Fall 2017 Crush

[Steve_M]

Yesterday we picked up our grapes, this years wine is Grenache and Zinfandel field blended with a little Alicante added for color. Added Lallzyme Ex, this morning Brix is 25, ph is 3.72 and TA 3.9 g/l. Will MLF after primary, what would you all suggest on adjustments?
Opti Red will be added as well, yeast is BM4X4.
Winemaker in training.

 

[Steve_M]

Tested must on 3 separate occasions. Brix 25, Ph 3.72 and TA 3.9 g/l. I have added 1L of water to which 12 grams of tartaric acid has been added.
We crushed on Saturday will inoculate with BM4X4 in the morning.
I didn't want to adjust too much will test again at end of primary.

 

[ceeaton]

My only suggestion is that is wouldn't hurt to add some tartaric acid to both bring down the pH and up the TA a bit, but you've done that so I think you are good to go in my opinion. Have fun! Who is your helper? He definitely looks like he is having fun.

 

[balatonwine]

I like your home made crusher.

 

[JohnT]

Why did you add water to your must? Why not just add acid directly?

 

[Steve_M]

@JohnT, that is a great question. I don't have a great answer other than I was assuming water would help to bring down the Brix ever so slightly as well.

 

[Billpizzaiolo]

Last week I de-stemmed and crushed 360 lbs of grapes. Today I lightly pressed the skins & Seeds scooped out of the vat in a basket press added together with the first run juice yielded 25 gallons now in secondary (malolactic) fermentation. If I had a still I could make Grappa but alas can't do that in NJ without inviting trouble. I guess it goes into the compost heap again this year.

 

[Boatboy24]

If I had a still I could make Grappa but alas can't do that in NJ without inviting trouble. I guess it goes into the compost heap again this year.

The deer used to love it when I did that. I always thought I'd catch a glimpse of one stumbling around drunk, but it never happened.

 

[JohnT]

I like to compost my skins. Tomatoes just LOVE composed grape skins.

Most years, I loose a small portion of my grape skin pile to the local deer.

It is very entertaining watching them get drunk on the stuff.

Usually timid, the deer seem rather calm and (if they see me) look like they are about to put their hoofs around my shoulders and say "I really love you man".

 

[Steve_M]

A portion of this years skins will become tomato fertilizer.

 

[geek]

@JohnT, that is a great question. I don't have a great answer other than I was assuming water would help to bring down the Brix ever so slightly as well.

After the acidulated water addition, did you check the brix again to see if it came down a tiny bit?

 

[Steve_M]

@geek, i did and tiny indeed. Barely nudged.

 

[Steve_M]

Week after inoculating them must with BM4X4, we pressed the wine. Total wine was 57 gallons. The pH 3.66 TA is 6.6 g/L. Will rack off Lee's tomorrow inoculate with MLF transfer some to barrels the rest to Caboys.

 

[Steve_M]

9/27/17 Started MLF used VP41, just over 3 weeks complete! Fastest yet

 

[Boatboy24]

I'd let it go a couple more weeks.

 

[geek]

Ditto...I’d leave it alone for a bit more, it’s still showing some Malo left...