Home Winemaking: The moment of truth...

I've been a home winemaker for 11 years now. I started, as many did, with a concentrate kit. However, I have striven since the start to make wines that I'm proud of and enjoy which moved me almost immediately to make wine from frozen must (www.brehmvineyards.com) or from fresh vinifera grapes I can access from my local area. Lately, I reach for a bottle of my own pretty frequently in spite of my crowded cellar. Having reached this stage, I decided to do what I've put off for years - I entered 3 wines into the largest amateur winemaking competition I could find. It's time to see whether my 3 efforts can hold their own among their peers.

I was nervous enough to enter but now the judging (originally slated for April) has been put off 3 times due to COVID - prolonging my anxiety. The judging has now been postponed until August and my hope is that it can safely proceed soon. Regardless of the outcome, medals or not, I'm sure I'll find that I still have a lot to learn. Winemaking as a pursuit is both humbling and engaging because there is ALWAYS something more to learn.

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