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definitely keep her wrapped until she's ready for barrel prep and then wine.
2019 Lodi Meritage
- Thread starter Johnd
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Went home at lunch today and kicked off a chromotography test on the 2019's. Not enough room on one paper to do each carboy, but with 9 spots I got a test for each varietal / yeast combo, plus the press wine of each varietal. Should be ready to come out to dry by tonight, with legible results by morning. Really hadn't hardly looked at the carboys since the gross lees racking, they were all still today except for the Merlot, which was still fizzling along, pesky merlot....
All the carboys I sampled from smelled wonderful, looking forward to some tasting, blending, and barrel loadiing before Christmas.
All the carboys I sampled from smelled wonderful, looking forward to some tasting, blending, and barrel loadiing before Christmas.
Good looking chromatography results, only tested every other carboy, but a representation of all of the fermenters. One pic taken in light, one in the dark.
Not sure if I pushed the envelope with MLB distribution, you may recall one delivery of MLB got baked in the mailbox, so I ordered another. Used both during inoculation, each good for 66 gallons, but I had close to 120. Don’t know if the baked package was viable, but it seems to have worked out.
Will let them sit another couple weeks, then start making plans for sulfiting, blending / taste trials, and loading the barrel for a long nap.
Not sure if I pushed the envelope with MLB distribution, you may recall one delivery of MLB got baked in the mailbox, so I ordered another. Used both during inoculation, each good for 66 gallons, but I had close to 120. Don’t know if the baked package was viable, but it seems to have worked out.
Will let them sit another couple weeks, then start making plans for sulfiting, blending / taste trials, and loading the barrel for a long nap.
I've done it once before, 9 samples is about the limit on one normal sized sheet, and still have it where the acid spots don't start blending together. 1/2" from the left margin, 1" spaces between gets it just right.
Boatboy24
No longer a newbie, but still clueless.
I think my record is 10, though I don't recall exactly. But I do believe that @Runningwolf did a dozen once.
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Just finished a little racking / sulfiting extravaganza on the 19’s, lost the two one gallons to lees in the process. Left with 18 six gallon carboys, four Cabs with D254, four cabs with BM 4x4, two D254 Merlot, two BM 4x4 Merlot, one Merlot half blended with Cab Franc / Petit Verdot, three Petit Verdot, and two Cab Franc. Tasted a little blend of CF / PV, nice fruit, little fizzy, little bitter, little tannic, green, kinda boozy, but very promising for a 2 month old wine.
Nice to have everything sulfited, now I can procrastinate barrel loading for even longer!! Definitely my kind of hobby..
Nice to have everything sulfited, now I can procrastinate barrel loading for even longer!! Definitely my kind of hobby..
That, is a lot of wine. Why didn't it go into the barrel with this racking? What is the strategy? (Looking to learn).
Nice to see that much in one place!
I'm a blue tape fan too.
Nice to see that much in one place!
I'm a blue tape fan too.
A few reasons. Wanted to get this rack and sulfiting in and let em sit and degas a bit more, and hopefully drop some more sediment. Once it goes into the barrel, I intend to leave it for two years with nothing but sulfiting and topping up. The more sediment that drops before, the better. @Keith5 and I haven’t gotten together yet to do our blending trials to determine the final mix. Plus, I haven’t gotten around to building the rolling barrel stand yet. It’s hunting season, the wine can wait, the ducks and deer won’t wait.
Been lamenting about how much I over ordered, though it really lends itself to lots of blending ratios. With so many options, it could be a drunken endeavor by the time it’s decided. Maybe that will be its name, “Drunken Endeavor”.
Ajmassa
just a guy
Hot damn! Lookin good John. You bottle up that 30gal Saint Martin to make room to fill and ya still got 3 more carboys to boot! Not too bad.
Have you given any thought to the type of oak adjuncts you would be adding to the 30? Stave segments, those tank sticks on a rope, or would you go with spirals ?
Have you given any thought to the type of oak adjuncts you would be adding to the 30? Stave segments, those tank sticks on a rope, or would you go with spirals ?
Actually, I’m kinda thinking of just aging in the barrel without any adjuncts at all, just taking advantage of microx and concentration. Sorta let the wine be what it is, maybe do some blending with it and some of the 60 barrel wine.
Mario Dinis
Senior Member
WOW, that'a a sight for sore eyes. But, aren't those carboys supposed to be topped up? what's the reason for all that airspace if you don't mind explaining?
I'm not John, but I am not seeing any headspace. On a few of them, it looks to me like the light is playing tricks. On those, the reflected light from the top (above where the angle of the glass changes at the shoulder) looks like it is being reflected from the top of a (too-low) level of wine. If you look up into the very neck, you can see there is liquid there.
Mario Dinis
Senior Member
LOL, you're right. The light fooled me.
franc1969
Senior Member
It's hard to see with all the reflection and glare.on the glass , but there is only about an inch+ headspace per carboy. If you zoom into the photo, you'll see the lines.
It’s just the angle, they’re all topped up an inch or less under the bung.
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