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To buy alcohol, we MUST have a copy of your Driver's License on file (not just the number). Please fax to (269) 422-5038 OR email to orders@roundbarnwinery.com.
Faxes should also include your name and birthdate written on the paper.
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The Winemaking Experience
Spend a day in our boots!
People often tell us that we are "living their dream", so we decided to give everyone a chance to be a winemaker for a couple of days. We even narrowed it down to the two best days of the year...Harvest and Bottling. After picking grapes from our vineyard, our Winemaker and staff will guide you in crafting two cases of your very own wine. Appetizers and wine are provided for both days and these events are limited to 20 couples each.The best part? Even if Robert Parker doesn't give you 90 points your friends and family will still be impressed!
The Winemaking Experience makes a great gift!Just give a gift certificate and let the lucky recipient choose their date.
What to Expect
This is a 2 day event - one day in October and one day in April/May of the following year. There is a bottling and shipping charge if you can not return to bottle your wine and there are no exceptions to the bottling dates.Rain or Shine - Events start at Noon EST. Please dress appropriately for the weather as you will be outside.
Ask questions - We keep this casual but are always happy to go into more detail about our winemaking techniques and philosophy.
Day One
Picking
You will be picking your grapes the same way winemakers have been harvesting their crops for centuries...by hand. The style of grapes that you will be picking all depends on Mother Nature and what is ripe at the time of your event. Please bring gloves and a strong back!Crushing/Destemming
Next, you will dump your grapes into a crushing/destemming machine, which as the name states will remove the stems and crack open the grapes, allowing the juice to flow.The Red Experience day one ends here as we pump the must into open top bins, pitch the yeast and allow the juice/wine
contact with the skins to extract color and tannin. At this point you will make the decision to add oak if you desire.
Pressing (White Wine Only)
Our Winemaker will explain the nuances of operating our new bladder press to achieve the desired results. After pressing is complete you will pump your juice into a five gallon carboy and add yeast to start fermentation. At this point you will make the decision to add oak if you desire.Day Two
Adjusting your wine
On bottling day you will have the opportunity to taste your wine and adjust the sweetness to your desired level. Creating your own blend is one of the most exciting moments of the winemaking process!Bottling
After running your bottles through a sterilizing solution, you will use one of our siphon fillers to fill them. After filling is complete you will cork and capsule your wine, finishing with at least 24 bottles. We will send you home with plenty of blank labels so you can design them yourself.
White Winemaking Experience: $475 / 2 people
Red Winemaking Experience: $475 / 2 people Bottling Dates for 2010 Event:
White Event (choose one): May 7th or 8th 2011
Red Event (choose one): June 4th or 5th 2011
Register online, call 800-716-WINE or stop in to any of our tasting rooms.Red Event (choose one): June 4th or 5th 2011
