait 6 weeks at room temperature for fermentation (DO NOT add yeast). Drain off the sediment (called lees) and store in corked bottles. You can drink immediately but I recommend cooling before drinking.

Bring it into the winery with 3 bottles and I’ll cork it for you. Enjoy:)

Andy

Surfing and winemaking on CA’s central coast [Wine Enthusiast]
“There’s always been a romantic ideal attached with winemaking; the creation of a fine wine, the upscale image. Conversely, there’s been a carefree ideal attached to surfing; hanging out at the beach without a care in the world.”

Fashionable new world Rieslings, Roses are ideal summer wines [Bloomberg]
“Crisp, fruity riesling and dry, pink rose spent decades as unfashionable wallflowers waiting to be noticed. Now, the two Rs are being discovered by wine lovers…”

Italian winery turns labels into art exhibits [Washington Post]
“Many people say making wine is an art and an Italian winery once owned by Michelangelo has extended that notion right down to its labels.”

Best ways to get your wine home [San Jose Mercury News]
“Driving to a winery? Take a tour and buy a few bottles. Getting your purchases home is never a problem.But what if you’ve flown out to California to tour Napa, or you’re planning a trip to explore the vineyards of Bordeaux or Tuscany? Carry-on restrictions prohibit you from bringing bottles of wine onboard with you.”

California wine makes people eat 12% more [Pinotblogger]
“According to a Cornell University study, folks who are given a glass of wine before a meal and told it is from California eat 12% more than when they are told the wine is from North Dakota.”

Winemaking on a handshake [Toronto Star]
“To all those parents with rebel teenagers, take heart and listen to the tale of virtual winemaker Guy Anderson.”

Teachers find true calling is winemaking [The Beacon News]
“Rick and Maria Mamoser of Prairie State Winery in Genoa left their high school teaching careers to become expert winemakers.”

A traditionalist’s top 10 Italian wines [The New York Sun]
“I have no idea for whom Mr. Scicolone casts his ballot on Election Day, but when he votes for Italian wine, he stands somewhere to the right of Silvio Berlusconi, Barry Goldwater, and maybe even Jean-Marie Le Pen.”

Winemaking — Chateau St. Your Garage [The Tribune]
“Enter the WinePod, a new, compact home winemaking system that’s poised to bring the winery to average Joes and head honchos alike.”

Going green — wine producers take serious look at biodynamics [Worcester Telegram & Gazette]
“Green has not yet replaced red or white or even pink as the most important color in deciding which wines to buy, but people have started to think about it.”