2019 Cab

[stickman]

@jburtner I use a basket type press and I don't make any attempt to get every last drop of liquid out. I consider it a soft press, so I've always combined the press with the free run.

The current batch is down around 2 brix, my plan is to press on Saturday.

 

[stickman]

Did some tasting, not much fruit, nice body, tannin is way up at this point, sg is at .992, pH 3.68, temp 65F, I bumped up the garage temp to 70F, still looking to press on Saturday.

 

[stickman]

Pressed as planned, drained free run, transferred skins to press, put everything into pails with lids, will let settle overnight and then dump into flex tank tomorrow, will also add a couple oak staves and CH 16 ML culture. Got around 36 gallons total, 31 was free run. Tannin dominates the taste right now, will be interesting to see how it evolves over time.

 

[Ajmassa]

The color these grapes give you every year is amazing. This cab is so vibrant. Such an inky deep yet bright purple. Same as the Tuscan blend. Very inviting. Looks great stickman!

 

[stickman]

After press, the wine settled for two days and was then transferred to tank and carboys, added oak and CH16 as planned. ML fermentation has been visible for several days and going reasonably fast for 64F.

 

[Johnd]

Looks awesome @stickman ! The color of the wine coming out of the press in your previous post is stunning. I’m sure the white spout accentuates the color, but it’s very impressive to see. We’re going to have to swap some ‘19’s in ‘21....

 

[BI81]

@stickman that is some beautiful color extraction!! I'm going to have to attempt to mimic your pump over process next year. Do you mind providing some more info on the setup you used on the picture for brutes? What type of filter did you pull the housing off of? What else did you use for the connection (ie gasket, valve, adapters, etc.)?

 

[stickman]

@BI81 Below is a previous discussion about attaching a spigot to a brute, it has most of the details needed and provides some different opinions. The strainer is only attached by a simple friction fit, a few turns of Teflon tape to make it tight, so it can be pulled off by hand without tools.

https://www.winemakingtalk.com/threads/white-brute-trash-can.55300/

 

[BI81]

@BI81 Below is a previous discussion about attaching a spigot to a brute, it has most of the details needed and and provides some different opinions. The strainer is only attached by a simple friction fit, a few turns of Teflon tape to make it tight, so it can be pulled off by hand without tools.

https://www.winemakingtalk.com/threads/white-brute-trash-can.55300/

Perfect, thanks @stickman

 

[crushday]

@stickman I’m wondering if you can estimate the value of your wine verses a commercial wine. I’ve read many times on this site that forum participants estimate a bottle of wine made from a premium wine kit is comparable to a $20-$25. Not bad considering it costs $7.50-$8.00 to make.

I recently ordered (will arrive today, delayed because of the holiday vacation schedule of the Brehm staff) 2 buckets of Tempranillo frozen must. Shipped to my house, the cost is $440. All considered, I’m just over $515 with yeast, bacteria and other adjuncts. With the estimate of 3-3.5 of finished wine per bucket, simple math gives me a maximum of 35 bottles. Divided by $515 gives me a cost of $14.71 before I’ve even bottled it. A bottle and a cork brings the total to $16.50 per bottle to make.

So, if everything goes as planned and I don’t totally screw up my first frozen must buckets, am I making $50 bottles of wine?

 

[CDrew]

This kind of accounting is dangerous, and I suggest you stop immediately. It's a hobby!

You are making wine from grapes, that you nurture to maturity and will drink 3-10 years from now. They are priceless! You'll have a ton of fun doing that, so that's worth something too.

If all you want is great wine that is relatively inexpensive, some diligent investigation at Costco will get you that. (Hint-start with the wines from Spain) Price is not really an indicator of how good the wine is, and honestly most $50 bottles of wine are overpriced.

 

[crushday]

This kind of accounting is dangerous, and I suggest you stop immediately. It's a hobby!

You are making wine from grapes, that you nurture to maturity and will drink 3-10 years from now. They are priceless! You'll have a ton of fun doing that, so that's worth something too.

If all you want is great wine that is relatively inexpensive, some diligent investigation at Costco will get you that. (Hint-start with the wines from Spain) Price is not really an indicator of how good the wine is, and honestly most $50 bottles of wine are overpriced.

@CDrew It’s a fair admonition and great reality check. You’re right, I could simply buy finished wine but I WANT TO make it. And, like everyone on this site, I have lots of $$ in equipment to do so. So, it’s never going to pencil out. I love coming home from my office, finding out what my wife is making for dinner and heading to the cellar to grab a libation I had some hand in making. I’m living a pretty good life.

 

[stickman]

Well as I've said before, value is in the eye of the beholder. I don't know much about Tempranillo, but commercial value is driven by supply and demand, it looks like Delfino Tempranillo is in the $30 range commercially, but your wine may be of higher value given its rarity. What would you charge if you were a boutique winery? From a value point of view, Cabernet is king, not because it's better wine, but because it has much higher demand. Here is a boutique winery selling Plum Ridge Cab between $50 and $70 a bottle; the value of my version is much higher as it's sold out!

https://www.winemag.com/buying-guide/delfino-2016-tempranillo-umpqua-valley/

https://www.campanaranchwines.com/collection/cabernet-sauvignon

 

[jburtner]

Supply and Demand is where the market transactions actually happen otherwise it's speculation. You're not even allowed to sell it so it's a $17 bottle to produce and also known as "Unobtanium". You can gift it and they'll probably ask for more.

Cheers,
johann

 

[Johnd]

In my cellar, I have nearly 2000 bottles of wine, some I made, some I buy / collect. In the collection of purchased wine, I have exactly zero bottles that cost less than the most expensive wine I've ever made. Yet, I drink my wine more frequently than the commercial wine. That, to me, is a huge savings without having to place value on any of it..............

 

[stickman]

ML activity started to slow down, so I ran a chromatogram yesterday, looks to be nearly complete, but as usual we'll wait at least a couple of weeks before racking and sulfiting.

 

[crushday]

@stickman - can you offer any information about your stainless fermenter? Given that you fermented nine 5 gallon pails I’m guessing over 60 gallons. Where did you acquire such equipment?

 

[stickman]

It's all discussed a few posts down in my first thread.
https://www.winemakingtalk.com/threads/must-finally-arrived.51536/

 

[stickman]

Finally did the post ML racking, pH is now 3.77, added one more new French oak stave, cleaned the other two staves that were with the wine during ML and added those after racking. The wine has nice body, very dark, but definitely closed up and reductive, fruit doesn't show until it has been in a glass for an hour or so. I allowed air contact during the transfer. Added 53ppm SO2, will check in two weeks or so to see where it's at. I need to rack those other two tanks of 2018 Cab, but not today.

 

[CDrew]

So @stickman, how good is the seal at the lid of the Flex Tank? I'm thinking about a 30 gallon for next year.