First time for Wine from fresh crush.

[jpwatkins9]

I have used a few kits the last few years and have been offered some fresh crushed juice. This will be my first try making wine from fresh crushed grapes. This will be in August or September and I have about a 2 hour drive to get it home. Will most likely be Syrah or Petit Syrah. I am thinking of putting a few ice packs in my 5 gallon food grade containers and wrapping some insulation around them for the trip. Can get a bit warm in the Texas hill country. Any other suggestions for transport, types of yeast to use, with these grapes, etc.
thanks, john

 

[Johnd]

I have used a few kits the last few years and have been offered some fresh crushed juice. This will be my first try making wine from fresh crushed grapes. This will be in August or September and I have about a 2 hour drive to get it home. Will most likely be Syrah or Petit Syrah. I am thinking of putting a few ice packs in my 5 gallon food grade containers and wrapping some insulation around them for the trip. Can get a bit warm in the Texas hill country. Any other suggestions for transport, types of yeast to use, with these grapes, etc.
thanks, john

I drove 15 buckets of freshly crushed grapes from Dallas to New Orleans (8 hours) in the back of an SUV, with A/C, made it with no problems, 2 hours should be no challenge inside of a vehicle. If you can’t have them inside of a vehicle, you should take some precautions as you suggest. Dry ice right into the must works well, and won’t dilute the must.

 

[mainshipfred]

Don't know how much you are getting but make sure the trip is worth your while. You will probably need about 100+ lbs to get 6 gallons of wine. Have fun with it.

 

[jpwatkins9]

I will be getting 5 gallons of crushed and de-stemmed must. Going to supply some labor and be paid in juice. Love the drive, so definitely woth it. Will be using frozen water in pint bottles to keep everything cool, no delusion of the must that way. Looking forward to doing this without a kit and all the instructions. Of course, I have all the instructions from kits I have done, so some peeking and cheating will go on I bet.

John

 

[meadmaker1]

@jpwatkins9 welcome.
My question is for those that have done this before.
How much volume loss will there be when he presses?

 

[Ajmassa]

A very rough estimate from my experiences have been about 30%. Youll have more right after pressing initially but lots of Lees drop out the first couple days and lose a bit more after that racking.
In the end it seems to be about 70% of finished wine from total must amount.
And I use lbs of grapes = gal of must shifting one decimal.
Example:
300 lbs of grapes = 30 gal of must = 20 gal of finished wine. Again- rough estimates but gives a good idea.

 

[meadmaker1]

So 5 gallons crushed is plus or minus 3 gallonsish to settle snd age?
I have grapes available to me. And am concideting giving them a go. The catch is no one knows what kind of grapes they are. When I asked I was told " green and purple, but the purple ones have seeds"
It was planted for the arbor no one sits under it gets no attention and is loaded every few years.
Three gallons would be a good size for a fine green or purple wine. Lol.

 

[Ajmassa]

So 5 gallons crushed is plus or minus 3 gallonsish to settle snd age?
I have grapes available to me. And am concideting giving them a go. The catch is no one knows what kind of grapes they are. When I asked I was told " green and purple, but the purple ones have seeds"
It was planted for the arbor no one sits under it gets no attention and is loaded every few years.
Three gallons would be a good size for a fine green or purple wine. Lol.

Pretty much. At minimum 3 gal I’d think. If there’s not much legwork involved then go for it! Nothing to lose. Might end up with something half decent.
Also it gives an opportunity to play around with different techniques like acid removal or finishing tannin without too much worry.

 

[meadmaker1]

What do you think.
Green or purple ? Lol.
Probably purple. There are much more of them. And they are not purple. They are red, but skins only.

 

[Ajmassa]

What do you think.
Green or purple ? Lol.
Probably purple. There are much more of them. And they are not purple. They are red, but skins only.

Purple wine is my favorite type of wine!
With a smoke on the water deep purple hue.

 

[meadmaker1]

@jpwatkins9
Im curious what the labor agreement is.
Can you bring two budies to get 3 buckets.
What kind of notice do you get as to when you go.

 

[jpwatkins9]

@jpwatkins9
Im curious what the labor agreement is.
Can you bring two budies to get 3 buckets.
What kind of notice do you get as to when you go.

I think a couple of hours, they will give me a call when it happens. Not sure about bringing along friends, guess I could ask and see. They are very picky about their vines and I think I am the first to get to help do some picking with them.

 

[heatherd]

@jpwatkins9 Making wine from grapes rather than a kit is a bit different, but totally worth it. Here are some instructions:
https://harfordvineyard.com/winemaking-instructions-grape/

 

[meadmaker1]

about

I think a couple of hours, they will give me a call when it happens. Not sure about bringing along friends, guess I could ask and see. They are very picky about their vines and I think I am the first to get to help do some picking with them.

Just trying to measure the value for that sort of thing for myself. Almost seems that some sort of relationship business or personal would be a big deal for both parties. Dont want to kill myself for some ungrateful a hole. And im sure a lot of worthless nobodies would show up and get in the way without some screening process.
I would concider one day a life experience to be part of a harvest. Couldnt concider more than 2 days committed and I take an on call rotation that could make me unavailable on the magic day.