Frozen grapes for grape-fest?
Bob and I are considering the possibility of delivering all the grapes from frozen stock. These will have been collected and processed during August and September. On the day the entire grape order will be delivered in 25 L frozen drums, ready to go.
Benefits
• Freshness would be preserved.
• Early varieties would be available.
• Members get their first choice of grape variety
• Easier to schedule grape-fest - probably even two per year?
• It would give us more time to cover educational/experimental topics and possibly also include beer making, as we would have a little more time.
Freshness
Buying fresh grapes is always a risk and consequently a bit of a nightmare. Trying to make sure everybody gets what they want, in a timely manner, while making sure they arrive fresh.
Typically the lorries arrive from the continent midweek, and until last year the grapes have which was shown been kept in refrigerated warehouses once unloaded (but not last year). The grapes are then collected on Friday for crushing at grape-fest on Saturday. So by the time they arrive they have probably had for possibly five days at ambient temperature. Which is not ideal.
Early varieties
Last year grape-fest missed the Shiraz grape and the white Monty I seem to recall. Which was a shame because the Shiraz was quite spectacular (hic !!). If we use frozen grapes this would not be an issue, everybody could have their first choices on the widest selection available.
We can be there when the lorries arrive we can get the grapes and get them processed & frozen same day. Not quite Birds Eye peas that you get my drift
Scheduling the event
Scheduling when to have great-fest is always a challenge... too early in September you run the risk of bad weather delaying harvest. Too late and you run the risk of missing the best of the grapes completely. Further there is potential to have a second grape-fest - perhaps a spring catch up event, where we could have a mah-hoo-sive tasting, comparing notes and learning from each other. I for one would certainly value a wine judges opinion on my wines (no pressure there then Bob )
Obvious questions
Why not do both?
The logistics are complicated enough already, those of you at the curry last year will recall the grapes didn't arrive until 21:00 on the Friday evening. I do not believe there is enough hours in the day to do both.
Would we still order boxes of grapes?
No, the unit of measurement will be 25 L. Which should yield 26 to 30 bottles, depending on your recipe and your wrist action (on the press J)
We can stay with fresh grapes?
Potentially yes - but not both.
Cost?
This is always a difficult one, because until September we do not know what the price of the grapes will be. The Italian growers got a little bit silly last year. I do not aim to make a profit on the grapes, but obviously need to cover expenses. There was not a price increase last year and with hindsight there probably should have been.
This is not a business for me, this is not my day job - I do it as a hobby. Because of the cost of the drums, consumables and processing there will be increase in price on fresh, however this will be kept to a minimum. Bob and I also believe that members would be pleased with better results, guaranteed freshness & greater variety
Does freezing affect the grapes?
Yes but only in a positive way. If you think about it you are getting a cold maceration for free. In the tests I have been doing over the past few years frozen grapes deliver more flavour and give a better extraction than fresh. This is to do with the way the ice crystals are formed, and I'm quite happy to bore you with the details over a curry
Will you supply Brix & Total acidity measurements?
Yes and no. The Brix reading does stay consistent after thawing, however this is not the case for total acidity. I am more than happy to provide the Brix measurements if requested.
Although we are potentially changing the method of delivery, the grapes are still being provided as an ingredient and not a kit, so that the winemaker retains the uniqueness of his recipe.
Please post your thoughts ...
Bob and I are considering the possibility of delivering all the grapes from frozen stock. These will have been collected and processed during August and September. On the day the entire grape order will be delivered in 25 L frozen drums, ready to go.
Benefits
• Freshness would be preserved.
• Early varieties would be available.
• Members get their first choice of grape variety
• Easier to schedule grape-fest - probably even two per year?
• It would give us more time to cover educational/experimental topics and possibly also include beer making, as we would have a little more time.
Freshness
Buying fresh grapes is always a risk and consequently a bit of a nightmare. Trying to make sure everybody gets what they want, in a timely manner, while making sure they arrive fresh.
Typically the lorries arrive from the continent midweek, and until last year the grapes have which was shown been kept in refrigerated warehouses once unloaded (but not last year). The grapes are then collected on Friday for crushing at grape-fest on Saturday. So by the time they arrive they have probably had for possibly five days at ambient temperature. Which is not ideal.
Early varieties
Last year grape-fest missed the Shiraz grape and the white Monty I seem to recall. Which was a shame because the Shiraz was quite spectacular (hic !!). If we use frozen grapes this would not be an issue, everybody could have their first choices on the widest selection available.
We can be there when the lorries arrive we can get the grapes and get them processed & frozen same day. Not quite Birds Eye peas that you get my drift
Scheduling the event
Scheduling when to have great-fest is always a challenge... too early in September you run the risk of bad weather delaying harvest. Too late and you run the risk of missing the best of the grapes completely. Further there is potential to have a second grape-fest - perhaps a spring catch up event, where we could have a mah-hoo-sive tasting, comparing notes and learning from each other. I for one would certainly value a wine judges opinion on my wines (no pressure there then Bob )
Obvious questions
Why not do both?
The logistics are complicated enough already, those of you at the curry last year will recall the grapes didn't arrive until 21:00 on the Friday evening. I do not believe there is enough hours in the day to do both.
Would we still order boxes of grapes?
No, the unit of measurement will be 25 L. Which should yield 26 to 30 bottles, depending on your recipe and your wrist action (on the press J)
We can stay with fresh grapes?
Potentially yes - but not both.
Cost?
This is always a difficult one, because until September we do not know what the price of the grapes will be. The Italian growers got a little bit silly last year. I do not aim to make a profit on the grapes, but obviously need to cover expenses. There was not a price increase last year and with hindsight there probably should have been.
This is not a business for me, this is not my day job - I do it as a hobby. Because of the cost of the drums, consumables and processing there will be increase in price on fresh, however this will be kept to a minimum. Bob and I also believe that members would be pleased with better results, guaranteed freshness & greater variety
Does freezing affect the grapes?
Yes but only in a positive way. If you think about it you are getting a cold maceration for free. In the tests I have been doing over the past few years frozen grapes deliver more flavour and give a better extraction than fresh. This is to do with the way the ice crystals are formed, and I'm quite happy to bore you with the details over a curry
Will you supply Brix & Total acidity measurements?
Yes and no. The Brix reading does stay consistent after thawing, however this is not the case for total acidity. I am more than happy to provide the Brix measurements if requested.
Although we are potentially changing the method of delivery, the grapes are still being provided as an ingredient and not a kit, so that the winemaker retains the uniqueness of his recipe.
Please post your thoughts ...
Comment