Fresh grapes from California

Sounds REALLY high to me.

Call Mike Colavita at 209-941-4323 Yesterday he quoted me $675 a ton ($.34 cents a pound) for Cabernet and $850 a ton ($.43 cents a pound) for Merlot.

Dave Stacy

WOW, so what is this talk about people getting $1000 a ton or so for Traminette in Illinois? Or are these just temporarily low prices due to a CA glut?

Bill

Any comments on how each of these sets of prices compares to last year's?

Also, anyone have any insights into how the Central California crop is looking at this point?

Thanks! Richard

Richard, the California grape harvest looks small and late at this time. lum

That's Central Valley fruit. Of _course_ it's cheap! It's not the Good Stuff.

Tom S

Two weeks late seems to be the consensus guess in the Sierra Foothills.

I am getting 1.24 / lb for Cab, .98 for Merlot, and other varieties range in between for Sonoma County (CA) fruit. Some of my varieties are sold out and others are not at this time, but I expect to have it all sold before harvest, probably at or near these prices. Mind you that this is premium fruit area and prices are at the top of the price range for California. These prices are down from last year, but not as much as other areas. I must admit that it is a tough market and there is considerable fruit still unsold in our area. On the other hand, tonnage is down a bit. I think the wineries have been holding back for better pricing. I believe nearly all the fruit will get sold at a fair price.

Bob B

I Sell grapes and wine juice. Drop me a line,and will see if we can help you out if your looking for semi`s. My name is Frank you can reach me at

1-330-536-6999. The season will be under way in about 3-weeks. We have fresh@blended juices.I recommend blended,and when we speak i tell you why! Are grapes are packed 36 or 42 lbs. I have been trying to find someone in Florida to sale are products.We also sale wine supplies. maybe today is are lucky day? Hope this help`s ? Are juice logo L`UVA BELLA!!!!!!!

Anyone have any up-to-date insight on how the Central Valley grapes are looking at this point? I.e. general condition and anything that looks particularly good or bad? Our retailers up here are expecting the earlier varieties to be arriving in 5 days time, so I assume that picking must have begun by now...

Thanks! Richard

I can't help you get grapes in FL, but I can help you with some of the terminology. "Lug" referes to a standard box or crate of grapes (or other fruits). I think it was called a lug because the size was just right to Lug around from the field to the truck, but I'm speculating.

Brix is a measure of the sugar amount in the juice. Usually we talk about specific gravity here, but if you look on your hydrometer you will see also the Brix scale and Potential Alcohol scale.

A lug is ~36 pounds of grapes. Brix is approximately the same thing as % sugar by weight.

And please tell me where can I get Cali, grapes here in

Good luck with that _this_ year! It's a little late to be planning that from Florida for the 2003 crush. Start lining up your ducks for 2004 a few months earlier in the year, when the growers have time to talk to you and haven't left for Summer vacation yet.

Tom S

In case anyone else is following this thread...

I called our local (Calgary) suppliers of California grapes this morning, since last Thursday they were expecting the grapes to be here this morning. The latest word (I'm not sure from exactly when) is that they are now expecting this weekend at the earliest, more likely early next week. Apparently it "hasn't been hot enough" where the grapes are (somewhere? in the central valley)...

Richard

I don't know where you live in Florida, but If you are serious about getting into winemaking, live around Ft Meyers and really want to make a $20 bottle wine..., try Michael Gavala's

he is taking orders right now for the

-03 crush. Grapes from Chalk Hill, Far Niente, Alexander Valley and even from Yakima Valley I heard.

SG Brix