This year's grapes

[JohnT]

I put my order in last week. I was a little shocked to see how high the prices are this year. I was told that Ca has some wet weather just before the grape harvest and much of the crop in southern Ca was ruined. As a result, all of the big wineries are sourcing their grapes from the northern part of the state (where my grapes usually come from). Just another case where higher demand equates to higher prices.

Well, you only live once! I went for it anyway..

I have ordered ..

Petit Sarah,
Merlot,
a blend of Petit sarah, Merlot, and Cabernet Sav.

I then took a look around and found that they also had some multipulciano grapes as well. They looked fantastic and tasted even better. So, the plan is to do a limited short run of this (200 liters).

What is everyone else planning?

 

[cmason1957]

Well I went out and picked up my grapes yesterday. 400 lbs of Chambourcin and then about 150 lbs of St. Vincent. It was only supposed to be 100 lbs of St. Vincent, but they guy I get them from had an extra lug and a half, so he threw them in no charge, I'll almost always take that price.

Let them soak for the 90 minute drive home and pulled off 3 gallons of St. Vincent and 6 gallons of Chambourcin to make some rose. I haven't ever done that before but I have had a St. vincent rose at one of the wineries and it was wonderful and many wineries over in Illinois make "white chambourcin" really a rose.

The grapes were a litle underripe, they were only at 20 brix, which is great for the rose. but a little bit of sugar and we are up around 23.5 for the reds. The ph was a bit low at 3.2, but I expect that will climb to reasonable levels post ferment. I didn't test the TA. It will change so much with the ferment and then MLF I will be doing. I may end up adding just a bit of sweetness to them at the end to clean up any taste issues.

I have decided not to get any California Grapes or juice buckets this year. We have almost 1000 bottles of wine in the basement already and there are three kits waiting for me, plus some fruit. I am trying to convince the wife that we are slowing down, just a bit for this year. I don't think she buys it.

 

[Boatboy24]

I then took a look around and found that they also had some multipulciano grapes as well. They looked fantastic and tasted even better. So, the plan is to do a limited short run of this (200 liters).

What is everyone else planning?

Curious: You tasted the Montepulciano, but weren't able to take any home?

I have ordered 3 lugs each of Zinfandel (already fermenting), Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Petite Sirah.

My plan is to do a blend based on 'The Prisoner' (45% Zin, 25% CS, 20% PS, 10% Syrah - maybe 10 gallons), and the remainder as single varietal.

 

[JohnT]

Curious: You tasted the Montepulciano, but weren't able to take any home?

I have ordered 3 lugs each of Zinfandel (already fermenting), Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Petite Sirah.

My plan is to do a blend based on 'The Prisoner' (45% Zin, 25% CS, 20% PS, 10% Syrah - maybe 10 gallons), and the remainder as single varietal.

20 lugs will not fit in my car.

 

[Boatboy24]

20 lugs will not fit in my car.

Still confused: are the grapes going to be sitting there a while until you pick them up or are they en route/coming later?

 

[JohnT]

Still confused: are the grapes going to be sitting there a while until you pick them up or are they en route/coming later?

I believe that they get shipments every day.

 

[Boatboy24]

Thanks John. Brain appears to be a little fatigued today.

 

[Johnd]

This year my plan includes:

180# Cab Clone 169
180# Koch Cab
90# Lanza Petite Syrah
90# Lanza Merlot
180# Tempranillo from Spain

For me, this will all be crushed, destemmed, frozen and shipped.

 

[Steve_M]

My plan is to do a blend based on 'The Prisoner' (45% Zin, 25% CS, 20% PS, 10% Syrah - maybe 10 gallons), and the remainder as single varietal.

Jim,
On Saturday when we picked up our grapes the owners daughter said why? When I placed our order for same as you.
She asked what style/flavor are you looking for? She then offered to "tweak" it for us. Honestly I am glad she offered, so far both the PS/OVZ and the Merlot/CabS/CabF look very promising

 

[Boatboy24]

Jim,
On Saturday when we picked up our grapes the owners daughter said why? When I placed our order for same as you.
She asked what style/flavor are you looking for? She then offered to "tweak" it for us. Honestly I am glad she offered, so far both the PS/OVZ and the Merlot/CabS/CabF look very promising

Thanks Steve. I will keep this in mind as I'm very open to other blends. It's fun doing several varietals at once and having many options. I've blended PS/OVZ before, but with the overwhelming majority being OVZ, and about 10% PS. That turned out nicely. Still a true Zin, but with some added color and backbone from the PS.

 

[Steve_M]

Yeas the PS/OVZ is a 70/30 blend and the color is a beautiful deep purple right now! If the flavor lacks I at least have a great color!

 

[ceeaton]

Since your talking deep and purple, I need to give a shout out to Lallzyme EX (and EX-V). Brought my Zin grapes home yesterday, juice looked about like my White Zin bucket I'm doing for my wife and her coworkers, added the Lallzyme yesterday afternoon, added the yeast this morning (AMH, long lag time) took a sample a few hours ago, man that is dark and purple as (better not use the reference I'm thinking of...) Barney with a bucket of water thrown on him (turn that purple to dark purple). Just incredible to me that the skins are already looking like grey toupes.