2019 Grape Season

[pgentile]

Getting a later start this year than usual and I'm passing on the SA grapes. Been working on the house and May will work better for me at this point. But dang, out of S.Africa, S.America and California the S.African grapes are the best quality and cleanest clusters. Next year I'll get back to them.

Just placed order with Pinto's. 6 lugs of Petit Verdot, 2 lugs & 2 buckets of carmenere. Carmenere will be my table wine later in the year.

Not as much volume as I have been doing but, I'll probably be selling the house and moving in the next 6-12 months.

I'm curious to see what everyone else is doing this year.

 

[mainshipfred]

I was lighter then usual myself. Just 8 lugs of the SA Cab and 8 of Chilean Pinot Noir. I just couldn't pass up the SA Cab. I didn't realize Chili was known for their Pinot until I recently attended a Chilean wine tasting just in time for the spring grape order. I wish I was doing more but I do plan on a (for me) large fall crush. Did my first white last fall and plan on doing Petit Manseng, Viognier and Reisling this year along with Norton, Tannat, Grenache, Mourvedre and whatever other premium grape I can get my hands on at a decent price.

When moving are you staying in the Philly area or somewhere else? Hope the timing works out for Pinto's. My Pinot is supposed to be coming in the week of April 29th.

 

[Johnd]

I'm not doing any spring stuff, keeping my powder dry for fall. Not really sure what varietal(s) to attack just yet, probably wait to see what's looking good close to harvest time. This year I'll have 4 new winemakers buying grapes and participating in the process, should be very interesting...........

 

[pgentile]

I was lighter then usual myself. Just 8 lugs of the SA Cab and 8 of Chilean Pinot Noir. I just couldn't pass up the SA Cab. I didn't realize Chili was known for their Pinot until I recently attended a Chilean wine tasting just in time for the spring grape order. I wish I was doing more but I do plan on a (for me) large fall crush. Did my first white last fall and plan on doing Petit Manseng, Viognier and Reisling this year along with Norton, Tannat, Grenache, Mourvedre and whatever other premium grape I can get my hands on at a decent price.

When moving are you staying in the Philly area or somewhere else? Hope the timing works out for Pinto's. My Pinot is supposed to be coming in the week of April 29th.

Yup staying Philly. Just ready for the next housing project. Will be looking for something that could serve as a photography studio as well.

 

[pgentile]

I'm not doing any spring stuff, keeping my powder dry for fall. Not really sure what varietal(s) to attack just yet, probably wait to see what's looking good close to harvest time. This year I'll have 4 new winemakers buying grapes and participating in the process, should be very interesting...........

4 new winemakers joining? The tonnage will be going up. Novices?

 

[Johnd]

4 new winemakers joining? The tonnage will be going up. Novices?

Yes, except for @Scott Harbison , they’ve never made wine. One of my high school friends, a business friend, and one of my buddies wife. They’ll each do 3 lugs / 6 gallons finished wine, give or take.

 

[4score]

Finally firmed up our plans here. 1500 pounds of Mourvedre - pulling ~30 gallons out for a Rose and using the rest for a concentrated Mourvedre. We are taking care of a local Cab Franc vineyard, so a 1000 pounds of that perhaps and finally, going back to Amador County for some (1000 lbs) Cabernet Sav.

 

[mainshipfred]

Finally firmed up our plans here. 1500 pounds of Mourvedre - pulling ~30 gallons out for a Rose and using the rest for a concentrated Mourvedre. We are taking care of a local Cab Franc vineyard, so a 1000 pounds of that perhaps and finally, going back to Amador County for some (1000 lbs) Cabernet Sav.

If "our" includes @NorCal I owe someone 2 bits. If I remember correctly this is what I wagered he would only make one varietal, Mourvedre. So please tell me it doesn't, I need the money to put toward a few more berries.

 

[Johnd]

If "our" includes @NorCal I owe someone 2 bits. If I remember correctly this is what I wagered he would only make one varietal, Mourvedre. So please tell me it doesn't, I need the money to put toward a few more berries.

Oh please, you know that was a losing bet from the get go!!

 

[4score]

If "our" includes @NorCal I owe someone 2 bits. If I remember correctly this is what I wagered he would only make one varietal, Mourvedre. So please tell me it doesn't, I need the money to put toward a few more berries.

LOL - No, although @NorCal is getting Mourvedre from the same source, we (my family) is continuing on our own to get further burried with more wine than we can possibly drink! My adult son and daughter (and their families) are part of our operation. @NorCal is still tring to recover from heavy wine production years, so I thnk he'll stay with the Mourvedre-only plan. But then again, he DOES have a nice selection of Cab Franc growing right outside his house and I know that he's secretly suckering it in order to improve the cluster quality.

 

[mainshipfred]

LOL - No, although @NorCal is getting Mourvedre from the same source, we (my family) is continuing on our own to get further burried with more wine than we can possibly drink! My adult son and daughter (and their families) are part of our operation. @NorCal is still tring to recover from heavy wine production years, so I thnk he'll stay with the Mourvedre-only plan. But then again, he DOES have a nice selection of Cab Franc growing right outside his house and I know that he's secretly suckering it in order to improve the cluster quality.

Whew thanks! those extra couple dozen berries will come in handy. BTW, when did spell check get added to the forum? First I noticed it.

 

[NorCal]

If "our" includes @NorCal I owe someone 2 bits. If I remember correctly this is what I wagered he would only make one varietal, Mourvedre. So please tell me it doesn't, I need the money to put toward a few more berries.

@mainshipfred so far I am sticking to the one varietal plan, your 2 bits are safe!!!! Because I have family and friends that didn't want to be left out of a year, I am going to make just a little more of that one varietal than I originally planned, but "only" 50 gallons total. This is down from 150-200 the past few years. I could definitely be tempted by the Cab Franc in my front yard, but I am going to have over 200 bottles of CF from 2018 staring at my face when I contemplate doing that.

 

[Ajmassa]

This spring will be the 1st harvest season that I will not be making any wine since spring 2016.
Just too much happening and life isn’t allowing for it. Will be looking that much more forward to the fall tho. Planning on 20 gal of straight Cabernet Sauvignon again.
I will however be swinging by Pintos to load up on bottles. I need over 30 cases. Odds I come home with JUST bottles? 50/50 [emoji3]

 

[mainshipfred]

This spring will be the 1st harvest season that I will not be making any wine since spring 2016.
Just too much happening and life isn’t allowing for it. Will be looking that much more forward to the fall tho. Planning on 20 gal of straight Cabernet Sauvignon again.
I will however be swinging by Pintos to load up on bottles. I need over 30 cases. Odds I come home with JUST bottles? 50/50 [emoji3]

I'm coming next Saturday for my grapes, probably leave early enough to be there when they open. I'll help you load your juice buckets. Oh, and your bottles as well.

 

[Ajmassa]

I'm coming next Saturday for my grapes, probably leave early enough to be there when they open. I'll help you load your juice buckets. Oh, and your bottles as well.

It’s a date!

 

[jgmann67]

Fall Season coming up. Can’t wait. Thinking of a few options.

California Super Tuscan field blend - a bucket of Sangio juice, with 2-3 lugs of Merlot, 2 lugs of Cab.

A straight Tempranillo. Never had one so, I’ll need to do some field testing first.

A straight up Cab Franc. This was the one wine that didn’t give me fuss in 2017. And it tasted pretty awesome all by itself.

A Pinot noir. Not high on my list, really. But, I haven’t done one yet.

 

[Boatboy24]

I'm starting to get thinking as well. With a 40L barrel incoming, I'm working on what to make for a 'big batch'. That'll probably be a Zin-based blend, as those have been working well for me and are good all around wines. Would probably just do a field blend for that.

@jgmann67 FWIW, my 2017 Lanza Cab Franc is quite good and ready for the next step. I need to decide if that's bottling, or adding a touch of Merlot. Bench trials coming.

 

[mainshipfred]

@jgmann67 I did a Tempranillo last fall from Washington Winemakers. Funny thing is I ordered Valdepena. Turns out after research they are the same. They came in 42 lb lugs which was a surprise. It is a lighter table type wine which I found out is often blended with Touriga for ports. I also did a Touriga Nacional which is dark and very nice at 7 months. I have a Chilean Pinot which I may press today. My only dilemna is whether to oak or not.

@Boatboy24 what are you planning on blending with the Zin? I was thinking about Syrah or Petite Sirah for my blending of last years wines.

 

[Boatboy24]

@jgmann67 I did a Tempranillo last fall from Washington Winemakers. Funny thing is I ordered Valdepena. Turns out after research they are the same. They came in 42 lb lugs which was a surprise. It is a lighter table type wine which I found out is often blended with Touriga for ports. I also did a Touriga Nacional which is dark and very nice at 7 months. I have a Chilean Pinot which I may press today. My only dilemna is whether to oak or not.

@Boatboy24 what are you planning on blending with the Zin? I was thinking about Syrah or Petite Sirah for my blending of last years wines.

I love Petite Sirah with the Zin - really beefs it up. In the past, I've also done Cab and Syrah with them.

I say light oak on the Pinot. Very light, but some. Assuming you'd use a barrel, I'd not use a new one, but one that would allow time for micro-ox and concentration.

 

[mainshipfred]

I love Petite Sirah with the Zin - really beefs it up. In the past, I've also done Cab and Syrah with them.

I say light oak on the Pinot. Very light, but some. Assuming you'd use a barrel, I'd not use a new one, but one that would allow time for micro-ox and concentration.

Thanks Jim, all the barrels are somewhat neutral so light oak shouldn't be a problem, light oak was my original consideration.