Making wine from grapes, juice buckets and kits

[geek]

So I was wondering the following, using rough numbers:

1.kits: using a 18L kit with grape skins pack runs for ~$104 plus shipping. This would be a WinExpert Selection International. No MLF and you follow directions, no deviation except you can do small tweaks like adding raisins in secondary, more oak tannin, etc.

Total ~$130 roughly.

2.juice bucket: 6gal for ~$52 or $54 and in the $60s for Italian style juice. Recommended adding a grape skins pack for better body, a pack is a like $20. Put through MLF and add ~$15 for the bacteria.

Total ballpark ~$90

3.grapes: local supplier can crush/de-stem for an extra $3 a case; a case runs for ~$35 ballbark say for a Cab Sav. That's ~$38. A case of grapes would yield ~2.5gal. So 2 cases roughly $80; then MLF $15. Roughly $95 for about 5gal batch and considering you do not need to add grape skins pack since you're getting all grapes crushed with skins and all that for primary fermentation.

Total ballpark ~$100 but this would be 5gal and onced racked you may end up with 4 1/2.

I became a big believer of using grape skins in primary, every time I tried wine from a friend who used grapes the wine is better. BUT using grapes is a lot more work unless you pay to crush and de-stem.

So.....am I too off with these calculations?

 

[bkisel]

Your calculations seem just fine to me but then so far I've only done kits.

One thing with a kit, at least from the kit manufactures that I'm familiar with, is that if you follow their directions and run into issues they or their retailer will make it good.

Kits Rule!

 

[hvac36]

One thing you may want to do is when making from fresh grapes and using the skins is keep your must cold say around 40/45 for a few days before you ferment this will help bring out even more color and tannins to your red wines. Take 2liter bottles fill with water and freeze and change out thru out the days and keep it wrapped in a blanket to help hold in the cold. I have a glycol system and with that I keep everything around 35/40 for a week before fermenting. Wines are 100% better...

 

[geek]

wow, good to know.
I hear using grapes is a LOT more work though...

 

[salcoco]

Wine from grapes lets you decide the style of wine you want to make. Kits require you to make the wine their style, although nothing wrong with that.

Kits let you enjoy wines from around the world. Grapes are local. Each has there place. Enjoy both and forget the math.

 

[Rocky]

Geek, are you confident in that price (~$35) for a lug of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes? Also, I am assuming you are referring to a 36 pound lug. That is a lot lower price than we see them for here in central Ohio. Is that the M&M price?

Also, with grapes, you would still need a method of pressing the grapes after fermentation.

 

[cedarswamp]

Geek, are you confident in that price (~$35) for a lug of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes? Also, I am assuming you are referring to a 36 pound lug. That is a lot lower price than we see them for here in central Ohio. Is that the M&M price?

Also, with grapes, you would still need a method of pressing the grapes after fermentation.

Central Valley Cab Sauv $36/36 Lb lug at my local place in Jersey.

 

[wood1954]

I found a U-pick vineyard in wisconsin that sells grapes for 80 cents a pound and they crush and destem for free. After my second racking i have about 6.5 gallons of wine from 100 pounds of grapes. Not much more work than a kit. And you can eat as many grapes as you want while picking.

 

[geek]

nice....what type of grapes?

 

[Boatboy24]

I paid $55/36lbs for Amador Gold grapes. That's pretty close to a high end kit, when all is said and done, but I'm expecting the wine to turn out very well if I don't screw it up. I think other grapes were 8 or 10 bucks cheaper.

 

[harleydmn]

I don't think kits can compare to wine made from grapes!