grapes to wine ratio

I'm sure it varies quite a bit depending on the grape/wine being produced. I'd figure 2-3 lbs of grapes per bottle.

I'm sure someone else here will have more accurate information.

Miles is correct, it does vary quite a bit on varietal. Some contain a higher ratio of extractable liquids than others.

That said, it seems many varietals average (more or less) a 2:1 ratio, e.g. 200 lbs. of grapes will yield roughly 100 lbs./pints of wine.

As for that leftover 50%, the remaining skins, pips, etc.... there's always grappa, if you happen to be in the mood for home-distillation. ;)

Thanks,

David

I make about 100 gallons of wine from my backyard vineyard every year. From my experience with my grapes and having worked at a commercial vineyard and winery, 100 pounds of grapes will yield approximately about 8 gallons of wine. This is for Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Cabernet Sauvignon will not yield quite this amount as the grape berry is smaller and the skin thicker. The yield from white grape varieties is less.

Sorry, no. Leaving apart special wines (vin de paille, botrytised wines), the figure of 50% of must from the total is way to low. 65 to 70% would be a standard rule of thumb. So it's more a 3:2 ratio.

M.

And for those who deal in more sane systems of measurement (i.e., metric), that's 45.5 kg of grapes yields 29 kg of wine, giving a ratio of 1.5 (i.e., 3:2 as Michael Pronay noted in his post).

Mark Lipton

I agree it is a "More Sane System" but for those of us stuck in the U.S. we are left with the "Other" system. We even have a Fascists as pResident.

Michael,

The guy's just trying to get an idea of what to expect. Which obviously means he's looking at it from the viewpoint of non-commercial or amateur-hobbiest production.

A lot depends on how you go about pressing the must, e.g. commercial presses (higher %) versus "traditional" home-made or hand-press (lower %) pressing methods.

David

Michael Pr>

Sanity is one thing, but funky measuring standards do make things a bit more interesting. ;)

Cheers,

David

Yup, that's why my property was platted in cubits :P

Mark Lipton

(who maintains an irrational fondness for the old system of English coinage -- how many farthings in a Guinea was it, anyway?)

And I still prefer using Stones as a standard. Makes me feel lighter on the scale, anyway. ;)

Isn't it "stone"? The plural of "stone" (the weight) is "stone", no?

Jose

Maybe he's referring to the combined weight of Mick, Keith, Brian, Bill and Charlie? :P

Mark Lipton

That would be "stoned". :)

Jose

You're right - stone is singular.

No - in that case, I'd be measuring by the ounce! ;)

Cheers,

David

In commercial quantities, we averaged somewhere around 625 litres per tonne of red wine grapes (Pinot Noir) and closer to 700 litres per tonne for white wine varieties.

st.helier