Fulchino Vineyard

[grapeman]

Those numbers are quite good Al for all the rain you have had. Don't rush them to harvest since many of these grapes are quite high in acids. If they hang longer they reduce the acid levels. Just keep monitoring the pH to make sure it doesn't get too high for the type(red or white).


The numbers I listed were basically all between mid-September to very early October. We are a bit more north than you so you might be a bit ahead. Also the young vines generally have a very light crop so they ripen a bit quicker. My LaCrosse are loaded and the brix is still about 10. Alos did you do single berry samples? They typically run about 2 points higher than larger samples. Last year the last few we did were 500 and 1000 berry samples. Those made for quite a large sampling and were very time consuming.

 

[AlFulchino]

Thaks for the advice and the dates you mnetioned....i will let them hang longer ( but i might eat those lacross clusters by the greenhouse )...i dont have enough to be doing 500-1000 berry samples...so i went to different parts of the vineyard for each of the varieties and randomly picked large and small berries


I, too, am quite suprised by the levels because of the rain we had.....we have just gone thru a recent period of one rain day (moderate) in the last 11....and we missed rain today....we should not be seeing more until late in the week when remnants of tropical storm Fay come passing thru


so even if i back two points off the brix readings, the levels still sound decent....it was a fun learning experience.

 

[OilnH2O]

Interesting reading, you guys! And, I agree: "...a fun learning experience..."

Although, if I were doing 500 or 1000 grape samples, I'd have to ferment them!

 

[AlFulchino]

do you have a carboy that small? i need some!


i figure that i will be taking samples every 3-4 days for the next three to six weeks...so my total cluster amount wont handle 500-1000 berries all the way through .....i have to be frugal w the berries


next year hopefully things will be much further along.

 

[Wade E]

Rich, have you tried your wines from last year yet.

 

[grapeman]

Rich, have you tried your wines from last year yet.

YES. And I will need to bottle soon because I am going to need the carboys soon. They are all different and each very nice in it's own way. I am going to have fun blending some of them. Some of them are great standing on their own.

 

[AlFulchino]

while we are talking of the need for new carboys...anyone seen prices yet for california grapes?

 

[AlFulchino]

i have a sourcing question for things like bottles ( i prefer the dark/almost blackishversus clear or green) and corks........i am talking in the neighborhood of 200 gallons of wines worth...so that would be about 1000 bottles


anyone with thoughts on this? TIA

 

[grapeman]

http://www.waterloocontainer.com/

 

[Wade E]

As for corks.
<table ="Catalog" id="products" align="center" border="1" bordercolor="#000000" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><t><tr><td ="table" align="default" width="2%"><div align="center">2320C </td>
<td width="5%"><div align="center">

</td>
<td width="20%">

Straight Corks - Fine Vine Wines Perfect Agglomerate #9 X 1.75 (Bag of 1000)


Package of 1000</td>
<td width="2%"><div align="right">$159.99</td>
<td width="2%">
</td></tr></t></table>These are awesome corks and if you go to this page you can even take the next step and customize your corks with your name on them.

 

[AlFulchino]

thanks Wade...gonna hit thatpage next...the customization will be good thank you


Rich, i went there, but getting some connection errors..will try again later


what about grapes...considering that i will be looking for a fair amount of grapes, i am going to hit up my massachusetts guy first to give him a fair shot...any other recommendations?

 

[AlFulchino]

whats everyones thoughst regarding naturla versus the agglomerate corks? both are number 9 as shown below

<TABLE =Catalog id=products borderColor=#000000 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 width="100%" align=center border=1>
<T>
<TR>
<TD =table align=default width="2%">
<DIV align=center>10000 </TD>
<TD width="5%">
<DIV align=center>

</TD>
<TD width="20%">


Customized Agglomerate Corks - #9 X 1.75


Package of 1000</TD>
<TD width="2%">
<DIV align=right>$160.00</TD>
<TD width="2%">
<DIV align=right>$160.00 </TD>
<TD width="5%">
<DIV align=center>Pre-Order </TD>
<TD width="15%">


Add to Shopping Cart


Add to Wish List


Shipping Cost Estimate</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD =table align=default width="2%">
<DIV align=center>10001C </TD>
<TD width="5%">
<DIV align=center>

</TD>
<TD width="20%">


Natural Corks - #9 X 1.75


Package of 1000</TD>
<TD width="2%">
<DIV align=right>$389.99</TD>
<TD width="2%">
<DIV align=right>$389.99 </TD>
<TD width="5%">
<DIV align=center>Pre-Order </TD>
<TD width="15%">


Add to Shopping Cart


Add to Wish List


Shipping Cost Estimate</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD =table align=default width="2%">
<DIV align=center>10000A </TD>
<TD width="5%">
<DIV align=center>

</TD>
<TD width="20%">


Setup Charge for Custom Corks


</TD>
<TD width="2%">
<DIV align=right>$100.00</TD>
<TD width="2%">
<DIV align=right>$100.00 </TD>
<TD width="5%">
<DIV align=center>Stocked </TD>
<TD width="15%">


Add to Shopping Cart


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Shipping Cost Estimate</TD></TR></T></TABLE>

 

[Wade E]

The perfect agglomerate are a product of having both synthetic and natural so that you get the best of both worlds. They have a special coating on them that makes them easy in easy out and I must say that I love them and have not had any leakers or problems with any of these and have had a few problems with others such as the wine drops coming through and drying up on the face of the cork like a little droplet which I wasnt thrilled about. I dont like the matter of full synthetic or twist offs as they cant possibly let a wine mature or bottle age in my opinion. I know a guy who gets his grapes right at the dock in New Haven Ct.

 

[AlFulchino]

Thanks Wade..I am gonna order 1000 from here on Fine Vines and Wines...i only have to decide about the personalization....


as far as grapes...they come in on the train to everett and chelsea...but i am also going to contact some growers direct

 

[AlFulchino]

Aug 26th 2006 - the grapes continue to improve in taste....enough so that I took the wife in for a tasting...she loved the tastes

its one thing to see a vine...and row upon row of vines and think they are ALL the same....everyone who hears (locally) that we have these varieties seem oddly ( to me) suprised...to the average person they think the vineyard is all one variety...

i believe that having so many varieties will actually help me plan and carry out harvests much better than if my vineyard was mono-vitus (new word?)


I still cannot get over the fact that one can spend a day in the sun....look at two years worth of work and then experience a potpourri of different taste sensations in the mouth...to me it is nothing short of a miracle of life...it makes me want to just sit down on the ground and be humbled at how nature is so much bigger than I am

 

[NorthernWinos]

To me harvesting any fruit, vegetable or crop is almost a Religious Experience.....You can't beat it.

Enjoy your fruits of your labor....and the wine of course.

 

[grapeman]

Wait until they get ripe! The flavors continue to develop and improve all through the ripening process. So many of them taste so much better than the supposed table grapes you buy at the market. Too bad most of them have seeds in them! I broght home a small bag of tables grapes yesterday for the family to sample of Mars, Himrod and Canadice. They will be even better in a couple weeks but are excellent right now even.


My wife, Cindy starts her day with a walk through the vineyard every morning and she doesn't even drink hardly any wine. It is just a relaxing place to be.

 

[AlFulchino]

what is everyone's thoughts on using whiskey barrels for aging wines...i am in the market for either stainless of barrels...but i have t throw this out there for discussion...thank you!

 

[Wade E]

This is a difference in whiskey barrels as compared to wine barrels as Ive read. Whiskey barrels are charred to help smooth out spirits and impurities where as wine barrels are toasted to give aroma and flavor. I dont really know what the difference between charring and toasting truly is though.

 

[AlFulchino]

i recall when i was in my early 20's using whiskey barrels because of the cost...but i dont have any notes to memory to say what it did to the wine...i keep reading that they impart a whiskey taste....and that they are good for reds.


i might be down your way in a week or two or three.....to M&amp;M if i dont go back to Everett.....


I just dont want to do carboys if i am going to do 200 gallons...it just seems unworkable...BUT the positive side of carboys of course is cost and the ABILITY to experiment on small scale and see what is going on.


If anyone comes across tanks/barrels or carboy's please let me know.