# Brehm Pinot Gris



## Johnd (Apr 15, 2016)

While the Zin has been going, I've also had the Pinot Gris following along at the same pace. This is a bucket of juice from grapes, pressed and frozen, it's in a glass carboy now completing AF and is right at SG 1.000. 

Reading through the Brehm instructions for the whites (I read everything), they recommend adding lysozyme if you don't want to do MLF on your wine, which I don't. I decided early on to skip the lysozyme, with the thought that:
1. I'm certainly not going to innoculate the Gris with MLB, and
2. Any naturally occurring MLB in the must would be held at bay when I add SO2 in the 75 ppm range

I'm starting to second guess that decision. Any thoughts????


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## ibglowin (Apr 15, 2016)

The Lysozyme is just an added insure policy. I think your safe to not add it especially since you have a pretty clean area as far as MLB goes. Just add the SO2 sooner rather than later. I use carboys that have had MLF'd wines in them, then a White kit then back to MLF'd wine and never had a problem. Just keep things clean and properly sanitized and you should be fine.


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## Johnd (Apr 17, 2016)

Pinot Gris at .996, should be done in a couple of days, I'll have to rack down to a 5 gallon carboy or do a major top up job.


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## ceeaton (Apr 18, 2016)

I did a Pinot Grigio juice bucket last Spring along side a Merlot that was going through MLF. Only thing I did was buy another racking cane and keep them separate, but then I am an all grain brewer and we are a pretty strange group. Tend to go a little overboard with pre-boiling water and sanitizing things.


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## Johnd (May 9, 2016)

Decided not to rack the PG done to a 5 gallon carboy, had close to 5.5 gallons after racking and topped up with a Yakima PG I had in the cellar. Degassed, added a touch of bentonite and a bit of chitosan a few weeks ago. 

It was clear as a bell tonite with a nice compact layer of fine lees so I racked it and topped up. FG at .991, Ph 3.22. It tastes very nice for a young wine, crisp acidity and nice pear notes, pretty great for a free wine, well 50 bucks for shipping. I'll take it for sure.


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## Johnd (May 29, 2016)

Racked the Brehm PG this morning off of a very light layer of dust on the bottom of the carboy, I'm really impressed with its nose and taste, although whites aren't my favorite, it's going to be very nice. 

Unceremoniously, it became the first entrant into the new wine room.


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## geek (May 29, 2016)

How much you paid for that 5gal frozen juice?


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## Johnd (May 29, 2016)

geek said:


> How much you paid for that 5gal frozen juice?



See post 5, it was free with my two bucket Zin purchase, only paid $50 for shipping.


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## Tnuscan (May 29, 2016)

Johnd said:


> See post 5, it was free with my two bucket Zin purchase, only paid $50 for shipping.



I wanted to try them several years back. I was afraid that long distance it was going to travel might turn out bad. By you having good luck I might give them a try..??
Would you take this route again? Thoughts/opinions???


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## Johnd (May 29, 2016)

Tnuscan said:


> I wanted to try them several years back. I was afraid that long distance it was going to travel might turn out bad. By you having good luck I might give them a try..??
> Would you take this route again? Thoughts/opinions???



Dave, my locale pretty much limits me to that option for small batches, and I'm not quite set up for big stuff.....yet. 

The Brehm option worked out wonderfully, I looked at the available frozen musts from past harvests on line, and gave them a call. Spoke to a very knowledgeable sales rep who asked about my preferences and together we picked out a highly rated Zin from '14. Got the PG free with the two Zin buckets. All three showed up in individual boxes, wooden frames surrounded on all sides by styrofoam, shrink wrapped and very tidy. Popped all three open and they were still freezing cold and slushy with ice. Pitched yeast about 36 hours later when the temps came up, went off like a charm. High marks for Brehm from me. 

I ordered grapes from M&M / Musto when they started taking orders on Chileans, ordered enough Cab and Malbec for two buckets of each. They received and processed them to my specs, "destem, crush, add1/4 tsp KMS to each bucket and freeze". Those four buckets from Musto should be shipping pretty soon, and to date, it's been a pleasant experience. Granted, I'm a bit behind the folks who are a reasonable drive away from fresh grapes, but I'll be happy to let you know how they look when they arrive. 

Both of these companies allow you to order grapes and will receive and process per your desire, freeze and ship to you. 

I'm going to go bigger in fall with frozen must, I'll be ordering larger quantities and having them frozen in 55 gallon drums. I can still produce at a good price, and get some cold maceration to boot.


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## Tnuscan (May 29, 2016)

Wow! I thought M&M shipped out during the time everyone was picking them up locally. I knew I would be out of town many times during this period, so I did not order. If I had known that they wouldn't have shipped until now I would have placed my order. I will call them next business day, maybe I can still score, if not at least now I know the process better.

Thanks!


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## Johnd (May 29, 2016)

Tnuscan said:


> Wow! I thought M&M shipped out during the time everyone was picking them up locally. I knew I would be out of town many times during this period, so I did not order. If I had known that they wouldn't have shipped until now I would have placed my order. I will call them next business day, maybe I can still score, if not at least now I know the process better.
> 
> Thanks!



They actually hold the must to be frozen until all of the fresh grapes / juice have been picked up, so I'm told. I'd love to have gotten it shipped as soon as it was frozen, but admittedly, once frozen, it's just not time critical like the fresh stuff. They give you some time to schedule delivery of frozen must before you incur freezer storage charges, several weeks if I recall. 

I think I read on the blog last week that they still had some Malbec.


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## Johnd (Jul 10, 2016)

The Brehm Pinot Gris is in the bottles now, no labels or capsules yet, but is resting nicely in its new digs. Adjusted the ph down to 3.17, nice crisp acidity. I'll start tasting it in a few months.


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## ceeaton (Jul 10, 2016)

Johnd said:


> The Brehm Pinot Gris is in the bottles now, no labels or capsules yet, but is resting nicely in its new digs. Adjusted the ph down to 3.17, nice crisp acidity. I'll start tasting it in a few months.



Let us know if you need help tasting it, sounds very tasty to me! No need for fancy labels or capsules, tastes just as good without them.


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## Johnd (Jul 10, 2016)

ceeaton said:


> Let us know if you need help tasting it, sounds very tasty to me! No need for fancy labels or capsules, tastes just as good without them.



Craig, I certainly wouldn't be adverse to sending you a bottle or two when the temps drop in the fall.


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## Johnd (Jan 10, 2017)

Pulled out a bottle of the PG last nite for the wife, she needed a splash for cooking and wanted to drink some white wine. I think it's right at 9 months old right now, barely detectable little diamonds in the bottle, but clear as a bell. Probably should've left it in the carboy a tad longer in the wine room before bottling, but no big deal.

The wine has changed a bit since last I tasted it, still nice and crisp acidity, but more mellow, some slight hints of citrus and pear, very nice nose, and quite enjoyable. Pretty dang good for the price of $50 in shipping for sure.

I'm going to do another white batch as soon as the Spaniards are pressed and in MLF in carboys. Thinking 15-20 gallons of frozen white must (variety tbd) which will be fermented in the wine room at 55-60 degrees, really interested to see how much impact the temps will have on the retention of flavors and aromas in white wines, but that's another subject for another day.

Thumbs up to the Brehm Pinot Gris!!!!!!!!!!


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