2018 Grape Season Underway

[jgmann67]

Ive never had a bad experience with MoreWine, infact just the opposite. On a large order I requested MBR 31 and was sent CH 35. Without even asking they overnighted the MBR and told me to keep the 35. Another time I ordered BRY 97 when I should have ordered BRL 97. BRY is a beer yeast. I called and explained what I did and they told me they should have caught it since everything else was for wine and they shipped me out the BRL at no cost. I can only imagine your issue was just an honest mistake on someones part.

Looks like I'll have some extra Opti-Malo and Fermaid-O on hand... Fedex says they have a package for me. It's not that this is a "bad" experience. The MoreWine folks make mistakes like everyone else. But, they're very responsive and do their best to make things right. With my first shipment this season, they missed an item (Opti-Red, I think). I called them, no hassle, another was in the mail the next day. With the next shipment, the guys at USPS decided to tour the state before getting it to me. Same thing, I emailed MoreWine, and they go out of their way to make it right. If they make a mistake and don't care/won't fix it (like the folks at a certain HBS that will go unnamed here, and with whom I will never again do business), that's bad... haven't had one of those with the MoreWine folks.

 

[Ajmassa]

I think Vegas odds are going to win the day with this one. We're 4 days in to a ferment and the wine is already down to 1.030 SG.

I imagine it’s difficult to alter Mother Nature without professional type equipment. What methods have you been using to lengthen the ferment ? I remember you said yeast is AMH- I’m guessing this has traits to lengthen the time? What about temp? Ice bottles?

Also- how good does your house smell? Kinda jealous of all you guys right now.

 

[mainshipfred]

Got MLB hydrated and pitched about an hour ago. Things are cooking.

Interesting note: The Petite Syrah seems to have the same volume as the other 3 wines, but appears to be much heavier in skin content. So much so, that even with a cap formed, punch downs are challenging as skins seem to be solid throughout the must. I don't recall this w/ previous PS. The other 3 run the gamut, with the Zin being the most 'liquidy' of the bunch.

My PS is the same. I didn't pitch the yeast until yesterday evening. The PS showed no activity until this morning but the others were already forming a cap with the native yeasts. Got the Sauv Blanc in the chest freezer at 55*. Chugging along nicely. Wine temp of Rhone 4600 is 58* and QA23 60*. May bump up the temp a little as they are both at their lower temp limit.

 

[mainshipfred]

View attachment 51363

My 2018 wines to date.
-It’s 22 gal of Malbec. Still separated d80 and d254. And still rocking no sulphites goin on 5 months.
-Syrah juice bucket with all those Malbec skins
-and this fall’s family Red

Malbecs and Syrah are going great. Malbec About to get So2 and blended in the new barrel.
The family red is tasting already exactly as I remember- but the Zinfandel adds a little extra something. With a demi and a carboy I’m thinking of adding malo to the carboy just for kicks. And I’ll be able to note the differences....hopefully.

Looking real good. Can't tell if you have the Family Red on the Chromo but thought you were going all natural if you did.

 

[mainshipfred]

I think Vegas odds are going to win the day with this one. We're 4 days in to a ferment and the wine is already down to 1.030 SG.

The only way I got 2 weeks was leaving it in the freezer for a week. Fermemtation completed in 7 days.

 

[mainshipfred]

Child labor is cheap.

View attachment 51373

You better be carfull. There are laws against things like this.

 

[Ajmassa]

Looking real good. Can't tell if you have the Family Red on the Chromo but thought you were going all natural if you did.

Yup. It’s the 1st one on the left. Only one with malic acid in it. And yea it’s all natural. No So2, nutrients, oak chips, yeast, malo etc..
Successful native ferment. But I’m thinkin to keep the experiment going now. And when I’m inoculating mlb to my grapes in a couple weeks to also add it to the carboy of the family red. Leaving the lions share natural. And maybe will get an opportunity to taste exact same batch with MLf and without. Strictly for 1st hand experience.
Because I only just go by what’s said with MLf. Will be nice to see for myself.

 

[Ajmassa]

Was definitely wingin it for that 1st batch. But getting fully prepared for he expensive stuff. Morewine did not disappoint - as always. Placed an order Sunday night. Waiting for me at home Tuesday afternoon.
Went with old faithful VP-41 for mlb. And So2 titrets. (I realize others don’t like titrets for reds but I like em a lot) and other random junk.
My yeast is a year old and it wasn’t refrigerated since May. It came repackaged from Lodiwinelabs and there is no expiration date. Andante yeast. I also have a variety of others also room temp and 1yr old.
What would you do? Buy fresh or let jt ride?

 

[mainshipfred]

Yup. It’s the 1st one on the left. Only one with malic acid in it. And yea it’s all natural. No So2, nutrients, oak chips, yeast, malo etc..
Successful native ferment. But I’m thinkin to keep the experiment going now. And when I’m inoculating mlb to my grapes in a couple weeks to also add it to the carboy of the family red. Leaving the lions share natural. And maybe will get an opportunity to taste exact same batch with MLf and without. Strictly for 1st hand experience.
Because I only just go by what’s said with MLf. Will be nice to see for myself.

It will be a while before you taste it but when you do try to see if the difference resembles a kit taste. Although with no SO2 added it will probably goe through MLF to some extent. My theory has always been it's the malic in the red kits that produce that taste but no proof of this.

 

[mainshipfred]

Was definitely wingin it for that 1st batch. But getting fully prepared for he expensive stuff. Morewine did not disappoint - as always. Placed an order Sunday night. Waiting for me at home Tuesday afternoon.
Went with old faithful VP-41 for mlb. And So2 titrets. (I realize others don’t like titrets for reds but I like em a lot) and other random junk.
My yeast is a year old and it wasn’t refrigerated since May. It came repackaged from Lodiwinelabs and there is no expiration date. Andante yeast. I also have a variety of others also room temp and 1yr old.
What would you do? Buy fresh or let jt ride?

If it's an 8 gram pack I would personally remove a little from the pack and try rehydrating it. If it starts you know it's good. An open pack of yeast will stay good for a little while.

 

[Ajmassa]

It will be a while before you taste it but when you do try to see if the difference resembles a kit taste. Although with no SO2 added it will probably goe through MLF to some extent. My theory has always been it's the malic in the red kits that produce that taste but no proof of this.

I will be dosing with So2 in a month or so. Just wanna see if MLf naturally happens. So I took a base chroma test to compare against later.
Assuming I end up MLf and non MLf, I’ll let you form your own opinions and send one of each. After all that’s why I made 120 bottles worth. To drink and gift early. Having some grape wine to enjoy while the others are aging.

If it's an 8 gram pack I would personally remove a little from the pack and try rehydrating it. If it starts you know it's good. An open pack of yeast will stay good for a little while.

Genius! Thanks. Sometimes a second set of eyes makes all the difference.

 

[jgmann67]

I imagine it’s difficult to alter Mother Nature without professional type equipment. What methods have you been using to lengthen the ferment ? I remember you said yeast is AMH- I’m guessing this has traits to lengthen the time? What about temp? Ice bottles?

Also- how good does your house smell? Kinda jealous of all you guys right now.

The AMH is supposed to be a slow burn type of a yeast. I figured with the basement as cool as it is, I could squeeze some extra time out it. Can't say I'm a fan of doing much else. So, extended skin exposure is not in the cards. Maybe it'll slow down over the next few days...

The basement smells awesome! I love the smell of a healthy fermentation. I have a fan on high, blowing across the top of the fermenter (to keep the fruit flies away). So, the whole basement is full of that grape bread smell.

 

[mainshipfred]

This is my fall collection so far
Buckets: left Petite Sirah with D80 RP15 Clos, Middle Tempranillo with BM45 VBR Rhone 4600, Right Touriga with Syrah D21 and 71B
Carboys: left OV Zin with R56 AMH and BDX, right Syrah with Syrah, Clos and Rhone 4600
Not Shown, in the freezer, Sauv Blanc with QA23 and Rhone 4600
Still debating if I want a juice bucket for the skins and another varietal of grapes. Kind of running out of room.

 

[pgentile]

Rather disappointing week so far over here in the dungeon, while all batches are safely bulk aging right now, I have no Paso Robles old vine zin grapes in my possession. Car number one wouldn't start last week, while it is under warranty the part needed is back ordered so it's still at the dealer, then yesterday car number two decided it wasn't going to start either. Towed to the mechanic.

Going to shoot for Friday.

 

[ceeaton]

Car number one wouldn't start last week, while it is under warranty the part needed is back ordered so it's still at the dealer, then yesterday car number two decided it wasn't going to start either. Towed to the mechanic.

Must be in the air or something. My wife just had her torque converter replaced (luckily under warranty). Didn't have the car for two days, though she had a loaner. Of course she commented "I hate giving up this loaner car, it's so nice...". That's how they suck you in, show you something better. I personally prefer no car payment at this point in my life. Hope things work out okay with your vehicles.

 

[pgentile]

Must be in the air or something. My wife just had her torque converter replaced (luckily under warranty). Didn't have the car for two days, though she had a loaner. Of course she commented "I hate giving up this loaner car, it's so nice...". That's how they suck you in, show you something better. I personally prefer no car payment at this point in my life. Hope things work out okay with your vehicles.

Thanks, something in the air for sure. I passed on a loaner car because we have the 2nd car and our schedules weren't conflicting.

 

[mainshipfred]

Rather disappointing week so far over here in the dungeon, while all batches are safely bulk aging right now, I have no Paso Robles old vine zin grapes in my possession. Car number one wouldn't start last week, while it is under warranty the part needed is back ordered so it's still at the dealer, then yesterday car number two decided it wasn't going to start either. Towed to the mechanic.

Going to shoot for Friday.

Sorry to hear.

 

[Boatboy24]

While doing punchdowns this morning, my 9 year old learned what H2S smells like. 3 of the four batches are going great. When he got to the Syrah, he said "this one smells like a bad fart!"

 

[mainshipfred]

While doing punchdowns this morning, my 9 year old learned what H2S smells like. 3 of the four batches are going great. When he got to the Syrah, he said "this one smells like a bad fart!"

Got to tell you the reds all have an odor I can't describe. Not really H2S or VA unless it's a very early stage. Just have to wait until AF is complete I guess.

 

[Boatboy24]

Got to tell you the reds all have an odor I can't describe. Not really H2S or VA unless it's a very early stage. Just have to wait until AF is complete I guess.

I'm off tomorrow and could swing by the shop to take a whiff if you want.