2018 Grape Season Underway

[pgentile]

Looks good Fred. I had similar results with CH16 this fall.

 

[mainshipfred]

My last batch, the Cab Franc I was thinking of using CH35 which I never used before. It was delivered by mistake from Morewine and they told me to keep it. In reading about it appears to be a high glycerol producer and I like the perceived sweetness of glycerol. Even though I'm going to let the others continue MLF I was considering racking some of the lees and use it. Hate opening a whole pack for 8 gallons of wine.

 

[pgentile]

I would go with the lees myself and save the package for the spring.

 

[Ajmassa]

Racked my SauvBlanc juice bucket yesterday. Finished at .994. Got 5gal exactly. Sucker is loaded with co2. Degassed a sample and checked for ph —-2.8!
White wine is new territory for me but that seems low. With all the acid and co2 I haven’t dosed So2 yet. Need to run TA and consult with the experts first! Also I didn’t dump the lees. Thoughts on adding some back? Lees is light and clean looking btw.
I tend to not tinker with juice pail acids. In my experience they never need it regardless of numbers. But again— I don’t know much about whites.

 

[mainshipfred]

I would go with the lees myself and save the package for the spring.

Kind of what I was thinking as well.

 

[mainshipfred]

Racked my SauvBlanc juice bucket yesterday. Finished at .994. Got 5gal exactly. Sucker is loaded with co2. Degassed a sample and checked for ph —-2.8!
White wine is new territory for me but that seems low. With all the acid and co2 I haven’t dosed So2 yet. Need to run TA and consult with the experts first! Also I didn’t dump the lees. Thoughts on adding some back? Lees is light and clean looking btw.
I tend to not tinker with juice pail acids. In my experience they never need it regardless of numbers. But again— I don’t know much about whites.

Mine is 3.10, I racked it yesterday but left a good bit of lees in it. The lees are going to stay there until March or April. I had a peach that was around 2.8 but it was a little sweet and balanced nicely.

 

[pgentile]

Racked my SauvBlanc juice bucket yesterday. Finished at .994. Got 5gal exactly. Sucker is loaded with co2. Degassed a sample and checked for ph —-2.8!
White wine is new territory for me but that seems low. With all the acid and co2 I haven’t dosed So2 yet. Need to run TA and consult with the experts first! Also I didn’t dump the lees. Thoughts on adding some back? Lees is light and clean looking btw.
I tend to not tinker with juice pail acids. In my experience they never need it regardless of numbers. But again— I don’t know much about whites.

When I get home, I'll double check the sauv blanc pH, I think it was around 3.1-3.15. Didn't take TA. My lees are long gone. Made zero adjustments, it tastes good so not sure I want to mess with it. Feel the same way about juice pails.

 

[Boatboy24]

Racked my SauvBlanc juice bucket yesterday. Finished at .994. Got 5gal exactly. Sucker is loaded with co2. Degassed a sample and checked for ph —-2.8!
White wine is new territory for me but that seems low. With all the acid and co2 I haven’t dosed So2 yet. Need to run TA and consult with the experts first! Also I didn’t dump the lees. Thoughts on adding some back? Lees is light and clean looking btw.
I tend to not tinker with juice pail acids. In my experience they never need it regardless of numbers. But again— I don’t know much about whites.

Gotta go with taste and your gut feel at this point, I think. I like a pretty crisp Sauv Blanc.

 

[mainshipfred]

Sad day today at Black Cellars. Doing the last press of the year. In an hour or so all crush and press equipment go into hibernation until spring and maybe as long as fall.

 

[pgentile]

Sad day today at Black Cellars. Doing the last press of the year. In an hour or so all crush and press equipment go into hibernation until spring and maybe as long as fall.

Felt the same way when I did final pressing last week. The press looks sad sitting in the corner.

 

[mainshipfred]

Well press is done and I yielded just under 10 gallons with 120 lbs of grapes. I think that is really good. Hoping I can get 9 after the first rack. On another note you always hear you can't make great wine without great fruit. I may be sold now, this stuff is absolutely remarkable. @Boatboy24 you'll have to let me know how yours turns out

 

[Boatboy24]

Sad day today at Black Cellars. Doing the last press of the year. In an hour or so all crush and press equipment go into hibernation until spring and maybe as long as fall.

Unless we drive to Philly, I don't know of a source for southern hemisphere grapes.

 

[Boatboy24]

Well press is done and I yielded just under 10 gallons with 120 lbs of grapes. I think that is really good. Hoping I can get 9 after the first rack. On another note you always hear you can't make great wine without great fruit. I may be sold now, this stuff is absolutely remarkable. @Boatboy24 you'll have to let me know how yours turns out

Morning punchdown complete. I had planned to press today, but after 8 days of fermenting, I'm only at 1.054. (using RP15)

Ferment has been going great. Good caps that quickly form and no signs of H2S or any other off odors. It smells great. Color extraction is outstanding. This is a beautiful Merlot. I tasted a sample, just to be sure my hydrometer isn't off and there is certainly plenty of sugar left. I'm thinking of pitching some EC-1118 to shove this thing across the finish line, as I'm not able to press next week due to work.

 

[mainshipfred]

Unless we drive to Philly, I don't know of a source for southern hemisphere grapes.

I'm working on it but it might depend on the quantities of an individual varietal. A trip to Jersey or Philly wouldn't bother me especially if we had a chance to meet up with Paul and AJ.

 

[Boatboy24]

I'm working on it but it might depend on the quantities of an individual varietal. A trip to Jersey or Philly wouldn't bother me especially if we had a chance to meet up with Paul and AJ.

Agree. Would like that.

 

[mainshipfred]

I'm on my way to Pittsburgh for a week. There is a place there that might have some late harvest grapes but I can't really tell from the website. Falls may not be over yet. LOL!

 

[mainshipfred]

Morning punchdown complete. I had planned to press today, but after 8 days of fermenting, I'm only at 1.054. (using RP15)

Ferment has been going great. Good caps that quickly form and no signs of H2S or any other off odors. It smells great. Color extraction is outstanding. This is a beautiful Merlot. I tasted a sample, just to be sure my hydrometer isn't off and there is certainly plenty of sugar left. I'm thinking of pitching some EC-1118 to shove this thing across the finish line, as I'm not able to press next week due to work.

Mine was going slow as well but due to my schedule I had to put towels around it and turn a heater on very low.

 

[Boatboy24]

I'm on my way to Pittsburgh for a week. There is a place there that might have some late harvest grapes but I can't really tell from the website. Falls may not be over yet. LOL!

LOL! You have a serious problem, Fred!

 

[mainshipfred]

The place is cfp winemakers in Pittsburgh. They just got Lanza grapes in last Friday. I'm going down this morning to take a look I might pick up three lugs of Petit Verdot. BTW these are the people that host the homewinemaking convention in Pittsburgh

 

[Mac60]

The place is cfp winemakers in Pittsburgh. They just got Lanza grapes in last Friday. I'm going down this morning to take a look I might pick up three lugs of Petit Verdot. BTW these are the people that host the homewinemaking convention in Pittsburgh

You just can't stop, that fermenting smell is calling you...