Launching “The Vineyard”
I am a serious person…but I try not to take myself too seriously. I abhor platitudes and hyperbole, but I can be as silly as the next person. Back during December, I went on a 100% soccer embargo (the reasons are too boring to go into), so I was able to let my mind wander to other areas where I might have a creative outlet. I thought “it might be fun to make wine.” I also thought it might be fun to name the wine after Louisville players. That’s about as much thought as I put into it. I am also prone to overthinking, so I didn’t want to talk myself out of an idea that I thought might be fun.
After getting all of the necessary materials as a gift from my wife, I started the process of making wine at home. About 4-5 weeks later, I had a batch. It turned out to be a decent wine, even if I am not a connoisseur. I told a few friends about it, and Tom Benson offered to write reviews of the wines based on the player selected for each batch. Tom is a fun-loving person who likes to think creatively, so I made him the “sommelier” of my at-home vineyard. He gets to taste the wine and write a tongue-in-cheek review. He tested the first batch (a few days before it was technically finished) and wrote a review which you can read here. The plan going forward is to dedicate each batch to a player or someone associated with the club. During the season, this will likely be a player-of-the-month type dedication. During the offseason, I might choose someone else.
What did I learn? Winemaking is fairly easy and fun. I also learned that the finishing agent contains shellfish, so I have to remember to remind people of that fact when they taste it. Check out these wine allergies if you are curious. From the article:
“This wine ingredient is made up of the exoskeletons of crab, shellfish, shrimp and other crustaceans. Chitosan is a sucrose polymer and often used as a finishing agent in white wines. Chitosan can be especially problematic for wine lovers who are allergic to shellfish.
There’s a good chance that the wine you’re drinking contains chitosan if you experience tingling in your mouth, dizziness, itching, eczema or abdominal pain. An individual may need to seek immediate emergency treatment if allergy symptoms are extreme enough and lead to anaphylaxis. It is especially important to know the ingredients of your wine if you have a known shellfish allergy.”
Almost all home kits contain chitosan.
If you are curious if you can purchase any wine, unfortunately the answer is no. I don’t think I am legally allowed to sell any. However, if we cross paths and you are interested I would be happy to gift you a bottle (while supplies last).
