2021, what are your plans?

[d v]

Welcome to WMT. Making your described Zinfandel is actually no harder than any other red wine. Virtually any wine you make will have all the sugar fermented out, and thus "dry". So if you can get good Zinfandel grapes in your location, I'd say go for it. Then depending on Brix, look for a yeast strain that tolerates higher alcohol like Avante or EC1118 and you are in business.

I've made a Primitivo the last 4 years which is basically the same grape as Zinfandel and I can say there are no special secrets. Maybe one secret-give it a dose of a pectinase type enzyme to increase the color and body. Lots here including me use Lallzyme EX and EX-V for that purpose. Then just good wine making practices like nutritional adds for the yeast and you'll make the wine you want.

And here is some excellent free reading: Mine Making Guide

Many thanks. I'm coming from mead-making so some of the process is familiar, but there are a lot of subtle but important differences and that guide will be an immense help! Appreciate your advice on zin as well - ordered a batch of grapes and will update as the ferment comes along.

 

[mainshipfred]

Just received pricing from Washington Winemakers. They are a little up from last year.

 

[NorCal]

Just received pricing from Washington Winemakers. They are a little up from last year.

$1.00 - $1.20 per pound doesn't sound all that bad picked and shipped to WA. Pricing this year for commercial quality grapes in the Sierra Foothills is $.75 - $1.00 per pound picked.

 

[winemaker81]

Last year I averaged $1.55/lb, shipped from CA to MA to NC.

 

[mainshipfred]

$1.00 - $1.20 per pound doesn't sound all that bad picked and shipped to WA. Pricing this year for commercial quality grapes in the Sierra Foothills is $.75 - $1.00 per pound picked.

Yeah, but yours are Sierra Foothills, our are Lodi. Even though what we get looks and test OK I'm sure what you get are a higher quality. For the record my local fruit is $1.50 to $1.75 per pound. I think a lot has to do with our labor rate and the fact we don't produce as much as you do. What I like though with the local is I get the grapes the day or following day they are picked. Plus I get them from growers more interested in quality than quantity which I believe is what Lodi is all about, could be wrong about Lodi though.

 

[mainshipfred]

I recently received a notice a peach farmer near Gettysburg has an over abundance of peaches and are selling them for $5.00 a basket of 25-28 lbs. I put an order in for 12 baskets. I never made that much before but I also can't seem to ever make too much peach.

 

[dragonwithane]

I recently received a notice a peach farmer near Gettysburg has an over abundance of peaches and are selling them for $5.00 a basket of 25-28 lbs. I put an order in for 12 baskets. I never made that much before but I also can't seem to ever make too much peach.

Wow! Wish I knew that before I bought my peaches this year.

 

[mainshipfred]

Last year I averaged $1.55/lb, shipped from CA to MA to NC.

Still it's a lot better than driving 3+ hours each way. I hope your source comes through for you.

 

[bjoll001]

I am paying 1.95 / lb for Pinot Noir grapes Santa Maria Valley, CA and 1.60 / lb for Syrah Santa Ynez Valley, CA this year and have to pick up myself day of picking. Definitely more pricey that what others are paying but hopefully the quality makes up for it. It definitely adds up when doing 550 lbs each but I am investing in the future of my wine drinking.

 

[bjoll001]

550 lbs of Pinot Noir and 550 lbs Syrah to make age in two 30 gallon barrels. Syrah to age in new French oak barrel first while Pinot Noir in Neutral French oak barrel. Extra wine in carboys and bottles to account for topping up and wine loss during racking. Once Syrah is aged long enough in the new oak to not overdo it, will transfer into the neutral oak barrel and then transfer the pinot to the new French oak barrel for further barrel aging. Hopefully timing works out to rack out of barrels into tank when next years harvest is fermented and then be racked off the gross lees into these barrels to restart the cycle.

 

[SLM]

I will be picking up cab in eastern Washington for $1.45. I believe I'm paying a bit of a premium due to it being a minimum order. It's a 3+ hour drive but there's something romantic about personally seeing the source vineyard.
I have also hit up a couple local wineries who agreed to sell me some of their fruit when it gets delivered. Varietals and price unknown, but it's only a 10 minute drive.

 

[sour_grapes]

Dang! I just got bad news, and seeking input from the collective.

Our vintner's association had a group buy organized for Wash. State Merlot grapes. We just got word that the broker (Kendall) cannot fill our order due to a poor harvest. I am very disappointed.

However, the neighboring club (1.5 hours away) is allowing us to piggyback on their order (if we fill a pallet), but it is only pails. I feel ambivalent about this. Here are the available reds:

California---Red Juices, $46 per pail
Alicante, Barbera, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet/Merlot (50/50), Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere, Grenache, Malbec, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Ruby Cabernet, Syrah, Zinfandel, White Zinfandel

Italy---Red Juices, $ 51 per pail
Amarone, Barolo, Brunello, Chianti, Lambrusco, Montepulciano, Nebbiolo, Sangiovese, Valpolicella


In addition to the above, I am on course to get a batch of Sauv Blanc and a batch of Riesling, both from Washington.

Any faves from the hive?

 

[cmason1957]

I did a Cab/Merlot (50/50) two years ago from California and it is turning out very nice. Barbera is always a nice blueberry note wine to have around.

<opinion>White Zinfandel is an abomination and should never be considered. </opinion>

at the negligible cost difference $0.15/bottle, I would find the Amarone, Brunello, Nebbiolo, and Valpolicella very interesting, particularly if I had skins to put in with it. My last juice buckets from California were plenty dark without the addition of extra skins, but they could use a bit more tannin.

 

[mainshipfred]

That's got to be disappointing. I've only done one juice bucket in the last 4 years so I can't be of much help. If I was in the same situation I would agree with Craig and go with the Italian, simply because I never made one. But that's no to say you haven't.

 

[mainshipfred]

I hate to even post this considering Paul's dilemma. We were supposed to receive our order Saturday but it got delayed a week because the Touriga and Sangiovese hasn't been picked yet. I hope it's because they weren't ripe and not that they couldn't get pickers. I'd hate to have 30 brix fruit. It appears from our California friends the harvest has been going on for awhile now.

 

[Denden5136]

All done with the primary for the below except the Mourvedre. My wife and I picked all of the grapes ourselves.

3 gallons of Pinot Noir (Central Valley, California)
6 gallons of Cabernet Sauvignon (Central Valley, California)
8 gallons of Cabernet Franc (Byron, Contra Costa County)
7 gallons of Syrah (Lodi)
5 gallons-ish Mourvedre (Brentwood, Contra Costa County)

Plan to do some 100% CS and CF, but will definitely also be blending of the 2
The plan is to do the same with the Syrah and Mourvedre, but it depends on how the Mourvedre primary finishes. It's not looking great
I could also play with an Australian style blend with the CS and Syrah
Pinot will stay as-is

I have all winter to think about blending and will change my mind 20 times between now and next spring. That is part of the fun of it.

 

[CDrew]

<opinion>White Zinfandel is an abomination and should never be considered. </opinion>

If you mean the white Zin sweetened Rose swill popularized in the 1980s and 1990s, I agree. But a Zin Rose made dry can be pretty darn good. Zin has an excellent balance of flavors and acid to make an exemplary Rose. It likely doesn't sell well, so very few places make it. People want the sweet stuff and so that's what they make.

I hate to even post this considering Paul's dilemma. We were supposed to receive our order Saturday but it got delayed a week because the Touriga and Sangiovese hasn't been picked yet. I hope it's because they weren't ripe and not that they couldn't get pickers. I'd hate to have 30 brix fruit. It appears from our California friends the harvest has been going on for awhile now.

Harvest is well underway. Overall this was a warm year and things are ripening a couple of weeks earlier than usual. Case in point; I picked Primitivo on Saturday and it was harvested at 27 Brix, and last year the same vineyard on the same weekend in 2020was at 24 Brix.

I also know that the Lodi and Clarksberg areas have been harvesting since mid August.

Here is a current sheet from Herringer in Clarksberg. If my attachement does not work, I'll come back and delete.

 

[Meadini]

I just received an email stating that our grapes have been picked but won’t be transported until next week due to driver shortages. How concerned should I be about grapes sitting in a warehouse for 7-10 days? Or the juice buckets for that matter?

 

[cmason1957]

If you mean the white Zin sweetened Rose swill popularized in the 1980s and 1990s, I agree. But a Zin Rose made dry can be pretty darn good. Zin has an excellent balance of flavors and acid to make an exemplary Rose. It likely doesn't sell well, so very few places make it. People want the sweet stuff and so that's what they make.

I most certainly did not mean a wonderful Zinfandel Rose. That isn't what I think of when I hear (and shudder, just a little bit) White Zin, the abomination.


And I know some folks think it is the best stuff ever, each to their own. Make and drink whatever you like.

 

[distancerunner]

Chianti/Super Tuscan:

Ten lugs of Sangiovese and three of Merlot. All Lanza.

Meritage/Bordeaux blend:

Eight lugs of Merlot, two Cabernet Sauvignon, and one each of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. All Lanza except the Cab Franc which will be central valley.

All will be fermented separately and bench tested before blending.