Wine Making is a Lot of Fun Winexpert kit Part I

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Pinto Noir presentation
Wine Making is a lot of fun. Looking for a hobby to make retirement more bearable. Just kidding, retirement can be a fun time but I know a lot of people who make me wonder if they truly are enjoying it. For example I will ask a retired acquaintance, "how is retirement, acquaintance?" and the answer I usually get is, " I am busier now than I ever was". Well bullshit to that. What they are really telling me is that they are bored out of their frigging tree and are desperately looking for things to occupy their time.
Cabernet Merlot
 Anyway, as you sail into those golden sunset years you have to have a hobby. I am luckier than most since I have several well established hobbies going into my senior years. Wine and beer making is one of them. Or is that two hobbies?

Anyway, the batch we are currently making is a Limited Edition Winexpert Cabernet Merlot. Winexpert makes excellent kits but they are a tad on the pricy side and available only twice a year by subscription. They are definitely worth it. Once you have factored in and paid for all the supplies, primary fermentor, carboy, bungs, corks, sleeves, syphons, etc. it works out to about $4.00 per bottle and equivalent to a wine costing $18 to $20 at a liquor store (Canadian prices). Here's the key, the more juice you get in the kit, the better the wine. 18L of juice is a lot!

The first shot is of a Pinot Noir that we made last year. It is a wonderful red, full bodied but dry with great tannins. Presentation is everything and you can buy the labels and caps / sleeves to make your homemade look like the real thing. Many the time guests have been fooled remarking, "this is homemade?"

So, if you are looking for a hobby, wine making is the thing. Just don't get carried away with the product.

The Merlot is in the primary at the moment and I will post the making of this wine in several parts over the next 2-3 weeks.

Feel free to comment and click on my ads.

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