Adding color to a batch of Pinot?

[AnthonySoCo]

I'm currently bulk aging my first ever batch of wine. It’s a Sonoma County Pinot and I learned about cold soaking and pectic enzymes too late in the process to try either technique. I’m happy with the nose and flavor of the wine at this point, but it’s very light in color. Is there anything that I can do to add some color to the wine or am I stuck with what I have?

 

[Gabert Grape]

If anyone can also shed light on wine losing color during bulk aging? I even did an EM for 4 additional weeks.
Does the Picking time have anything to do with the color? I purchased the grapes as soon as they were available (early in the season).

 

[salcoco]

check the ph is it in proper range of 3.3-3.5 may need adjustment try a bench trial. you can also purchase dried crushed grape skins that once added to wine dissolve and addmore color again I would do bench trials.

 

[AnthonySoCo]

check the ph is it in proper range of 3.3-3.5 may need adjustment try a bench trial. you can also purchase dried crushed grape skins that once added to wine dissolve and addmore color again I would do bench trials.

pH, acidity, and SO2 are all where they should be. I put the wine through malolactic fermentation once primary was complete and just racked the wine off of oak Wine Stix. The wine has been bulk aging in glass carboys for about 3.5 months. Any downsides to using the crushed grape skins or are there any other options. Thanks

 

[AnthonySoCo]

I also came across this grape skin extract. Has anyone ever had any experience with this?

http://www.piwine.com/grape-skin-extract-1-oz.html

 

[cmason1957]

I have to be honest, if it were mine, I would just leave it alone, it is what color it is. Smells, tastes good. Light color isn't a flaw or anything wrong with the wine. particularly for Pinot which can often be a very light colored wine.

 

[FTC Wines]

Our Pinot Noirs are also very light in color. Both the juice buckets & the Pinot from real Calif grapes. Numbers all good, fermented slow, etc. Good taste etc so we are just drinking with light color, there could be worse “issues “. Roy

 

[topper9520]

Anthony,

Pino is the most finicky grape there is in the vineyard and even more so in the cellar, if you like the nose and the taste I would live with the color I would not mess with it by adding anything, do not add any dried crush grape skin! you made pino correct keep it that way.

 

[SethF]

I just used some of the Presque Isle grape skin extract this year. I like what it did for the color on a particularly light Cabernet Merlot blend. I do not have any long term aging comments yet, obviously.

 

[Ajmassa]

I just used some of the Presque Isle grape skin extract this year. I like what it did for the color on a particularly light Cabernet Merlot blend. I do not have any long term aging comments yet, obviously.

Had a cab turn out very light this year. Was going to use it as an excuse to make a batch of Petit Sirah to blend in. But if these darkening additives are natural and won’t change the profile— that’s intriguing.

And @SethF, watch out for Yellow Tail hired goons. The first rule of using Mega Purple or skin extract is— Do NOT Talk About It! http://www.wineanorak.com/wineblog/california/grape-juice-concentrate-and-mega-purple

 

[Trick]

The MM skin pack makes my cab batch look like pinot wine. Taste is not bad. so I grabbed a bottle of wine colorant the other day and did a quick bench test. will add a low dose in next rack to bring up color a little bit.

 

[NorCal]

I’d throw a splash of Petite Syrah or Petit Verdot in it and it will darken it right up. However, with that light of a wine, the PS or PV will also dominate the flavor of the wine as well if you put too much in. I too would leave it alone and enjoy it for what it is, or do some bench trials with a bottle of PV and see if you like the results.

 

[stickman]

When I did my Pinot in 2016 I looked at a lot of research. It seemed like the general consensus was that adding anything to Pinot is tricky and likely to alter the flavor profile in a negative way.
Even so, there were several people indicating that it is not uncommon to find Syrah being added to Pinot. Some California producers are using Pinot skins left over from sparkling wine production, these are unfermented skins that go through a very heavy press, and what they get from the press is concentrated with ultrafiltration. The concentrate is rich in pigment extraction cofactors that is added to the Pinot during typical fermentation, the cofactors aid in color extraction and retention.
Obviously this is far beyond standard home winemaking technique, so my recommendation for Pinot is to get the best grapes available and stick with traditional techniques.

 

[MJD]

Leave it alone.
One of the best Pinot's I ever made was lighter than typical cranberry juice.
If the nose and flavor are good for you, then they will speak for the wine.
Adding "stuff" at this point probably isn't a good approach, and blending with another varietal will toss off the Pinot taste.

 

[BABRU]

Sunlight can lighten wine. If that is an issue, keep carboys covered during aging.