# Roussanne and Chenin Blanc



## ColemanM (Mar 24, 2017)

Anyone order these juice pails from winegrapesdirect yet? Wondering if I should bump up the abv in the CB or the TA .1 or so in both. I'll give better numbers tomorrow when everything warms up but preliminarily the CB is about 20 brix 3.36 ph and .64 TA the roussanne is about 21.5 brix 3.35 ph and roughly .6 TA. Never done a white before. Thanks.


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## cgallamo (Mar 25, 2017)

I have the CB, just pitched late last night. I did not do any adjustments because the numbers looked good, I'll test again after ferment. It's sitting in the cellar now @55 degrees. 

Good luck!


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## heatherd (Mar 25, 2017)

ColemanM said:


> Anyone order these juice pails from winegrapesdirect yet? Wondering if I should bump up the abv in the CB or the TA .1 or so in both. I'll give better numbers tomorrow when everything warms up but preliminarily the CB is about 20 brix 3.36 ph and .64 TA the roussanne is about 21.5 brix 3.35 ph and roughly .6 TA. Never done a white before. Thanks.



@ColemanM, I have made Chenin Blanc from juice, and I liked the batch without bumping the alcohol. My personal opinion, but I think reds do better with higher ABV than whites. I let the wine ferment to dry, then made acid adjustments based on taste, with only tartaric. I make that acid adjustment a little at a time, and stir it well. It was interesting because the wine tasted really flat and bad before the acid, and had a totally different slightly zingy taste after. I didn't backsweeten.

I read an article on Wine Folly about CB that is interesting, and states that some higher-end CB is off-dry and slightly oaked; haven't tried that, but it might be interesting. http://winefolly.com/review/chenin-blanc-wine-guide/


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## ceeaton (Mar 25, 2017)

ColemanM said:


> Anyone order these juice pails from winegrapesdirect yet?


I've been eyeing that one up for some time. I'll be interested in your results.



heatherd said:


> @ColemanM, I have made Chenin Blanc from juice, and I liked the batch without bumping the alcohol.


Heather, was that a fall juice bucket from Harford? Did you like the results?


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## ColemanM (Mar 25, 2017)

So the CB came in at 1.090 and the Rs at 1.074 I bumped the Rs to 1.088. Hope that works. Used D47 yeast. The Roussanne smells like green tea. Very interested in how this turns out.


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## cgallamo (Mar 26, 2017)

ColemanM said:


> So the CB came in at 1.090 and the Rs at 1.074 I bumped the Rs to 1.088. Hope that works. Used D47 yeast. The Roussanne smells like green tea. Very interested in how this turns out.



My CB at 1.09 on the dot also! Used QA23 yeast. Mine is in the cellar at 55 degrees bubbling a little  I'm about to start a CC Yakima Valley Voigner to blend.


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## heatherd (Mar 27, 2017)

ceeaton said:


> I've been eyeing that one up for some time. I'll be interested in your results.
> 
> 
> Heather, was that a fall juice bucket from Harford? Did you like the results?



Craig, you're correct, it was a Harford fall juice pail from California. It was very good, and I will make another next year, I think. I also made a South African CB kit that was really good. Both of these batches barely made it to the rack, as my hubby and I really liked them!


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## cgallamo (Mar 27, 2017)

heatherd said:


> I read an article on Wine Folly about CB that is interesting, and states that some higher-end CB is off-dry and slightly oaked; haven't tried that, but it might be interesting. http://winefolly.com/review/chenin-blanc-wine-guide/



Thanks for the article. I was thinking about this for my blend with the voigner. I'll probably go sec or demi sec, but I added a bit of oak to the primary to see how it tastes. Then probably oak a half gallon or so and do bench trials with the blends and sweet levels. 

How long post fermentation do you usually do your bench trials?


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## cgallamo (Mar 27, 2017)

ColemanM said:


> So the CB came in at 1.090 and the Rs at 1.074 I bumped the Rs to 1.088. Hope that works. Used D47 yeast. The Roussanne smells like green tea. Very interested in how this turns out.



Fermenting yet? What are your temps like?


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## Treeman (Mar 27, 2017)

cgallamo said:


> Thanks for the article. I was thinking about this for my blend with the voigner. I'll probably go sec or demi sec, but I added a bit of oak to the primary to see how it tastes. Then probably oak a half gallon or so and do bench trials with the blends and sweet levels.
> 
> 
> 
> How long post fermentation do you usually do your bench trials?




I made a faux ice wine with winegrapes direct CB in 2015 trying to reproduce a Quarts de Chaume style sweet wine. Came out pretty good but a little high on acid after freezing the juice. After about 1 yr in bottle it is starting to open up more in aromatics. Instead of sucrose, you might try back sweetening trials with fructose or 4:1 fru:glu mixtures. More sweetness with less sugar.


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## ColemanM (Mar 27, 2017)

Finally a nice cap of foam on top. I was worried about the temps of my basement being 65 so I placed the carboys on the concrete and the are fermenting at 55*. Both down to 1.070. Never done a white before. Should I be stirring? Adding yeast nutrients?


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## cgallamo (Mar 28, 2017)

ColemanM said:


> Finally a nice cap of foam on top. I was worried about the temps of my basement being 65 so I placed the carboys on the concrete and the are fermenting at 55*. Both down to 1.070. Never done a white before. Should I be stirring? Adding yeast nutrients?



Yes, you should stir at least once a day and add nutrients I would add half now and half at 1/3 sugar depletion (just like your reds?). By my calculation that is at 1.059 specific gravity. 

Here is the guide from WGD for this particular Chenin. http://winegrapesdirect.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/cheninguiderfs.pdf


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## ColemanM (Mar 28, 2017)

Wow that really spelled it out for me. Thank you.


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## cgallamo (Mar 28, 2017)

Well we are doing the exact same grapes at the same temperature.  Our only difference probably is yeast. I think you are a little further along - mine just has little sparkling bubbles and very small amount of foam.


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## ColemanM (Mar 28, 2017)

It's odd. The picture above are the same yeast strain, different juice. One is carbonated looking, the other is crazy foamy infected looking. Interesting.


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## cgallamo (Mar 28, 2017)

Did you see their fermenting juice on the WGD site? It looks like quiche on top. Similar to yours. Mine is not like that yet. Will take some photos.


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## ColemanM (Mar 28, 2017)

Haha ewww yeah I guess I missed that.


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## cgallamo (Apr 20, 2017)

How are they going so far? Mine never got that brown stuff going - perhaps due to fermentation temps? I was at 57-59 in the cellar. I'm stirring in lees every 5-7 days now. Getting ready to add the bentonite?


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## ColemanM (Apr 20, 2017)

I transferred to 5 gallons and change bottles. Will stir lees for a few months. I'll check again tomorrow. Looking good though.


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## cgallamo (Apr 20, 2017)

I'm in a 5 gallon as well it is tasting and smelling great! Glad it worked out. I like this white deal.


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