The time came this weekend to finally bottle the wine that has been brewing since September. I though a would wash a few bottles, do a few labels and cork a few bottles. I did a quick sum in my head. I get five full 75cl bottles from each demi-john. I have seven demi-john that 45 bottles...more than a few. I like clear glass for the "white" wines and green or brown for "red". I had a rummage in the bottle pile to find 15 clear bottles. Upon cleaning I found a couple of bottles where I could not get the smeg out of the very bottom of the bottle. Another rummage and I came up with clear bottles that would clean up. I went through the same exercise for the green bottles.
I don't buy bottles. I come by them via parties, wine we have bought and recycled one from previous years. I also try to get similar bottles for each batch. I also try to have the batch all screw caps or all corked. I just like it that way.
Each demi-john H and I have a look at the colours carefully put on the stool which has been placed on the dining room table. The bottles, corks or caps, labels, Hydrometer and measuring tube and note pad are set about the table. Off comes the airlock and bung, in goes the syphon tube, a big suck and the juices start flowing. During the draw off I fill the measuring tube for the hydrometer. I fill the remaining bottles. The specific gravity [SG] is recorded in my little book. I write out the labels which are small tags on strings. I record the source, Apple for instance, the date it was bottles and the SG. I top up any bottle that are short from the wine in the measuring tube. What is left after top goes in a glass for H and me to taste. But before tasting the caps or corks are fitted.
H and I have a look at the colour, have the sniff then a taste. Our only criteria is "do we like it". H likes dry wines and I don't. I like sweeter wine and H doesn't. In shades of Jack Sprat and his wife the wine rack has something for everyone. The process finishes with the demi-johns, airlocks and syphon being cleaned, sterilised and put away for next year. The bottled wine is taken to the shed and loaded on to the waiting shelves. The Beetroot and Elderberry feels like it is going to need some time the mellow out so they are put in the top left of the shelving where they will be out of the way. The more palatable wines comes next. They make up the middle portion of the shelves. I still have 15 bottles from last year so they take space on the right hand side of the shelves, near the door.
The surprise wine is the Pea Pod Burgundy. It has smelt really suspect all the way along. However on bottling it has come of age. It is clear as a bell and tastes really nice. It might be nicer still in the summer, if I keep my hands off it! The jury is still out on the Elderberry and the Beetroot wine. It is better than it was. It might just might need time. The apple wine is nice an light. One batch to drier than the other and of course I prefer one and H the other. The Blackberry is fruity, as you would expect, but not too sweet. This year I halved the amount of sugar in the recipes which has led to drier wines. I will report back if they have lost the alcoholic punch of previous years.
Next year, more Pea Pod and anther batch of Dandelion.
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