Merlot Grape Juice At Waitrose

[robwrx]

Just discovered that Waitrose is now selling 100% pure Merlot grape juice. It has been pasteurised but according to the label there are no additives. It costs £1.85/litre but is covered by their 3 for £4.50 offer.

I will try and upload some images later but needless to say, I have bought sufficient to try a gallon.

Rob

[robwrx]

I can't post pictures for some reason so you will have to do with links I'm afraid.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/66726513@N00/7011163075/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/66726513@N00/7011163949/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/66726513@N00/7011164791/

According to the blurb on the back the sugar level is quite low so I will have to add some sugar. I will test the acidity to see what that is like.

Assuming my 1 gallon experiment works, a 5 gallon batch should work out about the same as a Beaverdale kit but should have the advantage of not being made from concentrate.

Not sure when I will get around to starting this as I'm currently relocating my winery but I will keep you posted.

Rob

[Delmonteman]

Mmmm interesting... I wonder if you will get red wine flavour rather than 'juice wine' style...

Will you do 4.5l juice for 4.5l wine (rather than WN1/ 2 style)?

[robwrx]

Hi Delmonteman

Yes the plan is to use 4.5lit of undiluted juice with a little sugar to get the SG up to about 1.085. I was thinking of treating it like a wine kit, add bentonite at the start, ferment in a fermenting bucket and then transfer to glass under airlock etc.

I guess without the skins to give it colour and tannin, it could end up like a White Merlot/Rose.

Rob

Rob

[owlwithoutfeathers]

Hi guys,

Its been a while since i posted! How time flies!

Looking at this, it will certianly be interesting to see if it carries more "body" than the usual rose/supermarket juice recipes.

I'd be tempted to treat it like a rose recipe i got off this site (courtesy of ms67: http://www.winesathome.co.uk/forum/s...ght=#post64390 ) where you get the "rose" by using the live lees from a red kit (beaverdale merlot?) and use the supermarket juice to make up to 5 gallons:

After secondary fermentation of the beaverdale kit had done i racked it. Then i filled up the primary containing the slurry with supermarket grape juice. Added 1 tspn citric acid, nutrient, pectolase/litre. After reaching a finishing gravity i stabilised and racked a couple of times along the way. I used Aldi red grape juice and added 1.633kg of sugar to make 1085sg.

Last time i did this was July last year and just got around to bottling the stuff last week (been completley off homebrewing stuff since November last year). It's lovely stuff.

Owl

[Cellar_Rat]

it will be interesting to see what colour the juice is

[robwrx]

I am going to put my money on it being red

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[NorthernWiner]

Since (according to the label) the juice hasn't been adulterated, the grapes must have been picked very under ripe. By my calculation, the sugar is only 15.5 Brix. Most Merlot grapes used for winemaking are in the 23-25 Brix range.

I think what Cellar Rat means is that this juice probably didn't see a lot of maceration time, so it's likely not deep red. Many people don't realize that the juice from red wine grapes is clear. It's the maceration time on the skins that gives it its red hue.

If you try to make wine out of it, I would also add some tannin. Again, due to the lack of maceration.

[NorthernWiner]

Also interesting that the grapes shown on the label aren't Merlot grapes.

[krakowmike]

Still not bad, 15ish GBP for 23 liters plust cost of sugar. Add a can of red grape concentrate and we may have a winner. Perfect timing for that manditory minimum pricing lol.

[owlwithoutfeathers]

How do you get £15?

My maths is pants, but i worked it out at £33.75?

22.5 gallons 3 litres for £4.50 therefore you need 7.5 lots of £4.50 = £33.75.

Like i said, i'm not sending anyone to the moon lately! . . .

[Cellar_Rat]

I think what Cellar Rat means is that this juice probably didn't see a lot of maceration time..

My thinking entirely

Also interesting that the grapes shown on the label aren't Merlot grapes.

I spotted that -far to big! (but wasn't hundred percent sure so I kept my mouth shut).

[krakowmike]

How do you get £15?

My maths is pants, but i worked it out at £33.75?

22.5 gallons 3 litres for £4.50 therefore you need 7.5 lots of £4.50 = £33.75.

Like i said, i'm not sending anyone to the moon lately! . . .

Good call, I was distracted and did 3/4.5- wrong math. Guess for 30 something for a store bought merlot juice, you could get a Beaverdale kit for 40. hmmmm- wishful thinking was the 15GBP lol.

[owlwithoutfeathers]

I still thinks its good value and worth the experiment! I'll be giving it a go!

Owl.

[krakowmike]

I still thinks its good value and worth the experiment! I'll be giving it a go!

Owl.

Totally agree! I like experiments