Chilean Grapes

[JohnT]

Got it. So my personal pH would be low and my TA would be high

Hey, as the bible says, judge not lest yee be judged.

 

[ceeaton]

Hey, as the bible says, judge not lest yee be judged.

JohnT, I was only trying to judge myself, not you (I just read what I wrote in that earlier post and could see it being taken as judgemental towards your numbers). You said pH is strength (I'm pretty weak since I injured my shoulder a few years back) and TA is weight (I've been losing some weight but still come in around 230).

And I heard my Pastor's sermon today. I just can't figure out how he knows all that questionable stuff about me every week.

 

[JohnT]

JohnT, I was only trying to judge myself, not you (I just read what I wrote in that earlier post and could see it being taken as judgemental towards your numbers). You said pH is strength (I'm pretty weak since I injured my shoulder a few years back) and TA is weight (I've been losing some weight but still come in around 230).

And I heard my Pastor's sermon today. I just can't figure out how he knows all that questionable stuff about me every week.

I honestly did not take it the wrong way and took no offense... the problem with texting is that one does not hear the tone of voice... please believe me that we are good....

 

[eightysixCJ]

I did an 80/20 cab/merlot.. ta is .56, initial brick is 25%. Potential A/V is 15.1%

Also did a pure pinot noir.. tags is .575, brix is 26%, with potential a.b.v. of 15.9%.

I made no adjustments and will pitch yeast tomorrow.

These grapes make my Hungarian heart skip a beat. High sugar and acid higher than one would expect.

Worth the wait and price!

Thanks for sharing! I'm making my first batches, Cab and Merlot. I thought the grapes looked good but appreciate an experienced opinion. What yeast did you use?

Tom

 

[JohnT]

Thanks for sharing! I'm making my first batches, Cab and Merlot. I thought the grapes looked good but appreciate an experienced opinion. What yeast did you use?

Tom

I am using Lalvin RC212.

 

[eightysixCJ]

I am using Lalvin RC212.

Thanks. I'm using Pasteur Red.

Tom

 

[JohnT]

Thanks. I'm using Pasteur Red.

Tom

Not one of my favorites. Pasteur red is very prone to H2S issues. Are you adding yeast nutrient? If not, I highly recommend that you do.

What I do is to use a "nutrient cocktail" of both DAP (diammonium phosphate) and fermax. I make up a "nutrient schedule" where I add nutrient in stages...

The following is the schedule for a 54 liter demijohn. You can scale it down if you are making a carboy...

(day one, prior to pitch) add 27 grams of DAP and 5 grams of fermax.
(day 2 or end of lag phase) add 27 grams of DAP and 5 grams of fermax.
(day 4 or at 8 brix remaining) add 7 grams of fermax.


Since I started using this "add in stages" method, I have not had any H2S issues. You may want to consider doing the same since Pasture Red is much more prone to H2S issues than RC212.

 

[mcorey]

Here's an update on my Chilean batches:

324 lbs of Malbec - pressed this week and yielded 26 gallons (12.5lbs/gal)
180 lbs of Carmenere - pressed this week and yielded 15 gallons (12lbs/gal)
72 lbs of Cab. Sauv. - pressed this week and yielded 5.5 gallons (13lbs/gal)

This the highest yield I've ever done. I'm usually around 15-16 lbs/gal

 

[eightysixCJ]

Not one of my favorites. Pasteur red is very prone to H2S issues. Are you adding yeast nutrient? If not, I highly recommend that you do.

What I do is to use a "nutrient cocktail" of both DAP (diammonium phosphate) and fermax. I make up a "nutrient schedule" where I add nutrient in stages...

The following is the schedule for a 54 liter demijohn. You can scale it down if you are making a carboy...

(day one, prior to pitch) add 27 grams of DAP and 5 grams of fermax.
(day 2 or end of lag phase) add 27 grams of DAP and 5 grams of fermax.
(day 4 or at 8 brix remaining) add 7 grams of fermax.


Since I started using this "add in stages" method, I have not had any H2S issues. You may want to consider doing the same since Pasture Red is much more prone to H2S issues than RC212.

This is very helpful! Thank you very much.

I started the yeast with Goferm (poured on top on Sunday evening 5-25), mixed in Monday morning, punched cap morning and evening, added Fermaid 2g/gal. on day 3, and planned on Fermaid 1g/gal. on day 5.

This evening, Brix at 19.3 in the Merlot and 15.4 in the Cab. both at 83*F in a 73*F room. I don't detect any sulfur or off smell or taste. Sounds like I should increase the feeding on day 5.

Tom

 

[JohnT]

Pressed today. Pic to follow. Did I say that I love youse guys?

 

[Rocco]

JohnT you are one of my favorites!

 

[JohnT]

Pressed the Chilean on Saturday. Nice to say that the 2015 Chilean is in the can! Tasted the wine coming off the press. Boy, was it good!.

The way we press evolved as we aged**. We found out early that it is far better (and easier on the back) to use the following steps..

1) I first remove the cap. I use a large strainer to scoop it up. The strainer is large enough that I can take a scoop and set the strainer on top of the primary to drain a bit. Once drained, I dump the skins into the press.

See picture 2, you can see a scoop of skins draining..

2) I have a 4" diameter PVC pipe that is capped on one end and drilled with a "ga-jillion" holes. I insert this into the primary and use a pump to transfer the free run juice to my secondary (VCSS Tank).

3) Once done, what little remains is easily dumped into the press.

This method is a true back saver. There is little to no heavy lifting or stooping!! Old men like me need to work smart, not hard...

4) I press VERY gently. Once the press takes 100 bars of pressure, we open the press and "fork" the pumice (I had made large 2-tyne forks just for this purpose during one of the blacksmithing classes I took). We then close the press back up and give it another squeeze. Pressing takes time. It is best to have something to occupy your time like, say, sampling earlier vintages. We repeat the forking process 2 or 3 times.

5) We use two five gallon buckets (that were emblazoned with the most beautiful of all designs) to catch the wine off of the press. One bucket is actively catching the wine while another is waiting in reserve. We have another large strainer the sits on top of the bucket to strain the wine as it is coming off the press. Since we are only pressing the cap which has been drained, there not nearly as much wine that needs to be bucketed from the press.

See picture 1...

6) Once complete, and the skins are dry and "sticky" to the touch, and 300 bars of pressure only yield the slightest trickle, we break down the press and clean/wash/putaway all equipment.

7) Once we get to the point where 100 bars of pressure is no longer enough, we start dialing the pressure up. What wine come out at this point is kept separate. I have found that this wine is loaded with tannins and is very bitter. For this year's Chilean of 62 half-lugs, this amounted to the last 5 gallons. This is in it's own carboy.


** This is the method that evolved as the years went by. I welcome any/all suggestions or comments.

 

[Boatboy24]

Nice write up, @JohnT . I started using a very similar approach on my last pressing back in the fall. It was only my third, but it was light years better, faster and cleaner than the first two.

 

[Enologo]

John I'm curious, how much of an effect do you think that last 5 gallons would make on the rest of the wine if you were to add it in and how do you treat the separated wine??

 

[JohnT]

This definitely makes a difference. You can very easily judge for yourself. Keep your free run wine / soft pressing separate from your hard pressings and taste them when all is said and done. With all of the tannins, the hard pressings will be a lot more bitter, overly sharp, and very biting.

I save the last 5 gallons and, after a year or so, decide if it is ok to return it to the tank with all the rest, but this is rare.

I mostly just give it away to a niece or nephew that has helped out during the year. Funny, they do not seem to complain about free wine.

 

[Enologo]

That sounds like a great plan. I know that the ones I give away would still be appreciated and it would preserve my stockpile from getting too quickly depleted as happens now. I'll have to try that.

 

[sour_grapes]

Nice work, John!

It is best to have something to occupy your time like, say, sampling earlier vintages.
...

5) We use two five gallon buckets (that were emblazoned with the most beautiful of all designs) to catch the wine off of the press.

Hmmm, I am guessing that these two statements are not unrelated!

 

[JohnT]

Nice work, John!



Hmmm, I am guessing that these two statements are not unrelated!

Finally! someone picked up on that! lol

 

[eightysixCJ]

Looks great! Thank you very much for sharing john.

Tom

 

[geek]

John,

I only do small batches and ferment in small 10gal or 20gal brute.
I find that after scooping up the floating grapes/skins, there are still LOTS of skins sitting and mixed at the bottom with the sludge or thick sediment.

Do you get the same results and simply don't care about the thick sediment at this point since I assume you'll let the wine settle for a day or two and then rack off the sediment?

This time I just did a small batch of 7 Chilean lugs and after scooping all skins from the top, I basically poured the juice and sediment altogether into the press and let the juice run down freely out of the press into a bucket until I then press at the end.
.