"Billy" > wrote in message
...
> In article > ,
> "Tom Kunich" > wrote:
>
>>
>> Do you suppose you could do a better job than the commercial high end
>> vintners on grape wine?
> Better? As well anyway, I have Gold Medals from the Sacramento Fair for
> commercial wines. I made home made wines in '78, '79, '80 while I was
> working for a winery in Sonoma County, since then I've worked in
> wineries in the tasting room, cellar, and lab, and I had my own lable
> from '81 to '90, when we went to Europe for a year. When we returned
> I continued working for wineries. Presently, I'm working seasonally in a
> winery lab, and spending the rest of my time gardening.

Plainly YOU are a professional. I assumed that most people on the group were
amatuer winemakers. Amatuers would probably have a problem matching your
skill levels.

>> I'm pretty sure that I could do a better job than them on fruit wines
>> though.
>
> I don't mean to be condescending, but fruit wines are usually sweet.
> Sweetness covers flaws. Not that sweet wines are flawed, but cheap table
> wines usually have some sweetness just for that reason.

While you are entirely correct, I'm sure, that doesn't mean that you CAN'T
make an excellent fruit wine.

> You might check your local library for wine making books like
>
> 101 recipes for making wild wines at home : a step-by-step guide to
> using herbs, fruits, and flowers / by John N. Peragine, Jr.
> <http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Fruit...rence/dp/14414
> 50920/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1276087749&sr=8-1>
>
> The Winemaker's answer book : solutions to every problem, answers to
> every question / Alison Crowe.
> <http://www.amazon.com/Wine-Makers-An...80176569/ref=p
> d_sim_b_5>
>
> Basically, you can make a wine with 21 - 24 brix solution, a pH of 3.6,
> yeast food (can be a handful of raisons), and flavoring of choice.

I have those books already.

It's nice having someone in the group who knows more than he thinks he does.