tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post5540996127492130046..comments2024-03-18T04:47:16.199-07:00Comments on The Gray Report: The smell of Mega PurpleW. Blake Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17755307711801965966noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-56489372954587968512012-04-29T20:15:12.125-07:002012-04-29T20:15:12.125-07:00well when the californian growers stops growing 12...well when the californian growers stops growing 12 tones/acre and stop irrigate the vines maybe will not use anymore mega red and mega purple in wine. Normal, high tonnage, lower color. what you expect?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-49256180972763411202011-02-21T18:24:51.959-08:002011-02-21T18:24:51.959-08:00I know of at least one major winery that uses it l...I know of at least one major winery that uses it liberally.. I use Petite Sirah (which also adds color and complexity) and pass on the costs. Some people add it for the sweetness .. as much as the color. It really can boost a drab wine.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-26699598079928173152010-06-17T13:08:22.793-07:002010-06-17T13:08:22.793-07:00I am one of the anon. I work in a retail environm...I am one of the anon. I work in a retail environment, am unionized, and my employer does not appreciate some of my harsher opinions about our industry. So, I contribute my thoughts, often but not always anon. And I am a strong advocate of alc. under 14%, less wood, and wish the industry would use the space on the label to provide better basics of what wine is. I do not like when big companiesAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-17543230316819826002010-06-16T09:10:43.290-07:002010-06-16T09:10:43.290-07:00I disagree that this product has no flavor. It im...I disagree that this product has no flavor. It imparts both aroma and flavor to wine that is not present otherwise. It is also my opinion that this aroma and flavor do not have a positive influence on the wine.G Mickeynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-67288186996583618672010-06-16T08:37:53.359-07:002010-06-16T08:37:53.359-07:00Really interesting convo... in a wine geeky way. ...Really interesting convo... in a wine geeky way. Thanks to gray market report for bringing up dirty little secrets that wine people are actively using in their must each harvest.<br /><br />Each year, I get catalogues in the mail and visits from the friendly local chemical guy. Last year, he brought me by a sample yeast packet that stated simply "red wine" yeast on a very attractive, Randyhttp://www.harvestmoonwinery.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-45329987619984194622010-06-15T11:26:25.033-07:002010-06-15T11:26:25.033-07:00Name names, Anonymous. Otherwise you are a coward...Name names, Anonymous. Otherwise you are a coward.David Vergarinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-60836127875035173352010-06-15T10:35:26.211-07:002010-06-15T10:35:26.211-07:00I think we should also mention that mega purple is...I think we should also mention that mega purple is being used to paint the exterior of wine barrels to make them look like the classic barrels of Bordeaux. Has anyone calculated that into the mix?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-8662700808650279722010-06-15T10:12:00.830-07:002010-06-15T10:12:00.830-07:00As a wine consumer, I completely agree with earlie...As a wine consumer, I completely agree with earlier posts and that the true nature of the wine should stand on its own, regardless of color. But this is a fantastic example of the pressures that wine-makers may face in appealing to a large audience and giving them what they want (or what they've been trained to want). The reality is, it's about sales, baby. Perhaps we should have more Heidi Butzinehttp://www.facebook.com/heidibutzinenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-25980383884211672312010-06-15T03:19:44.546-07:002010-06-15T03:19:44.546-07:00Anonymous,
Sorry on the "sussreserve." ...Anonymous,<br /><br />Sorry on the "sussreserve." Was actually on vacation when the blog came out and was trying to type and "vacate" at the same time and got sloppy. The point on sussreserve is that it was something held back, added for at least a couple of the same reasons as concentrate (weight and sweetness) and that it, too, was not a natural process (it required Adam Lee/Siduri Winesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-73353165632144136312010-06-14T17:39:48.040-07:002010-06-14T17:39:48.040-07:00Hey Adam,
Why do all of these so called wine blogg...Hey Adam,<br />Why do all of these so called wine bloggers and their followers think wines, winemaking, wine scores is all some giant f#$%ing hoax? Are there not real problems in the food industry to worry about? You guys think you have it all figured out and you can't wait to get home and type it all up and shoot it into hyperspace. As for color, most folks don't even get it when I tellUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04912882603575919477noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-85407893935325558822010-06-14T14:10:58.258-07:002010-06-14T14:10:58.258-07:00Within the context of a $9 wine, this is a non-sto...Within the context of a $9 wine, this is a non-story. Mega Purple is pretty much just 68 Brix concentrated Rubyred juice. There's nothing mysterious about it. It's still Vitis vinifera and perfectly legal. More importantly, listing ingredients wouldn't prevent it's use because it is a grape product. <br />The real scandal is that there are hundreds of mediocre to bad US wines thatCurtis Phillipshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16950009211022323404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-5719717114757237372010-06-14T13:39:46.925-07:002010-06-14T13:39:46.925-07:00For the most part, I quit looking seriously at col...For the most part, I quit looking seriously at color as a useful determining factor a few years ago. The dark stuff tastes good but doesn't entertain my palate after 2 or maybe 3 ounces. Palate says: I hurt and I am bored. I do think that some, not all, but some, US red wine drinkers are misled about color. This is more reason why we need more amateur winemakers, home winemakers, and whyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-13222088769139826422010-06-14T12:32:32.195-07:002010-06-14T12:32:32.195-07:00Adam,
Sussreserve is not a concentrate. It's ...Adam,<br /><br />Sussreserve is not a concentrate. It's unfermented juice that is used to add sweetness and (I suppose) increase volume/lower alcohol.<br /><br />Apples and oranges.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-88420029989461422782010-06-14T11:22:23.480-07:002010-06-14T11:22:23.480-07:00I think discussions like this are great. There'...I think discussions like this are great. There's so much in wines that consumers don't know or wouldn't ever even think about. Just try looking up the TTB's list of allowed wine ingredients. Ugh. That's why my basic philosophy is: don't add crap to a perfectly good wine, light color or not.<br /><br />As far as consumers noticing color, I think it correlates with what theyKristy Charleshttp://www.foursightwines.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-21420054342226336552010-06-14T11:21:27.275-07:002010-06-14T11:21:27.275-07:00This post opens up a discussion of many historical...This post opens up a discussion of many historical winemaking practices, as has been mentioned in previous comments. Some have fallen away, such as adding elderberries to Port, some remain, such as adding brandy to Port. Both were controversial at the beginning. There is the practice of "Ripasso" in Valpolicella which is still used, and the nearly extinct practice of "syruping"Kevin Hamelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10108725216622699214noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-27706802186812796132010-06-14T08:25:18.382-07:002010-06-14T08:25:18.382-07:00In my experience, having been either buying or sel...In my experience, having been either buying or selling wine since 1996, consumers have definitely been trained to believe that the darker a red wine is, the better it will taste.<br />And perhaps it does taste better to them! Maybe many consumers have become accustomed to high alcohol, manipulated wines...and that has become what they crave now. <br />Here's a question. How many U.S. wine Amy Atwoodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00468474677876266814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-75101160398627946802010-06-14T08:19:22.196-07:002010-06-14T08:19:22.196-07:00From a consumer's point of view, it's diff...From a consumer's point of view, it's difficult to honor the principle of 'caveat emptor' if the truth is so far from the reach of the average wine drinker. In my own cellar, I would never think of using a colorant to make one of my wines more appealing. But, I'm not selling my wine, and as such have different motivations. I would rather see what the grapes are offering me toTodd Trzaskos - VT Wine Mediahttp://www.vtwinemedia.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-90920635293002136632010-06-13T16:06:08.881-07:002010-06-13T16:06:08.881-07:00On Americans being trained to reject lighter wines...On Americans being trained to reject lighter wines, I agree with Adam that I don't think the average wine drinker is being taught that darker wines are better.<br /><br />I do, however, notice that when I'm tasting with others in the industry - in sales or production - I often hear, "Wow! Look at that color!" when they are seeing complete blackness in a glass. There is some sortJon Bjorkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08915787145103864827noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-49260948745975268632010-06-13T15:48:20.476-07:002010-06-13T15:48:20.476-07:00Blake,
Thanks for the reply. I eliminate white a...Blake,<br /><br />Thanks for the reply. I eliminate white and sparkling wines from the total which is how I came up with the 2% total (5 million gallons is less than 1% of the 575 million gallons total - but 2% of the approximate red wine gallons). <br /><br />As far as it being over-reported. If you do a good search you will find articles on it by Dan Berger, Wines & Vines, Vinography, Adam Lee/Siduri Winesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-69043308274858022142010-06-12T15:28:01.845-07:002010-06-12T15:28:01.845-07:00Adam, I love it when you talk numbers with me.
Se...Adam, I love it when you talk numbers with me.<br /><br />Seriously, though, I don't think you can accurately say Mega Purple is over-reported. It's not the focus of many articles or blog posts. I have mentioned it occasionally but in no more than a proportionate 2% of my posting, I'm sure.<br /><br />I also have to point out that you can crunch the numbers a bit more and eliminate W. Blake Grayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17755307711801965966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-75643886144580547482010-06-12T07:41:40.573-07:002010-06-12T07:41:40.573-07:00Okay folks. Let's look at a few numbers. Acc...Okay folks. Let's look at a few numbers. According to the manufacturer, who has a vested interest in saying how important MegaPurple is, 20% of the 50,000 gallons produced is sold to the wine business (which tells you, first, that if you want to worry about MegaPurple, then worry about it in the foods you eat and non-wine drinks you drink. And I don't believe you've ever seen it Adam Lee/Siduri Winesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-28073164653974086812010-06-11T16:44:22.630-07:002010-06-11T16:44:22.630-07:00Oh fellow anonymous, the estate designation won...Oh fellow anonymous, the estate designation won't help. For one thing plenty of people add it "under the table", secondly you could add a drum of it to a 4000case blend and still be more than 99.5% estate. (Which rounds up to 100%)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-544966455402848412010-06-11T16:09:17.158-07:002010-06-11T16:09:17.158-07:00It is easy to tell if a wine does not contain one ...It is easy to tell if a wine does not contain one of these additives... it is labeled as "Estate"Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-85221037027157184402010-06-11T15:04:17.570-07:002010-06-11T15:04:17.570-07:00Let us not forget about our friend Mega Red. Winer...Let us not forget about our friend Mega Red. Wineries have caught on that an artificially purple wine is eventually going to be noticed as "fake" so red is being used more and more. A winery I used to work for would do about 50% Mega Purple and 50% Mega Red. Purchased in 55gal drums. (in Napa Valley by the way-not cheap stuff). Keep in mind it adds sweetness (mouthfeel) and not just Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-18516425022438709922010-06-11T13:44:25.884-07:002010-06-11T13:44:25.884-07:00Similar to Mega Purple is 8000 Color made by Calif...Similar to Mega Purple is 8000 Color made by California Concentrate that sells for about $100 per gallon. Large and small wineries buy it by the 6 gallon pale on pallets. Because of its high cost and intense color, very little is required. I always had to avoid getting it on my hands, because it was hard to wash off. It literally stained like ink.<br /><br />It was made by concentrating grape Jon Bjorkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08915787145103864827noreply@blogger.com