You got beautiful color from that one. I'd reserve some for blending into other wines, just to perk their color.
2022 Carménère late harvest
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That's a beautiful color. Much darker than my Chilean Carmenere
Update: First Taste
I just tasted the wine for the first time tonight. Wow, it's really good. When I say that, what I mean is that both batches are really good. However, they are different. The one with Oenos bacteria added is WAY more complex. The one with CH16 is single dimensional - BUT, really good.
I'm more intrigued than ever now that I have two styles of wine from the same grape. All conditions are matched except for the bacteria added. I'll be posting the results of the aging process.
I just tasted the wine for the first time tonight. Wow, it's really good. When I say that, what I mean is that both batches are really good. However, they are different. The one with Oenos bacteria added is WAY more complex. The one with CH16 is single dimensional - BUT, really good.
I'm more intrigued than ever now that I have two styles of wine from the same grape. All conditions are matched except for the bacteria added. I'll be posting the results of the aging process.
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This is great stuff. Especially about the differences in MLF bacteria.
Please keep posting updates on what happens and if they remain all that different. I *think* time averages all of this but maybe not. My experiment with white wine yeasts ended in a tie. I hope your experience here does not and can point the way forward.
Please keep posting updates on what happens and if they remain all that different. I *think* time averages all of this but maybe not. My experiment with white wine yeasts ended in a tie. I hope your experience here does not and can point the way forward.
Update: MLF Complete on Carménère
On the test media, here is the list:
1. Napa Cab free run - lots of work to do
2. Petite Sirah free run - some work to do
3. Petit Verdot free run
4. Carménère free run (Oenos)
5. Carménère free run (CH16)
6. Petit Verdot press run
7. Cab Franc free run (6 gallon carboy)* - it's a blender
8. Petite Sirah press run (6 gallon carboy) - some work to do
9. Glenn Oaks Merlot
10. Sonoma Merlot
*CDL Cab franc I erroneously added Kmeta to instead of yeast nutrient. Brix is -2 but MLF has not yet completed. This will be used in a blend.
#4 and #5 are curious to me as these we both fermented in a 50 degree (average) ambient temperature using Harmony yeast from Ch. Hansen. Bacteria was co-inoculated after first solid cap. Must temperature high was 69 and 70 degrees, respectively, although average was much lower over the 21 day ferment.
Key take aways from this Carménère project:
1. I was able to confirm that a cold ambient ferment was slower but was able to complete
2. Co-inoculation worked again, even at the low end of or lower than the listed temperature range for the bacteria
3. Color extraction and aroma is excellent in spite of the cool fermentation
4. Carménère inoculated with Oenos was and continues to be more complex than CH16, although all other conditions are matched
Now, the artwork:
On the test media, here is the list:
1. Napa Cab free run - lots of work to do
2. Petite Sirah free run - some work to do
3. Petit Verdot free run
4. Carménère free run (Oenos)
5. Carménère free run (CH16)
6. Petit Verdot press run
7. Cab Franc free run (6 gallon carboy)* - it's a blender
8. Petite Sirah press run (6 gallon carboy) - some work to do
9. Glenn Oaks Merlot
10. Sonoma Merlot
*CDL Cab franc I erroneously added Kmeta to instead of yeast nutrient. Brix is -2 but MLF has not yet completed. This will be used in a blend.
#4 and #5 are curious to me as these we both fermented in a 50 degree (average) ambient temperature using Harmony yeast from Ch. Hansen. Bacteria was co-inoculated after first solid cap. Must temperature high was 69 and 70 degrees, respectively, although average was much lower over the 21 day ferment.
Key take aways from this Carménère project:
1. I was able to confirm that a cold ambient ferment was slower but was able to complete
2. Co-inoculation worked again, even at the low end of or lower than the listed temperature range for the bacteria
3. Color extraction and aroma is excellent in spite of the cool fermentation
4. Carménère inoculated with Oenos was and continues to be more complex than CH16, although all other conditions are matched
Now, the artwork:
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Wow,
Mr crushday that is an impressive number of samples on one sheet!
I actally performed my first malo chromatography test yesterday and it reveals more time needed.
I do have a question regarding malo for you and the gallery.
I inoculated with Enoferm after primary as I could not source CH-16. Just sprinkled into carboy and jugs.
Do you stir your vessels during malo?
Some literature advises weekly agitation. I just don't feel opening the bung every week and mixing with a long handled spoon makes sense due to O2.
Any opinions on this.
PS - it's a batch of WA Grenache.
Mr crushday that is an impressive number of samples on one sheet!
I actally performed my first malo chromatography test yesterday and it reveals more time needed.
I do have a question regarding malo for you and the gallery.
I inoculated with Enoferm after primary as I could not source CH-16. Just sprinkled into carboy and jugs.
Do you stir your vessels during malo?
Some literature advises weekly agitation. I just don't feel opening the bung every week and mixing with a long handled spoon makes sense due to O2.
Any opinions on this.
PS - it's a batch of WA Grenache.
LOL, @SCAndy - I've received more than one comment on my use of the chrom paper.... The tartaric, malo and lactic are always at the bottom, middle and top respectively. I find no reason to add the standards.
You should know that most of the time I co-inoculate the bacteria after the first solid cap. In my experience the bacteria and yeast work congruently and hardly bump into each other... You might try that next time. If you have other questions, please don't hesitate to ask.
Although I have never used Enoferm, reading about it this morning I would not hesitate to use it. As far as stirring the wine, unless you're trying to keep the lees in suspension to create more mouthfeel (al a Chardonnay), there is no reason to keep it stirred up. Do you have a magnetic stir plate? You could build a platform for your carboy, drop the magnetic bean in the vessel and turn on the spin plate. I have devised a similar plan to keep my next Chardonnay lees in suspension during the MLF.
PS Love me some Grenache...
I should have noticed that you co inoculated.
Apparently the malo bacteria can get "stuck" in the lees on the bottom.
Morewine.com has a section in their winemaking guide that advises agitation if you innoculate after AF.
I am only a few week in so I prolly just need to wait. Let them do their thing.
When I was a kid my parents had a sailboat. It was a Virtue class wooden sloop.
The name on the transom.........Patience.
I need more of that!!
Apparently the malo bacteria can get "stuck" in the lees on the bottom.
Morewine.com has a section in their winemaking guide that advises agitation if you innoculate after AF.
I am only a few week in so I prolly just need to wait. Let them do their thing.
When I was a kid my parents had a sailboat. It was a Virtue class wooden sloop.
The name on the transom.........Patience.
I need more of that!!
That's right. I wouldn't check again until it's been 4-5 more weeks. Post AF, MLF can take several weeks to a few months.
As the namesake of your parents' sailboat says...
Tonight at 7pm (over zoom) is the 2nd tasting of the Carménère wine provided in 4oz samples. Participants are @NorCal @CDrew @4score @Busabill
This is a fun way to gauge how a wine develops over time. Specific to the Carménère is how different the split batches tasted given the only other variance was the bacteria used.
Winemakers notes:
Carménère Info (green and gold)
Vintage: 2022
Harvested: 10/27/2022
Crushed 1/2 ton: 10/28/2022, volume of must split across two fermenters
pH: 3.68
Brix: 24.2
Additions: Nutrients, EV-X
Yeast: Ch. Hansen Melody (10/29/2022)
Bacteria: #1 Ch. Hansen Oenos, #2 Ch. Hansen CH-16 (10/31/2022)
Pressed #1: 11/18/2022 (Brix: -1.5)
Pressed #2: 11/18/2022 (Brix: -1.0)
Transferred to current storage medium: 12/5/2022 (Speidel)
Oak adjunct: Equivalent to 2nd year French oak barrel
There is a third sample (black). When evaluating this wine, please examine the following components:
This is a fun way to gauge how a wine develops over time. Specific to the Carménère is how different the split batches tasted given the only other variance was the bacteria used.
Winemakers notes:
Carménère Info (green and gold)
Vintage: 2022
Harvested: 10/27/2022
Crushed 1/2 ton: 10/28/2022, volume of must split across two fermenters
pH: 3.68
Brix: 24.2
Additions: Nutrients, EV-X
Yeast: Ch. Hansen Melody (10/29/2022)
Bacteria: #1 Ch. Hansen Oenos, #2 Ch. Hansen CH-16 (10/31/2022)
Pressed #1: 11/18/2022 (Brix: -1.5)
Pressed #2: 11/18/2022 (Brix: -1.0)
Transferred to current storage medium: 12/5/2022 (Speidel)
Oak adjunct: Equivalent to 2nd year French oak barrel
There is a third sample (black). When evaluating this wine, please examine the following components:
- Appearance
- Nose – aroma and bouquet
- Balance – acid, sugar, body and tannin
- Taste
- Finish – after taste
- General quality – your overall impression of the wine's quality (NO FLUFF)
- Guess the variety
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Looking forward to it.
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