Your hands-on winemaking experience will begin in the fall with grape selection and a harvest festival at Bella Vita Vineyard in Cutchogue. There are four mandatory winemaking sessions, as well as, one wine tasting class given by a local Long Island Winemaker. Educational viticulture sessions will be included.
Session 1: Your freshly picked grapes will be crushed, destemed, and the fermentation process started.
Session 2: About two weeks later, members will return to press their grapes and fill a barrel of their choice.
Session 3: A few months later, members will learn how to clarify and stabilize their wine in preparation for bottling. At this time, custom label designing and developing will take place.
Session 4: Shortly before year end, members will meet to bottle, cork, and label what we anticipate to be another award winning wine.