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Wanted to post an update on how the 21 "green" Mourvedre turned out. During the primary, there were green berries and green seeds, so I only left it on the skins for 3 days and pressed. At that time, the must was brown. Yes, brown! There was some bunch-rot in the clusters, and I had little hope...

PD is not a rootstock disease. It is a bacterial disease transferred by sharpshooters (glassy and other). There is no rootstock that I am aware of that will stop PD (from the bacteria Xylella Fastidiosa). 1103P is a standard rootstock that is commonly used in California and is fairly drought...

Now that I think of it, some lactobacillus is also present in sourdough starter. I know it will also convert malic acid to lactic acid. I don't know enough about wine making to know if that's good or bad. Oenococccus Oeni (a Lactobacillacae) is the one you want for MLB. Others can produce off...

Sourdough starter is actually the bacteria Oenococcus (same family as MLB) along with wild yeasts. You can try it, but it might impart off flavors. Most of the bread yeasts (yeast is a fungi) will not tolerate alcohol levels created by wine. That being said, if you can, give it a try and let us...

Not a concern, but I would be interested in the impact on the egg yolk color. Darker perhaps?

I pop mine in the oven for a few minutes like the original post suggests. I did 12 bottles the other day in about 10 minutes. I actually put the bottles in after I finished baking bread (delicious sourdough) and the remaining heat was plenty, so I cleaned 12 bottles more or less for free. Heat...

Yup, absolutely.

Funny enough, sometimes, yes! In the winery, a crush from a single vineyard can go into stainless and ferment then be divided into barrels after primary. Each barrel will have different flavors and characteristics. Science? My classes at UC Davis taught me that it is partly science, partly art...

Your nose and mouth are great indicators of anything going wrong. If the taste isn't bad, just let it go on its merry way. A slow fermentation isn't necessarily a bad fermentation as long as it continues to completion. The pH is good (below 3.5) so you shouldn't have microbial issues as long as...

Sounds fun. I love to experiment - try different amounts and see what happens!

Oak can impart nice additional flavors to wine, but can generate bitter tastes from ellagitannins. It does not contribute significantly to astringency. Since you mention it is already tasting a bit acidic, I would suggest going easy on the oak at first and taste after a few weeks (tasting is...

A simple back up drive is less than $50. iCloud, if you choose, is free up to 8GB. I've worked in IT most of my life, if you put data in your machine, it's best to back it up.

To chime in on the thread, I think a lot of beginners are taught that SO2 is to keep out the bugs, but it is also important to stress the impact of keeping wine from oxidizing (as also mentioned). if you have ever opened an older bottle of wine and tasted oxidization, you know it. Oxidization...

I have a small notebook that I write things in and do calculations on when testing Brix, TA etc. I then transfer the data to a simple excel file. I can use each column as a "running journal" of all actions taken for the wine. It is nothing fancy, but lets me capture the initial Brix, TA and pH...

Hi Leemi1982, Welcome to WMT! If your must/wine is foaming up, you are probably doing your primary fermentation. If that is the case, you do not necessarily need an airlock. If it is the initial alcohol (primary) fermentation, you can dump it in a bucket and cover it with a lid or towel. Once...

Rocktop - sounds like my plans. I want to do about 300 lbs and do Saignee - 1/2 rose and 1/2 doubled skins. I want something light and refreshing for summer afternoons on the patio (rose) and then a Pinot Noir that will likely take more than a year to be ready to bottle. Will get the grapes in...

Hi BubbyGreen, by "secondary fermentation bucket", can I confirm that it is a device with an airlock? After 1 month, you want to minimize the contact with oxygen. If you have it in a carboy that is filled to the top with an airlock, you are probably in great shape. Not sure about Vintners best...

I will plant 8 more vines to add to the existing 1 year old vineyard. Adding Grenache to go with the Zin, Mourvedre, Petite Sirah and Sauvignon Blanc. Last year I did 6 different reds and all were pretty much "textbook" winemaking. In 2022 I want to be a bit more creative and have some fun...

HI there Gilmango, How does the must look? did you get good color from the skins? I was concerned with all the green seeds and skins so I pressed early (and soft) and am hoping to make a lighter wine. My initial readings are actually not in a bad range - 7.1 TA and 3.8 pH. I'd prefer a lower...

Hi CDrew, Yes I did. I have had very good luck with calwinebroker over the past couple years, but this was really disappointing. There were guys out there picking 500 lbs. I'm sure they're struggling with the same issue. The must has gone from green (really!) to brown to now a shade of pink. I...