Fall wine plans

[Matty_Kay]

I see alot of recent activity among suppliers updating grape/juice varieties and delivery dates. Just curious as to everyone's fall lineup? For me, I think a CA cab juice bucket with a lug of grapes and a pinot grigio bucket. I'm getting pumped for the fall harvest for sure.

 

[Boatboy24]

Cab, Syrah, and either Petit Verdot or Petit Sirah. I'm targeting 7 gallons of the cab and syrah and 3 of the petit. Ultimately a mostly cabernet blend.

 

[JohnT]

Hmmmm,

I have not heard anything from any of my suppliers about when the grapes might be in.

My plan this year is to make a merlot/cab (90/10) and a petit sarah. I will see about getting a Riesling, but I have my doubts about doing a white this year. I am undecided on what to barrel age this year.

As always, I will leave a little room on the truck for anything that looks particularly good/unique this year. Each year, my supplier has a short list of grapes that are unique for that year.

For example, last year he had "Super Cab" grapes from the greek gardens of Lodi. They were expensive (around $50 per full lug). Man! this made some spectacular wine! Unfortunately, this is one of those "one-time" things. I have never seen them before, and I doubt that I would see them again next year. Each year he seems to have a new "Specialty" grape.

Currently, I am simply working on finishing up on my bottling. Once complete, it will be time to get ready for crush!!!

 

[Matty_Kay]

Yeah, I got a couple emails and made some inquiries to some suppliers, and while nothing is set in stone, they are saying grapes are earlier this year then last.

I too need to bottle last year's wine to make room, gonna be a busy next few weeks.

 

[4score]

This year's plan is Barbera, Zin and Mourvedre. Latest brix levels on the Mourvedre is 19.1 (yesterday) and the zin hasn't moved since last week's 16 level. The Barbera was in the low 20's, but we want to try and get that at a high 28 brix or so to combat the acidity a bit. For sure we will be crushing something by 8/22!

 

[Boatboy24]

Hmmmm,

I have not heard anything from any of my suppliers about when the grapes might be in.

I hadn't either and I finally broke down and emailed them this morning. Heard back that they have most of their pricing in and hope to have their website updated for pricing and new orders by the end of the week. I was starting to get nervous, with all of the early harvest talk I've been hearing.

 

[heatherd]

I hadn't either and I finally broke down and emailed them this morning. Heard back that they have most of their pricing in and hope to have their website updated for pricing and new orders by the end of the week. I was starting to get nervous, with all of the early harvest talk I've been hearing.

Is that Harford Vineyard?

 

[Boatboy24]

Is that Harford Vineyard?

You got it. They said they hope to have the website updated and ready for orders by the end of the week. Prices the same as last year, mostly. Some a little less.

 

[ffemt128]

Probably follow the same as past years. Get PA juices in the fall then order a few buckets of Chilean in the spring. I still have my 2014 Chilean in carboys.

 

[pgentile]

Two pails of california juice and possibly two Italian this fall, haven't decided on the varieties yet.

 

[NorCal]

4Score and I are partnering up on three fermentation so from fresh picked grapes. Three tons of grapes are on order!

Barbera

Zin
White Zin
Zin Port

Mourvèdre
Mourvedere Rose

Macro bins being pulled out of storage

 

[heatherd]

You got it. They said they hope to have the website updated and ready for orders by the end of the week. Prices the same as last year, mostly. Some a little less.

Woo hoo!

My racks in the basement are getting too sparsely populated for my taste, so I will make six 6g juice pail + lug of grape batches this year, and probably one 3G all grape batch from Maryland Traminette. The juice pails will mostly be California batches.

My juice pail + lug of grapes order:
-Cal. Zinfandel
-Cal. Pinot Noir
-Cal. Chardonnay
-Cal. Viognier
-Ital. Nebbiolo
-Ital. Barbera

My two-lug order will be the Traminette. I bought several bottles and loved it too.

Heather

 

[Boatboy24]

Woo hoo!

My racks in the basement are getting too sparsely populated for my taste, so I will make six 6g juice pail + lug of grape batches this year, and probably one 3G all grape batch from Maryland traimenette. The juice pails will mostly be California batches.

Heather

If they are offering Traminette, I'll have to seriously consider it. I tried theirs last fall and it was very good. Took a couple bottles home.

 

[olusteebus]

For the first time, I made 6 gallons of merlot and 6 gallons of cabernet Sauvignon from fresh juice. I don't really know how it has turned out so far but I think I will like it.

So, I am going to do a cabernet/merlot/syrah blend for about eleven or 12 gallons, two gallons of merlot and maybe some syrah. Got way too much going on this fall to do much more.

 

[JohnT]

Having my last bottling party this Saturday.

Sunday, then, marks the beginning of "crush prep".

I checked with my supplier, they estimate that grapes might be in as early as the first week of September. Since I have folks flying in from Georgia, Florida, Virginia, and Louisiana, I have set a date for crush toward the end of September just to be sure the grapes are in and we actually have something to crush.

In all, I am expecting around 80 people. I even have a number of my kin from Hungary that are planning to attend.

I have a checklist that I use year after year. It has evolved to include all of the things (and in the right sequence) that needs to be done and when they should be completed. This keeps me organized and really saves a lot of time! In just reviewed it, and I am already tired!!

The first wave of work is simply to organize the winery.
Then I move onto prepping the equipment, reserving truck and dumpster, and placing orders
Then it is getting the yard in shape and all of the "party" (food, party favors, etc)

I am starting to really look forward to it all!

 

[NorCal]

It feels at times that winemaking is like painting. It's all about the prep and clean-up. Killed an evening taking these three to the car wash to get the dirt and spiders out. Hosing them out on the front yard isn't an option with our water restrictions.

 

[JohnT]

Car Wash? That's just brilliant! I would never have thought of that!