Napa Cab

[sdelli]

Just got notice they are picking my Napa Cab this week! Only a week or two away from this years crush.

 

[sdelli]

Well.... We crushed all day yesterday! About 4000lbs total. The Napa Cab ended up being from Stagecoach! Should make some excellent wine... Now comes the massive ferment....

 

[sdelli]

Some pictures of yesterday's crush.

 

[Kraffty]

great looking crush setup
Mike

 

[Boatboy24]

Very nice! What are the strings doing in those Brutes?

 

[ibglowin]

Looks like temp feedback of sorts.

Very nice! What are the strings doing in those Brutes?

 

[sdelli]

Lol.... Beer bags of American Oak chips.
4oz. Per bin during fermentation.

 

[Donz]

Nice that's a ton of grapes for a manual crusher though!!!

 

[Donz]

Just curious how much did you pay per case?

 

[Redbird1]

Nice that's a ton of grapes for a manual crusher though!!!

More like two tons!

 

[sdelli]

With enough people it goes pretty fast. Started at about 10 am and finished about 4pm. Then a couple hours of clean up....

 

[sdelli]

Pitched yeast in 11 bins yesterday. Off and running!

 

[Redbird1]

Pitched yeast in 11 bins yesterday. Off and running!
View attachment 32034
View attachment 32035

How do you handle the yeast for so much must? Is it just a matter of using a bunch of packets? Do you build up a starter like some homebrewers do? I know wine yeast is generally cheaper, but that is still a lot of yeasties needed.

 

[sdelli]

I buy yeast in larger quantity and then weigh and divide.... Did not want to take a chance so I did 11 individual startups. When you take the time to perform a good hydrate it dramatically increases the chance of a good fermentation.

 

[sdelli]

Pressed the grapes yesterday! Beautiful deep dark blue. Netted over 8%... Very happy! This year I made Napa Cab, Merlot, Malbec and Petite Verdot.... Net over 8% on all of them!
A bladder press pays for itself in extra wine!

 

[NorCal]

Looks like a good year! What fo you mean you "net 8%" ?

 

[whackfol]

Would you share how you purchased these grapes or from whom? I was told by another supplier that Delta was not offering Napa fruit this year. Clearly I was told wrong.

 

[sdelli]

Looks like a good year! What fo you mean you "net 8%" ?

The rule of thumb we all get from year to year is between 6% and 7% yield from gross fruit weight to net gallons of wine.... So you purchase 100lbs of grapes... You will get between 6 and 7 gallons of wine. Or 6% to 7% yield of pounds to gallons of wine.
How well you press is measured in your yield success. This year with my new bladder press I yielded 7 1/2% on my Merlot, Malbec, and PV... Yielded 8% on my Cab! The difference of 1% is huge in gallons of wine!

 

[NorCal]

So....gallons / pounds x 100 ?

 

[sdelli]

That would be it....