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What is Bud Break?

Happy first day of Spring Winemakers!

Our California grapes are starting to go through bud break.

Here is a nice view of our Cry Baby Thompson Seedless and Grenache grapes “waking up” 🍇

What is Bud Break?

Bud break is the start of the grape vine’s annual cycle. It is a relaxing time in the vine’s life as long as they don’t experience any intense weather occurrences, such as frost. Frost can kill the buds or delay their growth.

Check out what Bud Break looks like in Chile! (link)

Interested in making your own wine? Musto Wine Grape Company is here to help! Musto’s New England’s largest supplier for home winemaking products and services. Visit juicegrape.com or give us a call at (877) 812 – 1137 to learn more.

Product Spotlight: CSM Yeast

csm yeast

Product Spotlight: CSM Yeast

CSM yeast was derived from Bordeaux and helps create a vibrant aromatic profile. CSM aids in adding complexity to the palate and pairs well with malolactic fermentation.

Why you want to use it:

It’s the perfect yeast for the Chilean fruit. It reduces vegetal aromas, adds complexity, stabilizes color, and helps increase the aromatic profiles of berries and spices.

Use Tips:

Fermentation starts quickly with this yeast. Be prepared to see Brix drop 24 hours after inoculation. It can stand up 14% ABV and can handle temperatures from 59–90°F. However, I highly suggest keeping your fermentation temps lower than 75°F. Once you hit 80°F you lose aromas and “burn off” flavors. Keeping your wine between 59–75°F during fermentation is a best practice.

You also want to use nutrients when using CSM; nutrients such as Fermaid-O and Fermaid-K. CSM tends to produce H2S (rotten egg smell) if there aren’t enough nutrients during fermentation.

Avoid cold shocking the yeast at inoculation. You’ll want to get the must and the yeast starter within a few degrees of each other before pitching the yeast starter. But without temperatures falling lower than 55°F. Temps below 55°F could stall fermentation and/or kill the yeast.

Goes best with:

CSM was cultivated to help ferment Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Grenache, Merlot, Sangiovese, Petit Verdot. However, we have seen it used on Carmenere, Malbec, and Syrah from Chile with great results.

Dosage:

6gm/gals

Flavor Profile:

Cherry pit, raspberry, blackberry, spice, violet, bark, and sweet pepper

 

Ready to make wine? Musto Wine Grape Company is here to help you make the wine of your dreams! The Spring South African & Chilean winemaking season starts soon! 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!

2023 Chilean Winemaking Harvest Update

2023 Chilean Winemaking Harvest Update

{above photo from our trip to chile a few years ago}

Hello, Winemakers! It’s time to get ready and prepped for the Chilean grape and juice arrival. The Chilean Winemaking Season starts in early April and ends in May. Our growers have planned to start harvesting white wine grapes around March 15th and red grapes around March 23rd. Once on the boat, we will have a better update on delivery timing.

Musto’s 2023 Chilean Offerings:

Chile Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Carmenere, Malbec, Merlot, Petite Verdot, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, and Viognier

Chilean Juice: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Carmenere, Malbec, Merlot, Petite Verdot, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, and Muscat.

Chilean Viticulture:

Chile is the same latitude as northern California! Chileans can grow many different types of grapes here, just like in California. The cooling influences they receive from the Pacific Ocean, the Andes Mountains, and the warm and plentiful sunshine attributes to their wine-growing success. Their warm Mediterranean climate helps the grapes to ripen. The Humboldt current, flows up from Antarctica, along the Chilean coast, pushing the cool air inland by the wind patterns. This cooling effect helps cool off the grapes while they mature. Colchagua and Curico Valley both benefit from this ocean influence, which allows these regions to produce grapes from fertile soil for wines that are gaining premium reputations.

The Curico and Colchagua Valleys have some of the best soils in Chile, composed of mostly sand, clay, decomposed granite, and volcanic-alluvial. These regions only receive around 23.3 inches of rainfall per year and little to no rainfall during their summer months. The grapes are safe as harvest approaches, and the weather ensures that the grapes are fighting for water and creating a more intense fruit.

What are Brix?

The harvest is based on sugar levels in the grapes. This information comes from a simple measurement called degrees brix (also known as specific gravity). It’s important because it tells us how much water is present in our must (the mixture of crushed grapes and yeast starter). The lower this number is, the more concentrated or “dry” your wine will be when finished fermenting. The ideal Brix levels for red wines is 23-25 Brix, and for white wines 21-24 Brix.

How are the grapes harvested?

The grapes are handpicked. The pickers walk through rows of vines looking for clusters of ripe fruit to cut off with long-handled knives called “cortadores.” They then gently place these into plastic tubs where they’re carried back to trailers parked nearby–a process that takes place over several days (usually during the morning). Once all of this has been completed successfully, we begin our shipping process!

How do you know when to harvest the grapes?

The wine grape harvest is based on sugar levels in the grapes: if they’re too low you can’t make good wine; too high and it will taste too sweet and you’ll most likely have a stuck fermentation. Each month/week/and as harvest nears, day – the grapes are sampled in the field to see if they have reached their optimum levels yet.

Shipping from Chile to MWG…

Once the grapes arrive at port they are sent to Musto Wine Grape Co. and we unload them into our coolers. Everything is shipped in a refrigerated container and never breaks the cold chain. This ensures that the high quality of the fresh Chilean products are intact. After they arrive it is time for you to pick up your grapes and/or juices and get winemaking!

2023 Chilean Harvest Update:

The Chilean crop looks excellent this season. We are hoping to see the Chilean grapes and juices arrive at around 23-25 Brix, very sweet and juicy. Arrival dates look to be somewhere at the end of April / early May depending on the type of winemaking grape/juice. Give us a call (877-812-1137) or email us at sales@juicegrape.com with any arrival questions.

Fun Fact About Chile: Chile produces more than 1 million tons of grapes every year!

Chilean wine making is a time-honored tradition, and the results are worth it! This will be 18+ years of Musto Wine Grape working with our Chilean vineyards and every year the wines created get better and better. We hope you enjoyed learning about the Chilean wine-making season. It’s an interesting process that requires a lot of work, but in the end, it pays off with delicious wines!

 

For more information on making wine from Chile check out these blogs posts:

Can I make my own? Musto Wine Grape Company is here to help you make the wine of your dreams! The Spring South African & Chilean winemaking season starts soon! 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!

The Winemaker’s Think Tank: Vol 25 – Why is my wine evaporating?

What’s the Winemaker’s Think Tank?

Every Thursday we will post about a few frequently asked questions that our winemaker has answered. If you have a winemaking question you would like to have answered, please email us at support@juicegrape.com and we will try to get into next week’s post. Cheers! 🙂

Smoke or vapor coming from a wine glass on black background.

Why is my wine evaporating?

Just like water or any other liquid, with prolonged exposure to air, wine can evaporate. When aging wine in an enclosed container such as a tank, carboy, or demijohn, the container should have an airtight seal via an inflatable gasket or an airlock and bung. This will help prevent against oxidation and will reduce the amount of evaporation dramatically. If you still see some evaporation happening in one of these closed containers, evaluate your bungs and seals as they may not be working properly.

The main source of evaporation in winemaking is through barrel aging. Barrels are a porous environment that allows the wine to “breathe” over time. This “breathing” process is essentially evaporation. The wine is exposed to air through the porous staves and small portions of the wine evaporate into the atmosphere. This has positive effects on the wine as it creates a creamier mouthfeel, can reduce the perception of acidity, and imparts oak flavor. The barrel must be filled monthly with additional wine to reduce the head space and replace the evaporated product. This will prevent the wine in the barrel from oxidizing. While the breathing process may be a source of frustration, as you witness your wine evaporating into thin air, it will help you to create a fuller, heavier, more lush wine.

We hope this information helps with your winemaking. If you have any follow up questions or winemaking questions in general, please email us at support@juicegrape.com.

Notes from our Winemaker Frank Renaldi about the Chilean Sauvignon Blanc: After the Press

Notes from our Winemaker Frank Renaldi about the Chilean Sauvignon Blanc:

After the Press

“Adjusted Brix to 21.5 (11.8% alcohol). Adjusted with Tartaric Acid to get pH = 3.24 and TA = .60. Will have to acidify after fermentation. Could have adjusted further, but ta would still be low (desired .7 – .9). Used Vin13 yeast – Very slow start. Took over 24 hours to get started. Still at 58 degree with a slow cool fermentation. No big nose yet. Looking forward to reporting more on the results once fermentation has completed.”

Don’t forget to sign up for the Spring Bootcamp with winemaker Frank Renadli! Learn how to make great wine at home in just 5 weeks!

sauvignon blanc_chile_musto wine grape_winemaker_winemaking

 

The Winemaker’s Think Tank: Vol 9 – How long will my wine last?

Wine expert testing wine silhouette image

What’s the Winemaker’s Think Tank?

Every Thursday we will post about a few frequently asked questions that our winemaker has answered. If you have a winemaking question you would like to have answered, please email us at support@juicegrape.com and we will try to get into next week’s post. Cheers! 🙂

How long will my wine last?

All wine ages differently. Certain varietals benefit from aging, others are meant to be consumed quickly. Generally, the more tannic the wine, more it will benefit from aging. Other factors influence a wine’s potential to age as well. If the winemaker chooses not to add sulfites to the wine (not recommended), the wine will not age as well and should be consumed within a year. If the proper level of sulfites are added, the wine stored at an appropriate temperature (55-62 degrees Farenheit), and not exposed to light, it should be able to age for many years. Some varietals that benefit from aging are Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Malbec. Some varietals that do not necessarily benefit from aging are Gewurztraminer, Sauvignon Blanc, and Cayuga.

We hope this information helps with your winemaking. If you have any follow up questions or winemaking questions in general, please email us at support@juicegrape.com.

The Winemaker’s Think Tank: Vol 3 – What’s the procedure to use a French Oak Barrel?

Wine expert testing wine silhouette image

The Winemaker’s Think Tank? 

Every Thursday we will post about a few frequently asked questions that our winemaker has answered. If you have a winemaking question you would like to have answered, please email us at support@juicegrape.com and we will try to get into next week’s post. Cheers! 🙂

What’s the procedure to use a French Oak Barrel?

Most wines will benefit from some form of bulk aging. Young wine tends to be a bit harsh, raw, and green and it needs some time to settle and round-out. Many wines, especially reds, will get better if aged in oak barrels. Oak barrels will impart unique flavors in wine and will also create subtle chemical changes over time. From vanilla and tobacco to tea and spice, different types of oak barrels will impart different flavors in the wine. However, all natural oak barrels will allow for micro-oxidation to take place – leading to reduced astringency, better color, structure, stability, and tannin integration, and a richer, more complex flavor and mouthfeel.

Yet as is true in most instances, better wine requires more work – and barrel care, maintenance, and ageing is no exception. Detailed instructions on how to inspect, swell, care for, and maintain an oak barrel can be found in our handy .pdf file here –> Barrel Care PDF. Once you have the basics down, we will go over some common questions about the aging process – starting with, “How long should I age my wine in a barrel and what styles are best for barrel ageing?”

The length of time a vintner ages their wine in a barrel depends on several factors. Is the barrel new or has it been used before? How large is the barrel? What style of wine is going into the barrel? New barrels will impart more flavors than used one will. A rule of thumb is that after a single use the oak extraction of a barrel will decrease by 50%. After the second use it will decrease by another 25%, and once the barrel has been used four times it is usually neutral – meaning it will not impart any oak characteristics into the wine.
Barrel size is also an important factor when determining how long to age your wine. Smaller barrels will impart oak flavors much more quickly than larger barrels. For example, while a 59 gallon barrel will hold nearly ten times the volume of wine as a 6 gal barrel, its surface area is only about twice as much. This means that the wine in smaller barrels has significantly more contact with the wood than wine stored in larger barrels and can be oaked five times more quickly.

Lastly, different varietals and styles of wine will require different aging times. A Cabernet Sauvignon or Bordeaux blend, for example, can usually be aged 1-3 years in oak. A New World-style Pinot Noir, however, probably shouldn’t be in a barrel for longer than 10 months. A buttery, creamy Chardonnay needs to be checked often while the ultra-tannic Nebbiola can stay in oak for over four years. However, remember that not all wines will benefit from barrel aging. Most German whites such as Gewurztraminer and Riesling rarely receive the oak treatment. Also, Beaujelea nouveau and many cold-hearty hybrids made in this style are often aged in stainless steel tanks rather than oak barrels.

So finally we can address the question on how long to age your wine in an oak barrel. The answer is up to the winemaker. Remember that winemaking is an art – and each artist will have their own inspirations and palates. My advice is to taste and to taste often. If using smaller barrels (less than 30 gallons), I would be topping off and tasting every month until the oak profile is where I want it to be. Larger barrels will take much longer to impart oak flavors, but still have to be topped-off monthly, so why not take a taste while adding wine to the barrel? Please note that it is much easier to add oak flavor to a wine than it is to remove it, so I recommend erring on the side of caution.

What about the wine going into the barrel? Should it be racked or filtered beforehand? In most cases your wine should be racked and stabilized before going into a barrel for bulk aging. For reds this means making sure your primary and malolactic fermentations are finished, the wine has been racked off its lees (we advise at least 2 rackings – once after primary fermentation, and then again as it is being transferred to the barrel), and it has been properly sulfited. Filtering your wine before it goes into a barrel may be a bit of an overkill, but one of our winemakers uses a course filtration before bulk aging and his wines are exceptional. However, there are unique winemaking techniques used by different vintners for certain styles. For example, in sur lie aging white wine is aged on its fine lees for an extended period of time. Obviously you would not want to rack or filter wines made in this style before starting the bulk aging process. Yet in most instances a wine should be clean and stable before going into a barrel. Additionally, the winemaker should not have to rack wine once it is in oak– save that step for when the wine leaves the barrel.

While aging wine in a barrel can seem like a daunting process, in most cases it is worth the extra effort. Just remember to taste often to avoid over-oaking, make sure the barrels are topped-off monthly, properly manage your S02 levels, and be patient – it will be time well spent.

We hope this information helps with your winemaking. If you have any follow up questions or winemaking questions in general, please email us at support@juicegrape.com. 

Are you considering buying a gift? Let us help…

Are you considering buying a gift? Let us help…

sanatas-list

Musto Wine Grape Company, LLC. has gifts for those starting out in winemaking, those who are experienced winemakers, or those who simply love wine or have a special winemaker in their lives.

So, what sort of person are you buying for?

Is this person interested in making wine for the first time or relatively new to winemaking?

Those interested in making wine may want to start out with some of the following:

basic-equipment-kit

A Winemaking Equipment Kit

Winemaking Equipment kits come with many of the basic and reusable items that are essential for making a basic batch of wine.  Kits can be purchased pre-packaged or you can work with a Musto sales rep to enhance the kit items.

A Winemaking Ingredient Kit

Winemaking Ingredient Kits exist for every budget and contain the ingredients needed to ferment and finish wine for bottling and enjoyment.  There are kits available for all tastes.

Basic Lab/Analysis Equipment

While there are many different pieces of equipment that can be purchased for winemaking, few are as essential to crafting consistently good wine as are these items…

Hydrometer
Acid Tiration Kits (we recommend our own Pro Acid Kit!)
pH meters

Professional Books on Winemaking

A Professional Winemaker Led Class At Musto Wine Grape Company, LLC at our Hartford, CT location.

Perhaps the person you are buying for falls into the “Experienced Winemaker” category?

Hydrometer used to measure the specific gravity of wine and beer

Hydrometer used to measure the specific gravity of wine and beer

An experienced winemaker may have been making wine for a period of time and should now have the basic equipment and supplies.  This sort of winemaker is generally looking for items to expand his or her cellar or for items that offer greater efficiency.  To the observer, an experience winemaker might also be one who consistently produces wines that beg you to have another glass.

If your winemaker is an “Experienced Winemaker” he or she may already have those items mentioned for the those who might just be getting started in winemaking. For those who do, you may want to consider some of the following items, big and small.

New Wine Barrels
Stainless Steel Variable Capacity Tanks
Chemical Analysis Meters
Wine Bottles

OR…Maybe the person you are buying for simply loves wine and/or a special winemaker?

wine-snob-sign

Check out our great selection of Merchandise including cool wine themed products for indoors, outdoors. We also have a large selection of stylish jewelry and apparel.

Gift Certificates…The Perfect Gift!

gift-certificate

There may be no better gift option than the gift certificate.  It allows the recipient to apply the value of the certificate to any item that they wish to purchase and at a time they are ready to do so.  Our gift certificates come with a gift certificate holder and may be used for either online or in-store purchases.  Click here to purchase a gift certificate in a convenient denomination.

 

Also, we are constantly running New and Special Deals on All of Our Products –> Check out our Shopping Page for more Information and Coupons!

 

Who Won Best in Show?

Thank you to everyone who entered Musto Wine Grape Company’s Wine Competition. We cannot wait for the Competition Dinner to give you all of the results! Dates for the dinner are coming soon….

You will be receiving an email this week with your medal results. All medals and feedback will be given out at the dinner.

And now for Best in Show…

hires

Best in Show – Commercial: Winemaker Amanda Brackett from Southern Connecticut Wine Company for their “Dark & Dirty Red Blend”

amanda-topping-off-barrels

Best in Show Amateur: Eric Albetski & Ed Smith for their 75% Sangiovese, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon Blend.

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Congratulations to all the Winemakers who submitted their entries. We can’t wait to see you at the dinner and celebrate your wines!

Juices and Grapes In Stock as of 9/22/16

muscat-cannelli

Variety Label 36/42
Cabernet Sauvignon Cry Baby 36lb
Pinot Noir Paso Robles 36lb
Muscat Muscat King 42lb
Old Vine Carignane Smiling Baby 36lb
Syrah Lodi Gold 36lb
Barbera Lucerene 36lb
Muscat Valley Beauty 36lb
Cabernet Franc Cry Baby 36lb
Merlot Lugano 36lb
Zinfandel Lucerene 36lb
Old Vine Zinfandel Paso Robles 36lb
Syrah Paso Robles 36lb
Cabernet Franc Paso Robles 36lb
Zinfandel Zinderella 36lb
Old Vine Zinfandel Lugano 36lb
Cabernet Sauvignon Costamagna 36lb
Merlot Lugano 36lb
Merlot Washington State 36lb
Old Vine Carignane Caterina 36lb
Petite Sirah Caterina 36lb
Merlot Caterina 36lb
Petite Verdot Caterina 36lb
Chardonnay Lanza 36lb
Ruby Cabernet Lodi Gold 36lb
French Colombard Cry Baby 36lb
Malvasia Bianca Lodi Gold 36lb
Black Muscat Lodi Gold 36lb
Carignane Uva di California 36lb
Merlot Paso Robles 36lb
Alicante O’Caprio 42lb
Alicante Smiling Baby 36lb
Barbera Valley Beauty 36lb
Zinfandel Valley Beauty 36lb
Mixed Black Uva di California 36lb
Old Vine Grenache Cry Baby 36lb
Ruby Cabernet Valley Beauty 36lb
Malbec Cry Baby 36lb
Muscat Cry Baby 42lb
Muscat Cannelli Lanza 36lb
Chardonnay Cry Baby 36lb
Syrah Cry Baby 36lb
Cabernet Sauvignon Caterina 36lb
Carnelian Pia 36lb
Zinfandel Pia 36lb
Mixed Black Smiling Baby 36lb
Mixed Black Uva di California 36lb
Old Vine Zinfandel Caterina 36lb
Muscat Treasure 36lb
Grenache Teaser 36lb
Zinfandel Teaser 36lb
Sangiovese California Special 36lb
Barbera California Special 36lb
Brunello Pia 36lb
Merlot Lodi Gold 36lb
Old Vine Zinfandel Caterina 36lb
Sangiovese Pia 36lb
Petite Sirah Pia 36lb
Gamay Pia 36lb
Barbera Pia 36lb
Alicante Lodi Gold 36lb
Petite Verdot Paso Robles 36lb
Barbera Valley Beauty 36lb
Viognier Lodi Gold 36lb
Pinot Grigio Lodi Gold 36lb
Thompson Seedless Valley Beauty 36lbs
Merlot Lanza-Musto 36lb
Sangiovese Lanza-Musto 36lb
Barbera Lanza-Musto 36lb
Nebbiolo Pia 36lb

 

Juices:

Variety
Merlot
Thompson Seedless
Muscat
Sauvignon Blanc
Muscat
Carignane
French Colombard
Syrah
Thompson Seedless
White Zinfandel
Malvasia Bianca
Malbec
Chablis
Burgundy
Gewürztraminer
Syrah
Viognier
Petite Sirah
Merlot
Chardonnay
Malvasia Bianca
Riesling
Barbera
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon
Muscat
Zinfandel
Thompson Seedless
Grenache
Pinot Noir
Ruby Cabernet
Merlot
Mixed Black
Sauvignon Blanc
Sangiovese
Pinot Grigio
Cabernet Sauvignon
Zinfandel
Merlot
Barbera
Zinfandel
Muscat