I want to take the plunge...

[Paulc]

So I need some advice before I do.

Has anyone worked with the Sangiovese (Sutter Ridge) that is available from M&M Wine? This will be my first try at going with just grapes. Will this be a tough product for a beginner to get good results from? Yeast recommendation? Specific ML bact to recommend?

Also, to try and stretch my dollar a little bit further I wanted to make a first run wine with the free run juice and then follow that with attempting a second batch from the remaining must. Both batches would be about 3 gal. I assume I would take the first run, then add water back to the grapes up to 3 gal and attempt to get a second run, rose wine...Anyone have any thoughts or experience trying a second run? Was it worth the time and effort?

Thanks in advance, Paulc

 

[AlFulchino]

i make sangiovese every year..it is a wonderful and easy variety to wok with..if you are able to get your numbers on teh grapes...ie acid, ph and brix then you have a head start....give the grape some time to age and it will do its thing...easy to drink and fruity and smooth enough for everyone

this is only my experience.....others will disagree with me i am sure....i use native yeast to my area and allow it to under go natural mlf ....depending on the grapes you get, you could be bottling anywhere from 6 months after harvest to as much as two yrs

i have not done free run...but have nothing against it...it should be thinner...less tannic...some like that..i prefer big bold and robust so that when you put the wine glass down you stop and think about what just went in your mouth

under the right circumstance free run could have its advantages...but it depends on numbers

we have done some second run of grapes already pressed for normal wine....given time it can make a good wine

no matter what you do , by this time next yr you will be better at everything than you are this yr....this is a cumulative experience....there are no real right and wrongs...good luck to you!

 

[robie]

Buy two batches.
Do as Al suggests for one batch; experiment with free and second runs on the other.