As is the norm, this past fall (2017) I made three 6-gallon batches of dry, red wine: Valpolicella, Petite Syrah, and Nebbiolo. The buckets of wine juice can from both California and Italy. Of the hundreds of gallons of wine/mead/beer that I have made over the last couple of decades, the previous year’s (fall 2016) Nebbiolo may have been my favorite dry red. It was so good that I made it two years in a row, something I seldom do.
This past fall’s wines may have been the worst that I have made. All three have a somewhat tart taste. None fermented below 0.999, where I typically get 0.996 or less. The brand of juice is the same as usual. The procedure was the same as usual. Several co-workers who brew regularly had the same results with the same juices. I found several articles that stated that the northern hemisphere grapes were of poorer quality, with smaller crops, this past season. With the vineyards saving the best grapes for themselves, in a subpar growing year, what was left for the home brewer’s juices seems to be a step down. The wine is not undrinkable, just not nearly as enjoyable as usual.
Any other similar experiences?
This past fall’s wines may have been the worst that I have made. All three have a somewhat tart taste. None fermented below 0.999, where I typically get 0.996 or less. The brand of juice is the same as usual. The procedure was the same as usual. Several co-workers who brew regularly had the same results with the same juices. I found several articles that stated that the northern hemisphere grapes were of poorer quality, with smaller crops, this past season. With the vineyards saving the best grapes for themselves, in a subpar growing year, what was left for the home brewer’s juices seems to be a step down. The wine is not undrinkable, just not nearly as enjoyable as usual.
Any other similar experiences?
