Boatboy24
No longer a newbie, but still clueless.
Depending upon logistics, I may be interested.
No More Grapes/Juice from Harford
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Depending upon logistics, I may be interested.
Though I understand better fruit makes better wine I'm not sure my wine making abilities would warrant paying $2.25/lb. Come hell or high water I will be making a Tannat this fall. If anyone would be interested in this varietal.
Boatboy24
No longer a newbie, but still clueless.
That $2.25/lb is for grapes that neither one of us are currently buying. Compare that to Harford's pricing of the Sonoma/Chalk Hill Cab at $102/lug.
I may have to drive around and do some local sampling. And as you know, I'm always interested in some Viognier or Petite Manseng.
Below is an ad from the current issue of Winemaker Mag, if you Harford users can assemble an order of reasonable size, you could have your very own truck deliver grapes to one central location that’s convenient. Probably save yourselves some bucks as well. I used grapes from Colavita (Cab, Merlot, Petite Sirah) in 17 and am super pleased so far, and will again this year, @ibglowin won some awards with them if I recall. Just another option to consider.
Here you go AJ sounds like something I would consider but don't see how the numbers could work.
https://www.penskeusedtrucks.com/search-inventory.html
Their website is down and the pic of the address shows what appears to be an abandoned building.
Was going to post this in "What Are You doing Today" but thought this might be more appropriate. I'm going to an AWS meeting today about Cab Franc. The speaker was the winemaker from the winery I built and is now a private winemaking consultant. I'm going to pick his brain about local vineyards that sell grapes. Anyone have any other questions they might want me to ask?
Not to put a damper on your idea but if/when we find another source for grapes the expense of frozen must will quickly out weight the cost of a C/D.
Boatboy24
No longer a newbie, but still clueless.
We were out with some folks on Friday night and I was speaking with a few about wine and winemaking - the Chrysalis tasting room came up. I said "I know the guy that built that place!!"
Go to Effingham Manor in Nokesville and see if they are tasting their 2014 Tannat. The 2016 is good as well but the 2014 is one of the best wine I've ever tasted. Chrysalis also has a pretty good 2014. Must have been a good year for it.
Boatboy24
No longer a newbie, but still clueless.
Contacted my friend about them this morning. He said he's still using them and loves them. I guess they just aren't interested in new business.
Thanks John. I will definitely investigate this further. The other joint I mentioned, Collingswood grape co., were very honest on the phone. It’s a father and son ran business. His trucks hold 4-5 tons. To fill a truck and warrant our own delivery seems unlikely.
Another option is to steal some truck space on another delivery. The closest winery he delivers to is in Hersey PA. But our grape selections would also have to be ready at the same time. And he told me this winery usually orders the Lodi grapes. Which go for ~$1.20 per lb. And when buying bulk the price and delivery fees are always negotiable.
I’ll be on the horn looking into any bulk options. Because I would love to be able to get some higher quality grapes at a great price - who wouldn’t? @Boatboy24 I will post any more findings I come across.
Gabert Grape
Junior
My experience with Collinwood Grape...
I have heard both good and bad about this Collinwood guy. I purchased some Amador county zin from a LHBS that purchases from him for $40 per lug (crushed and de-stemmed). The guy told me that the quality was meh. The wine that resulted was not too bad so I asked Collinwood about his Amador zin and he raved about the quality and said Amador is more expensive than that of other AVA's. I dropped the subject because I thought I was being sold.
I did purchase some Chilean Malbec from him that was very good and made a great wine. Last fall I wanted some syrah and a couple of buckets of Pinot Griggio. When I talked to him he said he could deliver it with another order. Weeks passed and I continued to call him, and I even offered to drive from Chicago to Cleveland. He kept assuring me it was coming. Finally in November he told me he had no syrah left and all he had was some Lodi Tempranillo. The quality was terrible. By this time all the other guys in my area were out, so I was stuck. I have 40 gallons of wine that may end up down the drain, only time will tell. A lot of work to purchase a quarter ton of grapes, It seems he does not value my business.
This spring I wanted some Chilean Cab and Syrah. I told him I would pick it up in Cleveland. I called weekly and his response was he would call me when they are ready to pick-up. eventually I stopped calling and told him I would wait for his call. Here it is almost the middle of July and I still have not received a call. (I wonder if he'll call, LOL). Another LHBS told me his quality is mostly good but he is very unreliable.
Good luck in dealing with this guy.
I have heard both good and bad about this Collinwood guy. I purchased some Amador county zin from a LHBS that purchases from him for $40 per lug (crushed and de-stemmed). The guy told me that the quality was meh. The wine that resulted was not too bad so I asked Collinwood about his Amador zin and he raved about the quality and said Amador is more expensive than that of other AVA's. I dropped the subject because I thought I was being sold.
I did purchase some Chilean Malbec from him that was very good and made a great wine. Last fall I wanted some syrah and a couple of buckets of Pinot Griggio. When I talked to him he said he could deliver it with another order. Weeks passed and I continued to call him, and I even offered to drive from Chicago to Cleveland. He kept assuring me it was coming. Finally in November he told me he had no syrah left and all he had was some Lodi Tempranillo. The quality was terrible. By this time all the other guys in my area were out, so I was stuck. I have 40 gallons of wine that may end up down the drain, only time will tell. A lot of work to purchase a quarter ton of grapes, It seems he does not value my business.
This spring I wanted some Chilean Cab and Syrah. I told him I would pick it up in Cleveland. I called weekly and his response was he would call me when they are ready to pick-up. eventually I stopped calling and told him I would wait for his call. Here it is almost the middle of July and I still have not received a call. (I wonder if he'll call, LOL). Another LHBS told me his quality is mostly good but he is very unreliable.
Good luck in dealing with this guy.
It's a space issue for me, though. I'm working in my kitchen...
@gitmo234 @Ajmassa5983 @Boatboy24 @ceeaton @mainshipfred @jgmann67
They do:
"We offer grape crushing as long as we have grapes in stock ($2 per box for Keystone grapes, $0.15 per pound of grapes sourced elsewhere). Please plan to arrive AT LEAST 1 HOUR PRIOR TO CLOSING TIME if you would like your grapes crushed."
https://www.keystonehomebrew.com/central-valley-grapes-juice/
http://www.keystonehomebrew.com/shop/wine/fresh-grapes-and-juice/premium-grapes-juice.html
The Montgomeryville PA location is 2.5 hours from me, so that's viable. They have fresh grapes/juice from Washington, California, and Italy, based on their website.
I haven't ordered from them yet but will try them for fall grapes and juice.
Has anyone else ordered fresh grapes from Keystone??
@Johnd I tried their website and it's under construction, but I'll keep them in mind....
Boatboy24
No longer a newbie, but still clueless.
Just did a little Googling and Procacci is 2hrs 40 min from my place. Gino Pinto's is 3hrs 14 minutes. An hour+ more than Harford each way, but may be workable - especially if their hours are good.
Yes, saw the same thing after posting about it, sorry for the diversion. They must be updating their stuff, I've been on their site plenty times before, as recent as a few weeks ago. Maybe when they come back up they'll have all of their offerings for grapes loaded in and ready to rumble.................
Just spoke to Tom at S&S. They do not preorder so it's first come first serve. A better number to use is 410-799-8224. His email is [email protected]. They are in Jessup MD and updating their website. Grapes start coming in August September timeframe and continue until November. The average cost is $40.00/lug.
Keystone is 2 hrs 9 min from me according to google maps. I also have some friends who moved close to there in the last couple of years. That is my most likely destination if I order grapes this Fall. May go local if I can get another 100+ lbs of Dornfelder.
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