James May's Road Trip

[Dannyalcatraz]

Originally on British TV under a different title, this series is now on BBC America.

Gotta say, its kind of funny seeing May as the yobbo and criticizing someone else as being a bore on a specialized topic.

And the situations themselves are amusing. I don't know about anyone else, but I don't think I could get in a grape extract bath with another man. Seeing May & Oz in paper thongs was bad enough.

 

[Wycen]

Yeah, I agree.

Of course, being a BBC show there are only like 6 episodes.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

True, true.

Still, there are 3 seasons of the original, so I'm betting BBC America is combining them as the renamed show. Certainly, some of the ads hint at such a possibility. The first season was set in France, the second season in California...and I could swear I heard them mention Cali in the ads.

 

[Wycen]

Episode two was good. But I wonder if James May knew he was performing chaptalization when he added sugar to his grape must. And, why didn't Oz say something about it? I certainly don't see how anyone could expect, except through precise measurement, how you'd get "wine" in just 5 days. Did I hear that number right?

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Yep- 5 days.

But according to a winemaking website I found:

The Primary Fermentation will typically last for the first three
to five days. On average, 70 percent of the fermentation
activity will occur during these first few days. And in most
cases, you will notice considerable foaming during this time of
rapid fermentation.

IOW, yeah, you can get wine in 5 days. It may not be GOOD, and it may not be strong, but it will be wine.

I don't recall what Oz said about the fermentation times on those rustic farmer's wines. I mean, those guys know what they're doing, so who knows?