J.J. the cat investigates the RootsLiving wine cellar before the start of the season.
It’s September and once again I’m calling on nature because the wine grapes have been picked and shipped across country and are ready for me to start crushing them into a purple concoction of bliss.
Making wine is spiritual. You have to believe in a higher power and once you make wine, you will.
I started making wine about 13 years ago following the rules of nature as taught by my father who learned them from his father. Following these rules, I have made batches of wine that have been enjoyed by family and friends, some of whom have been kind enough to sing its high praises:
- Let the grapes sit overnight before you crush them.
- Bless the barrels in your own way. I have crosses made out of the wood from the wine crates attached to them.
- Let the wine sit in the carboys until St. Martin’s Day, Nov. 11. Then change them from one carboy to the next to get the wine off the lees.
- Bottle the wine during a waning moon (never during a waxing moon).
- Forget the sulfates and other preservatives and let nature do its work.
I started the wine-making process today by making preparations. I plan to crush the grapes on Saturday and will document my progress here over the next few months.
Learn more about making home-made wine without chemicals.
