2018 Grape Season Underway

[Johnd]

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That’s some pretty good looking fruit!!

 

[Ajmassa]

If you destem through chicken wire or something similar please let me know how it goes. I anticipated some trial and error and having it either go perfectly- or a disaster and bailing halfway through

 

[pgentile]

I wanted to destem through chicken wire but never got around to putting it together this week, so went with a milk crate. it was the slow and clumsy part of the process. It worked but need to improve that part by next crush.

 

[mainshipfred]

I'm very curious to hear the pricing. Gino Pinto's had 25gl barrels for $395.

The price I got from Vadai is $236.00 for a 25 and a 30 is $243.00 plus for me $65.00 for shipping.

 

[pgentile]

So they equate to a 6.5 and 8 gallons? I know I don't want a 25gl but I'm undecided on what would be best 8 or 15 gallon barrel. $243 is palatable.

 

[mainshipfred]

So they equate to a 6.5 and 8 gallons? I know I don't want a 25gl but I'm undecided on what would be best 8 or 15 gallon barrel. $243 is palatable.

That's the price I got a while ago from Vadai. I haven't received my pricing from Zemplen yet.

 

[pgentile]

That's the price I got a while ago from Vadai. I haven't received my pricing from Zemplen yet.

Got it.

 

[pgentile]

Numbers this morning.

Temp of must 58 f

Brix 25
pH 3.44

I didn't redo TA

 

[Ajmassa]

Getting a small barrel kinda overwhelms me. But I want the oak. And the micro-oxidation. But To keep full I need more batches less time needed at 1st and specific volumes needed to transfer to and from other vessels- and accounting for evaporation. Need some more 3gal carboys and 1 gal jugs.
6.5 and 8gal is funky size. My current batches are 5,5 and 20. And 2 more 6’s Upcoming. Actually if I bump the new stuff another lug each I could make 25L barrel work. And would have 5 batches to run through concurrently. (20gal=3). How long till neutral?

 

[Johnd]

Getting a small barrel kinda overwhelms me. But I want the oak. And the micro-oxidation. But To keep full I need more batches less time needed at 1st and specific volumes needed to transfer to and from other vessels- and accounting for evaporation. Need some more 3gal carboys and 1 gal jugs.
6.5 and 8gal is funky size. My current batches are 5,5 and 20. And 2 more 6’s Upcoming. Actually if I bump the new stuff another lug each I could make 25L barrel work. And would have 5 batches to run through concurrently. (20gal=3). How long till neutral?

My 23 L Vadai barrels got neutral somewhere around 18 - 24 months. Since then, been leaving wines in them 6 - 8 months with oak staves / wine stix.

 

[Ajmassa]

My 23 L Vadai barrels got neutral somewhere around 18 - 24 months. Since then, been leaving wines in them 6 - 8 months with oak staves / wine stix.

So ballparking 6 weeks and doubling, sounds like I could get at least 4 batches oaked before neutral. It’s funny I initially thought to get a small one to get my feet wet, but the smaller barrels are actually more work and planning.

 

[Boatboy24]

My experience is the same as John's - 18+ months to neutral. Doing 3 lugs (108lbs) gives me about 7 gallons from most varietals. So there's enough to top up, but not a ton of extra, with the 23 liter barrels. I find the size to be just about perfect. Plus, if you do kits, you can run a few of those through first to break the barrel in.

 

[Johnd]

So ballparking 6 weeks and doubling, sounds like I could get at least 4 batches oaked before neutral. It’s funny I initially thought to get a small one to get my feet wet, but the smaller barrels are actually more work and planning.

‘Tis true, a little more planning is is involved, but if you’re practicing our motto, you should have plenty of wines to run through. Started with one 23L, quickly grew to 4 of those, then added the 12 gallon when I realized that my wine backlog was years long. Now I’m all for bulk aging, but not for one day longer than necessary, and had 1.5 yo wines waiting to be barreled.

 

[mainshipfred]

Got my pricing on the barrels yesterday. They set me up as a small distributer of 10 occasional barrel orders. I couldn't get the discount of a larger distributer due to the quantity. The 25's are $190.00 and the 30's are $200.00. The shippimg cost works out to be around $15.00 per barrel plus I have to pick them up in Richmond which I don't mind. Those who are local I am willing to bring them to Baltimore or Philly for you to pick up in order to save additional shipping costs plus another opportunity to get together. I placed the order and am taking a bit of a risk if not enough of you are interested. Hopefully I can sell the others on Craigslist or Ebay.

As far as the sizes I selected (a little selfish) I'm not getting them for kits but rather grapes or juice bucket/grape combinations. With a juice bucket and a lug or 2 or 3 of grapes you are well over 25 liters and depending on how many lugs over 30 liters. Being new but having created a pretty good inventory of different sized carboys I still find it difficult when racking to fill the appropriate sized containers and sometimes I end up racking to a different sized container immediately. It took me a while to figure out how to handle filling the barrels but what I came up with is filling the barrel and leaving the remaining wine in carboys. Just before the barrel wine has enough oak I transfer some of the wine out of the barrel and replace it with the unoaked wine. I could also over oak the barreled wine then blend it with the unoaked. So far it seems to be working out pretty well, a little more work, and I'm getting a slightly longer time in the barrel without over oaking so I can keep the barrels filled longer.

As I said, I ordered the barrels so let me know if you are interested.

 

[pgentile]

Got my pricing on the barrels yesterday. They set me up as a small distributer of 10 occasional barrel orders. I couldn't get the discount of a larger distributer due to the quantity. The 25's are $190.00 and the 30's are $200.00. The shippimg cost works out to be around $15.00 per barrel plus I have to pick them up in Richmond which I don't mind. Those who are local I am willing to bring them to Baltimore or Philly for you to pick up in order to save additional shipping costs plus another opportunity to get together. I placed the order and am taking a bit of a risk if not enough of you are interested. Hopefully I can sell the others on Craigslist or Ebay..

That's great, I am 100% interested in at least one 30. I'm willing to meet somewhere in-between or closer to you to make it easier when they arrive.

 

[mainshipfred]

That's great, I am 100% interested in at least one 30. I'm willing to meet somewhere in-between or closer to you to make it easier when they arrive.

Great, they couldn't give a shipping date yet but initially said June or July but it all depends when their large barrel orders are ready to be shipped. Would be great if they came in before the Split Rock Meet Up.

 

[pgentile]

Lag phase is over, we have lift off, added nutrients. Pinotage has very thick skins, this is thickest must I have had to date. Maybe it's more pronounced this year do to the drought in SA. But I have never encountered the grape before so I have no personal reference.

This is the first all grape batch that my 2 x 4 crusher wasn't used. It's looking rather sad there sitting in the corner knowing it will never be used again, but the real crusher was far superior.

 

[mainshipfred]

Got my pricing on the barrels yesterday. They set me up as a small distributer of 10 occasional barrel orders. I couldn't get the discount of a larger distributer due to the quantity. The 25's are $190.00 and the 30's are $200.00. The shippimg cost works out to be around $15.00 per barrel plus I have to pick them up in Richmond which I don't mind. Those who are local I am willing to bring them to Baltimore or Philly for you to pick up in order to save additional shipping costs plus another opportunity to get together. I placed the order and am taking a bit of a risk if not enough of you are interested. Hopefully I can sell the others on Craigslist or Ebay.

As far as the sizes I selected (a little selfish) I'm not getting them for kits but rather grapes or juice bucket/grape combinations. With a juice bucket and a lug or 2 or 3 of grapes you are well over 25 liters and depending on how many lugs over 30 liters. Being new but having created a pretty good inventory of different sized carboys I still find it difficult when racking to fill the appropriate sized containers and sometimes I end up racking to a different sized container immediately. It took me a while to figure out how to handle filling the barrels but what I came up with is filling the barrel and leaving the remaining wine in carboys. Just before the barrel wine has enough oak I transfer some of the wine out of the barrel and replace it with the unoaked wine. I could also over oak the barreled wine then blend it with the unoaked. So far it seems to be working out pretty well, a little more work, and I'm getting a slightly longer time in the barrel without over oaking so I can keep the barrels filled longer.

As I said, I ordered the barrels so let me know if you are interested.

Edit, I went back and reread the qoute. The shipping in included in the price they were just letting me know what it was.

 

[Ajmassa]

Are they delivered shrinkwrapped or protected at all? So it can be left as is without maintenance until your ready prep and use?

 

[mainshipfred]

Are they delivered shrinkwrapped or protected at all? So it can be left as is without maintenance until your ready prep and use?

Just checked and yes they are shrink wrapped. The bung hole is questionable though. I'm hoping it's not drilled.