First Time with Grapes... Cry Baby

[RegionRat]

So I picked up 3 cases of Cabernet Sauvignon at Santa Fe yesterday. They are Cry Baby Brand. I just got done reading about them and am a little apprehensive.

I dont know that much about the grape growing regions of California. There are from the Central Valley. From what some people are saying on another forum is that they are not the best quality. They were actually bashing this particular brand.

Do you think I just made a mistake?

I just got done de-steming and crushing them. I will test acid and T/A tomorrow and adjust. A few people were saying that the acid needs to be in the 8+ range and that the wine absolutely has to be cold stabilized for it to have a chance at being of any quality.....


What do you think.

Cleaning

Crushing

All Crushed

Adding Campton


RR

 

[JohnT]

I dont know that much about the grape growing regions of California. There are from the Central Valley. From what some people are saying on another forum is that they are not the best quality. They were actually bashing this particular brand.

Do you think I just made a mistake?

I just got done de-steming and crushing them. I will test acid and T/A tomorrow and adjust. A few people were saying that the acid needs to be in the 8+ range and that the wine absolutely has to be cold stabilized for it to have a chance at being of any quality.....

RR

RR, They are full of CR@P!

I do not know of ANYONE that would advise you to up the acid to .8 gpl (especially a red). I have used this brand before and have had some success. If your acid is above the .56 gpl level, wait and adjust after fermentation to .6 to .65. I think that someone was pulling your leg.

I have never had to cold stabilize or add any type of fining agent. The wine clears just fine, given time.

I have several award winning results using this brand. I have to admit, though, that some years are better than others. By the looks of things, they look good.

 

[RegionRat]

John,

*sigh* thanks. When I was reading what these people had to say my heart dropped. I was like WTH.

Live and learn.

RR

 

[JohnT]

RR,

I am thinking that they were playing a cruel joke on you. If you took the acid up to .8, I would say that it would be undrinkable. I find a level of .7 as being overly tart.

The grapes looked dark and lovely. Did you taste them? What kind of sugar did you get?

 

[Bartman]

I dont know that much about the grape growing regions of California. There are from the Central Valley. From what some people are saying on another forum is that they are not the best quality. They were actually bashing this particular brand.

RR

I think the lesson here is to not read other forums.
Just stay here, and you'll get the straight poop. LOL -

 

[RegionRat]

I think the lesson here is to not read other forums.
Just stay here, and you'll get the straight poop. LOL -

True that, you would think I would know better!!

RR

 

[RegionRat]

Destem and Crush Vid

The crusher works best if you turn the handle the right way....

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZxoQ0yp2Uk"]Crush[/ame]

RR

 

[JohnT]

here is a quote I found on another web-site concerning the central valley...

Although the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys are not designated AVAs, the region produces 71 percent of the state’s wine grapes and is home to eight AVAs — Clarksburg, Diablo Grande, Dunnigan Hills, Lodi, Madera, Merritt Island, River Junction and Salado Creek.

Seems to me that you should stay on this site!

 

[RegionRat]

RR,

I am thinking that they were playing a cruel joke on you. If you took the acid up to .8, I would say that it would be undrinkable. I find a level of .7 as being overly tart.

The grapes looked dark and lovely. Did you taste them? What kind of sugar did you get?

I am not a member of the forum where I read the bad reviews on these grapes. I just read a few people's opinions that these grapes made lousy wine.

They taste fine. My friend that was helping destem them could not believe how good the must tasted. I didnt test sugar or acid. I will tomorrow and post results.

RR

 

[skipdonohue]

I made crybaby Cab Sauv in 2011.. Sorry to say, they are definitely the low man on the totem pole for quality.. Even the worker where I bought them told me to get rid of them and wait for the California Special brand to come in.. but it was too late.. Now its 2 years later, and I just blended some 2013 Chilean Cab to see if that will help with colour and body.. and will let this age another year or 2...

 

[Rocky]

RR, you will be fine but do get your numbers as soon as you can. This year will be a great year for California wines and I am sure that the fine vineyards in the Central Valley are not exception. If the must tastes good you are more than halfway home.

 

[RegionRat]

I made crybaby Cab Sauv in 2011.. Sorry to say, they are definitely the low man on the totem pole for quality.. Even the worker where I bought them told me to get rid of them and wait for the California Special brand to come in.. but it was too late.. Now its 2 years later, and I just blended some 2013 Chilean Cab to see if that will help with colour and body.. and will let this age another year or 2...

That is along the lines of what they were saying on that other board.

Hey, like my dad used to say, " Some times you just have to drop your shorts and slide on the ice."

RR, you will be fine but do get your numbers as soon as you can. This year will be a great year for California wines and I am sure that the fine vineyards in the Central Valley are not exception. If the must tastes good you are more than halfway home.

I am at the firehouse now. I will test as soon as I get home tomorrow.

The must tasted real good. There was kind of, for the lack of a better word, a 'dirt' taste in the back ground. Is this normal?

RR

 

[Boatboy24]

The must tasted real good. There was kind of, for the lack of a better word, a 'dirt' taste in the back ground. Is this normal?

RR

That must be what they mean by "terroir".

 

[RegionRat]

That must be what they mean by "terroir".

I had to look it up, LOL

RR

 

[manvsvine]

What's the ph?

Ph is much more important than TA . Central Valley grapes often come in at phs over 4.0

If so you may very well have to go upto 8 g/l TA to get the pH in the right range .

Don't let a pissing contest let you throw the baby out with the bath water

 

[RegionRat]

Here Are the Numbers

I checked and here we go; 22Brix, ph 4.04, T/A 7.1.

I tested 3 times

What do I do?

RR

 

[manvsvine]

I'd start with 1 gram per Litre tartaric addition. or 4 grams per gallon.
Mix it very well the check your ph again.

You'll want to bring it down to at least 3.8 .

You may need to add more . Add stir check ph add more stir check repeat!

I'd stop short of trying for an ideal 3.65 but you need to get it lower , 3.8 is reasonable not perfect but a decent compromise.
Otherwise you'll need crazy levels of so2 and it will taste flabby.

Welcome to Central Valley wine grapes. You can make good wine from it but you need to get a bit radical with acid additions .

This is why many people talk down about them .
I used them for years but don't anymore.


What are you useing to measure TA ( titratable acidity) ? Your acid seems high for the ph, you can't trust strips or titretes with red wine and I've never seen cv grapes with a TA that high.

But most ph meters are reliable and your ph looks right .( you used fresh buffers right?)
Brix is a bit lower than I would expect .

 

[RegionRat]

I'd start with 1 gram per Litre tartaric addition. or 4 grams per gallon.
Mix it very well the check your ph again.

You'll want to bring it down to at least 3.8 .

You may need to add more . Add stir check ph add more stir check repeat!

I'd stop short of trying for an ideal 3.65 but you need to get it lower , 3.8 is reasonable not perfect but a decent compromise.
Otherwise you'll need crazy levels of so2 and it will taste flabby.

Welcome to Central Valley wine grapes. You can make good wine from it but you need to get a bit radical with acid additions .

This is why many people talk down about them .
I used them for years but don't anymore.


What are you useing to measure TA ( titratable acidity) ? Your acid seems high for the ph, you can't trust strips or titretes with red wine and I've never seen cv grapes with a TA that high.

But most ph meters are reliable and your ph looks right . Brix is a bit lower than I would expect .

Thanks, you sound like you have, been there done that. I will follow your lead.

I dont know enough about this to start a war on here. I just want to make the best wine I can with the grapes available to me. This is my first time with fresh grapes. I have learned a lot. Next year there will be changes.


Any way, I used a Vinmetrica SC-300 and Hanna 96811. Over the last year I have become very good at using them. In anticipation of the fall wine season I also ordered fresh buffers. I tested these grapes three time and am 100% sure the numbers are correct.

I pitched yeast earlier. I used D21 I got from MoreWine rehydrated with Go-Ferm. Also added was nutrient and 9oz dark toasted oak.


If anyone else has an opinion that would be great.

RR

 

[Bartman]

I have lots of opinions, most of them aren't relevant here though.

Seriously, RR, you have already learned that there are lots of ways to 'skin the cat', when it comes to making wine from grapes. One of the main lessons I have learned from this forum is that there is typically more than one correct/appropriate/effective way to convert grapes/other/fruit/juice into wine. Some ways work "better" than others, but sometimes it depends on the materials you start with. If you are hoping someone will reveal the one 'perfect' way of converting your grapes into an excellent wine, it ain't gonna happen - just to many variables involved, including your personal preferences/aptitudes. That's what makes it more of an art than a science.

As with most of life, experience is the best teacher of all.

 

[RegionRat]

I have lots of opinions, most of them aren't relevant here though.

Seriously, RR, you have already learned that there are lots of ways to 'skin the cat', when it comes to making wine from grapes. One of the main lessons I have learned from this forum is that there is typically more than one correct/appropriate/effective way to convert grapes/other/fruit/juice into wine. Some ways work "better" than others, but sometimes it depends on the materials you start with. If you are hoping someone will reveal the one 'perfect' way of converting your grapes into an excellent wine, it ain't gonna happen - just to many variables involved, including your personal preferences/aptitudes. That's what makes it more of an art than a science.



As with most of life, experience is the best teacher of all.

Bartman, I could not agree more! Well put.

As for this wine. I added 28gr tartaric acid last night and woke up to 3.95 and 8g/l

......I'd stop short of trying for an ideal 3.65 but you need to get it lower , 3.8 is reasonable not perfect but a decent compromise....

Why would I not shoot for 3.65 if I am adjusting?

I figure I have 28 liters of juice. do you thing I should ad 1.5 g/l this time or stick to 1 g/l



RR