Massachusetts group grape buy

[ralovecraft]

How's the lovely vino maturing? What does it's lifecycle/schedule look like? Very much looking forward to sampling some. Very exciting stuff.

 

[paulthenurse]

Come to Masstoberfest and we'll sample it then, I haven't tried it in months

PTN

 

[Bulls Beers]

I can't wait..Maybe even a tiny tiny sample of that Bordeaux you might have lying around..

 

[paulthenurse]

I got no idea what you are talking about.

PTN

 

[Bulls Beers]

That's ok..I'll remind you in Oct..

 

[CrankyOldLibrarian]

Malbec report:

At Masstober, Paul headed to the basement and came back with a sample of the malbec. For a wine that is only four months old, this is very good!

So, to those of you who put in the work a few months back, you should already be looking forward to bottling day next year!

 

[paulthenurse]

Well, Will asked me how things were going at the U2 brew day and I had to tell him I hadn't even looked at the barrels in ages. I priomised that I would check and get back to everyone, then promptly forgot. Then this morning my friend walked into the ICU as I'm trying to get out and he wants to talk about wine. I'd given him a couple bottles of other stuff at Christmas and he had recetnly had them and was very pleased. SO now he wants to get together to make wine and I told him about how we did it last spring, etc. etc. So I come home an ddecide I better check while its fresh on my mind, so I go down and pull a half glass out o fthe three containers.

Un-oaked, in glass... tastes very fruity and a little harsh. Not bad, The MLB finished.

15 gallon barrel... Nice! Smooth, mellow oak notes, restrained fruit, not as 'funky' as I expected from a Malbec shipped across an ocean. Me likey

30 gallon barrel... Now this is more like it! VERY nice. Not as oaky as the smaller barrel (duh!) Very smooth. This is good.


All in all I'm impressed. We done good. I think the thing to do is to blend them all together at bottling time and leave it at that. I think each has a strong point and none of them have any obvious flaws and the blend will be a good partnership. I'd like a few other opinions so who's available to come over and taste a bit of wine?

Also, if you guys are game we can do it again and buy more grapes.

Let me know
PTN

 

[Sumo]

I'll be in Stoughton and Easton today. When were you thinking?

 

[paulthenurse]

Not today, I worked last night and I'm going beddy bye now. (With a nice buzz on after three glasses of pretty nice vino.)

PTN

 

[CrankyOldLibrarian]

Kim & I would definitely be up for a tasting if timing works out. Let us know when people are stopping buy.

And, yeah, we would definitely be up for another group buy.

 

[JustMrWill]

Keep me up to date as to dates/times...if all the planets align just right..then I might make it.

-Will

 

[illin8]

Just curious, do you or did you get fruit flies from pressing the grapes yourself?

 

[paulthenurse]

Oh yes, You'll have more fruit flies then there are hookers at a Shriners Convention. Keep everything outside, far from the door.
PTN

 

[Vermicous]

Thanks for the update, I'd forgotten how much time had passed. I would love to drop by for a tasting, but spare time is rare right now. My instinctive reaction would be to blend them, but I will bow to the opinions of those who do the tasting.

 

[beergears]

more fruit flies then there are hookers at a Shriners Convention

'Never been to a Shriners convention.
Do Shriners drink, or is it one of these groups with special rules?

Oh wait... googling... what do you know, there is a Lulu Shriners chapter in Pa. Do you wanna bet they brew?

 

[paulthenurse]

I'm not a Shriner either. (Unwilling to join any group that would have someone like me as a member...)

The next time that would work for me to have anyone come by to try the wine would be the weekend after next. (The 20th) I'm not talking a party, because I do have stuff planned that weekend but if anyone wanted to drop by we could pick a time and do it then. Let me know if that will work for people and we'll make a date.
PTN

 

[CrankyOldLibrarian]

Damn, I have to work that weekend so I can't make it. I can't be too sad since I did get a taste at the pig roast a few months back.

 

[beergears]

I had saved a few grape plastic containers form the de-stemming session, and looked up the area of production, the Chilean Curico district: (wikepedia link)

The box actually specifies the township as Sagrada Familia, within Curico

Interesting climate.

EDIT: It looks like the district is part of the Maule region, central valley, affected by the quake, as epicenter was located at its southern border, according to N.Y.Times map:

"The Maule region... was the area most affected by the earthquake, with more than 580 deaths. A state of emergency was declared and an army general was put in charge of the region."

 

[paulthenurse]

Well guys, since no-one semed to want to buy more Chilean grapes this spring it looks like we're going to have to wait till the fall to bottle. I'm not able to buy the grapes myself to re-fill the barrels this spring, I've got too many other irons in the fire. (As we talked about before, leaving expensive oak barrels empty for a long period of time is a prescription for disaster. Since I don't want to ruin my barrels I'm not gonna do that, so they can just sit there an hold the wine till the fall.) It is probably just as well, given the recent disaster in Chile I've read that the area vineyards are scrambling to just be able to take care of their own needs. I don't think their infrastructure is capable of exporting perishable crops at the moment. So I'm just going to plan on sitting on the wine till the fall harvest. I will definately be buying grapes then, and if you guys want to do a repeat group thing then I'll be game for that.

PTN

 

[eriktlupus]

FYI, the guy who runs my local HBS (who also has a couple locations in eastern MA) gets fresh grape juice direct from one of the vineyards in the Finger Lakes. You might want to talk to him; I'm pretty sure he drives up himself and picks up the juice in fermenation buckets. Kinda neat to do something with local product, you know?

i know i'm jumping in late here. but also consider in the summer michigan tart cherries from the traverse city region(look at your hand and where the pinky meets the ring finger is its location). don't forget the vineyards all over the west side of the state, you can do the same thing as ptn did in the fingers lakes. i seem to recall that a couple sold fresh juice (maybe st julians?)

 

[paulthenurse]

I've bought a load of juice from Fulkersons on the western shore of Seneca over the years. In fact, we're heading out there in a few weeks to judge a regional competition. I'm really looking forward to it, some of the Reislings and Gewerts they make are fantastic. Yes, you have to drink a fair amount of Catawba and Concord at those things but you only have to put it in your mouth for a moment and you don't have to swallow unless you want to. (Insert prison joke here.)

PTN

 

[CrankyOldLibrarian]

Looking forward to bottling (and drinking) the Malbec. I'd definitely be up for a September group buy.

 

[beergears]

just curious, anything new to report on the Malbec..?

 

[paulthenurse]

It's still in the basement. Haven't looked at the barrels in ages. I'll try to remember to pull a sample and post some thoughts.

PTN

Sorry for the delay in answering you, JL, I just noticed there was a new (relative) post tonight.

P

 

[paulthenurse]

I pulled a few glasses out of the big barrel last night as Alice and I sat out on the deck. I haven't tried any of this in months. I brought it back up and handed Al her glass and waited to see what she thought before I dove in, since I'll be the first to admit that her pallet is more distinguishing than mine. She took a big sniff and said, "Wow, that is screaming out 'Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate'." I took a whiff and I think she nailed it. Dead on, in your face, milk chocolate with smoke and leather. Very, very nice. A very little bit of the funky earthyness as an undertone.

In the mouth it has nice body, a silky mouthfeel. Im not getting as much fruit as I expected, it's there it just isn't dominant. Of course, that is characteristic of a Malbec so that isn't a flaw. There is a definite 'oaky'ness to the wine that is quite pleasant. All in all, I'd say we did quite well. This is quite drinkable now, and I'd expect that it will last for 5 years anyways, longer if a top quality cork was used to seal the bottle. Also realize that I just brought a few glasses up and didn't let it breathe at all, we pulled a barrel sample and drank it. I'd expect a much more open wine if it breathed a bit.

So now we need to pick a date to bottle and decide if you guys are interested in doing it again. I'm going to be filling up the barrels, its only a question of is it all my wine or some of yours.

Discuss...

PTN

 

[CrankyOldLibrarian]

Can't wait to try the Malbec! I know that Kim & I are up for a day of bottling and we'd also be up for joining in for another batch.

After the first week of October, we aren't going to be around until the end of the month so if the bottling/making activities happen before October 3rd, count us in.

 

[JustMrWill]

Say when. I don't get to check the forum much so if I don't respond feel free to email/Facebook me.

 

[beergears]

Say when. I don't get to check the forum much so if I don't respond feel free to email/Facebook me.

Same here.
Except the Facebook part!

 

[Melana]

Hello Paul... thoughts on this?

 

[JustMrWill]

Well...if we start "sampling" at Masstoberfest...maybe there wont be much left to bottle