WHY IS FROZEN GRAPE MUST AND JUICE THE BEST?

Freezing wine grapes allows for greater extraction of color and flavor

Extraction

One extra benefit of freezing red grape must is that you get a safe and effective cold soak. Traditional cold soaks can be risky and offer debatable benefits, but it is well demonstrated that freezing grapes actually breaks down some of the skin cell walls releasing beneficial phenolics and color into the wine .

Freshly Picked Wine Grapes

Frozen is Fresher

We process and freeze the grapes the same day they are picked to preserve the fruit in a moment in time. When grapes are picked and shipped fresh across the country or continent it takes days and more often weeks. During this time the grape are breaking down biologically and oxidatively which forces the shipper to fumigate with sulfur dioxide gas. Even at 32F Gray Rot can develop in the absence of weekly SO2 fumigation according the World Food Logistics Organization.

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Equipment

Crusher destemmers are expensive and most of the models available to home winemakers are rough on the fruit. We process our grapes  using a $15k commercial destemmer with the rollers removed and multiple berry screen sizes to ensure the grapes are treated as gently as possible. For white grapes we use $25k commercial bladder press to gently separate the juice and then settle it in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks. We get the messy, expensive part out of the way leaving you with 100% pure grape must and juice.

Timing is Everything

Timing

With frozen must you take control of your winemaking calendar. Start fermentations when it’s convenient  for you instead of whenever the grapes happen to be harvested. And with frozen must and juice there’s never a reason to leave your carboy empty waiting for next harvest.