2013 Chilean Juices

[FABulousWines]

I have transferred my wine to the carboy, and I added the wooden cubes. How long does it have to stay in there? I am making Chilean Sharh,

General rule of thumb is to rack from secondary when the SG is lower than 1.000 and doesn't change for 2 or 3 days. How long that will take depends on many factors not the least of which is the current SG.

 

[Lucky_lefty]

so I need to check the SG? I thought it was in the final stage. I will check and of lower than 1.000 I bottle it?

 

[FABulousWines]

Where in the process are you? From your earlier post I was assuming perhaps incorrectly, that you were transferring from primary to secondary (carboy) for final fermentation. If the fermentation is complete (via SG not going any lower), then you will want to wait until clear before you bottle. Also, if you are adding oak you may want to age for a while. Sample it periodically and see where you like it. Don't rush it.

 

[Lucky_lefty]

I racked it once after adding everything in the bucket, I have it in the carboy with the oak cubes.

 

[sdelli]

So it has been 9 days that my Chilean wine has been in primary fermentation. I was going to take a stab at adjusting the acid and let it run a few more days. But as we all have been shown it is always better to make acid adjustments before starting the primary.... But here is the crazy thing that I wonder if someone can help me make sense of..... At day 9 My ph is at 3.55 and TA is at 6.8 on both wines. sg is at 1.01 so will leave it for a couple more days..... But look at the initial readings before initiating the primary.

Malbec SG=1.082 Ph=3.70 TA= 3.5 Used BM45 Yeast Re-Hydrated
Merlot SG=1.088 Ph=3.70 TA=4.0 Used GRE Yeast Re-Hydrated

How did the TA recover so well? I swore I was gonna need some tartaric added to it by the levels found at opening! Makes me wonder about making quick judgements of adjustment at the primary in future makings....

 

[sdelli]

Well... Been 11 days now and both Malbec and Merlot have been transferred to secondary fermentation. Added 1 lbs. of raisins and 4 oz. Oak Tannin as well to both. Still very active in the carboys too! I plan on leaving it for a week and starting MLF.
Malbec SG=.992 Ph=3.30 TA=7.2
Merlot SG=.994 Ph=3.35 TA=7.2

 

[ffemt128]

I racked my last bucket of Cab Sauv this afternoon into a carboy. I have 52 gallons of Chilean juice fermenting away. Sometime around Father's Day I'll rack everything off sediment and add oak.

 

[sdelli]

Wow ffemt.... Nice!

 

[ffemt128]

Wow ffemt.... Nice!

I need to decide on oak for each one. I'm thinking either French or Hungarian for the carmenere and malbec. The pinot noir will get american and the cab sauv will likely be a blend of american and French. Oh, forgot the barbera which will be american and the syrah I'm up in the air on. Last petite syrah I did american spirals and it turned out well.

 

[sdelli]

I need to decide on oak for each one. I'm thinking either French or Hungarian for the carmenere and malbec. The pinot noir will get american and the cab sauv will likely be a blend of american and French. Oh, forgot the barbera which will be american and the syrah I'm up in the air on. Last petite syrah I did american spirals and it turned out well.

Sounds like it is time for you to graduate to barrels if you have not already.

 

[ffemt128]

Sounds like it is time for you to graduate to barrels if you have not already.

Unfortunately, no room or $$ for barrels right now.

 

[ffemt128]

Between yesterday and this morning I racked all the Chilean Juice to clean carboys to get off the heavy lees and dosed with kmeta. I also oaked the reds as follows;

Pinot Noir - Medium American
Cabernet Sauvignon - Medium American
Syrah - Medium American
Barbera - Medium French
Malbec - Medium Hungarian
Carmenere - Medium Hungarian.
​

At this point I won't do any have to do anything with them until August. Going to be a long summer with little wine activity as it's a waiting period now.

 

[sdelli]

Just curious.... What did these test out at? I already had to add some tartaric acid to my Chilean juice. Merlot seems fine but I think the Malbec might need one more dose.... Mine are in MLF right now for a few more weeks.....

 

[bakervinyard]

Mlf ?

Between yesterday and this morning I racked all the Chilean Juice to clean carboys to get off the heavy lees and dosed with kmeta. I also oaked the reds as follows;

Pinot Noir - Medium American
Cabernet Sauvignon - Medium American
Syrah - Medium American
Barbera - Medium French
Malbec - Medium Hungarian
Carmenere - Medium Hungarian.
​

At this point I won't do any have to do anything with them until August. Going to be a long summer with little wine activity as it's a waiting period now.

Did You do MLF on them? I MLF my Chielean Merlot, Not sure on my Pinot, taste good the way it is. Bakervinyard

 

[ShawnDTurner]

With my chilean Pinot Noir juice buckets and Pinot Noir grapes, that is currently fermenting. I added oak powder at the onset of fermentation. A few days later I added MFT oak chips. This allows me to build structure. Once the must hits 1 brix or below I will be adding Malo Nutes, malo Bacteria and MFT oak Beans.
PH before starting 3.35 TA .59 I am happy with these numbers before Malo. The starting S.G. was 1.070 I raised it to 1.100. I like my Pinot Noir at around 13%. You should MLF your Pinot Noir, I would. The difference between GAMAY and PINOT is MLF. So if you do not MLF you will virtually have GAMAY. If you like that sort of thing. Good on you. Cheers.

 

[ffemt128]

Just curious.... What did these test out at? I already had to add some tartaric acid to my Chilean juice. Merlot seems fine but I think the Malbec might need one more dose.... Mine are in MLF right now for a few more weeks.....

I didn't check the TA on them. Checked initial Ph's. I believe I posted those earlier on. I'll check and if not I'll update later.

 

[ffemt128]

Did You do MLF on them? I MLF my Chielean Merlot, Not sure on my Pinot, taste good the way it is. Bakervinyard

With my chilean Pinot Noir juice buckets and Pinot Noir grapes, that is currently fermenting. I added oak powder at the onset of fermentation. A few days later I added MFT oak chips. This allows me to build structure. Once the must hits 1 brix or below I will be adding Malo Nutes, malo Bacteria and MFT oak Beans.
PH before starting 3.35 TA .59 I am happy with these numbers before Malo. The starting S.G. was 1.070 I raised it to 1.100. I like my Pinot Noir at around 13%. You should MLF your Pinot Noir, I would. The difference between GAMAY and PINOT is MLF. So if you do not MLF you will virtually have GAMAY. If you like that sort of thing. Good on you. Cheers.

I did not do MLF on these. Considered it. Maybe next year's batch.

 

[DoctorCAD]

With my chilean Pinot Noir juice buckets and Pinot Noir grapes, that is currently fermenting. I added oak powder at the onset of fermentation. A few days later I added MFT oak chips. This allows me to build structure. Once the must hits 1 brix or below I will be adding Malo Nutes, malo Bacteria and MFT oak Beans.
PH before starting 3.35 TA .59 I am happy with these numbers before Malo. The starting S.G. was 1.070 I raised it to 1.100. I like my Pinot Noir at around 13%. You should MLF your Pinot Noir, I would. The difference between GAMAY and PINOT is MLF. So if you do not MLF you will virtually have GAMAY. If you like that sort of thing. Good on you. Cheers.

Gamay is a specific type of grape, Pinot Noir is a specific type of grape. Saying MLF is the only difference is not correct.

 

[ShawnDTurner]

It is well known that gamay and pinot noir are similar in flavor and aroma profile. Until you take pinot noir through MLF, gamay falls apart when it undergoes mlf this is why gamay traditionally does not under go.

 

[ffemt128]

I racked my Chilean reds last night. I have to say I'm quite dissappointed in the Barbera that I picked up from a place in Ohio. It tastes watery with no real discenable flavors. I processed the same way as I did the prior year (excellet by the way) used American/french oak on it as I did in the past. Just not happy. I added a touch more oak and will sample again in a month.

On another note, The Syrah, Malbec and Cab Sav were quite good at 8 months. I thought the Malbec could use some more oak so I added another oz of Med Hungarian. The Pinot Noir was good and I did not rack the Carmenere just yet.

Any ideas on the Barbera?