To wash or Not to Wash (Grapes)
WDiamond
Should I wash my grapes before crushing?
Regards...
Tom S
"WDiamond" <wjdi...@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:1474c450.0209...@posting.google.com...
> Hi folks,
>
> Should I wash my grapes before crushing?
No. Unless you plan to blow dry them too. ;^)
Tom S
dan
It depends on whether you intend to ferment the wine with a cultured
yeast or with the wild yeast present on the skins, in which case you
would not really want to wash off the majority of the yeast's present on
the skins. Otherwise it might be a good idea to wash the grapes to
remove any dirt or unwanted bacteria.
In article <Esdj9.1144$xk6.11...@newssvr21.news.prodigy.com>, Tom S
<dont_sp...@pacbell.net> writes
--
dan
J Dixon
beginning of crushing would accomplish this task. A commercial wine yeast is
designed to work in a sulfited environment where as a wild strain will be
overcome and the commercial yeast will take over. I would not wash the
grapes- if they are subpar then I would make jam out of them. Just my
opinion.
John Dixon
"dan" <elinds...@xyzhiphop.org.uk> wrote in message
news:u+ngmLAl...@western-pr.demon.co.uk...
Pavel314
news:YqMj9.12254$Zi.37...@news1.news.adelphia.net...
> Dan, I have to disagree... The appropriate amount of sulfite at the
> beginning of crushing would accomplish this task. A commercial wine yeast
is
> designed to work in a sulfited environment where as a wild strain will be
> overcome and the commercial yeast will take over. I would not wash the
> grapes- if they are subpar then I would make jam out of them. Just my
> opinion.
I always give my grapes a quick rinse in cold water after harvesting to wash
off any dirt or bugs. I use sulfite to kill the wild yeasts so I'm not
concerned about that. I'm curious as to what harm this might cause, if
they're allowed to drip dry for a few minutes and then crushed.
Paul
Lum
"Pavel314" <Pave...@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:1FOj9.241000$z91.10...@bin3.nnrp.aus1.giganews.com...
Hi Paul,
1. Any residual water will dilute flavors.
2. The bugs are removed reducing the amount of nitrogen and protein
available to the yeast.
3. Water and energy is used, but wine quality is not improved.
Man has been making wine from unwashed grapes for more than 2000 years. If
there is no specific improvement, why change the procedure now?
With tongue in cheek,
lum
Tom S
"Pavel314" <Pave...@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:1FOj9.241000$z91.10...@bin3.nnrp.aus1.giganews.com...
wash
> off any dirt or bugs. I use sulfite to kill the wild yeasts so I'm not
> concerned about that. I'm curious as to what harm this might cause, if
> they're allowed to drip dry for a few minutes and then crushed.
Dilution comes to mind. You're giving up Brix by washing the fruit.
I've never seen a commercial winery of _any_ size that washes the fruit
prior to crush. Most all that MOG is gone after the first racking. Sulfite
controls what little remains.
Tom S
Andrew L Drumm
Another point - the "wild yeast" from the vineyard rarely play any part in
the fermentation of even a wild yeast ferment - populations are very low,
and they are not fermenting yeast. It is most likely that "wild yeast" are
actually picked up from things in the winery. Many studies have attempted to
identify the yeast involved, and none can be found in the vineyard. So
washing your grapes neither hinders nor helps a wild ferment. That is what
addition or the lack thereof of sulphur dioxide is for.
I fully expect to be shot down in flames by rabid indigeneous-ferment fans,
but unless you have documentary proof that this particular yeast from this
particular block has been found at significant levels in both the vineyard
and the ferment, the science is pretty much against you, according to the
oenologist/microbiologists lecturing/researching at Adelaide University
Cheers,
Andrew
_______
This message is to be read as an attempt to provide information. Where
possible I have attempted to indicate where this information came from. Any
errors etc are mine, but I will ignore nitpicking and outbursts of LIVID
ANTAGONISM in a similar manner to Gloria!
"Lum" <lumei...@worldnet.att.net> wrote in message
news:osSj9.44105$1C2.2...@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...
Clyde
>
> I fully expect to be shot down in flames by rabid indigeneous-ferment
fans,
> but unless you have documentary proof that this particular yeast from this
> particular block has been found at significant levels in both the vineyard
> and the ferment, the science is pretty much against you, according to the
> oenologist/microbiologists lecturing/researching at Adelaide University
>
> Cheers,
>
> Andrew
> _______
Studies by Fugelsang at UC Fresno have said the same. I lean towards the
term "stray" yeast instead of wild.
clyde
dan
It was only a suggestion. Besides I did not say that you had to rinse
them, but it cannot do much harm. How exactly would a few drops of
water dilute the wine to any noticeable effect.
Lum said that man has been making wine with unwashed grapes for more
than 2000 years. But did they really have commercially cultured strains
of yeast available 2000 years ago? I somehow do not think so.
In article <ampfdv$7sa6u$1...@ID-120048.news.dfncis.de>, Clyde
<peac...@misn.com> writes
--
dan
Tom S
>
> It was only a suggestion. Besides I did not say that you had to rinse
> them, but it cannot do much harm. How exactly would a few drops of
> water dilute the wine to any noticeable effect.
I think you'd be surprised at how much water a bunch of grapes can hold
among the berries by capillary action.
> Lum said that man has been making wine with unwashed grapes for more
> than 2000 years. But did they really have commercially cultured strains
> of yeast available 2000 years ago? I somehow do not think so.
Of course they didn't. They weren't making wine nearly as well as today
either.
Incidentally, washing the clusters will not remove indigenous yeasts. The
bloom of the grape (the whitish stuff on the berries) is waxy and not water
soluble. The yeasts are embedded in the bloom.
Tom S
Michael G.
<elinds...@xyzhiphop.org.uk> wrote:
>
>It was only a suggestion. Besides I did not say that you had to rinse
>them, but it cannot do much harm. How exactly would a few drops of
>water dilute the wine to any noticeable effect.
>Lum said that man has been making wine with unwashed grapes for more
>than 2000 years. But did they really have commercially cultured strains
>of yeast available 2000 years ago? I somehow do not think so.
Think of it this way--it's more work for very little apparent gain.