In the last year of making mostly fruit wines I have bumped into a few
folks that have the same past time, making wine. This has provided
the oppurtunity to sample -very few- home made grape wines.

I freely admit I'm not an experienced or qualified taster, but the
home made wines seem to be what I would describe as truer to the
grape. They have or retained a grape quality in the finished product.
It's not fruity at all, but it seems they still have 'grapeness' in
the wine. It isn't like grape juice, or juice flavored wines, and is
present in even the driest Cab. Instead I would say the wine reminds
me of the grape. Does that make any sense?

Is this odd, wrong? Should it be there or not, or am I nuts. It
tastes great to me.

Steve - Noobie
Oregon

"spud" wrote.....

......I freely admit I'm not an experienced or qualified taster, but the
home made wines seem to be what I would describe as truer to the
grape......

I think that home winemakers make wine to their taste and not to score a
high review number. It's like there is one ideal taste that commercial
wineries strive for but each home winemaker has his own best taste. I know
in our case we like our reds un-oaked and our zinfandel has I think
something of what you describe. By the way I think everyone is a qualified
taster! Who better than you knows what you like.

Bill Moats
Pau Hana Farm
Milton-Freewater, OR

Bill Moats wrote:

"spud" wrote.....

.....I freely admit I'm not an experienced or qualified taster, but the
home made wines seem to be what I would describe as truer to the
grape......

This may be because many home made wines are not oaked or aged in new oak
barrels. One way - other than adding sugar - to cover up defects in a wine
is to over oak it.

Thanks for the responses. Sure is interesting and mabye trying to
recognize these subtle differencces will help with my skills over
time.

Take Care
Steve - Noobie
Oregon