Winecast: Mega Purple and Grape Concentrates

Looking at a controversial additive to wine and some of the issues that it and other additives raise.
Link to Gray Report post on Mega Purple (Adam Lee’s remarks are in the comments):
blog.wblakegray...

[@TLockProductions]

I did a blind tasting with some on-premise sales reps and they mentioned they could taste mega purple in a number of wines we tried from a specific wine maker. Thank you for educating me on this subject. I enjoy your cast for studing for my WSET lvl 3.

[@ThisSheetB4RealYo]

Amazing content and research and opinions, as always

[@jackhicks8935]

Great channel and wine casts sir!

[@TheUnknownWinecaster]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@tuberCX]

Excellent vidéo. Thank you very much doing the research and posting this video.

[@TheUnknownWinecaster]

Thanks! I'm glad you found it helpful. Cheers!

[@nickwilson1476]

this was great! will you be doing a video about biodynamic wines?

[@TheUnknownWinecaster]

Eventually. Cheers!

[@LA-cc6sy]

@@TheUnknownWinecaster Tablas just received their next level of biodynamic certification!

[@Catch22iscrazy]

I mean, thinking about it from a logical perspective, there's nothing actually wrong with adding concentrated grape juice to a fermented grape juice beverage. After all, RCGM is used in many Champagnes, a region that has a long history of quality. Is RCGM any different really from Mega Purple? Really the issue here, in my opinion, is when wines pretend to be something they're not. If a bottle of wine is selling for under $10, then it is not going to be a handcrafted, boutique, artisan product, and expecting that is unrealistic. In many sense, its a commercial product made to a formula, rather than an agricultural one that varies and is inconsistent (i.e. unique). Therefore the real issue is not with MegaPurple, but like you said here, the legalities of labelling. But then again, some of the oldest, most traditional wines in the world, i.e. sherry's, have added acids, and how would the average consumer be expected to know what is 'culturally accepted' for a wine to contain. An interesting topic.

[@TheUnknownWinecaster]

That's an interesting point. I think the big difference between RCGM and concentrates like MP is that RCGM is processed to remove any varietal character -- it's essentially refined sugar derived from grape must -- but MP tastes like something and that affects the flavor profile of the finished wine. I think you're correct that if you're just looking for an inexpensive, consistent wine the leveling effect that MP can have on the palate isn't as big a deal as it would be in a boutique wine whose intended audience is made of connoisseurs, so maybe part of the solution is to recognize that there are at least two very distinct "interest groups" in the wine world -- one that's happy to approach wine as a commercial product and another that approaches it as an agricultural product. It is an interesting topic. Cheers!

[@christiaan81music]

If only Wine had an ingredient list like other consumer food products. Scince even 'wine' made of concentrated grape must and 'artisan boutique wines' are all defined as 'wine' then us winesnobs can feel the 'cheat' of the unknowledgeable consumer by producers

[@distlledbrewedreviewed]

If it gets to bad, I'll just add vodka to Grape juice.

[@TheUnknownWinecaster]

What're you, in college?

[@agostinodecaro8484]

I really cannot find a concrete difference between using sulphites and mega purple

[@zappoid1]

First, let me thank you for yours great video blog. I have joined you just couple days before and it is pleasure to listen you and to check new info with my own too little experience. About 2% calculation: did he make his calculation regarding the whole produced wine or just red dry wines? Because in second assumption the number will be much bigger. BTW, you reading so fast and it's not easy to follow you, specially because English is not my natime language. Anyway, will be happy to get your new videos. Cheers!

[@TheUnknownWinecaster]

Thank you and thank you for subscribing! Adam Lee's calculations were just based on dry red wines. He gives more detail on his method in the link that I posted on the video. I do read very fast, partly because I talk very fast but also because my casts would be really long if I slowed down too much. Still, I appreciate the feed back and will make an effort to slow down without adding to much time to the videos. All of the videos should have auto-generated English subtitles, and those can be helpful for parts where I go very fast. Also, it's possible for my viewers to add subtitles in their native languages, so please feel free if you have the time and interest to do that. Thank you again for watching, subscribing nd for taking the time to send a message. Cheers!

[@zappoid1]

Thanks for responding. I also did some research, yes, indeed, I have found and read this discussion with Adam Lee of Siduri Wines. Most frustrating thing about there are lot another stuff like Mega Purple and you never know for sure what you drink: wine maker craft or chemist opus. So will keep optimistic! ))

[@konstantingro6227]

Whats in the bottle? WHATS IN THE BOTTLE?

[@distlledbrewedreviewed]

Makes you think twice about spending more than $10 a bottle.

[@TheUnknownWinecaster]

As far as anyone can tell, it tends to be the inexpensive bottles that get goosed up with concentrates or that are labeled varietally and then a quarter of the bottle is something else. I don't think the problem is as wide-spread as everyone keeps saying it is, but it is a thing, and I gotta admit that while researching this I started to hesitate every time I saw a $10 or under bottle. It's kind of like learning about rattlesnakes and then going for a hike.