2015 Chilean grapes... woot-woot!

[JohnT]

just ordered my 2015 chilean grapes. i'm gonna do an 80/20 cab merlot blend and a straight pinot noir..

these grapes are always great quality and clen from any desbris. sorting them is a pleasure. i just cant wait to get my hands on these grapes again..

 

[Jimyson]

Based on the pricing I saw from the place that I ordered, going whole fruit seemed so much more expensive. It was ~$30 for 18 lbs of grapes but ~$56 or a 6 gallon pail of juice. From what I read, you need about 80 lbs of grapes for 5 gallons of juice.

What gives?

 

[JohnT]

price here is $24 per 18 pound lug. 4 lugs should come just shy of 5 gallons

 

[Jimyson]

I guess I am surprised in the price difference. Clearly you have the ability to make better wine with the grapes over straight juice but with a lot more work. I would have thought the price point would be closer that it is.

 

[Boatboy24]

You'd think that juice would cost more, since they've already done the crushing and pressing. But yes, fresh grapes are more here too.

 

[Jimyson]

Agreed.

Guess they know where to get you.

 

[cmason1957]

My guess on the cost difference is footprint, the grapes take more space than the juice.

 

[brutus]

Try a bucket of juice + a lug of grapes. That way you get the benefits of the grape contact, but the cost savings of bulk juice.

 

[Kraffty]

For what it's worth, I've now done straight juice buckets and then last fall, Juice buckets 5.5gal + 1 lug 36lb. The all juice was pretty good (at least ok) but the batch with the 36lbs added is already a much better wine. I plan on doubling the amount of grapes to 72lbs plus 5.5 gals of juice this fall. Going through a broker out here costs about 55.00/36lb. lug and 80.00/bucket juice so I'm planning on about 190.00 for about 10 gallons of finished wine. Still sounds like a pretty fair price per bottle even with the brokered prices.
Mike

 

[Jimyson]

Do all you guys have a press or are you hand pressing and tossing it in with the juice?

 

[Kraffty]

Jimmy, I'm still collecting equipment so I used a commercial sized manual potato masher to crush my grapes and my press is homemade. All worked fine. Crusher is next on my list though.
Mike

 

[Jimyson]

Since I didn't order any grapes with my buckets and don't even have a homemade press, I guess I need to see what I can do to make the juice better than it is as-is. I have a Cab Sav, a Pinot Noir, and a Pinot Grigio ordered.

 

[JohnT]

For what it's worth, I've now done straight juice buckets and then last fall, Juice buckets 5.5gal + 1 lug 36lb. The all juice was pretty good (at least ok) but the batch with the 36lbs added is already a much better wine. I plan on doubling the amount of grapes to 72lbs plus 5.5 gals of juice this fall. Going through a broker out here costs about 55.00/36lb. lug and 80.00/bucket juice so I'm planning on about 190.00 for about 10 gallons of finished wine. Still sounds like a pretty fair price per bottle even with the brokered prices.
Mike

Why not try a small batch using 100 percent fresh grapes? That may turn out even better then the mix.

 

[Boatboy24]

Since I didn't order any grapes with my buckets and don't even have a homemade press, I guess I need to see what I can do to make the juice better than it is as-is. I have a Cab Sav, a Pinot Noir, and a Pinot Grigio ordered.

You don't need a press to add, say 18lbs of grapes to a 6 gallon bucket. Put them in a couple paint strainer bags, just like you would a grape skin pack on a kit. When you're done with primary, remove the bag(s) and squeeze the juice out by hand.

 

[Kraffty]

John, I thought about that after I wrote, 4 36lb. lugs would come out to about 10 gallons and only cost a little more than adding the bucket. I may just try it this year and be asking for some advice from you come fall.
thanks, Mike

 

[Jimyson]

Do you guys add this to say a Pinot Grigio as well or just reds?

 

[Jimyson]

And I may just leave out the grapes for this round since my order is already in and the deadline was today. I imagine they will still produce a good batch worth the $56. Plus another round comes out this fall I would expect so all is not lost. What do you guys think? Will I be disappointed with this decision?

 

[heatherd]

What varietals are you making? If red, you could add Zante currants or elderberries to primary instead of grapes. If white, a juice pail will turn out fine with nothing. All is not lost!

 

[Jimyson]

What varietals are you making? If red, you could add Zante currants or elderberries to primary instead of grapes. If white, a juice pail will turn out fine with nothing. All is not lost!

Cab Sav, a Pinot Noir, and a Pinot Grigio

 

[Jimyson]

How much would you add to a 6 gallon pail of juice?