It All Started with Concord Grapes…

The Winemaking Bootcamp, a 10 class series, is starting today with ‘Class #1’ which features a few clips from the vineyard. Check out our YouTube Channel @hometownwinecompany or the link at the bottom of the blog to follow along.

We hope this gives you a window into the world of winemaking whether you’re a home winemaker yourself, want to be one, an avid wine connoisseur, a consumer of good stories or just want to learn more about the winemaking process. Class #1 reviews the vineyard life cycle, reviews weather and wildlife, photosynthesis, vineyard balance and second crop before harvest.

Each class will be made live sequentially, the end of August 2022 through May 2023, on our website www.www.hometownwineco.com for a small fee. Each class, starting with Class #2, will be roughly 30 minutes, include printables and cover everything from Crushing, Destemming, Harvesting, Stabilizing, Adding Yeast, Secondary Fermentation, Aging, Bottling and more!

To kick off the series, Brian shares a little bit about why he is a Winemaker today. It all started with the Concord grapes…

Brian states, “Some of my favorite memories growing up was making wine with my father in the basement of our upstate New York home. We would get up early in the morning, head out to the vineyard and pick grapes. Except, I would consume more grapes than I would pick.  These particular grapes were Concord grapes, more famous for making jams and jellies than wine. At the time the Concord grape variety was widely planted in upstate New York. Concord grapes were established in New York many years ago as that particular grape variety can withstand the cold winter and ripen fast in the short summer. 

My dad and I would harvest enough grapes to make a modest amount of wine. We would ferment the grapes in the basement of our home. This was a very basic operation resulting in a very basic wine. As my father’s winemaking knowledge grew, the wine grew in flavor profiles and depth. 

My dad was able to acquire two of the noble wine grape varieties, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon from local vineyards. These two grape varieties work well for wine as they have a greater concentration of sugars and flavors that are more robust than the Concord grape we had used in the past. We learned about yeast varieties and used the specialized winemaking yeast that are experts for converting sugar into alcohol. As we continued, the equipment changed also from basic containers to French Oak wine barrels for fermenting, aging and storing. The French Oak barrels impart flavors into the wine while at the same time gently aging and smoothing the wine’s finish.  

Growing up, wine was present at the dinner table. It was something that was there to accompany the food as you enjoyed your meal. As I became older and was able to enjoy the wine that we made, I was blown away how the food with the wine paired together. It was always enjoyable to reminisce as a family around the dinner table and talk about the wine we had made while enjoying it with our meal.

As my love for wine grew, I traveled and worked in many parts of the country with different grape varieties to make premium wine.  I learned that each variety of grapevine has its own climate that it prefers and some areas are just better because of weather and geography.  So in essence, each grape variety has its own affinity to a certain micro climate and within each of those geographical areas has its own particular flavor profile nuances. It is exciting and I can’t wait to share more.

I hope you’ll take this journey with us this season as we start the Winemaking Bootcamp Series.”

– Winemaker, Brian Hulbert