Napa Cab

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sdelli

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Just got notice they are picking my Napa Cab this week! Only a week or two away from this years crush.
 
Well.... We crushed all day yesterday! About 4000lbs total. The Napa Cab ended up being from Stagecoach! Should make some excellent wine... Now comes the massive ferment....
 
Lol.... Beer bags of American Oak chips.
4oz. Per bin during fermentation.
 
With enough people it goes pretty fast. Started at about 10 am and finished about 4pm. Then a couple hours of clean up....
 
I buy yeast in larger quantity and then weigh and divide.... Did not want to take a chance so I did 11 individual startups. When you take the time to perform a good hydrate it dramatically increases the chance of a good fermentation.
 
Pressed the grapes yesterday! Beautiful deep dark blue. Netted over 8%... Very happy! This year I made Napa Cab, Merlot, Malbec and Petite Verdot.... Net over 8% on all of them!
A bladder press pays for itself in extra wine!
 
Would you share how you purchased these grapes or from whom? I was told by another supplier that Delta was not offering Napa fruit this year. Clearly I was told wrong.
 
Looks like a good year! What fo you mean you "net 8%" ?


The rule of thumb we all get from year to year is between 6% and 7% yield from gross fruit weight to net gallons of wine.... So you purchase 100lbs of grapes... You will get between 6 and 7 gallons of wine. Or 6% to 7% yield of pounds to gallons of wine.
How well you press is measured in your yield success. This year with my new bladder press I yielded 7 1/2% on my Merlot, Malbec, and PV... Yielded 8% on my Cab! The difference of 1% is huge in gallons of wine!
 
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