We’re clearing out the beautiful wine themed T-Shirts!  It’s a great chance to pick up a fun gift for a girlfriend or to add a little bling to your own wardrobe.  There are limited designs and styles available, and when they’re gone – they’re gone!  Stop in soon to visit and save 25% on these shirts.

Shopping for a little sparkle

Red Bean Co. Wine Rack

A full wine rack is a thing of beauty!  We can help you plan your cellar and make recommendations on wines for special occasions, celebratory meals and events, and for those summertime sipping events on the patio.  These wine racks are built by redbeanco.com and are available in several sizes:  60 Bottle Tall, 30 Bottle Short, 30 Bottle Tall and 20 Bottle Corner.  I used a combination of 60 and 30 Tall and 20 Corner racks to create this space, and have two tiers.  The rack is nice and solid, and each piece is easy to put together – Rod can assemble a 60 Bottle Tall in less than 10 minutes!  We’re happy to provide you with measurements and pricing if these racks are right for your space.

Wine Central is proud to present a series of articles on “Do-It-Yourself Winemaking”, which features tips, ‘how-tos’, and advice on making your own wines. We’ve taken a short break for the “Medal Winning Performance, Affordable Price” promotion in February and are now back in action. This week is the third installment in our series—”Winemaking Kit Supplies”.

Winemaking Kit Supplies

You’re probably wondering what supplies and ingredients make up a winemaking kit. Here is a list of typical wine kit components.

• Potassium Metabisulfite prevents oxidation and suppresses bacteria and wild yeast.  Kits typically have a concentration of 15-50 ppm (parts per million) at bottling.  The legally allowable limit of metabisulfite for commercial dry table wine is 70 ppm.  Sulfite is a respiratory irritant and shouldn’t be inhaled by anyone with asthma or emphysema.

• Postassium Sorbate (Sorbic Acid) prevents renewed fermentation in sweet wines and inhibits growth of mold and yeast.  Combined with the sulfite in the kit it helps keep the wine stable for cellaring and ageing.  Sorbate prevents yeast and bacteria from reproducing.

• Bentonite is a type of naturally occurring clay that when added prior to pitching the yeast, speeds the onset of fermentation.

• Isinglass is made from the powdered swim bladder of tropical white fish and dissolved in liquid.  It’s gentle and won’t strip wine of its colour or aroma.

• Chitosan is derived from the outer shells of ocean crustaceans, but has no allergenic properties since it’s treated to destroy all proteins.  It is protein free and often used for water treatment.

• Oak Chips or Oak Powder come from American or European oak trees and may be toasted.  It adds wonderful flavours and aromas to wine.

• Elderberries are the dried fruit of the elderflower bush.  Most come from Belgium.  They add a plum-like flavour and a deep red colour.

• Dried Elderflowers are added prior to pitching the yeast.  Used mainly for German-style wines, they add aroma and complexity to white wines.

Take a look at Wine Central’s complete wine list.