"Green" Wine

No, the wine itself isn't green.

I recycle wine bottles. Our friends save their bottles, knowing we'll return a few, filled of course.

I have to admit, though, that it's my least favorite part of the process. Soaking the labels off, scraping the glue, brushing out the inside, scraping the last gummy bits of glue off, and my personal favorite, the bottles where the glue seems to be etched into the glass. Bravo to you bottlers! Well played!

But I prefer to do it. Yes, it's good for the environment, but more importantly, it's cheap. Bottles tend to run about a dollar a bottle. When I'm bottling 14 gallons (about 70 bottles) that's a big savings. Do this two or three times a year, and the night or two of scraping labels makes a lot of sense.

I cleaned 36 bottles tonight. Want to do another 36 tomorrow night for Saturday's bottling.

Checked Saturday's Zin, gorgeous ruby color, crystal clear and very tasty. Going to oak about 5 liters and bottle the rest. I'll be posting the pictures here on Sunday or Monday.

Sipping some 2006 Hazlitt's Riesling. Hazlitt's, a popular Finger Lakes winery is known for their Red Cat, but that's not to say they don't make some really, really tasty other wines. One Note, if you're going: they get PACKED on weekends with bus trips, limos, etc. Do yourself a favor and go during the week and enjoy what they have to offer.

Still looking for a good way to end these...