Grapes from California

I have been busy with work and making wine, so I am overdue for a post.


On Sept. 21, I received an order of 3 lugs of Syrah and 1 lug of Carignan from a California produce seller as part of a DFW group purchase. (A lug is approx. 36 lbs). I had not ordered grapes by the lug before (usually just containers from Brehm), and was worried what the result might be. I cold-soaked the grapes for five days after crush and fermented on the skins for 12 days before pressing. I pressed the grapes on Sunday, Oct. 8. The resulting wine is delicious.The pressing yielded 10 gallons of wine. I started MLF yesterday. Given that, with shipping, I paid a total of $81, this has turned out to be a very good deal. I did have to add about 4 liters of acidulated water because the grapes were high in brix (27.5) and a bit dehydrated from shipment. I started the fermentation with 24 brix. Overall, I am very pleased with the results.


After pressing, I did a second run witha kit. Itook about 2/3 of the pomace, placed it in a clean 10 gallon fermenter, and added a VR Zinfindel kit I bought from George. Because of all the yeast in the pomace, the fermentation was robust only 3 hours after adding the kit to the pomace.


Robert

Excellent! How do you ship lugs and how long did it take for them to get to Texas?

The group split a $500.00 shipping charge on a per lug basis to ship the grapes from California to Farmer's Market in Dallas by refrigerated truck. The group ordered 79 lugs together, which constitutedtwo pallets. The grapes were shipped on Sunday evening, Sept. 17 and were available for pick up on Thursday morning, Sept. 21. Because I have always fermented grapes the same day I picked them, I was nervous about the grape quality. The grapes arrived nearly frozen in wooden crates. Considering the cost of only $14 per lug and aproximately $25.00 total shipping costs for my four lugs, it was a good deal. I have previously purchased Peter Brehm grapes, but a 5 gallon pail usually costs over $100 with a large shipping cost, and a pail of red grapes produces only 3 gallons of juice. While the Brehm grapes are usually great quality, this cost me less than half the cost of Brehm grapes. Edited by: dfwwino

That's pretty cool. How many people in your group?
Edited by: Joan

I discovered the group on a link for the North Texas Winemaker's Guild. I think most of the persons were members, though I'm not. I just emailed the organizer and joined the group. The shipment was received at a wholesale produce market in the Farmer's Market. I think there were about five or six of us. Some of the guys ordered 15-20 lugs, a huge amount of winemaking.

That sounds like a great group to belong to, Robert! The price is right and the Brix is high! What more could you ask for? Except maybe more grapes!

I hope your wine turns out to be a taste treat!

I just bottled a 75%/25% Syrah Carignan blend from the California grapes I purchased last year. I bottled 50 bottles from the $81 of fresh grapes I bought. Now I just have to wait for the bottle shock to fade and the tasting will begin. Edited by: dfwwino

Perhaps a bottle or two for groupsampling might possibly make an appearance at Winestock? Edited by: Waldo

Dfwwino,


What was the name of the supplier of the nearly-frozen grapes and/or do they have a website?


Jim

Waldo,
I will bring a few bottles along to share.


Jim,


We ordered from Triboro Fruit Co., Inc. in California. I think this is the same supplier that M & M Produce on the East Coast uses. We ordered a pallet worth and had the split the cost of commercial shipping and had to arrange for a produce seller in Farmer's Market with a delivery dock to accept the shipment.