2018 Grape Season Underway

[Boatboy24]

Agree on 2019 and those of us in the mid-atlantic should think about it seriously. Big difference in prices, and with a year to plan, I think we can do it easily. Just not enough time to plan it all out this year. If we end up looking at a handful of 1/4 ton orders, we may be able to get some input as to delivery location.

 

[pgentile]

Just stopped in and spoke to Lenny at Procacci Bros. Grapes are going up 1.50 per lug across the board. No printed list yet(2017 price list is posted somewhere here). Trucking cost increase and small increase from supplier driving prices. He will do deals on 30 lugs or more.

Premium Zin and some other grapes will be in as early as this Thursday. Said the Zin was harvested at 23 brix.

They were unloading, presses, corkers, etc today.

 

[pgentile]

Agree on 2019 and those of us in the mid-atlantic should think about it seriously. Big difference in prices, and with a year to plan, I think we can do it easily. Just not enough time to plan it all out this year. If we end up looking at a handful of 1/4 ton orders, we may be able to get some input as to delivery location.

Agreed

 

[mainshipfred]

Just stopped in and spoke to Lenny at Procacci Bros. Grapes are going up 1.50 per lug across the board. No printed list yet(2017 price list is posted somewhere here). Trucking cost increase and small increase from supplier driving prices. He will do deals on 30 lugs or more.

Premium Zin and some other grapes will be in as early as this Thursday. Said the Zin was harvested at 23 brix.

They were unloading, presses, corkers, etc today.

Wonder what the discount would be.

 

[pgentile]

Wonder what the discount would be.

At 30 lugs he said around 2 bucks or so a lug. I imagine it would scale from there or be dependent on his mood that day.

 

[Boatboy24]

Just stopped in and spoke to Lenny at Procacci Bros. Grapes are going up 1.50 per lug across the board. No printed list yet(2017 price list is posted somewhere here). Trucking cost increase and small increase from supplier driving prices. He will do deals on 30 lugs or more.

Premium Zin and some other grapes will be in as early as this Thursday. Said the Zin was harvested at 23 brix.

They were unloading, presses, corkers, etc today.

They are first come, first serve, right? No preorders?

 

[pgentile]

They are first come, first serve, right? No preorders?

Yup, no pre-orders that I'm aware of.

 

[Ajmassa]

Remember tho- time is also $$. The beauty of the typical pickup from distributor is having to do NO legwork.

The only distributor I’ve seen advertising bulk deals is keystone. Some grapes 1/4 ton minimum. Others 1/2 ton minimum. Aside from using them you would essentially end up doing their job- which is a hassle.
The other places that do bulk I’ve spoken with are F Colavita & son and Collingswood grape Co. And both of these supply to the distributors we use.
But to use them directly is tricky. Need to organize all buyers and try to agree on the varietals and make it work with the volumes- hoping you have enough of each to warrant your own truck. Collingswood told me about 4tons to fill a truck
If Ya can’t fill a truck then ya gotta try and piggyback on another delivery. Some wineries close by with room on a truck. And even then- the timing needs to work. If they get Lodi earlier and you want diff AVA- then can’t do it.
After looking into it I realized it wasn’t worth the headache. Too many variables involved. I was looking into possible ways to get really high quality grapes at bulk prices.
Usually purchases like this are ran by wine clubs. Sourgrapes club used Collingswood grape co- and he told me it was not the smoothest ride from order to delivery.
Plus it’s hard just getting past the first step. Getting enough people and then to all agree on the amounts a varietals-
And in the end how much $ is being saved vs the hoops needed to jump thru to make it happen?

 

[pgentile]

@Ajmassa5983 well said

 

[mainshipfred]

I agree as well it would be a hassle. It's a great thought though.

 

[Ajmassa]

I went down this wormhole last month. Even if I found 3 or 4 guys to go in on purchasing 1 ton of cab- not enough for own delivery. Closest winery supplied was in Hershey. But they got Lodi and timing wouldn’t work.
With thar option gone it didn’t make sense anymore since both joints Supply both pintos and keystone. (Don’t know to what extent tho).
Keystone offering the bulk deals themselves sounded like my best option for bulk buy by a mile. And would still totally do it too. But my plan was not jiving with Jim’s.
I was looking at the red hill cab for $2.05 lb bulk buy. But I’d have about 500lbs extra grapes (1/2 ton min)

 

[Boatboy24]

I think it'd be simplest to utilize Keystone's legwork and just take their 1/4 or 1/2 ton pricing. It's a haul for me and Fred, but I think it'd be worth it. For this year, I think I'm going to hit the 'Easy' button and try out the Washington Winemakers. Lodi fruit, which I'm not super excited about, but pickup location should be less than an hour away. And I suspect pricing will be less than I'm used to paying for the Suisun grapes.

For next year and group buys, I'd try to be flexible on varietals and go with the flow a bit. Depending on what my Dad wants to do, I may just say 'screw it' and do a quarter ton of good Cab.

 

[mainshipfred]

The Lodi doesn't excite very much either. It looks like my Tannat may fall through as well. The winery just told me it's on a TBD basis. Since the harvest is not looking good. Same with all of VA.

 

[Ajmassa]

. I may just say 'screw it' and do a quarter ton of good Cab.

Hell yes! Now we’re cookin with gas!

I found what seems to be the only French barrel <30gal in the country. You should get one too I think. 55L Saint Martin

 

[Boatboy24]

Hell yes! Now we’re cookin with gas!

I found what seems to be the only French barrel <30gal in the country. You should get one too I think. 55L Saint Martin

Too rich for my blood, and I couldn't keep it full (I think). If I went w/ something like a quarter ton of one varietal, I'd probably still break it up into 4 batches and run them through my 23 liter barrels. Then just mix up for bottling.

 

[gitmo234]

I ordered from here: http://oakwoodbarrels.com/

no experience with them but will keep you all up to date

 

[pgentile]

The Lodi doesn't excite very much either. It looks like my Tannat may fall through as well. The winery just told me it's on a TBD basis. Since the harvest is not looking good. Same with all of VA.

Been reading Virginia and other east coast grapes have received too much rain. Not going to be the best harvests,

 

[Boatboy24]

Been reading Virginia and other east coast grapes have received too much rain. Not going to be the best harvests,

I was going to try and score some local Viognier or Petite Manseng, but will likely have to wait until next year. May do a juice bucket Viognier if the option is available.

 

[GreenEnvy22]

I started picking our muscat this evening. Got a 20L brute full of grapes before I had to give up for the night due to mosquitoes and darkness. Will finish up tomorrow morning.

 

[mainshipfred]

I ordered from here: http://oakwoodbarrels.com/

no experience with them but will keep you all up to date

Be careful, read the reviews.