Weirdest Crush EVER!

[JohnT]

This year marks my 35th crush and you would have thought that I would know it all by now, that I had a plan for every contingency. I can tell you that this is simply not the case.

Our crush was on 10/2 and I had put my grape order in two weeks prior. When I showed up with my truck to pick them up, guess what...

.. They had not reserved my grapes and they did not have my requested strain of yeast. I was told that they only had petit verdot and only 2 varieties of white grapes to choose from.

That's right folks, it was either petit verdot or no red at all. Apparently COVID and Disasters in CA were causing a shortage.

Having no time to shop around, I went with the petit verdot and EC-1118 yeast. Ideal? No! but it was that or nothing.

While I waited to get loaded, I saw lug after lug of cab, merlot, petit sarah, and pinot noir being loaded to other customers. Apparently, they paid for their grapes when they ordered. NOBODY TOLD ME I NEEDED TO DO THIS!!!! After over 30 years, I never had to do that. I could just pay when loaded. We usually end up buying more grapes on the dock so it made more sense to pay when loaded.

I am so used to my dealer trying to sell me more grapes and ME saying "I can't". This year, I am begging him to sell me more grapes and HIM saying "I can't".



Thoughts?

 

[ibglowin]

Welcome to 2021! Where most everything that needs to be shipped by boat, plane, rail or truck is FUBAR.........

 

[CDrew]

Yield is way down everywhere this year. California has nice grapes, but yields are down 25% or more. Washington, same thing. It isn't just the shipping. There are fewer grapes.

 

[JohnT]

Indeed.

The pv came in at 26% sugar and a ta of .375.

In other words, they were overly ripe.

 

[Boatboy24]

Glad you're getting to make something. Did you make a white wine as well?

FWIW, I pay for my grapes when I order. With my previous supplier, it was 50% up front and the balance at pick up.

 

[distancerunner]

We’re waiting to hear from the supplier. They are supposed to call tomorrow morning to let us know if they will be able to fill our order and what we will be able to get. I’ve been offering to pay since August. No dice.

We’ll see.

 

[Juniper Hill]

I choose to get only local (Nova Scotia) grapes this year. Great year. Did some NY Muscat, Chardonnay, Riesling, Frontenac Blanc and L'Acadie Blanc. Picking up some Petite Pearl soon. The bladder press has been getting a solid work out.

Sorry to hear many are having supply issues - that's a bummer. Might have to try cider or mead.

 

[mainshipfred]

We’re waiting to hear from the supplier. They are supposed to call tomorrow morning to let us know if they will be able to fill our order and what we will be able to get. I’ve been offering to pay since August. No dice.

We’ll see.

Where are you getting them from?

 

[distancerunner]

CFP Winemakers. Ron Casertano.

 

[mainshipfred]

CFP Winemakers. Ron Casertano.

I thought that might be the case and surprised they aren't in yet.

 

[distancerunner]

Mario, one of Ron's guys, told me that one truck came in yesterday and the other was broke down in Columbus. They were, "Trying to get another tractor under the trailer." He also said that they didn't know how much of the order they were going to be able to fill, if at all.

 

[distancerunner]

Talked to CFP Winemakers this morning. They confirmed our order.

10 Sangiovese
11 Merlot
2 Cab Sauv clone 15
1 Cab Franc

All Lanza Vineyards.

The Petit Verdot/Petit Syrah are up in the air. I ordered the above in early August and added the last two in early September. If we get them they will likely be Mettler. Which is pretty good, too.

Pickup scheduled for Monday morning.

 

[Nebbiolo020]

Yields this year were horrible, at work we got good yields but most wineries around us didn’t and our grapes are not looking good numbers wise

 

[buzi]

I live in Chicago but normally get my grapes from Cleveland when I stop in to see family. This is the first year I didn't have my pick of 10 - 15 different grapes. I had the choice of cab sauv, Alicante, merlot or Ruby Cab. I went with the Cab Sauv. They did have some other varieties by the quarter ton, but that does ride home too well in the minivan! Definitely a strange year!

 

[Nebbiolo020]

I live in Chicago but normally get my grapes from Cleveland when I stop in to see family. This is the first year I didn't have my pick of 10 - 15 different grapes. I had the choice of cab sauv, Alicante, merlot or Ruby Cab. I went with the Cab Sauv. They did have some other varieties by the quarter ton, but that does ride home too well in the minivan! Definitely a strange year!

Good choice

 

[hounddawg]

This year marks my 35th crush and you would have thought that I would know it all by now, that I had a plan for every contingency. I can tell you that this is simply not the case.

Our crush was on 10/2 and I had put my grape order in two weeks prior. When I showed up with my truck to pick them up, guess what...

.. They had not reserved my grapes and they did not have my requested strain of yeast. I was told that they only had petit verdot and only 2 varieties of white grapes to choose from.

That's right folks, it was either petit verdot or no red at all. Apparently COVID and Disasters in CA were causing a shortage.

Having no time to shop around, I went with the petit verdot and EC-1118 yeast. Ideal? No! but it was that or nothing.

While I waited to get loaded, I saw lug after lug of cab, merlot, petit sarah, and pinot noir being loaded to other customers. Apparently, they paid for their grapes when they ordered. NOBODY TOLD ME I NEEDED TO DO THIS!!!! After over 30 years, I never had to do that. I could just pay when loaded. We usually end up buying more grapes on the dock so it made more sense to pay when loaded.

I am so used to my dealer trying to sell me more grapes and ME saying "I can't". This year, I am begging him to sell me more grapes and HIM saying "I can't".



Thoughts?

KARMA IS A *****
THAT SUX BUT YOU CAN'T CRY OVER SPILLED MILK,
I FEEL FOR YOU,,,,
Dawg,