Frozen Grape Must wine making

[tonyportale]

Hello,
I'm new to this forum, so I apologize in advance if this question has been asked. I've always made wine from kits. I want to 'up the ante' and make wine from frozen grape must. Will the suppliers, i.e. M&M... supply and / or recommend the required ingredients (as is done with kits) to make the wine?
Thank you,
Tony

 

[rob]

With frozen juice the only difference is that it is not concentrated like the kits, you will still add the same chemicals that you do with the kits. I have done a white grape but never the red, I believe with the red you have to punch down the skins for a couple of weeks. You will have to age the juice much longer than the kits.

 

[tonyportale]

Thank you for your reply,
My question is the WE kits provide all of the ingredients and instructions needed. Will I have to find the 'recipe' on the internet for the variety I choose or do you know if the supplier of the frozen must will provide that for me with instructions.

Thank you,
Tony

 

[robie]

It is best you contact that specific frozen grape/juice supplier and ask them directly. Since you are new at it, they should be very willing to help you. I think M&M has a video on their site, which shows you step by step what to do and they also have chemical kits you can buy for the frozen bucket.

Some frozen "juice" buckets supply everything and in some, the yeast has already been pitched at the bottom of the frozen must.

Typically, when you buy a frozen "grape" bucket, you don't get any of the chemicals/additives you get in a kit. Some frozen grape/juice supplies can and will sell you a chemical kit, though. You are more likely to need a PH meter and certainly a hydrometer, among other things.

Also, if you make wine from frozen "grapes", you will have to press the grapes yourself. Making wine from frozen grapes is very much the same as making wine from fresh grapes... you pretty much are on your own.

 

[Smartdog]

My experience in using frozen pails has been with Brehm Vineyards, a zin last year and a petit vedot, pinot noir, chardonnay and a viognier noe (see www.smartdogwinery.com). They only come with the juice and for reds the skins, everything else is up to you.

MoreWinemaking has additive packs for Brehm pails:
http://morewinemaking.com/view_product/10698//Additive_Pack_for_Brehm_Frozen_Fruit_Reds
http://morewinemaking.com/view_product/10756//Additive_Pack_for_Brehm_Frozen_Fruit_Whites

These are fairly complet (except for the yeast which is seperate).

I have found the pails not a lot more difficult than the kits.