Broad Run Cellars Fall 2017 Crush

[Boatboy24]

Did part 1 today. Drove up to Harford Vineyard to pick up 3 lugs each of Lanza Merlot and Malbec from Suisun Valley, CA. Tasted the Merlot on the loading dock and knew I'd be dealing w/ a high brix batch. Sure enough, 27.6 when I measured it after crush. pH came in at 3.64 though. The Merlot is in pretty good shape with brix at 26.0 and pH at 3.67. I crushed and added Lallzyme EX and will remeasure tomorrow. I'm hoping I can wait that long - temp was already nearly 50F when I did my measurements.

Anyway, got the grapes home around 11:30 and had a quick lunch before I got started. Crushed in the back yard, by one of the basement doors. Everything went well and the kids even joined in for the last lug. 6 lugs were done in an hour, including setup time and a little slow down with the kids. It took about as long to clean up. Overall, pretty happy.

 

[Kraffty]

I'll bet the new crusher is your new favorite tool! Looks like the kids had fun too. We crushed 900 lbs yesterday and the overall consensus is we're adding a motor before next crush.
Mike

 

[Ajmassa]

Great pics! You've got yourself a crew there. --- but that looks like a bunch of dudes. Though you had a gang of women running "Broad Run Cellars". [emoji23]

 

[ceeaton]

Did part 1 today. Drove up to Harford Vineyard to pick up 3 lugs each of Lanza Merlot and Malbec from Suisun Valley, CA. Tasted the Merlot on the loading dock and knew I'd be dealing w/ a high brix batch. Sure enough, 27.6 when I measured it after crush. pH came in at 3.64 though. The Merlot is in pretty good shape with brix at 26.0 and pH at 3.67. I crushed and added Lallzyme EX and will remeasure tomorrow. I'm hoping I can wait that long - temp was already nearly 50F when I did my measurements.

Anyway, got the grapes home around 11:30 and had a quick lunch before I got started. Crushed in the back yard, by one of the basement doors. Everything went well and the kids even joined in for the last lug. 6 lugs were done in an hour, including setup time and a little slow down with the kids. It took about as long to clean up. Overall, pretty happy.

Jim, thanks for sharing those images. With my oldest leaving the nest tomorrow, makes me shed a few tears. Wish I had started making wine earlier in life, my oldest is always interested in every move/additive/yeast etc I do to my wines. He's learned alot. Looking forward to him getting stationed in California so I can come visit him and help him make his first batch or two. He just needs to get interested in alcoholic beverages (which believe it or not, he hasn't yet).

 

[Matty_Kay]

Great stuff,Jim!

 

[Boatboy24]

Great pics! You've got yourself a crew there. --- but that looks like a bunch of dudes. Though you had a gang of women running "Broad Run Cellars". [emoji23]

Nope. I have a gang of women running TO Broad Run Cellars. Pretty sure its for me, but maybe they just like the wine.

 

[Ajmassa]

Nope. I have a gang of women running TO Broad Run Cellars. Pretty sure its for me, but maybe they just like the wine.

Wahahahahhahaha

 

[TXWineDuo]

Next you will need the stand... oh how fun this hobby is!!

TXWineDuo

 

[mainshipfred]

Jim, thanks for sharing those images. With my oldest leaving the nest tomorrow, makes me shed a few tears. Wish I had started making wine earlier in life, my oldest is always interested in every move/additive/yeast etc I do to my wines. He's learned alot. Looking forward to him getting stationed in California so I can come visit him and help him make his first batch or two. He just needs to get interested in alcoholic beverages (which believe it or not, he hasn't yet).

My oldest left for San Diego last Wednesday. Look forward to visiting him and some Cali wineries.

 

[mainshipfred]

Bet you had fun playing with your new toy. There may be some that disagree, but as far as your motor question goes, as long as you allow it to dry getting water on it a few times a year won't hurt the motor.

 

[Boatboy24]

Adjusted last night and got everything pitched. ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS add half of your calculated adjustments, then re-measure before adding any more. I adjusted my Merlot down from 27.6 Brix with acidulated water, but overshot my 25.5 target and ended up at 24.8. I may be dealing with a lighter bodied Merlot, but that's what I get for trying to be speedy. Much of it will be blended with Cab Franc anyway, so if the grapes allow for it, I may let that be on the heavy side.

Final numbers: Merlot @ 24.8 brix and 3.43 pH. Malbec @ 25.2 brix and 3.67.

I went with D254 on the Malbec and BM4X4 on the Merlot. Hydrated with GoFerm and let it roll for a while, then slowly added must over an hour before pitching. Caps were both forming this morning. BTW: D254 seems to prefer Stone Temple Pilots and Foo Fighters while rehydrating. BM4X4 responded well to Sugar Ray and Jack Johnson.

 

[stickman]

Looks nice and rich to me!

 

[Boatboy24]

Looks nice and rich to me!

That's the Malbec. Merlot is pretty dark too. I'm always amazed at the change that 24 hours and some Lallzyme brings after crush. The color change is unbelievable.

 

[zadvocate]

Looks great

 

[stickman]

That's the Malbec. Merlot is pretty dark too. I'm always amazed at the change that 24 hours and some Lallzyme brings after crush. The color change is unbelievable.

I have also noticed the deep color early, although the challenge is to hold on to that color through to completion.

 

[mainshipfred]

Looks good Jim, can't wait to get mine started. Hopefully Sunday.

 

[Boatboy24]

No cap on either wine yet, but there are little bubbles slowly coming up. I'm used to BM4X4 being a little slow, but don't recall D254 being like that. Either way,
seems fine and smells really good (wife and kids agree), so the only ingredient I'm adding is patience.

 

[Boatboy24]

First punchdowns this morning. The kids got right up and excitedly came downstairs like it was Christmas morning. My oldest simply stood at the basement steps and said: 'Dad! Winery!' Off we went to do the punchdowns and add a dose of Fermaid. Things are moving right along and smelling lovely.

 

[Boatboy24]

Moving along swimmingly so far. Very clean ferments and good, solid caps. The Malbec is crazy dark - Petite Sirah dark. Might have to name that one "Lord Vader".

 

[Boatboy24]

SG Readings as of today:

Merlot 1.012
Malbec: 1.050

Not sure what's going on w/ the Malbec. No signs of stress whatsoever. Everything smells wonderful, good cap formation, and the taste I took today was outstanding. I'm gonna let it ride and hope that I can get to Friday, which will be my next chance to press, after tomorrow. I will most likely press the Merlot tomorrow, though with the watering back, some more time on the skins certainly wouldn't hurt.

Here's the Malbec: