Stanley - Creating World Class Red Wine

Mark Stanley

THE SACRED SPRING
OF THE
BLOOD ROYAL

Available on Amazon in Paperback and Kindle

During World War II, an American paratrooper on a covert mission drops into eastern France to find mystery, romance, murder, espionage and becomes involved with the Prieur de Sion, an ancient secret order that has been quietly influencing western society for centuries.

And that is only the beginning.

For over a thousand years, members of the Prieur de Sion have been the targets of assassinations. Why? The tale weaves a thread that begins in the alpine meadows of the Jura mountains, and moves into mystical journeys of self-realization in the labyrinth and secret underground temple complex near Rennes le Chateau in southwestern France.

Mystical, Magical, Esoteric Entertainment--Edward J. Barton-VineVoice

This was one of those books I couldn't put down. It seemed to have a little bit of everything. A thriller, a love story, a spiritual quest, a fantasy, a history primer, and a travelog all rolled up into one grand adventure. Charles

Well Done--Riveting--Inspector 12

Stanley has woven a mystic tale with a historic background and mysterious throughout. This is a story of love and intrigue but it seems with a underlying content of the spiritual development of the soul. Roger

All elements were there for an entertaining and enjoyable book. I found it a plus that the writing style took me into the environment in a refreshing way. I would enjoy further efforts by this author VanDeMark

Creating World Class Red Wine

Creating World Class Red Wine
Copyright 2014
Mark Stanley

Ascension Press

ISBN 9781500825416

All rights reserved.
This includes the right to reproduce any portion of this book in any form.

This book expresses the authors views and opinions. Neither the author, nor its re-sellers or distributors will be held liable for any damages caused or alleged to be caused either directly or indirectly by this book. Because there is always some risk involved, the author, publisher, and/or distributors of this book are not responsible for any adverse effects or consequences resulting from the use of any recipes, suggestions or procedures described hereafter.

Every reasonable attempt has been made to identify owners of copyright.
Errors or omission will be corrected in subsequent editions

Graphics by Chris Miller

Cover design and images by Mark Stanley

Creating World Class Red Wine

Mark Stanley

CONTENTS

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Author's Note

This book is written for the casual reader to enjoy, but also contains what I deemed the most important technical information for professionals. Wine lovers and beginning winemakers will notice special text boxes throughout the book with Tech Talk headers containing more technical info. This layout allows casual readers to avoid the more technical information if they choose.

Some sentences may seem isolatedin their own paragraph; a statement that does not necessarily flow well with the body of the text. I chose to leave them in. These are valuable little statements that represent notes I saved from opinions made about or by world-class winemakers, or ideas I felt were poignant.

The winemaking chapter begins with Red Winemaking Simplified, an outline presented in a linear time line. Each step refers to a page containing in-depth discussions on that particular step or topic. The Red Winemaking Simplified section can therefore be used as an overview of the process, by beginning winemakers as it is, and also as a table of contents for further discussions in the vinification chapter.

This layout is intended to simplify what can be a rather daunting process for those not familiar with ita process even further complicated due to my habit of presenting different options for the winemaker to choose from.

There are times when I will make a simple command statement, like: Never allow aluminum to contact wine. There are technical reasons behind those statements that I chose not to bore the reader with. I prefer to say no to tedium.

Temperatures are important in winemaking. For the international audience, most temperatures are expressed in both Fahrenheit and Celsius scales. To simplify throughout the text, I have chosen to abbreviate---69 degrees Fahrenheit/20 degrees Celsius is abbreviated to: 69F/20C

At some point the reader may notice that some of the most mundane aspects of grape growing and winemaking are absent from the text: How deep is the planting hole? How does one build a sturdy trellis? How to use a siphon hose? These are topics very well covered by other authors and easily found with a search engine. What is less covered by other authors is how the best grapes are grown and how the finest wines are made. That is the center of the focus here, the hub the mandala wheel rotates onand like a sacred spring, I keep gravitating back to the watering hole.

INTRODUCTION

If life smiles at you

Enjoy it completely

Never let the golden cup

Wait in the moonlight

Li Bai 701-762 A.D.

How rare those pivotal experiences which shape our lives, appearing out of the mist like the muses of the ancient world--unexpected, perhaps unwelcome to most but the courageous or very foolish few.

Inspiration, insight, passion? Nothere is no word to describe it. And yet, I have learned to recognize that elvan craft, bedecked with flowers, as an invitation, and impulsively embark; choosing not to step once again onto the shore until my spirit has been satiated.

Allowing our passions is to honor life itself, as during those times we really know we are living. Whatever the manifestation, whether it be a piece of music, a new design, or even a well-crafted meal; it is the creation process itself that is the fuel of the artist.

One could say the journey began in 1971. I had a friend who later, when it came time to function as an adult, somehow couldnt handle it well. But at sixteen years of age he was as great a friend a teenager could hope for.

The setting was a sleepy Seattle suburb near the Puget Sound. We were perched on the railing of a grey weathered back deck at his parents house.

It was one of those bright early summer days, with just a hint of coolness blowing in from the north across the water, bringing with it a salty, nose-twitching clam and octopus fragrance. Sweet and sourthat gentle heat and almost goose bump breeze.

His father (who was not at home) had a wine rack in the dining room. On that particular day, since we had nothing else to do, my buddy said, Lets drink a bottle of my dads $20-a-bottle French wine! I was game.

Oh, those days of youththat fleeting moment in time when one is blessed with the luxury of zero responsibilities. The most important thing I did not do was to roll out the prayer rug every sunset and thank whomever for yet another day of freedom.

I remember him struggling with the cork and handing me a glass. Those were two firsts for me: wine with a cork and drinking it from a wine glass. Prior to that time, except for unmentionable screw-top encounters, the only beverage I had partaken in that resembled genuine wine had been filched from the gallon OCribari rouge that my mother kept in our refrigerator.

Cold Cribari. I do honor my mother for being a red wine drinker. She was half French.