A little Off-Topic: Who are you?

Making wine is a hobby for me. I usually make fruit, veggie, and herb wines. I'm in my 4th year, and still learning. I've been posting and reading posts for over a year, almost two. It is a good mix of posters here; professional, hobbyists, those who make wine from grapes, those of who make wine from other things, and those who are into kit wines. There's also many different levels from beginners to those who have been doing this for many, many years. Darlene Wisconsin, USA

Hobbyist. Haven't ever made a grape wine and living in Scotland unlikely to.

Been making wine as a hobbyist since the mid 70's. (That is last century) I make about 60- 80 gallons a year. about half from grapes and the rest from fruit. Getting more into mead now.

Ray

Hello, my name is David and I'm an A.....

Just kidding. I am new to home wine making, just two years now. I am yet to make a wine from real grapes but have done many grape kits, concentrates, ciders and some fruits and veggies.

This list is great, I'm glad I found it. I finally have some people to talk to about this stuff. My fiancé gets tired of hearing me babble about stuff she doesn't understand and doesn't care to learn about. And none of my friends are wine makers.

David Greensboro, North Carolina.

I'm a hobbyist who started brewing beer over ten years ago. It wasn't until four years ago that I started making wine, and I make about 30 gallons a year using store-bought concentrates and juice, fresh fruit from u-pick farms and farmer's markets, and - for the first time this year - wine grapes. I began making mead, and using honey in some of my wines and beers, about two years ago.

Erroll

Seattle, WA USA

I am a software developer!

New hobby to me. Two months in, 15 gallons on the go and nothing drunk so far - I am fascinated by the process.

I'm a hobbyist located in New Jersey, USA.

I've been at it for about 2 years. I started because I really wanted to try dandelion wine and making my own seemed to be the only way that would happen. I also make wine from the wineberries (wild raspberries) that grow wild in abundance all around me. And I do other non-grape wines - I like being able to make wines that can't be found found in the local liquor store.

Hobbyist here too, just started about six months ago after thinking about it for a couple of years (and thinking it would be too hard!). Fortunately I saved all my store-bought wine bottles while I thought about it. :) I've made mostly kits up to this point, but I currently have a batch of mead and some apple wine from fresh pressed apples on the go.

KD

Nova Scotia, Canada

Hobby too... Although it started out as my hubbie's hobby and I took over, I found it more interesting than he did, I make it he drinks it, works out perfectly! Louise:o)

I've been all three of those. :^)

I started out interested in the topic (30 years ago), began making wines at home 22 years ago, and went commercial on a small scale 2½ years ago. I make only Chardonnay commercially, but I've got some Pinot Noir and Sangiovese in barrel at home too.

Tom S

I'm a retired research pharmacist. I grow grapes and make wine as a hobby. I'm experimenting with some vinifera vines (C. Franc, C. Sauvignon and Chardonnay) here in the KC area along with hybrids. So far, so good. I've been at it since 1996 and finally I think I have the right vines for wines I want to make.

Now for my occasional plug. When you sign your posts to this news group sign your name and give your location. It's interesting to know where all you winemakers live and ferment.

Bill Frazier Olathe, Kansas USA

I do it for a hobby also, have for about 4 years but only in the past year have I gotten serious about it. My first couple attempts were flops, one was an Alexandria's as well as a couple strawberry wine attempts. I decided that homemade wine makes for a nice, generally inexpensive gift that people always appreciate. Once I got comfortable with the process, I started making wine with a vengeance. I will continue to make wine with a vengeance until I have a large enough stock that I can permit some of them to age properly. I currently have

Paul

Rudolph R?ttger wrote:

I'm an IT analyst. I grow grapes and make wine as a hobby. I sell my surplus grapes to the home market. Grapes I grow (C. Franc, pinot noir, Baco Noir, Chardonnay). I have been at it since 1998. I am in the Niagara Falls area. I have taken wine making more seriously the last 2 years and I am now ready to invest in some oak barrels. Sarge

I was a dairy farmer for 25 years and now am a real estate broker in Nampa, Idaho. I have enjoyed wine my whole life and 7 years ago when we were moving, I determined I would have enough ground for a small vinyard. I now have about 500 vines, of cab sauv, cab franc, merlot, pinot noir, pinot gris, chardonney, and gervurtz. This part of Idaho is a terrific place to grow grapes, with lots of sun but also cool nights due to the 2700 ft elevation. We typically have grapes with 23 brix and .8 acidity. I am learning almost everything the hard way, but it has been fun, and I rarely buy wine any more! Tom S has been a huge help, as has Lum, Ben Rotter, David Breeder, and a bunch of others who I can't remember. Eventually I will have a great vintage! This has to be the best hobby ever.

I am a hobbyist and have been making wine for about 5 years now. I got interested in winemaking from my grandpa when I was younger. He used to make wine from everything, much like Jack Keller. I am a SysAdmin in Houston Texas. I am currently working in a medical school designing software to help in Multiple Sclerosis research. I also manage the Solaris infrastructure. I am also the designer of the Lazy Hill Wine Log

Chad Harvey Houston, TX, USA

Rudolph R?ttger wrote:

To All:

I am a vineyard owner and winemaker during the weekends and executive officer of a technology company in Kansas City by the weekday. However, I have conducted many a conference call by cell on a Friday morning while in the vineyard without the large insurance companies on the other end having a clue!

My pursuit over the past 8 years has been the growing of vinifera in Missouri. With a few great vintages behind us, we are continuing expansion of our vinifera plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Chardonnay. Each year we figure out another piece of the puzzle; for example, we have figured out how to bird net the vineyard with ease and efficiency using side netting techniques. The passion grows year to year. The most rewarding part is that we continue to expand our friendships to others with the same passion for wine and grapes. It is amazing the interest that is out there!

Michael Amig> Hey Group.

Hi Rudy, Wie geht's?

I'm a home hobbyist trying to grow hybrid grapes in the hilly region of northwest New Jersey, about 70 km west of New York City. I am retired from the health profession, but keep busy teaching Chemistry on the secondary level. I've been making wine at home for about 35 years, but learned the commercial side of the craft while assisting a friend who is a professional grower & maker.

I'm a Safety/Health/Environmental ("SHE") Manager for a mid-size chemical company. Started making wine with native pears from trees on family property several years ago, then expanded into kits and experimented with numerous other fruits, eventually returning to and concentrating on pear, Welsh concentrates, and selected kits. Great hobby(!), but in truth I probably spend more on wine now than I did before starting making my own -- constantly buying commercial wines to compare with my own...

Bart

Greetings, All.

I have been lurking around this NG for several years, having started winemaking and brewing as a hobby in Denver, CO about 15 years ago. I now live in Charlotte, NC and am more committed to the hobby than ever. I make about 50 gallons of wine per year (mostly from concentrates) and about 10 gallons of beer. My profession is managing Data Administration at a local large bank, and my undergraduate degree is in engineering. Who would have ever thought that my college chemistry courses would help me make better wine?

Gary Flye Charlotte, NC

P.S. I have learned more from your collective wisdom than from any of the many books on winemaking in my library. Many thanks!