# Juice Buckets and Fresh Grapes in Chicago



## RegionRat (Sep 22, 2013)

I was so looking forward to making wine from fresh grapes this year but I am so busy at work I dont think I can spend the time. What a bummer. So, I am going to do 2 buckets each of; Cab Sav, Merlot, Barbera, and Pinot Grigio?



From what I gather form my Italian frinds that make wine [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTaGNHqSdec"]Santa Fe Grape[/ame] is the place to get juice buckets and grapes. I stopped by there yesterday and spoke to Mario, nice guy. He gave me a brochure. The brochure said the juice and grapes come from Regina Grape Juice.

Regina's web site says, _"All of our Regina products are ready to use; the acid, pH level, color, sugar content, and varietal selection have all been carefully blended and balanced to optimum specifications and desirability by our own in-house enologists, who bring more than 70 years of experience to our products." _ They go on to say all one has to do is transfer to fermenter, bring up to temp and expose to air and it will ferment on its own. 

I still plan on checking ph and acid.


My questions are;

1. Why cant I just do primary in the buckets it comes in? I did that with the Chilean buckets I did in the spring. They sugest transferring to demejon. 

2. After getting them up to temp should I put in campton, let the buckets sit over night and introduce my own yeast? How I did juice buckets last spring. I so what yeast for; Cab Sav, Merlot, Barbera, and Pinot Grigio?

3. MLF, should I order culture to do MLF on any of the above mentioned buckets. If so witch ones. I read where you can introduce MLF culture when you transfer to secondary. 

Thanks in advance,

RR


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## geek (Sep 22, 2013)

Personally in my young wine maker life; 

1.I always now ferment in juice buckets and I even let it go all the way DRY at 0.99x with the exception of this Brunello kit that I transferred at 1.010 into a 6gal carboy because I wanted to add oak tannin and raisins...otherwise would leave in bucket until dry.

2.It is doable to put your own yeast but I never do, more experts here do it as they want a specific yeast to take over as it may give certain flavors, etc. I never tried it.

3.thanks to member pumpkin (Tom) for the first time I put my chilean Malbec and Cab Sav through MLF in May and I am now doing a Merlot.
I'd do MLF in all my reds from now and on. It really softens the wine and takes the harsh green taste out.
.


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## djrockinsteve (Sep 22, 2013)

I have used Regina juice for several years now. Excellent IMO when you get them home, allow them to warm up a bit. For me 6-8 hours and its at 65 degrees + or -

Open up, add yeast nutrient (6 teaspoons. I add mine upfront). Pectic enzyme (21 liquid drops for me). Stir gently. 

Take gravity reading. Reds almost always 1.092 whites 1.082??? I no longer check ph as they are always adjusted nicely. 

Wait 12 hours with loose fitting lid. 

Rehydrate my Lalvin yeast. Add yeast. I stir 4-5 times a day releasing CO2 (No more volcanos for me). 

3-4 days later I take gravity readings. Usually on the 5th day they are at 1.000

I add 1 teaspoon of yeast energizer per bucket (not nutrient). Stir very well to release CO2

Immediately snap on tight the lid with an airlock. (3/8th hole fits a #2 bung nicely). 

Leave it alone 2-3 days. 3 is best. The CO2 protects the wine. 

Rack off of sediment into carboys. You should get 5 1/2 gallons each. Blend extra or Dave to top off later which means you need half gallon carboys or magnums. 

I add 1/4 teaspoon of sulfite per 5 gallon and clear with sparkolloid. 

6 weeks later rack off of sediment adding a pinch (1/8th teaspoon) sulfite. 

Age 8-12 months. Back sweeten and bottle. 

Add oak to your Merlots, cab sauvs., cab francs, not Pinot moors etc. for my Merlots I'll add 8-10 ounces by weight to my Merlots. We like it Oaked good.


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## Poni (Sep 22, 2013)

Dont bother adding sulfite unless you can test and make sure you even need it. I got a regina sangiovese amd tested the so2 and got that it had 26ppm. Which is plenty. I added yeast, i mean why not? I dont wanna depend on yeast that has been introduced to the wine and then told to just lay chilly until someone is ready for them. I like to make sure all will be well. Good luck!


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## RegionRat (Sep 23, 2013)

geek said:


> Personally in my young wine maker life;
> 
> 1.I always now ferment in juice buckets and I even let it go all the way DRY at 0.99x with the exception of this Brunello kit that I transferred at 1.010 into a 6gal carboy because I wanted to add oak tannin and raisins...otherwise would leave in bucket until dry.
> 
> ...



The first and only juice buckest I have done were in the fall. I did primary in the buckets then. I was planning on doing the same now but the _Regina Grapes_ says to transfer the must to a carboy for primary.

I introduced yeast to the buckets in the spring.

I also did MLF on the buckets for the first time with the help of fellow forum members.



djrockinsteve said:


> I have used Regina juice for several years now. Excellent IMO when you get them home, allow them to warm up a bit. For me 6-8 hours and its at 65 degrees + or -
> 
> Open up, add yeast nutrient (6 teaspoons. I add mine upfront). Pectic enzyme (21 liquid drops for me). Stir gently.
> 
> ...



Thanks, 

That is about how I am planning on doing this. I think I am going to do 2 buckets of each. That way I will end up with 11 gal. One 5 gal and one 6 gal carboy to age.




Poni said:


> Dont bother adding sulfite unless you can test and make sure you even need it. I got a regina sangiovese amd tested the so2 and got that it had 26ppm. Which is plenty. I added yeast, i mean why not? I dont wanna depend on yeast that has been introduced to the wine and then told to just lay chilly until someone is ready for them. I like to make sure all will be well. Good luck!



Thanks, Yes I can test for sulfite but I will wait then. No sulfite till I later. I think I am going to introduce my own yeast. I down loaded the _More Wine Yeast Guide_ and plan on reading through it later on today.

RR


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## RegionRat (Oct 7, 2013)

djrockinsteve said:


> Add oak to your Merlots, cab sauvs., cab francs, not Pinot moors etc. for my Merlots I'll add 8-10 ounces by weight to my Merlots. We like it Oaked good.



Do you oak upfront or wait for aging?

Picked up Juice buckets and fresh grapes today. Merlot, Moscato, and Pino Griz. 3 boxes of Cab.

RR


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## shoebiedoo (Oct 15, 2013)

Regina Adds Lysozyme to their buckets so you can not put them through MLF. A friend of mine called them last year and got that information.

thought you'd want to know


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## RegionRat (Oct 15, 2013)

shoebiedoo said:


> Regina Adds Lysozyme to their buckets so you can not put them through MLF. A friend of mine called them last year and got that information.
> 
> thought you'd want to know



Thanks for the info. 

I _just_ pitched Bacchus Malolactic Bacteria Culture with 5gr Opti'Malo Plus. WHAT A CROCK!!!! 

I remember reading in the spring that too much Opti'Malo Plus can leave a foul taste. 

So now what, K-meta, sorbate, degas and start aging? 

Next year I will be moving out of the CV. Look out Lodi here I come.

RR


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## RegionRat (Oct 15, 2013)

This is from Scott Labs site:

_If I treat my wine with lysozyme is it still possible to complete MLF?

Yes. After lysozyme is added to juice or must, there is an eventual decrease in activity. In red wines, lysozyme reacts with the tannins and will precipitate in the lees. To initiate MLF in reds, it is important to remove these lees. In white wines, lysozyme generally needs to be removed by fining (bentonite) before MLF inoculation. It may be necessary to wait a minimum of a few hours to overnight for the fining reaction to occur. If difficulties occur, lysozyme tolerant MLF strains including MBR 31, MBR VP41 or a standard culture like MT01 could also be used._

I guess I will let it clear and if MFL doesnt start I will rack and introduce culture again.

I am not liking this hobby right now!

RR


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## RegionRat (Oct 16, 2013)

After thinking about it over night I added 2tsp bentonite this morning.


RR


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