Ever Wonder How Many Grapes it Takes to Make a Bottle of Wine?

Last time we took a look at a wine fun-fact about a butt of wine and learned that it is a measure approximately equal to two standard barrels.

So, here's some more wine fun-facts about the amount of grapes used in producing wine.

When you look out at a vineyard, it's easy to imagine that the grapes produced in that vineyard will make "a ton" of wine. Well, one ton of grapes results in a little more than two barrels of wine! 

One barrel of wine equals:

• 60 gallons

• 25 cases

• 300 bottles

Stating it the other way around, to produce one bottle of wine it takes about 2.8 pounds of grapes or approximately four clusters.

So, there you go. A few more wine fun-facts.  Maybe not as interesting as last week's butt of wine, but I hope this helps to put some things into perspective. Cheers!

How Much is a Buttload of Wine?

It may seem like a funny or pointless question, but there's a real answer!  So, here's a wine fun-fact.

The “butt” is a measure of liquid volume equaling two hogsheads.  That may not be of much help. So, in terms that we all understand, a butt of wine is approximately 126 gallons. That's compared to a standard wine barrel that contains about 60 gallons. So, technically, a buttload of wine is roughly two standard barrels.

And, just so you know, a butt of wine is also called a pipe. Who knew? Cheers!

A Mystery Wine Tool

I recently received a gift that came in at small flat box. Knowing that good things come in small packages, I lifted the box only to find it to be very heavy.  Odd.  But, what was even more odd was once I opened the box and removed its contents, I still didn’t know what it was.

Being a bit perplexed, I asked "What is it?" It looked a bit like a tool that would be used to crack walnuts. But, no, it was not a nut cracker. I was told that is a wine tool. Really?

I finally had to ask “Tell me what it is!” and was told it is a Champagne cork opener!  I’d never seen such a tool and was fascinated. It’s designed to grab the cork (or plastic stopper) in a bottle of sparkling wine.  Once you’ve got a good grip on it, you simply twist and pull and out comes the cork. Without injuring yourself or damaging something in the room.

Now, it may not be as showy or fun as sabering the bottle open (if you’re not familiar with that I’ll cover it in a future blog) but it is quite efficient.  So, if you one who drinks a bit of the bubbly or you know someone who does, this makes a great gift. And, a great conversation piece. Cheers!

The Ah So Corkscrew Can Be Your Friend

There are a bunch of corkscrews available to purchase and they all do the same thing. Mostly.

The task of every corkscrew is to remove a cork from a bottle of wine. But not all corks are equal. And, when it comes to older corks, they can be a bit fragile. If you've ever pulled out a prized older bottle of wine but had the cork break apart while trying to extract it, the Ah So corkscrew can be your friend.

The Ah So excels at removing fragile or brittle older corks that tend to fall apart when using a traditional corkscrew. It works by inserting the prongs between the cork and the inside of the bottle's neck. Once inserted, it pinches down on the sides of the cork. Then, by pulling up and twisting, the cork can be extracted.

Because the Ah So does not pierce the cork, it also has been called the "Butler's Friend." As the story goes, a dishonest butler could remove the cork of a bottle of wine, pour himself a bit and replace the cork without his boss knowing otherwise.

Having an Ah So on hand is not a requirement for most wine drinkers, but it can be very useful, with practice, for extracting a fragile or half-broken cork.  Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - Wine of the Week

2015 Cline Family Cellars Lodi Zinfandel ($6)

Excellent Zinfandels come from Lodi. And, at $6 for this one is a steal. Along with being a great value, this Cline Zinfandel has real nice spice and pepper notes with nice fruit that isn't jammy.

Wines at this price point can sometimes by iffy, but don't skip this one because of the low price. Pick it because it's a Zinfandel from Lodi.