Which Wine Juice Should I Choose?
Not sure which wine to make? Check out our list of “Wine Juice Tasting Notes”. Learn about the different winemakig juices that are available to you. Hopefully something will spark your winemaking interest. 🙂
Wine Juice Tasting Notes
Full List of Juices Offered this Season – 2023 MWG Juice List
Alicante – This varietal has roots in the southeast of Spain and is also cultivated in North Africa and California. On a stand-alone basis, the wine has simpler berry and red fruit flavors, but it is mainly used to increase the intensity of color and body in other grape varieties. An excellent blending wine.
Amarone – 100% Italian Amarone juice to make a dry, robust styled red wine. Amarone is typically made of partially dried grapes, generating a very complex and concentrated flavor. Suitable for aging.
Amorosso– Amore di Rosso. Italian for “Love for Red”. This deep, dark tannic full-bodied red wine will envelop the senses with a plethora of scents including floral, fruity and spicy aromas. Great potential for aging, which will reward the most patient winemaker.
Barbera – Light to medium bodied, fruit forward, easy drinking wine. Lush fruit flavor, peppery, spicy notes.
Barolo – 100% Italian Nebbiolo juice to make a traditionally styled Barolo. Firm tannins, with a velvety finish for those who choose to age it.
Brunello – 100% Brunello juice from Italy. Rich color and flavors with hints of plum, jam, and smoke. A wine that will only get better with age and impress any wine drinker.
Burgundy – Freshly sourced premium red grapes to make a classic “Burgundian” style table wine. Big red fruit flavors, with a medium body and tannin content make this an excellent choice for pairing with any dish. A crowd pleaser and family favorite.
Cab Sauv/Merlot Blend – A perfect blend of Old World and New World, this 50/50 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot is a classic pair of two of the best red wine grapes, coming from one of the fastest growing wine regions of the new world. Makes a rich, fruit forward, red wine.
Cabernet Franc – Cabernet Franc is one of the classic Bordeaux varietals. It makes a medium bodied red wine, with notes of black fruit and black pepper. An excellent addition to spice up a blend or great on its own.
Cabernet Sauvignon – The “king of wine grapes” California Cabernet Sauvignon has gained world fame for its rich berry flavors, superb tanninc structure, and excellent ability to age for long periods of time. We recommend D254 yeast to make a more fruit forward wine and D80 yeast to make a more spicy, earthy wine.
Carmenere – Carmenere is a deep garnet hued wine with fruit forward notes of plum, cherry, and currants. Similar to Merlot in body and texture.
Castel de Papa – This wine exudes admiration. Highlighted by its ruby color with flashes of ripe blackberry purple, you will surely be charmed by its ripe fruit, lavender and spice aromas. Moreover, its medium level acidity supports a firm tannic structure along with a high level of alcohol that augments its distinguished fullness of flavor on the palate.
Chablis – Bright, crisp apple and pear flavors, medium body, and aromatic intensity. Creates an easy drinking summer wine. (Chardonnay, unoaked style)
Chardonnay – Rich, full bodied, classic Californa Chardonnay with big fruit flavors of apple, pear, and citrus. Creates the classic big, bold Chardonnay that put Napa on the map.
Chardonnay/Semillion – A classic blend of crisp Chilean Chardonnay and the classic French Semillion grape. The Semillion lends a bit more bright acidity and citrus flavors to the classic Chardonnay profile of apple, pear, and hints of vanilla.
Chenin Blanc – The most popular white varietal from South Africa, Chenin Blanc is light gold in color, very aromatic of tree fruits, white flowers, and hints of citrus. Light flavors of apples, bits of jasmine, and sweet ginger. This wine can benefit from oak treatments or be enjoyed on its own.
Chianti – One of the most famous red wine blends in the world, this harmonious balance of Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon provides ripe red berry flavors, a bit of tart acidity, and a medium bodied finish that will satisfy any Italian wine enthusiast. Big aromas of cranberry and sweet plums jump from the glass and linger on the palette. Excellent when aged with oak.
Dolcetto – “Little sweet one” in Italian, this grape from the Piedmont region is known for its higher sugar content and moderate to lower acidity. This wine will be deep purple in color, and have a higher tannin content, giving it a very full bodied mouthfeel. The higher tannins help to support the potential higher alcohol as well.
French Colombard – A white grape traditionally used for blending with Chardonnay. Has a full bodied mouthfeel with ripe tree fruit flavors. Sweeter flavors of ripe Bosc pear, sweet Fuji apple, and ripe Persimmon give this a refreshing yet fruity profile. Can benefit from oak aging.
Gewurtztraminer – A white grape famous for its strong, floral aroma, this grape is wonderful when made on its own or blended with Riesling. It has a very strong, perfume-like aroma of honeysuckle, jasmine, and stone fruits. Flavors translate directly to the palette with notes of white flowers, peach, and a spicy, white pepper finish. Can be made in a sweet or dry style.
Granbarile – A dry, full-bodied and spicy red with a nose that is as complex as they get. A refreshing acidity, pronounced tannins and velvety texture make this wine a classic Italian red.
Grenache – Big, luscious, fruit flavor, fresh from California! Grenache is a thinner skinned grape with a medium tannin content and big fruit flavor. Ripe raspberries, cherries, and plums jump from the glass in the medium bodied, fruit forward red wine.
Grenache (Rose style) – Fresh pressed California Grenache, with limited skin contact, to generate a beautiful pink rose style wine. This rose has big berry flavors and can be made in a sweet or dry style
Il Toscano – A classic Tuscan blend straight from Italy! Sourced from premier Italian growing regions in and around Tuscany, the blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet create a full bodied, classically style Italian table wine. This wine has a medium tannin concentration, ruby in color, and ripe red fruit flavors. A superior quality red wine blend.
Lambrusco – A lighter bodied, fruit forward table wine from Italy. The grapes are fresh pressed in Italy, creating a lighter, fruity red wine, that is perfect for early drinking. This wine has a bright acidity and fresh berry flavors. This wine does not need aging and can be consumed early.
Malbec – An international classic, Malbec is the perfect blend of full bodied and fruit forward. Malbec has a medium to high intensity tannin level with big cherry, blackberry, and earthy notes. It can benefit from bulk aging or can be consumed after one year of aging. This wine will benefit from oak treatments.
Malvasia Bianca – A white grape indigenous to Greece, Malvasia creates a beautiful full bodied, fruity white wine. With big flavors of pear, stone fruit, and white flowers, this grape can be made in a variety of styles from dry to sweet and is also conducive to blending.
Merlot – One of the world’s most popular red wine making grapes. Merlot has an incrediblly jammy fruit profile with cooked fruit, blackberry, and leather notes. A medium tannin and lower acid content make this a very smooth drinking wine. Excellent when aged with oak and also an excellent blender with most red grape varieties.
Mixed Black – Sourced from an ancient vine vineyard in California, these grapes are of premium quality and have rich, complex fruit flavors. The vines are so old, that the growers aren’t sure of their genetic background, however they are reassured by their consistent quality and yield. An excellent variety for the beginner or the advanced winemaker. This wine will benefit from aging and some oak contact.
Montepulciano– A classic Italian varietal, Montepulciano is very aromatic, with a spicy flavor and tannic finish. This is a full bodied wine with blackberry, pepper, and a rich mouthfeel. This wine is unique as it can be consumed young or be allowed to age, which will soften the tannin content.
Moscato – One of the most popular white winemaking grapes, Moscato is known for its robust fruity and floral aroma and big fruit flavors of peach, tropical fruit, and bits of florals. This wine is very versatile to our winemakers as it can be made in a variety of styles, from sweet to dry and can be blended with other wine grapes to add flavor and enhance aromas.
Muscat of Alexandria – Muscat of Alexandria is an ancient vine varietal that is typically used for dessert wine due to its robust fruit flavor and natural sweetness. It is bursting with flavors of tangerine, sweet mandarin oranges, honeysuckle flowers and sweet melons. An excellent variety to add into a blend to add fruit flavor and complexity or to savor on its own.
Nebbiolo – Nebbiolo is one of the most sought after winemaking grapes in Italy. Nebbilolo is the primary grape in Barolo and Barbaresco It is lighter in color yet full bodied and tannic, with rich dark red fruit flavors. This wine will benefit from exposure to oak and aging.
Nero D’Avola – A classic Italian grape featuring flavors of black cherry, black plums, tobacco, anise, and pepper on the finish. This creates a bold and complex wine that is benefitted from oak contact and aging.
Old Vine Zinfandel – Old vines (35+ years) from the Zinfandel capitol of California create dense, concentrated fruit and earth flavors. Notes of black cherry, raisin, prune, tobacco, and a subtle spiciness give this wine an incredibly complex and rich array of flavors. This wine matures well after a few years of aging and will be wonderful when aged with oak.
Petite Sirah – Deep, intense, garnet color with matching concentrated black fruit notes of blackberry, plum, and black plum on the finish. This intense red wine can add tremendous color to any blend and is also exquisite on its own. It will benefit from aging for at least 2 years.
Pinot Grigio/Chardonnay Blend – A crisp, lively blend of bright and tart Pinot Grigio with the fruity, more full bodied Chardonnay. This great white blend has smooth fruit flavors of granny smith apple, lemon, and pears. An excellent white table wine and can also hold up to some oak treatments.
Pinot Grigio – One of the most famous and loved white wines in the world, Pinot Grigio is a classic palette pleaser. Bright, fresh, acidity with flavors of lemon, lime zest, and white flowers create a very refreshing wine suitable for all seasons.
Pinot Noir – A winemaking classic, Pinot Noir is bursting with bright fruit flavors. Complex berry flavors mingle with subtle bits of earth and cedar to create a fruity and savory wine. Lighter to medium bodied, this wine can be made in a variety of styles from light and fruity to a heavier, bolder, oaked style.
Primitivo – A boldly fruity and robust Italian clone of the Zinfandel grape, Primitivo has rich fruit flavors of sweet black plums, black currants, and boysenberries. It has a terrific jammy quality and firm tannins structure that holds up well to oak treatments and aging.
Riesling – Riesling, a fun and fruity grape that can be made ina very wide variety of styles from sweet to dry. Riesling showcases flavors of fresh peaches, apricot, sweet pears, and touches of minearlity on the finish. Depending on the style that you choose for the wine, it can be as sweet as a dessert style wine or bone dry with softer, more subtle fruit.
Ruby Cabernet – Ruby Cabernet is a cross of traditional Cabernet Sauvignon and Carignane. This wine is incredibly dark in color with bright cherry flavors. It is excellent when aged with oak and can also be a good blender with other wines to add richness in color and more fruit to the blend.
Sangiovese – An Italian winemaking classic! Sangiovese is a medium bodied wine with a bit of acidity. It has bright red fruit flavors of cranberry, red plum, pomegranate, and tart cherries. It holds up well to oak treatments and is excelled when blended with other red grapes such as Cabernet or Merlot.
Sauvignon Blanc – Sauvignon Blanc is an incredibly refreshing and flavorful white wine that is a superb summer sipper. Sauvignon Blanc has bright, fresh acidity with notes of grapefruit, melon, and lemon zest. It does not require oak treatments or any long term aging. It will provide a great, refreshing wine for the warmer months and is excellent when paired with any fish or seafood.
Shiraz – Shiraz has become an icon for Australian winemaking and now we can bring the juice directly to you. This Australian grape juice is rich and complex with lots of black plum, blackberry, and touches of earthy notes like tar and spice. This wine would benefit from oak contact and from aging.
Syrah – Syrah is a classic French winemaking grape with a full body, lots of fruit, and a complex earthy finish. Black cherry, black plums, and tobacco flavors mix well with any oak flavor profile. This wine a wonderful blender; an essential part of a popular GSM blend.
Thompson Seedless – The secret ingredient in many classic Italian winemaking recipes. It can be used as a natural means of adding acidity to red wine blends or can be fermented on its own to create an easy drinking table wine.
Trebbiano– Trebbiano is known by many names, including Ugni blanc, the primary grape in Cognac production. This mild and smooth, white wine is classically blended with Malvasia Bianca and has smooth fruit flavors of apple, pear, and a touch of citrus. It can be made and consumed quickly and used in blends.
Valle Dei Tempi – This Italian classic presents an undeniable charm accompanied with a subtle and well-established reputation. You’ll notice its inviting and strong ruby-red color matched with tannins that exude refinement and sophistication immediately. Its balanced acidity allows for a subtle yet complex nose of vanilla hints while your taste buds are excited with a savory blend of cherry and spices with slight floral notes.
Valpolicella– The primary grape for Amarone, the Valpolicella grape has concentrated fruit flavor, jammy qualities, and a full mouthfeel. Complex, firm tannins, give a long lasting finish to the rich, darkly fruited wine.
Viognier– A bright, full bodied alternative to Chardonnay! If you love the weight and fruit of Chardonnay but crave something different, Viognier is a great choice. It has rich, tropical fruit flavor with pineapple, guava, and mango notes and a creamy texture. An excellent wine served bone dry or slightly sweetened.
White Zinfandel – One of the most popular wines in America, White Zinfandel is a very easy drinking, smooth blush wine. It has ripe strawberry, watermelon, and raspberry flavors with a light body and refreshing finish. This wine can be made dry or sweet to the individual drinkers taste.
Zinfandel – Zinfandel is an incredibly fruity varietal with robust red and black fruit such as raspberry, prunes, currants, and cherries. Full bodied, firm tannins, with a great aging potential, this wine is excellent with oak aging and stainless aging. A full-bodied, red wine lovers dream!
To make an order please contact us via sales@juicegrape.com or call us at 877-812-1137, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube, or check out the Harvest Tracker and Winemaker Blog on our website- juicegrape.com.
Tentative Arrival Dates
We are working on finalizing our prices, we will have them finished by next week.
As of now, we are on track to receive grapes from Central Valley and Fresh Juice the week after Labor Day. Our grapes from Lodi, CA will start arriving around September 11th. Lanza grapes will start arriving in mid-September. Washington State should start to arrive in early to mid-October. The Fresco Juices and Italian Juices should arrive by the first week in October.
We will be open 7 days a week beginning the weekend of September 9th.
We are looking forward to working with you this season. Please keep an eye out for Emails, the Harvest Tracker, the MWG Blog, and our Social Media for more information.
2023 Harvest Report
Every year we work to bring you the highest quality products at the best prices. This season we have done just that. We have some new vineyards being added to the portfolio that will knock your socks off! And there will be new wine grapes available from the high-quality, reliable sources you’ve come to know and love.
Let’s get started with the Harvest Report!
To keep up to date on harvest dates check in with us via sales@juicegrape.com or call us at 877-812-1137, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube, or check out the Harvest Tracker and Winemaker Blog on our website- juicegrape.com.
THE GRAPES
Suisun Valley, CA – Lanza-Musto Vineyards: Suisun Valley was established in 1982 and is one of the oldest AVAs in California. Suisun Valley is home to a group of grape growers and winemakers who put their heart and soul into everything that they do. Located southeast of Napa Valley (sharing a county line), Suisun Valley lies in the foot slopes of good grape land between the picturesque Vaca Mountains to the east and St. George Range to the west. The Suisun Bay that connects to the San Francisco Bay sits to the south, lending a unique cooling coastal breeze. The soil is made up of volcanic rock, silt, sand, and clay allowing it to grow many different types of wine grapes; having over 28 varieties planted within this eight-mile-long and three-mile-wide AVA. We are expecting a high-quality year! The grapes got some decent rain, which resulted in fertile soils, nutrient-rich vines, and exceptional skin quality. The crop looks to be the size of a normal crop year, and we are currently on track for normal ripening and harvesting times. The Lanzas are introducing a new box, which will be sturdier with ample airflow for travel. We will have Barbera, Chardonnay, Cabernet (Clone 169, Clone 15, and Clone 8), Merlot, Malbec, Muscat Cannelli, Petite Sirah, Petite Verdot, Riesling, Sangiovese, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, and Tempranillo available this fall.
Lodi, CA – Home to some of our oldest standing contracts and relationships, Lodi is a premier wine region consistently on the rise. With the LODI RULES sustainability effort moving full force through the AVA, we have seen and continue to see great wine-producing fruit come out of Lodi. During the growing season, warm, sunny days allow for optimal ripening of wine grapes. By contrast, cool winds off the Pacific Ocean which travel inland over a network of waterways act as a natural air conditioner for the region, helping winegrapes maintain balanced acidity. This season we have a “new” Primitivo coming in. We were able to procure some of it last season, but this season we will have a good amount of Old Vine Primitivo. This vineyard was planted in 1902! Along with this special Primitivo, we will have fruit from Mettler Ranch, Costamagna Vineyards, Zinderella, Valley Beauty, and Contra Costa just to name a few. This season we should start to see Lodi fruit come off the vine in early September. It is looking to be a normal-sized crop with good-looking berry bunches and seed development. We should see Lodi fruit start coming off the vine in early September, hitting MWG’s dock around early-mid September.
Central Valley, CA– Central Valley is California’s agricultural heartland. It is composed of two valleys that stretch almost 500 miles down the center of the state. The Sacramento Valley and San Joaquin Valley border on the east, by the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The total acreage under wine grape cultivation in the Central Valley is around 895,000 acres. To say Central Valley is the leader in California’s wine grape production would be an understatement. With many sub-AVAs, the Central Valley offers a lot of delicious winemaking grapes with a lot of history. Some of the oldest grape vines in California are grown in Central Valley. Since it is a hotter region, these will be some of the first to come off the vine. If you are interested in Central Valley fruit be ready to crush after Labor Day.
Washington State– We are excited to be bringing you a new vineyard option from Washington this season – Candy Mountain AVA. One of Washington States’ newest AVAs, Candy Mountains’ south-facing slope sits just southeast of the Red Mountain AVA. At around 900 acres, it’s also the smallest AVA in the state. With outstanding growing conditions, it produces, rich fruit-forward grapes with nice minerality and tannins. We will be bringing in Cabernet from Candy Mountain this season. It is looking like a lighter crop and an earlier season this year for Washington State. Candy Mountain is looking to harvest around September 25th, and Wahluke Merlot around the 1st week in October. The Wahluke Cabernet Franc should start to harvest around October 15th. Our Pinot Noir from Rattlesnake Hills should harvest the earliest, sometime around September 20th.
THE JUICES
We bring in juices from all over the world! Below is information regarding our juices and their availability this fall.
California Fresh Juice – We source premium California juice from all over the state. Winemaking juices are a great resource. You can make great wine without bulky equipment. Our fresh juices are ready to ferment when you get home. They have native yeast in them from the grape skins. You can let the native fermentation take place or you can inoculate with your preferred yeast. Either way, you will have a delicious wine that is ready to drink sooner than later. *We always suggest adding yeast because of how long the juice traveled.
California Fresco Juice– The difference between the Fresco Juices and the Fresh Juices is that the Fresco Juices are inoculated with yeast, enzymes, and other “seasonings” that help the wines have a successful fermentation, better color, aromas, tannic structure, and mouthfeel. We call it the “set and forget” juice. It is a great product that produces high-end results.
Italian Fresh Juice– We source premium juices from Puglia and other regions of Italy. These juices create wines that resemble that of the old country. Wines full of flavor and history! They have native yeast in them from the grape skins. You can let the native fermentation take place or you can inoculate with your preferred yeast. *We always suggest adding your own yeast because of how long the juice traveled.
Italian Fresco Juice– The difference between Fresco Juices and Fresh Juices is that the Fresco Juices are inoculated with yeast, enzymes, and other “seasonings” that help the wines have a successful fermentation, better color, aromas, tannic structure, and mouthfeel. We call it the “set and forget” juice. It is a great product that produces high-end results.
NY State – Our NY State portfolio offers hybrid winemaking juices in 5-gallon, 60-gallon, and 275-gallon sizes. Due to this season’s frost, we will not have as many varieties available. Please email or call Christina if you are interested in these juices.
As always Mother Nature can throw us a curve ball. To keep up to date on harvest dates check in with us via sales@juicegrape.com or call us at 877-812-1137, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube, or check out the Harvest Tracker and Winemaker Blog on our website- juicegrape.com.
Montepulciano 2020 By Joseph A. Picone, DMD
Montepulciano 2020 By Joseph A. Picone, DMD
I had the pleasure to obtain 10 (36lbs) cases of Montepulciano grapes from Musto Grapes (Frank Musto) on October 10, 2020. Making wine using the many varieties of first class Musto sourced grapes has been an Annual fall event for the Picone family and our friends for the past 30 years or so. Over the years, I have made Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Old Vine Zinfandel, Sangiovese, Malbec, Reisling, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Moscato, and White Zinfandel to name a few. Each having their own unique qualities to enjoy. Frank and his crew are great in providing all the resources and guidance needed for the first-time wine maker all the way to the seasoned-pro. I was fortunate to have taken a one semester class years ago at Naugatuck Community College on Wine Making given by Bob Herold which together with Frank’s support team has allowed me to create some delicious wines over the years.
I would like to share my experience with you on making this year’s Montepulciano 2020.
The grapes were outstanding. The Brix reading on the refractometer was 25. The clusters were full and the berries were a beautiful deep purple. The boxes were well packed with few if any leaves. We crushed the 360lbs of grapes and immediately added some potassium metabisulphite to kill any wild yeasts. My crusher is also a destemmer, so all the stems were separated from the must during this process. The pH of the must started at 3.70 which wasn’t surprising due to the high Brix reading. I added an appropriate amount of Tartaric acid to bring the pH to a more desirable 3.41 the day of crush. 25 ml of Color Pro enzyme was added at this time as well.
At approximately 24 hours post crush, the Must was inoculated with 35 grams of yeast BM 4X4 in a solution containing GoFerm yeast nutrient. The temperature of the Must at the time of inoculation was 60 degrees F. The yeast solution was well constituted throughout the must. Periodic punching down of the “cap’ was done every 6-8 hours throughout the primary fermentation time.
At 48 hours post crush, the Must temp was 66 degrees F at the Brix reading was 23.5. Fermaid O was added.
At 72 hours post crush, the Must temp was 75 degrees F and the Brix reading was 20. Fermaid K was added.
At 96 hours post crush, the Must temp was 82 degrees F and the Brix reading was 16. I added oak chips to the vat.
At 120 hours post crush, the Must temp was 78 degrees F and the Brix reading was 8.
At 144 hours post crush, the Must temp was 72 degrees F and the Brix reading was 4. 0.9mg of Malolactic culture VP41 was added to the Must and thoroughly mixed in.
At 168 hours(7 days) post crush, the Must temp was 70 degrees F and the Brix reading was 3. The Must and remnant skins were carefully pressed using a bladder press. The raw yield was approximately 27.5 gallons. The Must was placed in cleaned and sanitized demijohns utilizing airlocks to allow CO2 to escape while fermentation progresses, albeit very slowly. The residual skins were heavily consumed during the fermentation leaving behind very little structure. The color extraction was excellent and provided a deep rich purple wine. More Oak chips were added to each of the glass carboys/demijohns.
The slow fermentation in the demijohns went uneventfully and at 2 months, careful racking was accomplished and an appropriate amount of Potassium Metabisulphite was added to help kill off any more yeast cells(30ppm).
At 6 months post pressing, another racking was accomplished without the addition of any sulphites.
At 9 months, I have just begun bottling and I am very pleased with the wine. It is a crystal clear, deep purple, medium to full body, somewhat fruity flavored wine. I expect it to pair well most any dish but have enjoyed it with pasta, pork, veal, and chicken thus far.
Sincerely,
Joseph A. Picone, DMD
Thank you Joseph for sharing your Montepulciano winemaking experience! If you would like to make Montelpuciano emails sales@juicegrape.com or call 877-812-1137.
7 Tips for How to Prep for the Chilean Wine Harvest
7 Tips for How to Prep for the Chilean Wine Harvest 🍇
1. Clean and organize your winemaking cellar
2. Take inventory of your fermentation supplies and re-stock
3. Check all wines that are aging – top off, make SO2 adjustments
4. Inspect and double check your tools and equipment
5. Decide if you want/need to upgrade or replace any equipment
6. Look over past winemaking notes
7. Bottle any wine you need to in order to free up space for this seasons wines
Have you ordered your Chilean winemaking products yet?
Give us a call at 877-812-1137 or email us at sales@juicegrape.com to get your set up!
Headspace in Your Wine Vessel – What does it mean?
Let’s talk about headspace. Extra headspace in your wine storage vessel leads to oxidation. Oxidation leads to wine faults such as – disappearance of fruit flavors, characteristics like bruised-apple take over, the color starts to brown, and brettanomyces or volatile acidity can start to develop.
However, not all oxidation is bad. If done carefully a little micro-oxidation can give help soften your red wine wine and give it complexity. Also, some wine styles require excessive oxidation like Madera.
But for most wines we want to avoid any excessive oxidation. So how to we do that? Below are a few tips to help avoid oxidation in your wine.
1. Consistently check your aging vessels and make sure they have no headspace and are topped off
2. Limit how much air you wine is exposed to during racking, pump overs, and bottling
3. Keep track of and update your SO2 levels regularly
4. Double check tank gaskets for any leaks before use
5. Use quality corks when bottling wine
We hope these tips help! 🍇🍷🥂 Looking forward to working with you all this Spring Winemaking Season. Have you ordered your Spring Winemaking Supplies yet? Email us at sales@juicegrape.com for more details.
For more on Winemaking Faults visit our sister site WinemakingInstructions.com
How to Make Wine from Chilean Winemaking Juice
So how can you start making your own wine from Chilean juices? Follow these 10 Easy Steps (for fresh juice) and you’ll be on your way!
- Choose a Chilean variety that speaks to you.
- Come to Musto Wine Grape and pick up your pail of juice.
- Bring it home, pop open that lid, and add 1/4 tsp potassium metabisulfite to it. Add pectic enzyme if you’re going to (5 drops per gallon of juice). Give it a stir.
- Allow it to come up to room temperature – we’re talking 60 degrees or so.
- Choose your fermentation vessel: will you keep it in pails or ferment in a carboy or demijohn? Make sure everything is clean and sanitized. *Be sure there is enough room to account for fermentation foaming*
- If you are going to add fermentation tannins or additives (like oak dust, Booster Rouge, Booster Blanc) you can add that now. *Note: do not add tannins such as FT Rouge within 8 hours of adding enzyme*
- Pitch the yeast once the temperature has reached at least 60F. Yeast strain choices will vary depending on the juice you choose – ask a winemaker at Musto Wine Grape for a strain recommendation for the varietal you’re making. Follow the yeast starter directions explicitly. Be very careful of temperatures, never adding yeast if there is more than a 18 degree difference between the yeast starter liquid and the juice.
- Carefully monitor the fermentation by checking Brix levels daily. Add yeast nutrients as needed if you choose to do so.
- If you are adding malolactic cultures to your wine, you may also chose to do this at 1/3 Brix depletion. If using a malolactic nutrient (Opti-Malo Plus) with the bacterial culture, hydrate the nutrient in a separate container from the bacteria and add to the must directly before the addition of the bacteria. Follow all directions on the bacteria and nutrient packets explicitly.
- When the fermentation is complete, rack off the lees and continue aging. Many Chilean wines are aged with oak – if you choose to do this, you can do so in oak barrels or with oak alternatives (such as chips or staves).
Want to read more about making wine from Fresh Juice? Check out this blog post.
Can I make my own? Musto Wine Grape Company is here to help you make the wine of your dreams! The Spring Chilean winemaking season starts in late April, early May. Secure your winemaking grapes or juices and give us a call at (877) 812-1137 to speak with one of our Musto Crush Crew members. We can get you set up with everything you need and provide customer support along the way to ensure your success!
ONLINE Winemaking Classes!
Musto Wine Grape is Now Offering Online Winemaking Classes!
Musto Wine Grape and Winemaking Professor Frank Renaldi are proud to bring you WinemakingInstructions.com. Take our Winemaker Bootcamp Course or take whichever winemaking instructions classes that interest you the most. With over 45 videos to choose from there is something for everyone! Videos range in price from Free to $19.99 depending on the topic. Check out WinemakingInstructions.com today and get prepped for harvest!
Videos Available at www.WinemakingInstructions.com:
- Introduction to Winemaking
- Cleaning and Sanitizing
- Fermentation Protocol Descriptions
- Storage Vessels
- Washing and Using Used Bottles
- Wines to Blend
- Winemaker’s Bootcamp Bundle
- Corking Wine Bottles
- Degassing Wine
- Electrodes
- Sodium Hydroxide
- Testing for Pectin
- Adding Oak Powder
- Adding Yeast
- Bench Testing
- Blending Wines
- Bottles, Corks, and Foils
- Cold Soaking and Enzymes
- Handling High Brix
- Measuring and Adjusting SO2
- Oaking Your Wine
- pH and TA in Your Wine
Racking Your Wine - Stuck Fermentation
- Wine Faults
- Yeast and Nutrients
- Addressing Sulfur Issues
Back Sweetening - Bentonite
- Bottling Wine
- Filtering Wine
- Making Port
- Malolactic Fermentation
- Measuring Alcohol
- Post Fermentation Adjustments
- How to Make Rose
- Tannins
- Wine Stability
- Working with Barrels
- YAN
- Crushing and Destemming
- Making Wine from Juice
- Measuring and Adjusting Must
- Pressing
Interested in Making Your Own Wine? Give us a call (877-812-1137) or email us (sales@juicegrape.com) and we will help you get started!
How to Set Up Your Home Winery
Setting up your home winery
There are two factors to consider when you decide to build your home winery.
- How much money are you willing to spend to buy more equipment, build rooms, or add air conditioning?
- The second factor is how much room do you have to create your winery?
I converted my entire basement into a winery. But, I did it slowly, one room at a time. Let me walk you through that and see if what I have done could apply to your place for a home winery.
I have a room which holds my variable capacity tanks and carboys. This wine is aging and waiting to be moved into barrels. This room is air conditioned due to poor cellar temperatures at my home. I also have a sink in this room for cleaning and washing. I added a five foot counter to do all my lab work. Wine racks were added to the walls above the tanks to store all my 375ml bottles of port.
The next room I built was a barrel room. I finally took the step to barrel age my reds and have never looked back. The barrel aging makes the wine so soft and complex. I have seven barrels ranging from 15 gallons to 30 gallons. I suggest you stay in this range as a home winemaker. They are easier to handle and clean. You must also remember, you will need wine on “standby” to place into the barrel once you remove the existing wine to bottle. Plan well.
My final room was needed to store all the wine moving out of the other rooms – a bottles storage room. I bought wooden wine rack kits online, and after assembly I bolted them to the walls. I then put down a floor, nice lighting and a bit of decorating to tie it all together. The most critical thing I added was air conditioning, because bottle storage needs four things – cool constant temperature, darkness, proper humidity and no vibration. All the bottles are lying horizontally and peacefully aging.
Besides proper areas to process your wine, you also need the tools to take care of this wine. Some of the “must have” tools are hydrometers, pH meters, pipettes, burrette, stir plate and an SO2 meter. These tools are needed to balance your grapes perfectly before pitching the yeast. They are also needed to adjust and protect your wine as it is aging.
Be sure to have other supplies on hand such as tartaric acid, potassium metabisulfite, fructose, tannins and oak. You will build your supplies and equipment as time goes on. Everything I talked about above will take you a level where you can become a dedicated, creative and proud winemaker!
Written by Winemaker Frank Renaldi
How much wine will my case of California grapes make?
Crates, pounds, liters, gallons, must, finished wine, juice… there’s a lot of terms and volumes floating around in your head during winemaking season. Simplify your life with the following explanation of how much volume you should expect to be getting from your grape order.
Each case of wine grapes from California and Washington State is 36lbs. Depending on the grape variety, you should yield about 2-2.5 gallons of must per case.
*Keep in mind that all of these are estimates. Some grapes will yield a bit more and some a bit less depending on the variety.*
A good rule of thumb is that 20lbs of grapes will yield roughly 1 gallon of finished wine. So each case should give you about 1.44 gallons of finished wine, equating to about 7 bottles of finished wine generally speaking..
If you want to make 5-6 gallons we suggest using 3 cases of grapes. The extra case will give you room for error when pressing and racking, plus extra wine for topping off during the aging process. If you use only 2 cases of grapes, make sure you have a 5 gallon carboy handy in case you loose a little juice during the winemaking process. You don’t want any headspace in your carboy.
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