NY Juice Suppliers - Who ??????

[cyerger57]

Hi, My name is Chris and I'm new around here. I've been making wine for quite a few years but always with juice and grapes that I've purchased locally from suppliers here in central PA. I've started planting grapes and I've had some success with Marechal Foch but my Riesling took a beating with last years hard winter.

So all of my juice and grapes have been from California and Chile but I'd like to start to working with some NY juice that is of the same varieties that I'd like to plant. I'm looking for a juice supplier somewhere in the Finger Lakes area. I found a place in Forestville called Walkers but I don't have any exposure. Where do you guys from that area buy your juices? I'm planning on taking a ride up there one day this week but it sure would be good to have a place or two to check out.

Any info or experience would be appreciated.

Thanks
Chris

I was thinking about Traminette, Steuben and Foch. The other one that I wanted to try was Chardonel but I understand that there isn't any juice available this year because it was also hit hard by the winter.

 

[Runningwolf]

Walkers and Faulkersons are the two main places in NY.

 

[cyerger57]

Walkers and Faulkersons are the two main places in NY.

Faulkersons seemed expensive and quite "sold out" of juice. Walkers was the one I was going to visit lacking any other names. Have you personally gotten any juice from them and if so what was you experience of the quality?

 

[Runningwolf]

There are reasons why some suppliers can be a lot cheaper than others. There are always rumors but I will always pay for reputation. I have many friends that go to Walkers and I have not made anything bad from there. On the other hand if wineries that charge more quickly run out of product, there is usually a reason why.

It's like buying hamburg. It's cheap and tastes good, but what was in it? Was it 100% pure beef or was it filled with water and fillers. I am only giving you food for thought not pointing any fingers.

 

[cyerger57]

Wise words me thinks.......

 

[SBWs]

If you are looking for Walker Juice, try Simply Homebrew on 309 in Drums PA next weekend. (for you it would be 81 north to 80 east to 309 south, once you get off on 309 he is located two traffic lights south of 80 on the left side) Pete took orders and it will be in the 24th and 25th, he normally gets extra. Can call and ask 570-788-2311 open every day but Monday or e-mail at [email protected]

 

[Julie]

I buy from Walkers every year and have not been disappointed in the juice nor the service, I have bought PA/NY from other places and Walkers was better. Their prices are excellent and their juice will not disappoint you.

You know another reason why a place will be "sold out" is because they don't stock a lot.

 

[sour_grapes]

On an unrelated note, welcome to Winemakingtalk, Chris. I read your location, and wondered where Schuylkill Haven was. I have to admit, despite being born and bred in Philly, I never once before considered where the headwaters of the Schuylkill were!

 

[randomhero]

I've tried walkers once, it was a riesling and it has turned out amazing honestly. They are one even though you kinda pay for it, it is definitely worth it.

I live in the finger lakes and the two places to work with here are fulkersons and fallbright. I purchase from fallbright every year and it's always consistently good!

 

[cyerger57]

So, I decided to give Walkers a try yesterday. Wanted to see the place at least once so I drove there. 640 miles and 13 hours later I'm home. It was a very nice, clean operation with extremely friendly people. You take your own containers to the "Wall of Juice" and they fill them for you. They also have made-up 5 gallon containers but it looked to me that the few folks that were there while I was all brought their own jugs. They don't sell wine, only juice. They do have a winemaker there on-site but he only makes wine with their juice so you can taste what you could potentially make. I didn't taste any, too far to drive afterward....but good idea. The wall of juice is a bunch of hoses hanging out of the wall that all the different juices come out of, very cool.

http://i1275.photobucket.com/albums/y457/cyerger57/TheWall_zps6dd79fb6.jpg

And my helpers were:

http://i1275.photobucket.com/albums/y457/cyerger57/TheGirls_zps33a8b3f3.jpg

Thanks for the input though. I'll probably try that Fallbright place next year or maybe even later this year if I buy a few more jugs. As far as being the "headwaters" of the Schuylkill goes, well lets just says it's beautiful when it leaves here. I'll probably be back to these pages often. I'm hooked......

 

[Runningwolf]

It is always better to bring your own container unless you're not going to make the wine right away. They charge about $15 for the prepackaged juice, but it is worth it since it is hot packed and can sit around your basements for months before opening. You did good with the pictures but you omitted what you bought.

 

[cyerger57]

Foch, Traminette and Steuben. Just 12 gallons of each but I'm splitting them up into 2 batches each so I can experiment a little with all three. They standardize at 21 brix and I was thinking about making the Steuben on the sweet side, so I might want to take the brix up a bit. Not sure about that yet but I'm not starting them until Thursday so I have a little time to consider. The other two will both be dry but I'm trying two different yeasts to see if there is a perceptible difference. The other thing I'm trying is Very Dry "un-oaked" reds and so far they have been a big hit. I have a Malbec that folks just can't seem to get enough of.

Chris

 

[REDBOATNY]

This is where I get most of my juice. Located 10 miles south of Canandaigua Ny on route 21.
www.homewinemakingjuices.com

 

[cyerger57]

Thanks, didn't find those folks while searching. I might just have to order more jugs and go get some more juice....