Chileans, Finally!

[Boatboy24]

"Oops, almost got a picture of my "winter hobby" in there.

What's that, making green stains on the floor?

 

[JohnT]

This is good news and brings a sigh of relief. I remember you having a issue with the Chilean grapes. By them being different varieties and all being off somehow might be related to using this pipe...??? Not using any glues was a smart call, by just pressing the cap (dry fit) on and off makes it easy to clean.

I have been using the same pipes since 1995.

I first clean each pipe after use. I take an awl and make sure that all of the holes are free of seeds. I then oxy-clean the pipes and then put them to bed.

Before use, I again oxy-clean them, then rinse 3 times using screaming hot water, then coat with strong k-meta solution. After years of use, they still look spanking new.

 

[Tnuscan]

I have been using the same pipes since 1995.

I first clean each pipe after use. I take an awl and make sure that all of the holes are free of seeds. I then oxy-clean the pipes and then put them to bed.

Before use, I again oxy-clean them, then rinse 3 times using screaming hot water, then coat with strong k-meta solution. After years of use, they still look spanking new.

The idea of the pipe is a good one, I will be using this also. The main reason for my post was to let anyone using this idea to be cautious of making it and using it in a way that might hurt their wine. (cutting, drilling then instantly using).

Letting the fresh cuts and drilled openings set a while to loose the aromas and tastes that a fresh cut into this plastic can release. Cleaning it the way you do yours to be extra safe and help insure a successful process.

It seems in wine making it doesn't take much to throw things off here and there.

 

[JohnT]

The idea of the pipe is a good one, I will be using this also. The main reason for my post was to let anyone using this idea to be cautious of making it and using it in a way that might hurt their wine. (cutting, drilling then instantly using).

Letting the fresh cuts and drilled openings set a while to loose the aromas and tastes that a fresh cut into this plastic can release. Cleaning it the way you do yours to be extra safe and help insure a successful process.

It seems in wine making it doesn't take much to throw things off here and there.

Thank you so much for voicing your concerns. I should have mentioned about the glue. Having great folks (like you) helps to ensure things just get better and better!

I remember taking a scotch-brite pad to scour the pipe inside and out after the holes were drilled. This knocked off all of the "dangling chads".

 

[Johnd]

Tasted the Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon yesterday evening, to use a description I read here, the flavor was "meh". I think it's going through a phase of its development in the barrel, this has always had decent fruit, now it has no flavor. I've only read about these stages where different aspects of the wine disappear as they develop, only to return. I'll keep monitoring to see how it progresses. The others are still carboyed.

 

[sdelli]

I will probably get my head bit off for this one but I really do not see how people are purchasing Chilean every year. I read post after post about problems..... First year I tried fresh grapes. Had to pitch it due to high h2s problems. Last year I made some juice of Malbec and Syrah. Came out fine but the quality is far from what I am used to drinking. This year and moving forward I am sticking with grapes from good old CA in the fall. The quality is very reliable and makes great wine!

 

[JohnT]

I will probably get my head bit off for this one but I really do not see how people are purchasing Chilean every year. I read post after post about problems..... First year I tried fresh grapes. Had to pitch it due to high h2s problems. Last year I made some juice of Malbec and Syrah. Came out fine but the quality is far from what I am used to drinking. This year and moving forward I am sticking with grapes from good old CA in the fall. The quality is very reliable and makes great wine!

Year after year I do Chilean from fresh grapes, and each year it turns out wonderful. It is some of the best I have ever made. I currently have my 2016 in the barrel and it knocks my socks off each time I taste it.

Please tell me you did not toss your wine due to H2S!!! This is easily addressable! Was there more to it than just your run of the mill H2S??

 

[sdelli]

Glad to hear it! That batch did get tossed. Just bottled last year Syrah and Malbec from juice. Oak the crap out of it and it taste pretty decent.

 

[Johnd]

Just sort of wrapping this thread up, it's been about 18 months since starting these Chilean grapes, I had them crushed, destemmed, frozen and shipped to me, Cab and Malbec. Both wines were put through MLF, neither completed and were sulfited a few months after inoculating (post AF). Both wines were a little lowish on BRIX, and low pH, which I surmised was due to being harvested a little early, both with a little vegetal hint. The wines went through different stages during development where the fruit waxed and waned, but ended up ok. The Cab was bottled a few weeks ago and is OK, not bad, but not great, I'm hoping it will improve with some time in the bottle. The Malbec was bottled yesterday, as well as a 3 gallon carboy blend of 75% Cab / 25% Malbec, also OK, and again, I'm hoping these will improve with some bottle time. All of the wines have a very distinctive taste, not necessarily a good or bad taste, just distinctive, I can't quite put my finger on it but want to say it's slightly vegetal. They are all currently very drinkable, but either: 1. Not my best effort, or: 2. Not above average fruit.

 

[JohnT]

Thanks for all of your posts here. Sorry to hear that your wine isn't a show stopper, but that is how it goes sometimes. The important thing here is that you have something drinkable! There have been a number of batches that I have made that were undrinkable (not many, but there were a few).

I wonder if having them frozen had any negative effects?

 

[Johnd]

Thanks for all of your posts here. Sorry to hear that your wine isn't a show stopper, but that is how it goes sometimes. The important thing here is that you have something drinkable! There have been a number of batches that I have made that were undrinkable (not many, but there were a few).

I wonder if having them frozen had any negative effects?

I think, in general, that freezing is a good thing, as it gives some additional "cold soak" time as it freezes and then thaws, and that helps release the goodies. Having done lots of frozen musts, I've not noticed any issues that i would attribute to freezing, but that's just personal experience.

My hunch is that these grapes were harvested a bit early (low BRIX, low pH, vegetal characteristics), and received too much exposure to SO2 during shipping and / or during crushing and destemming (although I asked for no sulfites to be added). Thus, the final taste and fact that MLF wouldn't complete. I'm a little snobby with wine, so that certainly should be taken into account. I'm not disappointed, but feel the wines should have been better, and agree, sometimes, that's just how it goes. After all, its a crop that changes from year to year, sometimes awesome, sometimes not.............

 

[sdelli]

My suggestion to this thread is be careful how much investment of your inventory you put into Chilean... I stopped using them all together a couple years ago. The price is attractive but you get what you pay for. There are much better sources to invest and get a good wine. I have a few bottles in the cellar from 2 years ago and use them as give aways. Taste ok but not a stellar wine. My inventory from CA is always top shelf people love to death!

 

[JohnT]

I think, in general, that freezing is a good thing, as it gives some additional "cold soak" time as it freezes and then thaws, and that helps release the goodies. Having done lots of frozen musts, I've not noticed any issues that i would attribute to freezing, but that's just personal experience.

I was just asking because I have no experience with frozen must.

 

[cgallamo]

Chileans sure, but how about the Spaniards. Is that in bottles yet?

 

[Johnd]

Chileans sure, but how about the Spaniards. Is that in bottles yet?

Good memory!!! No, not bottled yet, but they have been moving through the process. I took a bunch of wines out of barrels (Chileans), and put some new ones into barrels in the last few weeks, the Montsant Merlot is in barrels now (two 6 gallon Vadai), but the tempranillo is not. When the 12 gallon Vadai frees up from the Lanza Cab 169, the two carboys of Tempranillo will go in there.

 

[Boatboy24]

My suggestion to this thread is be careful how much investment of your inventory you put into Chilean... I stopped using them all together a couple years ago.

I stayed away last year but will dip my toe back into the pool this year. I'm going to try two things that are different from my previous practices: 1) no added sulfite prior to fermentation and 2) co-innoculation of MLB. My last batches of Chilean never finished MLF and I believe that is due at least in part to sulfite levels. Additionally, because I tried for many months to get MLF to complete, I think VA took over. I'm not certain, but we'll see what happens. I'm going to try a single batch of Carmenere/Petite Verdot field blend. This will mimic a favorite Chilean wine of mine (Purple Angel). We'll see how it goes. If I can produce something good, I'll continue. If not, that'll be the last of my efforts from 'down south' and I'll stick w/ west coast wines in the fall.

 

[Johnd]

I stayed away last year but will dip my toe back into the pool this year. I'm going to try two things that are different from my previous practices: 1) no added sulfite prior to fermentation and 2) co-innoculation of MLB. My last batches of Chilean never finished MLF and I believe that is due at least in part to sulfite levels. Additionally, because I tried for many months to get MLF to complete, I think VA took over. I'm not certain, but we'll see what happens. I'm going to try a single batch of Carmenere/Petite Verdot field blend. This will mimic a favorite Chilean wine of mine (Purple Angel). We'll see how it goes. If I can produce something good, I'll continue. If not, that'll be the last of my efforts from 'down south' and I'll stick w/ west coast wines in the fall.

I'm with you on the SO2, think I suffered the same fate. I hadn't started coinoculation at that point, but it's one of the things that led me to first give it a whirl. Hope you hit the next batch out of the park!

 

[Ajmassa]

@Johnd and @Boatboy24 - you guys are gonna have to do me a solid this spring then. I know you both own Vinmetricas correct? So at crush (or thaw) let’s put those to use and see what we are actually working with! If you do, please share the results.
Harford and my supplier in nj carry a lot of the same grapes. I’d think those so2 pads/misted trucks/ etc.. would effect other varietals very similarly.
And just a matter of time before doing frozen must.
——for the record I couldn’t be happier with how my 9 month old Chilean grapes are coming along. I Even sent a couple in to be evaluated to a contest and receive back some notes.

 

[Johnd]

@Johnd and @Boatboy24 - you guys are gonna have to do me a solid this spring then. I know you both own Vinmetricas correct? So at crush (or thaw) let’s put those to use and see what we are actually working with! If you do, please share the results.

Be happy to do so if I do Chileans this spring, which is doubtful at the moment. I’m contemplating cutting back on production, doing one large batch per year, fresh grapes from the west coast, aged in French. Plans do change, we’ll see what happens........

 

[ceeaton]

I agree with @sdelli, you get what you pay for. The main reason I love doing Chilean grapes is that they are cheap (and they fall at a time when I'm for the most part beer brewing not wine making, except for an occasional racking). I like the idea of using the Chilean products to help me learn and practice the basics in wine making. Keeping things clean to begin with, taking readings and adjusting numbers, keeping the yeast happy during the ferment, adding the MLB and seeing if MLF is complete, oh, and actually keeping up with my note taking.

Someday I'll grow up and be willing to take a chance that the skills I've learned along the way will justify making a wine from pricey ingredients. Until I prove to myself I can handle the process, I'm sticking with the cheaper stuff and occasionally doing a batch of better grapes in the Fall from California, or local ones I can get 'round here.