Easy/Hard Juice Buckets

[jas3019]

A friend of mine wants me to do a Pinot Noir juice bucket this spring. I don't have much experience (only done whites - never done a red, oaked, mlfed) and from my research so far, Pinot Noir seems very finnicky and not really a good option for cutting my teeth on red wine.

So that started me to question, are some varietals easier to make a good wine than others? I'm guessing most whites are fairly easy since there are a lot less variables to screw up. But what about reds? I'd be curious to hear everyone's thoughts on what are easy vs hard varietals to work with.

 

[Julie]

Since you have done only whites, were they more on the sweet side? the reason I ask, if you are then you will really not like a Pinot Noir. For your first red I don't think I would try an MLF, I would do a Zinfindal or a Malbec, both of these can take a little sweetening to take the dry edge off. Once you starting getting into Reds, your taste will start to lean towards dry and then you can do an MLF. Just my opinion.

 

[seth8530]

Hmm, my first red I ever made was a pinot noir and it is currently going through MLF. However, I knew before hand that I really liked the style. However, I have also had a good bit of prior wine making experience....

 

[derunner]

Great questions. I want to do my first juice buckets this spring so it will be interesting what varieties people recommend.

 

[jas3019]

Julie - I've only done whites because they're easier. I started with welch's fruitier sweetened wines and just this fall moved to juice buckets with a viognier. I skipped doing kits because I found a close place that sells buckets. As far as personal taste goes I like most reds (still can't do cabernet) and pinot noir is actually what got me liking reds.

But I'm really just trying to see if there's a progression ladder to reds so that I could start with easier ones and work to harder (which it looks like pinot noir is). And I don't want to knowingly jump into the deep end. But are there reds you wouldn't do MLF on and so would be easier? Or reds that you wouldn't oak?

 

[Floandgary]

As Julie said, a Zin or Malbec would be a good start. Chilean Carmenere or Barbera might be to your liking as well.

 

[derunner]

Jas3019, where are you getting your juice buckets near Baltimore. I am trying to find a place which sells buckets and Baltimore is less than an hour from me. Thanks in advance.

 

[Boatboy24]

Jas3019, where are you getting your juice buckets near Baltimore. I am trying to find a place which sells buckets and Baltimore is less than an hour from me. Thanks in advance.

Not sure where jas3019 is getting them, but Harford Vineyard is about 20 minutes north of Baltimore. They have juice and grapes.

 

[jas3019]

Floandgary: I was originally thinking about doing a carmenere but wasn't crazy about a bottle I tried. It was a cheaper bottle though so maybe just not a good representation.

derunner: Yep - Harford Vineyard is where I've gone. There's another place in Baltimore called S&S Wine Grapes but I haven't bought from them and from what I can tell they only sell California grapes in the fall. Harford Vineyard would be closer to you anyway.

 

[Boatboy24]

derunner: Yep - Harford Vineyard is where I've gone. There's another place in Baltimore called S&S Wine Grapes but I haven't bought from them and from what I can tell they only sell California grapes in the fall. Harford Vineyard would be closer to you anyway.

I actually emailed S&S earlier this week to ask if they get Chilean grapes. No response. It's the second time in the past year I've emailed them a question and never heard back. I'd love to give them my business, since they are over 30 minutes closer to me than Harford. Harford is good though. Not the cheapest, but good. The Petit Syrah grapes I got from them in the fall were excellent and are producing what so far looks to be a great wine.

 

[jas3019]

I actually emailed S&S earlier this week to ask if they get Chilean grapes. No response. It's the second time in the past year I've emailed them a question and never heard back. I'd love to give them my business, since they are over 30 minutes closer to me than Harford. Harford is good though. Not the cheapest, but good. The Petit Syrah grapes I got from them in the fall were excellent and are producing what so far looks to be a great wine.

That's crazy. Guess they don't want your business. I've been happy with Harford but I also live about 15 minutes from them. I'm not sure about some of the online retailers but for some of their supplies they seem to be slightly cheaper than Maryland Homebrew or Annapolis Homebrew. In fact I might be making a drive up there tomorrow to get some bottles and sterilizer.

 

[Turock]

To me--all juice buckets are pretty easy because they come to you well-balanced so you don'y have to adjust them AND they already have the yeast added. So all you need to do is add some nutrient and away they go. Nothing is easier.

However, grapes like Pinot Noir and Cab should have an MLF done to them. Pinot Noir--especially--is rough tasting and harsh with an odd flavor if it doesn't have that MLF. To learn MLF, do an internet search on it and print out and read the instructions before you attempt it. It's pretty easy--once you do it--but you need to really understand it before doing it the first time.

One of our favorite reds is Chianti--I always avoided this wine because the commercial versions were just so harsh. But after doing our own, this wine is really under-estimated. It's just real smooth and nice and even our friends who hate dry wine really like this one. Very nice flavors. Oaking it with some medium toast french is even better!

You should try any--and all-- of the reds that don't need MLF. You'll be real surprised how good many of them are. When you're ready, try one or two that need the MLF. Our Pinot Noir and Cab from Calif juices turned out really great.

 

[derunner]

You should try any--and all-- of the reds that don't need MLF. You'll be real surprised how good many of them are. When you're ready, try one or two that need the MLF. Our Pinot Noir and Cab from Calif juices turned out really great.

Is there a list of which ones should have MLF? I've done a search and it seems like some varieties are done either way?

 

[Turock]

Many people claim that all reds should be MLF'd however, I don't subscribe to this thought. Most of the big reds could probably be MLF'd if you choose to do that, but there are many of these wines that I've never made. Cab and especially Pinot Noir really need an MLF.