"Okay, alright, I'll do it Sam!"-Ashley

"...but I'm telling you, it's not that impressive..."

http://lumberjocks.com/projects/30691




 

My words exactly! Only, I'm diluting the truth a bit. Wine making was a difficult art to practice, but it has come a long way since my Grandfather's time.

Lean in...I'm going to let out some family secrets here...



Exhibit A



As you can see, well displayed and terribly dirty, my grandfathers old wine press and grape...um... what I like to call "smoosher" (crusher) My grandfather would be rolling in his grave at the site of the near extinction of these two critical items. Well, hold on Pap...these are no longer needed!





http://www.winemakingjournal.com/

My father...the most intelligent man I know.







He once installed an elevator into a home for someones riding pleasure, moved (yes I said moved) an entire house to build a basement underneath it, and bought himself a white mustang convertible before he was even 16.

However, and it is a BIG however, he likes to do what we call "stretch the truth"(ha-hum;  lie) a bit when it comes to his wine making abilities.

So what does my Dad do so that each year his wine comes out tasting incredible??? Does he add just the right amount of sugar? Or yeast perhaps?
Nope.
My Dad actually buys pre-crushed grapes at midnight in the Strip District in Pittsburgh. These grapes have the skins intact, and have started the fermenting process. From there, the above directions are exactly the steps that you follow to make the wine. Ah ha!... The secret revealed! No more "sweat and tears" stories. With pre-crushed grapes, the wine making process is nearly cut in half.

This year's vintage....

Moscato and Zinfandel
Cabernet and Merlot
And my absolute favorite;  a beautiful Trebbiano.

 Pure genius I tell you.