Great Grape Score

[captianoats]

Long story short, I have a friend that works at a local college in the Ag dept. They grow wine grapes at the college and sell them to local wineries. He told me that he could get me some hands on some for me.

Good news, he came in a couple of days later w/ about 35 lbs of red grapes. Bad news, he couldn't tell me what kind they were. I figured what the heck, crushed them, added a little sugar to hit 1.100 and tossed in some monochet yeast and let her rip. After a couple of weeks, I racked off and forgot about it.

4 months later, I was digging around the brew room for some bottles and saw the carboy. Decided to grab the thief and try it. Even though it is only 4 months, it tasted GREAT!!!!! It already tastes like the best wine I've ever made. Has a very fruity aroma, and the color is a bright purple. Kind of tastes like a Pinot Noir, but I don't claim to be an expert.

Best part, this 5 gallon batch cost a total of about $4.

 

[ByCandleLightWinery]

The best batch you have ever made, and you will never be able to duplicate it again. Don't you just hate that?

 

[ByCandleLightWinery]

Oh, what college is it? I've been poking around and found that Washington State University and some other school (UC Davis?) out of California have online programs for wine certification.

 

[captianoats]

Vincennes University. It's part of their agriculture program. They just grow grapes, they don't do anything regarding wine or beer making (at least not that I know of)

 

[Vinic]

Oh, what college is it? I've been poking around and found that Washington State University and some other school (UC Davis?) out of California have online programs for wine certification.

And yet another: Vesta

And for captianoats; great story. gotta have great grapes for great wine!

 

[BrewPahl]

Good news, he came in a couple of days later w/ about 35 lbs of red grapes. Bad news, he couldn't tell me what kind they were.

I guess he fails the class!!! You should always know what you are growing!!!

Any gardener knows that

 

[Yan]

Pinot Noir or Shiraz you can be pretty sure. It's all anybody anywhere grows nowadays.

 

[dogboysdad]

The mystery wines are the best. Usually the grapes given to me result in crappy wines. Sometimes it works out great. I usually take all my "topping off" juice and mix it together in the winter/spring. Sometimes I get a really nice wine.