Mrs Bazz and I had a busy morning crushing and preparing 150kgs of grapes for another batch of cabsav. We got ourselves a 'proper' crusher/grinder with a decent sized hopper on top..instead of the outlandish way we did it last time! 45 minutes as opposed to more than 3 hours..total cost was 155 leva, including the grapes and sundry items. All being well, we should end up with around 80 litres of nice wine. We still have 20 litres which we put down in the cellar two years ago and it is very smooth.

Deduct the cost of the machine and we can get very merry for around 2 leva per litre.

bgbazz wrote:

Mrs Bazz and I had a busy morning crushing and preparing 150kgs of grapes for another batch of cabsav. We got ourselves a 'proper' crusher/grinder with a decent sized hopper on top..instead of the outlandish way we did it last time! 45 minutes as opposed to more than 3 hours..total cost was 155 leva, including the grapes and sundry items. All being well, we should end up with around 80 litres of nice wine. We still have 20 litres which we put down in the cellar two years ago and it is very smooth.

Deduct the cost of the machine and we can get very merry for around 2 leva per litre.

Your news sounds excellent Bazz - we have lots of grapes at the end of our field and I can't imagine there being more than five kilo's of them. However, our friend Bernard tasted them and said they would be excellent for making wine, my only problem is I don't know anything about wine making and would obliged for some basic information on how to do it, so that we could sit back in the Winter and enjoy the spoils of our hard work. Any ideas?

I have lots of ideas mate..first one being that 5 kilos is hardly worth bothering with, so you'll need to source some more. You'll most likely find someone in the village or near area with some to sell. Between 35 and 50 kgs would be a good start...plus, you'll need to get hold of a good, sealable barrel type container, preferably one with a tap. Many shops in country areas sell 20 to 50 gallon, plastic drums which are ideal for the purpose..20 gal is what you will need for the above amount of grapes.

Let me know when you are ready to proceed..

bgbazz wrote:

I have lots of ideas mate..first one being that 5 kilos is hardly worth bothering with, so you'll need to source some more. You'll most likely find someone in the village or near area with some to sell. Between 35 and 50 kgs would be a good start...plus, you'll need to get hold of a good, sealable barrel type container, preferably one with a tap. Many shops in country areas sell 20 to 50 gallon, plastic drums which are ideal for the purpose..20 gal is what you will need for the above amount of grapes.

Let me know when you are ready to proceed..

Many thanks Bazz - will get back to you when we have picked them and see what weight we have.

Any way to judge how many kgs are on the vines just by looking at them?

Thanks

No tried and true method that I know of..we just pick and weigh until we have enough. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful.

The bunch I have been given was a shade under 500g, but of course the size of the bunch will depend on the variety. This one had three largeish lobes of tightly packed black juicy grapes.

Not much help, just joining in!

Sara

In the midst of removing the ceiling of the collapsed ceiling in my old barn with the help of Nadka and Ifan, Bernard appeared at our gate and with a very large plastic bucket and a large carrier bag. I never ask bernard what he is doing because my Bulgaski is improving but not good enough to understand him when he starts to rambling. So after a few words which meant he was going to have a walk around our field, I wished him an enjoyable walk and off he wandered to the far end of our field. During his absence I assisted in the removal of our barn ceiling and eventually he came back with loads of grapes from near our far fence. There was much muttering by him and a word which I had heard before and couldn't remember what it was, the magic word was chanter, in the end I thought he meant carrier bag and by chance this what he wanted.

A quick chow chow was emitted and off he set for the end of the field again and eventually returned with the enormous plastic bag I had provided full of our grapes. The weight must have been in the mid 30's kilo's and he bidded me farewell after telling me that he was going to make me Vino and Rakia with it. Bless him, he is such a wonderful neighbour and realises that I haven't got time to do all these things because every time he sees me my hand is holding a trowel or a wood saw.

Problem solved..all you need to do is watch and learn.

bgbazz wrote:

Problem solved..all you need to do is watch and learn.

If you can spare the time. Have fun.