Freezing grapes

I have an oppurtunity to get some real high quality grapes from a local winery at a real good price, 1$cad per kg, my problem is i dont have room in my winery to ferment too much more at the moment and i was wondering if it would be ok to put 500lbs into a deep freezer until im ready to use them?

Smok1 said:

I have an oppurtunity to get some real high quality grapes from a local winery at a real good price, 1$cad per kg, my problem is i dont have room in my winery to ferment too much more at the moment and i was wondering if it would be ok to put 500lbs into a deep freezer until im ready to use them?

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I say freeze it!

You've got quite the freezer! I had asked the same question back in May when I bought some grapes on impulse unprepared and unsure. I Froze about 60 lbs for a week.
Not sure how long your talkin, but I don't think it matters since they're frozen. And I Think it actually benefitted the grapes extracting all the goodness.

Ajmassa5983 said:

You've got quite the freezer! I had asked the same question back in May when I bought some grapes on impulse unprepared and unsure. I Froze about 60 lbs for a week.
Not sure how long your talkin, but I don't think it matters since they're frozen. And I Think it actually benefitted the grapes extracting all the goodness.

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Im actually picking up 300lbs of frontenac noir, 300 frontenac gris, and 300 frontenac blanc, but i will be able to do 300lbs of red in my larger fermenters as soon as the syrah and merlot are finished in them which will be by next weekend, the white varietals i can run through the press and ferment in the smaller 5 and 10 gallon fermenter pails so i might not need to freeze any after all.

Just let us know how the intervention goes when your family confronts you on your addiction that seems to be spiraling out of control!
No room for your 6 lugs in primary? Quick fix- buy 900lbs more! Now space for 216 lbs seems like small potatoes.

Ajmassa5983 said:

Just let us know how the intervention goes when your family confronts you on your addiction that seems to be spiraling out of control!
No room for your 6 lugs in primary? Quick fix- buy 900lbs more! Now space for 216 lbs seems like small potatoes.

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Haha, i basically told my wife i spent so much on the equipment that it would irresponsible of me to not buy these grapes.

Feast or famine. Can't find any grape suppliers in Canada. Couple weeks go by, and now you've got too much! Good luck

Ajmassa5983 said:

Feast or famine. Can't find any grape suppliers in Canada. Couple weeks go by, and now you've got too much! Good luck

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I know, not sure what happened, 2 weeks ago i called nearly every winery within a 100km radius and no one wanted to sell me anything, so i ordered my grapes from cali. Now i have 3 or 4 local suppliers. Only downside to the local is only certain varietals grow good here my local choices are:
Pinot noir
Foch
Reisling
Kerner
Gertemhiemer
And the 3 frontenac varietals.

So im still happy with my purchase from cali as i cant get syrah or merlot here, next year i will still put a cali order in for maybe cab sauv, zin, and petite syrah