Derivation of Production Data

¹ Santa Fe Vintage Company, Kerman, California

The two methods of calculating yields should essentially give the same results, providing the same assumptions are made. I proposed the method of taking composite samples, as this is a quick method, and there would be very few calculations. Management wishes to know quickly, and wants to know the results as accurately as possible. By running reducing sugars on relatively few samples, no assumptions have to be made for non-sugar soluble solids.

Comparisons of results should be made on the basis of proof gallons per ton per degree Balling, or this figure can be converted to standard gallons per ton per degree Balling.

As pointed out earlier, the Balling is not a true criterion of yield, but since it is one of the few factors we have to work with, it is the best we can do. On comparing yields in terms of Ballings, we must take into consideration, besides the basis of running tests and assumptions, the following:

1. Types of grapes crushed (one type of grape may have more stems and seeds than others, and also less juice).

2. District from which grapes came.

3. Maturity of grapes.

4. Non-sugar soluble solids in the juice.

5. The year in which produced.

6. Whether or not winery does a lot of Sherry baking.

Therefore, if a winemaker who uses predominantly Thompson Seedless grapes states that he gets a certain yield, and another winery which uses predominantly Emperor grapes gets about the same yield, I would say that the winery crushing Emperors is much more efficient than the other. In other words, production yield figures do not actually mean anything until all factors are known.

Even though yield reports which we now have are nor too reliable, we have some basis for comparing yield and efficiency. Of course, the end result is that we are interested in how many gallons of marketable wine we can get from a certain tonnage of grapes which we purchased for so much money.