Harford Vineyard 2014 Californian Harvest

[heatherd]

Having heard several times that the harvest will be early this year, I checked in with Kevin Mooney at Harford Vineyard. He said they expect the Californian harvest of grapes and juice to arrive the first week of September.

Their pre-order website will go live mid-August. Everything has to be pre-ordered with a 50% downpayment. Nice thing is that their buckets are in the 50-60 range, so is pretty cost-effective for a batch of wine from a fresh juice.

My plan is to get zinfandel juice and grapes, cabernet franc juice and grapes, chenin blanc juice, and viognier juice. I am also going to have them crush and destem my grapes for $25.

http://www.harfordvineyard.com/wine-making-supplies
They're in Maryland and do not ship fresh items, so you'll need to make the trip there to pick up, and will have to be available to get your stuff whenever it arrives. In May that meant two different pick-up times for grapes versus juice.

Heather

 

[Boatboy24]

Thanks Heather. I'll be doing a single, all grape batch of Zinfandel. Will probably go with 3 or 4 lugs and have them crush/destem.

 

[jas3019]

Agh it's right around the corner and I didn't realize it! I've barely thought about what I'll do. For a red maybe a Pinot noir or Zinfandel. For a white I might do another sauv blanc or something else that I haven't decided yet hah. Any suggestions in what's best from Cali?


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[Boatboy24]

Any suggestions in what's best from Cali?


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Juice? Grapes?

I did the Amador Gold Petit Sirah from grapes last fall. It just went into the Vadai a few weeks ago, but is already really good

 

[jas3019]

Oh duh hah guess i left that out. I'm looking to do juice supplemented with a lug of grapes again.


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[heatherd]

They have lodi old vine zin grapes that sound very tempting....


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[heatherd]

Jim, for your planned all grape zin batch, will you be pressing by hand or do you have a press?
Heather


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[4score]

I went by a local vineyard where I'm buying Zin. They are really coming along already (Placer County). I tried a couple ripe looking grapes and they were very sweet already!! So yes, things may be running early here!!

 

[jas3019]

So I think I've decided to do a bucket and lug of zinfandel for my fall red. Started looking into yeast choices and might use either RP15 or BM4x4. They both seem to contribute to a classic California zinfandel taste/mouthfeel. RP15 sounds like it might be a little more finicky so might just stick with BM4x4. What are you guys planning on using?

 

[Boatboy24]

Jim, for your planned all grape zin batch, will you be pressing by hand or do you have a press?
Heather


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I picked up an 18L used press on Craigslist last fall. I wouldn't press more than a lug or two by hand - too much work for me.

 

[heatherd]

So I think I've decided to do a bucket and lug of zinfandel for my fall red. Started looking into yeast choices and might use either RP15 or BM4x4. They both seem to contribute to a classic California zinfandel taste/mouthfeel. RP15 sounds like it might be a little more finicky so might just stick with BM4x4. What are you guys planning on using?

I will likely use BM45 as I had good luck with it on my recent Cabernet batch. The wine tastes great already and the yeast wasn't finicky at all.
Heather

 

[heatherd]

I picked up an 18L used press on Craigslist last fall. I wouldn't press more than a lug or two by hand - too much work for me.

Good to know.


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[heatherd]

Here is what Kevin had in the way of an update:

"We expect to get 1st juice delivery around first week in sept. Web to go live next week. We will send news letter letting customers know when web is live. Also not that it matters but we did responded to your last email please see below.

Thanks
Kevin Mooney
Harford Vineyard & Winery
Email - [email protected]"


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[Boatboy24]

Thanks Heather. I was starting to get worried.

 

[heatherd]

If all else fails with Harford's harvest, I checked the distance to Keystone Homebrew in Montgomeryville, PA and its an extra half hour drive for me.... Their fall harvest is expected to be there starting next week, and you can select from a few pickup dates.
Heather


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[Boatboy24]

Thanks again. I may have to make that extra half hour work. I'm getting VERY nervous, having not heard "boo" from Harford.

Edit: I emailed them this morning and got a fairly quick response:

"Jim,

Yes, we are working on new web and it should be live today.

We will send a news letter out stating same.

Thanks
Kevin Mooney
Harford Vineyard & Winery"

 

[heatherd]

Thanks for the update. I will give them another day or two.
Heather


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[heatherd]

The website is live as of last night.


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[Boatboy24]

The website is live as of last night.


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Now to decide what I'm going to do. I was going to order a few lugs of Lodi Gold Old Vine Zin, but it doesn't look like they are carrying the Lodi Gold label this year.

 

[heatherd]

They do have Central Valley Lodi old vine zin grapes.


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