Blimey December already and I hadn't finished telling the story of the initial stages! In fact next week I am going to do the first racking of the wine so a bit out of date but....back to those heady September days for a moment...
All the measurements done (to the best of our ability anyway) time to add the yeast and get the party started!!! this happened early in the evening...Next morning, up early and off to look at the barrel - no change - nothing - rien!! Gulp! Then Ian took a closer look and yes some tiny candifloss like bubbles around the rim of the liquid. Next day distinct layer of activity on the whole surface, and we started "punching down the cap". Sticking your nose in and taking a deep breath was fun (we tricked Norman into this!) gives you a real kick back (carbon dioxide?).
So started the discussion about how many days that the wine should be left on the skins and after a period of serious research, Steve came in and said "the builders are coming tomorrow, we're doing it today". So much for serious winemaking!!!Pressing was much more of a game that I had anticipated - getting liquid and skins and pips and stalks (bugs and several mice) out of the barrel into the press and then on into a carbouy was so much easier said than done. Colanders, muslin, sieves... lots of different approaches abandoned and others tried. Lots of lessons learned for next year!
Finally it is all into the carbouy and the sweep stake that had been running was won by BRIAN! who estimated 45 litres (Steve, 63 litres, Norman, 48 litres, Amanda 53 litres). The final number 43 LITRES.
Having had to redesign the bubbler and cork (another story!) it finally went into the carbouy top and secondary fermentation commenced!
Phew!
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