Are grapes washed or rinsed

08meltdown · Post by **08meltdown** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 9:12 am

Was watching the ABC program on the Draytons last Monday when my better half asked out loud whether the harvested grapes are washed or rinsed before continuing on the winemaking process.

I replied NO as I am sure there is no such step as I recalled in winemaking.

Am I correct?
Is there any possibilities of "natural fertilisers" or pesticides etc residue on grapes and lurking in wines - I am thinking of the Coogee Bay hotel gelato?

roughred · Post by **roughred** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 10:32 am

Grapes aren't washed when harvested. Withholding periods are in place across all fields of agriculture to ensure their is no potential exposure to harmful chemicals.

GraemeG · Post by **GraemeG** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 10:44 am

You don't imagine winemakers look fearfully at the sky all during the runup to harvest, spending their days in trepidation of rainfall, and then proceed to wash the grapes with water (or other chemicals) immediately after picking, surely!
cheers,
Graeme

Blue · Post by **Blue** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 10:51 am

08meltdown wrote:Was watching the ABC program on the Draytons last Monday when my better half asked out loud whether the harvested grapes are washed or rinsed before continuing on the winemaking process.

I replied NO as I am sure there is no such step as I recalled in winemaking.

Am I correct?
Is there any possibilities of "natural fertilisers" or pesticides etc residue on grapes and lurking in wines - I am thinking of the Coogee Bay hotel gelato?

Did vintages at 2 different wineries. I can confirm, spider webs, spiders, insects, and sometimes reptiles are part of the ingredients.

pstarr · Post by **pstarr** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 11:24 am

Collectively referred to as MOG - matter other than grapes. In one case, this included a bicycle.

Murray · Post by **Murray** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 11:25 am

I heard about a pushbike clogging a crusher in a large volume winery. Required despoking as well as destemming.

RogerPike · Post by **RogerPike** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 11:25 am

Hand picked - clean as a whistle.

Machine picked - you don't want to know. Larger animals tend to be extracted during the de-stemming process though.

Roger

DaveB · Post by **DaveB** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 12:13 pm

Do a search on MRL's on google.....plenty of info there. Also the AWRI has a section on agrochemicals and MRL's

TORB · Post by **TORB** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 1:33 pm

From a health perspective, there is no problem with the lack of washing.

The ferment, and then alcohol kills any nasty germs that could have been on the skins.

roughred · Post by **roughred** » Thu Oct 30, 2008 9:38 am

Blue wrote:
08meltdown wrote:Was watching the ABC program on the Draytons last Monday when my better half asked out loud whether the harvested grapes are washed or rinsed before continuing on the winemaking process.

I replied NO as I am sure there is no such step as I recalled in winemaking.

Am I correct?
Is there any possibilities of "natural fertilisers" or pesticides etc residue on grapes and lurking in wines - I am thinking of the Coogee Bay hotel gelato?

Did vintages at 2 different wineries. I can confirm, spider webs, spiders, insects, and sometimes reptiles are part of the ingredients.

Yep...I've risked life and limb on occasion saving dazed and confused bearded dragons.

08meltdown · Post by **08meltdown** » Fri Oct 31, 2008 9:47 am

roughred wrote:
Blue wrote:
08meltdown wrote:Was watching the ABC program on the Draytons last Monday when my better half asked out loud whether the harvested grapes are washed or rinsed before continuing on the winemaking process.

I replied NO as I am sure there is no such step as I recalled in winemaking.

Am I correct?
Is there any possibilities of "natural fertilisers" or pesticides etc residue on grapes and lurking in wines - I am thinking of the Coogee Bay hotel gelato?

Did vintages at 2 different wineries. I can confirm, spider webs, spiders, insects, and sometimes reptiles are part of the ingredients.

Yep...I've risked life and limb on occasion saving dazed and confused bearded dragons.

Maybe that's why some vintage possesses more complex nose and taste.
Also some of the health and elixir properties of red wine might be due to these "impurities". :lol:

Quite similar to those Asian elixirs containing reptiles in alcohol. Supposedly cure everything. :wink:

scribbler · Post by **scribbler** » Fri Oct 31, 2008 10:50 am

I've seen a dead possum in a concrete fermenter....thankfully when empty

08meltdown · Post by **08meltdown** » Fri Oct 31, 2008 11:38 am

scribbler wrote:I've seen a dead possum in a concrete fermenter....thankfully when empty

Every drinkers wish. :wink:

Partagas · Post by **Partagas** » Fri Oct 31, 2008 12:22 pm

Wow people, I used to actually like the look of thick sediment at the bottom of an aged bottle. Now I will be looking for whiskers and spider legs :shock:

.

Daniel Jess · Post by **Daniel Jess** » Fri Oct 31, 2008 11:18 pm

08meltdown wrote:Did vintages at 2 different wineries. I can confirm, spider webs, spiders, insects, and sometimes reptiles are part of the ingredients.

Don't forget feet...

Daniel Jess · Post by **Daniel Jess** » Fri Oct 31, 2008 11:19 pm

08meltdown wrote:
scribbler wrote:I've seen a dead possum in a concrete fermenter....thankfully when empty

Every drinkers wish.

I recommend the possum with a Clare Valley Riesling.. definitely 06.

PAHAHA.

Daryl Douglas · Post by **Daryl Douglas** » Sat Nov 01, 2008 2:46 am

A bloke I used to live next door to made fruit wines - had a nice little traditional basket press. He bought a heap of lychees a day or two after they'd been sprayed so the end of the withholding period was a week or so away. He reckoned he and his wife spent just about a full day washing those lychees..................

08meltdown · Post by **08meltdown** » Sun Nov 02, 2008 11:08 am

Daryl Douglas wrote:A bloke I used to live next door to made fruit wines - had a nice little traditional basket press. He bought a heap of lychees a day or two after they'd been sprayed so the end of the withholding period was a week or so away. He reckoned he and his wife spent just about a full day washing those lychees..................

When is spraying (if any) carried out in vineyard? How long is the withholding period?

Red Bigot · Post by **Red Bigot** » Sun Nov 02, 2008 12:45 pm

Daryl Douglas wrote:A bloke I used to live next door to made fruit wines - had a nice little traditional basket press. He bought a heap of lychees a day or two after they'd been sprayed so the end of the withholding period was a week or so away. He reckoned he and his wife spent just about a full day washing those lychees..................

Umm, why didn't they just peel them? Or are the skins included in making Lychee wine?

Daryl Douglas · Post by **Daryl Douglas** » Sun Nov 02, 2008 3:04 pm

Red Bigot wrote:
Daryl Douglas wrote:A bloke I used to live next door to made fruit wines - had a nice little traditional basket press. He bought a heap of lychees a day or two after they'd been sprayed so the end of the withholding period was a week or so away. He reckoned he and his wife spent just about a full day washing those lychees..................

Umm, why didn't they just peel them? Or are the skins included in making Lychee wine?

Now you've got me wondering whether I remember correctly Brian. Maybe they didn't wash them, "just peeled them" - they had a helluva lot of lychees. I work in the same building as Nikki(the wife) so next time I see her I'll ask - she'd surely remember all those lychees and the trouble they went to because of the spray. I'll also ask her if she remembers the withholding period for the spray that was used - she's pretty bright so she may well remember that too.

Cheers

daz

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