Now that the order form is up, I thought I would post my experience with the F. Colavita fruit from last year (2010). I bought five different varietals, and had mixed results as discussed below. I plan to order Cab, Merlot, and Petit Verdot again this year (2011), maybe Cab Franc.
Cab Sauvignon: excellent fruit quality. Brix=25, pH=3.45, no acid adjustment needed. 6 lugs (216 pounds) became 18.5 gallons of must (good yield). I am very pleased with this varietal and recommend it to any beginner.
Merlot: excellent fruit quality. Brix=25, pH=3.78, acid adjustment
needed. 3 lugs (108 pounds) became 11 gallons of must. I am very
pleased with this varietal and recommend it; but only if you are comfortable with acid testing and adjustment.
Petit Verdot: excellent fruit quality but damaged in shipping as the stacked containers came unsnapped and crushed the fruit. This required extensive hand sorting to remove the broken crushed fruit on top, but the remaining fruit underneath was excellent. Brix=24, pH=3.85, no acid adjustment done, but arguably it could have been. 3 lugs (108 pounds) became 8.5 gallons of must. I am very
pleased with this varietal and recommend it; I hope the shipping is more robust this time.
Cab Franc: marginal fruit quality, required some hand sorting to remove raisins. Brix=25, pH=3.9, acid
adjustment needed. 3 lugs (108 pounds)
became 7.5 gallons of must. Wine is grassy and vegetal; if I do it again, I will pull from skins early and make a lighter bodied, or blending wine. But time will tell, this could evolve into a very nice wine as it is.
Old Vine Zin: poor fruit quality, many completely raisined clusters and broken fruit which required extensive hand sorting. Wine spontaneously fermented (where none of the above did) even with SO2 treatment at crush. Brix=26, pH=3.93, acid
adjustment needed. 3 lugs (108 pounds)
became 5 gallons of must. Wine is painful to the pallette and likely headed down the drain. Not recommended.
Good Luck to all of us fresh fruit winemakers this year,
George S. (different George, not the Wine store owner)
Cab Sauvignon: excellent fruit quality. Brix=25, pH=3.45, no acid adjustment needed. 6 lugs (216 pounds) became 18.5 gallons of must (good yield). I am very pleased with this varietal and recommend it to any beginner.
Merlot: excellent fruit quality. Brix=25, pH=3.78, acid adjustment
needed. 3 lugs (108 pounds) became 11 gallons of must. I am very
pleased with this varietal and recommend it; but only if you are comfortable with acid testing and adjustment.
Petit Verdot: excellent fruit quality but damaged in shipping as the stacked containers came unsnapped and crushed the fruit. This required extensive hand sorting to remove the broken crushed fruit on top, but the remaining fruit underneath was excellent. Brix=24, pH=3.85, no acid adjustment done, but arguably it could have been. 3 lugs (108 pounds) became 8.5 gallons of must. I am very
pleased with this varietal and recommend it; I hope the shipping is more robust this time.
Cab Franc: marginal fruit quality, required some hand sorting to remove raisins. Brix=25, pH=3.9, acid
adjustment needed. 3 lugs (108 pounds)
became 7.5 gallons of must. Wine is grassy and vegetal; if I do it again, I will pull from skins early and make a lighter bodied, or blending wine. But time will tell, this could evolve into a very nice wine as it is.
Old Vine Zin: poor fruit quality, many completely raisined clusters and broken fruit which required extensive hand sorting. Wine spontaneously fermented (where none of the above did) even with SO2 treatment at crush. Brix=26, pH=3.93, acid
adjustment needed. 3 lugs (108 pounds)
became 5 gallons of must. Wine is painful to the pallette and likely headed down the drain. Not recommended.
Good Luck to all of us fresh fruit winemakers this year,
George S. (different George, not the Wine store owner)
