Getting Ready for Grape Season

[Boatboy24]

Unfortunately, I won’t be getting my grapes from WW this year. I’ll be away that weekend and won’t be able to pick them up. Thinking about Gino Pintos or somewhere else. Ride in, grab and go.

will miss seeing you guys.

But, what about those emails you've been sending? What is your wife going to do about her Chardonnay?

 

[jgmann67]

But, what about those emails you've been sending? What is your wife going to do about her Chardonnay?

I’ll run down to Procacci in Philly or Gino Pinto across the river, I think.

I won’t be back till late Sunday and can’t run down there during the week because of work. If delivery wasn’t the 25th, I’d be fine.

 

[mainshipfred]

I’ll run down to Procacci in Philly or Gino Pinto across the river, I think.

I won’t be back till late Sunday and can’t run down there during the week because of work. If delivery wasn’t the 25th, I’d be fine.

Jim, after reading your emails to Jim Gearing I'm not convinced he understands you still don't want them. I could be misreading it but I would recommend clarifying it with him.

 

[jgmann67]

Jim, after reading your emails to Jim Gearing I'm not convinced he understands you still don't want them. I could be misreading it but I would recommend clarifying it with him.

thanks Fred. I’ll check. I was about to text him when he responded.

 

[user 38734]

No doubt everyone already has their fruit lined up, but some of us can't resist side projects! If you live anywhere near El Dorado County in CA, here is a list of vineyards advertising their fruit:

https://www.eldoradograpes.com/index.php/grapes-available/
If you're worried about smoke taint from the Caldor fire, any vineyard below the 3,000 to 3,500 foot elevation should be fine as the fire started in Grizzly Flats at roughly 3,800 feet and ran upslope.

There is some very fine fruit in El Do Co / Amador counties. In addition to the vineyards actively advertising, here is a much more complete list of vineyards in the county. My experience has been that almost all vineyards are home-gamer friendly.

http://eldoradograpes.com/index.php/members1/
Even if you don't use fruit from any of these vineyards this season, it doesn't hurt to expand your rolodex (remember those?).

The best to all and enjoy your wines!

 

[4score]

With grape harvest just around the corner, it's a good time to plan and order your supplies. I placed our order last week and the vendor commented that it's very smart, especially this year, to order way ahead of the crowd. He said there will likely be shortages of "your favorite items" if you wait. That being said, I have our yeast strains on order along with nutrients, enzymes, SO2, bacteria and measurement supplies. Still need an oak chain for a neutral barrel we plan to use. Got our 2021 new American Oak Barrel from Cooperages 1912. Still may need a new pH meter. I believe we have enough Tartaric Acid from last year if needed. Again, finding most things I need from Lodi Wine Labs. The prices there appear lower than many other places and their service is great. Their web page is a little "sensitive" when trying to find things. If you don't search for the item using the right spelling or characters (-), it may not hit. Their SO2 is listed as "Winy (Potassium Metabisulfite - KMBS". CH-16 won't get you a result, but CH16 will. I recommend calling them for the things you can't seem to find.

Planning a lighter season, with only a barrel (each) of Cab and Barbera, but we usually pick up an unplanned project or two along the way!

Cheers!

Glad to see many are happily harvesting and making wine already. I would be too if I didn't get a message from my Barbera grower while I WAS ON THE WAY to pick up 1500 pounds of grapes last week, "sorry but the deer devastated my crop and I have no grapes for you". He says it's the 1st time in 20 years that this happened. Plan B - replace Barbera with a Zin plan. We decided to see if our Cabernet grower also had extra Zin to supply us. Luckily, they do! It's a bit further away, but the next county is better than nothing at all. We're good as long as the wildfire (Caldor Fire) smoke stays away from our grapes in Amador County. Zin Brix from a couple of days ago was 21 (pH 3.46). I think the Cab is at 23 (pH 3.23). Fingers crossed. The fire is a minor inconvenience for us winemakers compared to the devastation it's causing as it marches quickly into the Tahoe Basin.

 

[Boatboy24]

Glad to see many are happily harvesting and making wine already. I would be too if I didn't get a message from my Barbera grower while I WAS ON THE WAY to pick up 1500 pounds of grapes last week, "sorry but the deer devastated my crop and I have no grapes for you". He says it's the 1st time in 20 years that this happened. Plan B - replace Barbera with a Zin plan. We decided to see if our Cabernet grower also had extra Zin to supply us. Luckily, they do! It's a bit further away, but the next county is better than nothing at all. We're good as long as the wildfire (Caldor Fire) smoke stays away from our grapes in Amador County. Zin Brix from a couple of days ago was 21 (pH 3.46). I think the Cab is at 23 (pH 3.23). Fingers crossed. The fire is a minor inconvenience for us winemakers compared to the devastation it's causing as it marches quickly into the Tahoe Basin.

Wow, talk about a lack of notice. Glad it's working out. I've made Amador Zin a couple times and it's always been good - one of my favorite varietals, actually.

 

[Kraffty]

We're still on for a Sun. the 12th, 7am grape pickup in Phoenix. Last Sunday, on our way home from So. Cal., Lori saw an ad for a Pat Benatar Concert on Sat. Night, in Phoenix, that same weekend. Booked great seats and a hotel a few blocks away on the way home. We saw her and the band back in the 80's (in our 20's) and again maybe 8 years ago acoustic with just her and Neil. Proof of Vax and masks required to see the show. Might as well make it a fun weekend.

 

[dizzy]

Not sure what I want to do this year...I really enjoyed making wine for the first time in the past year and would like to expand a little. About to empty 3-5 carboys and we have more in the attic (my fiance used to make cider/mead)
Work in Philly/live in South Jersey, lotta options.

I'm 10 minutes from Procacci, missed out on that last year. I'm pretty intrigued by their Chateuneuf du Pape which sounds like it has Italian grapes? Wild. I have frozen skins to throw in there or whatever I get, probably a juice bucket?

I also had a great experience with Keystone, and have a good friend who just moved up that way. Says they'll have the Washington grapes again this year as well as some from Lake County. I think those will come in after our October wedding and should be a logistically good time for us to do it. I don't have a crusher and it was nice for them to just do it in the parking lot. IDK, maybe I should give a Saignee de parking lot a go like @Ajmassa did?

 

[Ajmassa]

I did a du Pape from procacci in ‘17. Included some fresh grapes from a Tuscan blend I was doing. The juice is a Grenache based blend I assume*.
It was just meh at first. didn’t drink it much since other stuff was better. Aged longer than typical as a byproduct. At 3 yrs it pretty incredible compared to when young. Have just one left!
And I’m eyeing up the Lake County as well. Supposedly high quality stuff.
the Pintos menu isn’t always posted online. They always have the most options. (No crusher on site tho. But here’s their 2021 menu.

 

[Ajmassa]

Oh and any ‘saigneé le parking’ lot has my full support! Lol. an extra empty bucket is all ya need. Just carefully pour out some juice from the crushed grapes and you’re good (I used a large strainer on top of the empty bucket. mesh bag was unnecessary). 10%-30% they say. Just make sure to target workable volumes in your order to ensure full vessels to age.

3lugs gives a 6carboy plus change. I’d add another and strain out 2gal for rosé. funky sizes/full vessels might be one of the biggest hassles about low vol grape winemaking that we all endure.
And @dizzy good luck with the big day btw.

 

[pgentile]

I'll probably hit up Gino's for one batch of premium grapes, but going to go with Procaci for 12-15 lugs this saturday. Stopped by wednesday morning only juices were in. Grapes were coming in yesterday, today and tomorrow. No premium grape list this year, when I asked I was told all the grapes are premium.

 

[mainshipfred]

I'll probably hit up Gino's for one batch of premium grapes, but going to go with Procaci for 12-15 lugs this saturday. Stopped by wednesday morning only juices were in. Grapes were coming in yesterday, today and tomorrow. No premium grape list this year, when I asked I was told all the grapes are premium.

At those prices they better be premium. How bad did you get hit by the storm?

 

[pgentile]

Yah, prices are up. But it's 10minutes from my house. Saw the grapes today, quality looks pretty good. We were lucky by 4 blocks or so and had no flooding here. Higher ground here at 22nd st & Bainbridge.

 

[Kraffty]

In prep for next weekend's crush we bottled our 2020 Zin, Pinot Noir, Syrah and red blend this morning. Next-door neighbors helped out and will be helping crush next week. They even ordered some Zinfandel grapes on our order and will be making their very first batch along side ours this year. Another couple hooked......

 

[Boatboy24]

@Kraffty What are the carafes for - sampling when finished?

 

[Kraffty]

Pretty much Jim, I take a little of each before making my final Kmeta addition just before bottling. I give a taste to everyone involved so they have a comparison to the aged wine. Will all magically disappear by end of the day today as I finish cleaning up and setting up for crush.

 

[Donz]

I did a du Pape from procacci in ‘17. Included some fresh grapes from a Tuscan blend I was doing. The juice is a Grenache based blend I assume*.
It was just meh at first. didn’t drink it much since other stuff was better. Aged longer than typical as a byproduct. At 3 yrs it pretty incredible compared to when young. Have just one left!
And I’m eyeing up the Lake County as well. Supposedly high quality stuff.
the Pintos menu isn’t always posted online. They always have the most options. (No crusher on site tho. But here’s their 2021 menu.
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My supplier up here has the Caterina label this year. Anyone used this fruit in the past?

 

[Kraffty]

Nothing like taking things down to the wire. I ordered my Chems early last week, they were scheduled to arrive yesterday via Fedex, now it looks like Monday. Grapes come Sunday and luckily I'm attempting a few days cold soak so I should be fine. I found a company called smart bottle that makes re-usable plastic containers that I'm using as ice bombs. They just arrived today and I just got them in the freezer, don't know if they'll be solid by sunday afternoon but will keep my fingers crossed. I'm planning on an approx 40lb block of ice in each brute of 3 lugs of grapes/must. Changing out for fresh block as needed for the few days. It seems like a pretty solid product, food grade and one size is used as disposable growlers so I'm comfortable dumping them into the must. A total of 30 gals of water so about 240 lbs chilling and freezing now. Will report results. I guess It's time to do something with or dispose of last years lugs........

 

[Boatboy24]

I guess It's time to do something with or dispose of last years lugs......

I'm jealous of you guys that get the wood lugs. Guess it would get old after the first year, but I want to get my hands on some.