Monthly Archives: March 2019
Question for Winemakers: Low TA
SHW member Terry Piazza-Perham writes:
My 2018 Malbec has a ph of 3.69 and a TA of 5.30, ML is <0.05. What should I do about the low TA? It’s in carboys.
Terry’s email address is piazza-perham@att.net.
Alternate Wine Tour – WineMaker Magazine, Traverse City, Michigan
The Contra Costa Wine Group has placed about 80 entries into the WineMaker Magazine International Amateur Judging that happens soon. We’re hoping to garner our 5th in a row Club of the Year. It’s likely our last chance for a while as one of our members is moving to El Dorado County, taking his 15 future entries and multiple awards per year with him. That’s quite similar to when Rex Johnston left our group and the Sacramento Home Winemakers then became Club of the Year in the years 2012, 2013 and 2014.
The primary reason for this email is that a pre-conference opportunity has arisen that some of your members might be interested in. One of our members, Mr. Tom Anders is a former V.P. at Scott Laboratories in Petaluma. He has recently retired. WineMaker Magazine is offering limited one day tours of wineries in the Traverse City, Michigan area at a cost of $200.00 per day all to visit 2 wineries! Tom’s sales area included all of the wineries in Michigan. He personally knows the winery owners and winemakers and is offering a unique opportunity. On Wednesday, May 15th and Thursday, May 16th, Tom will serve as a tour guide to several of the best wineries in that area, if we can get enough people to sign up.
Interested? Please contact directly: (more…)
Grapes for Sale: Yolo County Cabernet Sauvignon
Vineyard planted and farmed for exceptional quality grapes and premium wines. All hand farmed, hand pruned and fruit dropped for low yields, deficit irrigation for small berries and clusters, sustainably grown, hand-picked and sorted. Wines from Great Bear Vineyards grapes have won gold at the SF Chronicle Wine Competition.
Location: Davis, CA
Y
Appellation Details: Yolo County
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Varietal Details: Clone 7, Clone 8, Root Stock 3309C & 1616C (all 2010 protocol)
Grape Farming Practice: Sustainable
Quantity: 55 tons (small lots available – 1 ton upwards)
Price:$2,000/ton
Direct Contact Information:
Great Bear Vineyards – Jenny & Marcus
530 574 1516
www.greatbearvineyards.com
Grapes for Sale: Old Vine Zin and Barbera, Shenandoah Valley / Amador County
Family owned and operated and planted in 1970, our vineyards produce premium, dry-farmed, sustainably grown zinfandel. The grapes have been used over the years by several wineries to produce signature, award winning wines include Renwood, Bella Grace, Villa Toscano and Villa Piazza, Sutter Home–Montevina/Terra de Oro, Turley, Binz, and Rombauer. We have 30-35 tons available.
We also have a few tons of premium Barbera available. These grapes are used in wines made by Dilllian, Turley, Binz, and Borjon.
Both varieties are $1,800/ton picked. ½ ton minimum. Buyer to deliver macros in morning before pick. No destemmer-crusher available.
Contact directly: Bob Sleeper, co-owner/manager
Crain/Sleeper Vineyards
209-304-0010
Order Your 2019 Crush T-Shirts
This year’s crush is only 4 months away! Don’t be caught without the appropriate attire for you and your crush crew. The shirts are great conversation starters at the store when you’re back in the store for more beer.
SHW’s Crush T-Shirts are available only for a limited time. We making only one run so get your order in no later than May 22, 2019. Ordered shirts can be picked up at the June 19 SHW meeting. Use this form below to make your order and mail to Treasurer Bob Peake at the address on the bottom of the form.
Bottling Help Wanted
Kevin Luther, winemaker and vineyard manager for Wise Villa Winery in Placer Country, and SHW supporter writes:
“Hi Sacramento Home Winemakers! I’m launching my Sacramento winery “Voluptuary” this spring, making small-batch Organic & natural wines from local grapes.
This Saturday & Sunday 10am-7pm I’ll be bottling, labeling and waxing my wines out at Shadow Ranch Vineyards, if anyone would like to come help; unlimited wine & snacks & I send you home with bottles of wine 🙂 The more the merrier, we have lots of fun, we’re a bunch of drunken worker elves.
If you’d like to join, feel free to message me or call me at 916-534-0650 for more info.”
March 20 SHW Meeting – White and Rosé Wine Evaluations
Hey! Before you bottle that 2018 white or rosé wine, bring it to this Wednesday’s meeting for evaluation. Guest evaluator Craig Haarmeyer can offer tips on making your good wine one of the best you’ve made. Please bring two 750 ml bottles and the winemaking evaluation form. Clearly mark bottles with variety and your name. No capsules please, and if you haven’t yet bottled, don’t add sulfites.
The 2019 LAKE COUNTY WINE and FOOD TOUR led by SHW member David Hicks is 2/3 full. There are 12 more spaces available for a full house for this exciting food and wine weekend. This is the 5th time David has hosted this event and he will be at Wednesdays meeting to discuss the event and sign you up. Please read the AN INVITATION TO WINEMAKERS AND GUESTS OF for a full explanation of this years event and feel free to contact David right away.
If you haven’t yet paid for your Unified Wine and Grape Symposium $10 vouchers, please do so at the meeting. We’d like to close out this line item on the books.
Wednesday’s meeting starts at 7pm upstairs at the Turn Verein located at 3349 J Street in Sacramento. See you there!
March 2019 Newsletter- The Grapevine
Hello fellow home winemakers. Spring has sprung! Competitions are well underway and we are starting to get organized for group buys. We hope you will join us for our next meeting on Wednesday, March 20th. We will be evaluating White and Rose wines. If you have a wine that you want to have evaluated, make sure to read the instructions in Vice-President Terry Piazza-Perman’s Monthly Meeting summary on the first page of the newsletter.
Below is a link to the latest edition of The Grapevine. Enjoy!
Still Room Left! 5th Annual Lake County Wine Tour and Tasting
David Hicks doesn’t want anyone to miss out on a fun weekend at Lake County. Limited space is available for a few more wine lovers in this year’s tour of Lake County on July 12-15. Here’s the details: AN INVITATION TO WINEMAKERS AND GUESTS OF
5th Annual Lake County Wine Tour and Tasting
Two time SHW Winemaker of The Year and Lake County resident
David Hicks is again hosting a relaxing and fun weekend wine tour
of his unique wine region. Events will be held at Bell Haven Resort
and at David’s home on the shores of Clear Lake. See ALL THE
DETAILS below or contact David at dh1780@yahoo.com.
