# What's the word on grapes this fall?



## pgentile (Aug 12, 2021)

Anyone with any inside information on grapes this fall in the Philadelphia region? Don't see any price lists posted yet. I called Gino Pinto's last week, they had no prices yet and no arrival date. But they said they would have grapes. Keystone only has Italian juice buckets posted in the $65 is range. Procacci bros website still says it's 2018. 

Unhappy with my 1.5 year old juice bucket and grape blend zin. So looking to get more all grape batches going this year than the past couple if that can happen. 

Hope everyone is doing well and staying safe.


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## varano14 (Aug 13, 2021)

I am not in the Philadelphia Area, more Central PA but my local store just put out the grape/juice list for this fall and it has Red/White juice bucket options from both California and Italy as well as grape baskets from California. Not sure about stores closer to you but mine seems to be doing a full run of orders. Based on all the times I've made the trip its usually around 2.5 hours one way if you can't find what you want closer to home.


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## mainshipfred (Aug 13, 2021)

Hey Paul, good to hear from you. We just got our price list for this year. The letter said grape prices were up 20% but when I compare it last year I don't see it. The reports I get are the grapes are plentiful this year but with all the problems with smoke taint last year they are in demand. That along with the marijana offering a higher pay for pickers the grapes industry had to increase what they pay, then there is the trucking issue which I don't quite understand. Just so you have something to compare to I attached our pricing sheets.


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## Ajmassa (Aug 13, 2021)

Hey yo! What’s good Paul?

-Pintos said they hoped to have their menu up this week
-Keystone said freakin Labor Day 
-And procacci bros, well you know their deal already. Safe to expect grapes soon after Labor Day thru mid October regardless of online presence. (Use their FB for grape updates)

I’m holding out for the fancy chit. Last year keystone actually sourced Napa fruit but got smoked out. And I’m also doin another D. Red batch from procacci.


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## winemaker81 (Aug 13, 2021)

mainshipfred said:


> We just got our price list for this year.


Is the delivery date for each variety known?


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## mainshipfred (Aug 13, 2021)

winemaker81 said:


> Is the delivery date for each variety known?



They all come the same time, I believe the pickup date is September 25th. You might want to email Jim Gearing to get put on the email list.


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## pgentile (Aug 13, 2021)

mainshipfred said:


> Hey Paul, good to hear from you. We just got our price list for this year. The letter said grape prices were up 20% but when I compare it last year I don't see it. The reports I get are the grapes are plentiful this year but with all the problems with smoke taint last year they are in demand. That along with the marijana offering a higher pay for pickers the grapes industry had to increase what they pay, then there is the trucking issue which I don't quite understand. Just so you have something to compare to I attached our pricing sheets.


Yah, I've been aware of most of that, I've read that quality is up this year yield is less than last year and shipping is through the roof. So was expecting prices to be higher good to hear maybe not as much as feared. Just was concerned currently with covid spiking again would it affect deliveries.

Thanks for the price sheet.

Gino Pinto's has merged with Wine & Beer Supply in Ashland, Virginia. Maybe they will make grapes available in the future.


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## mainshipfred (Aug 13, 2021)

pgentile said:


> Yah, I've been aware of most of that, I've read that quality is up this year yield is less than last year and shipping is through the roof. So was expecting prices to be higher good to hear maybe not as much as feared. Just was concerned currently with covid spiking again would it affect deliveries.
> 
> Thanks for the price sheet.
> 
> Gino Pinto's has merged with Wine & Beer Supply in Ashland, Virginia. Maybe they will make grapes available in the future.



They may have merged but will probably not have grapes in Ashland this year. I'm good with fall but hopefully Ashland will have spring grapes next year. It's a lot closer than New Jersey.


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## pgentile (Aug 13, 2021)

Ajmassa said:


> Hey yo! What’s good Paul?
> 
> -Pintos said they hoped to have their menu up this week
> -Keystone said freakin Labor Day
> ...


All is good. Hope the same there. I hear you on the fancy chit, will get more fancy chit myself this year. Will scale up and down, planning on 20-30 gl of all grape and similar in juice buckets this year. The past two years I did not stay ahead of consumption.


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## pgentile (Aug 13, 2021)

varano14 said:


> I am not in the Philadelphia Area, more Central PA but my local store just put out the grape/juice list for this fall and it has Red/White juice bucket options from both California and Italy as well as grape baskets from California. Not sure about stores closer to you but mine seems to be doing a full run of orders. Based on all the times I've made the trip its usually around 2.5 hours one way if you can't find what you want closer to home.


Thanks, what local store is that?


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## franc1969 (Aug 15, 2021)

pgentile said:


> Thanks, what local store is that?


I'm not sure where varano14 is, but closest businesses that I am aware of are Lancaster Homebrew (Lancaster PA), Keystone (Montgomeryville PA), Gino Pinto (Hammonton NJ), Procacci Brothers (south Philadelphia PA). S&S Winegrapes (Hanover MD by BWI), Annapolis Homebrew (Annapolis MD). If you are going west in Pennsylvania, Delallo (Jeannette PA) and CFP Winemakers (Pittsburgh PA). 
Lancaster, Delallo, Annapolis have juice only. Gino Pinto and CFP Winemakers have spring and some cooler non-California grapes.
Washington Winemakers is the closest/best deal for California harvest- essentially a buying group without profit margin- but order early, and a single Saturday pickup date in Mitchellville MD.


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## varano14 (Aug 16, 2021)

pgentile said:


> Thanks, what local store is that?



Catino's in Mount Carmel PA

I'm not in any way affiliated with them other then that I shop there.


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## mainshipfred (Aug 16, 2021)

I periodically get this newsletter from Calavita and Sons. I guess I misread the yield part. The crops are actually smaller than normal. 






Gmail


Gmail is email that’s intuitive, efficient, and useful. 15 GB of storage, less spam, and mobile access.



mail.google.com


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## Ajmassa (Aug 16, 2021)

mainshipfred said:


> I periodically get this newsletter from Calavita and Sons. I guess I misread the yield part. The crops are actually smaller than normal.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Somehow the proper url was lost during the copypasta. That link you posted just directs you to gmails homepage.


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## mainshipfred (Aug 16, 2021)

Try this one.






F. Colavita & Son







www.cawinegrapes.com





Never mind it didn't work either.


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## bstnh1 (Aug 17, 2021)

What to expect this winemaking season.


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## ToadHaul (Aug 17, 2021)

Current Crop News — F. Colavita & Son


mainshipfred said:


> Try this one.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## pgentile (Sep 4, 2021)

Ended up with 6 lugs each of Zin and Sangiovese from Procacci Bros. Lenny was Lenny today, complained about all the cost increases. Place was slower than years past. 

Sangiovese quality was very good. Zin had some very small green fruit here and there , but both tasted very good. 

Thinking 6 lugs of petite syrah next.


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## pgentile (Sep 6, 2021)

Pitched yeast yesterday and woke to the smell of fermentation underway. Didn't realize how much I have missed that the past 18 months. Just realized I forgot mlb.


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## pgentile (Sep 18, 2021)

Siphoned off the sangio and the zin free run today, both smell great at this point, haven't taken any ph or other numbers yet. Combined skins and pitched 2 buckets of zin on those skins. Also picked up 6 lugs of petite syrah and crushed those today. Fruit looked very good. Going to pickup another 6 lugs of something next week and a few more buckets. Feeling like I'm getting back in the wine groove. Hope everyone's grape season is going well.


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## pgentile (Sep 26, 2021)

Petite syrah was coming along nicely until this mornng I went to the basement to punch down an had left the towel covering the vat off overnight. A dozen or so fruit flies, hopefully not ruined.


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