Harford Vineyard Chilean Grape/Juice Pickup
- Thread starter Boatboy24
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You didn't see me sipping a spoonful of Merlot at the end?
Had to watch it again closely, I did see the sip, you get the free pass (like I'm the type that is allowed to give out passes). How long in real time was that video, you got quite a lot of work done in what didn't seem like a long time? I guess I didn't realize you got so many buckets and grapes until I watched that.
That work area does look nice and open. I need to do something in the basement, which will start with a utility tub. The kitchen work area I have is rather restricted, and I have to share to boot.
Boatboy24
No longer a newbie, but still clueless.
IIRC, the whole process there took about 25 minutes, including once or twice where I left the room to answer a question from the Mrs.
The room is completely cluttered and in need of a good tidying right now, but as I recall, the measurements are 13'x12' or 13'x11'. It's a nice little space. Also housed in there are a spare fridge and my 52 bottle wine cooler (which the camera was on). Ultimately, I want to put a wall in front of the HVAC, and will have a sink and counter there.
Checked gravities tonight after squeezing Pinot Noir bag.
Pinot Noir - 1.022 @ 70*F
Pinot Grigio #1 & #2 - 1.032 @ 64*F (ambient, wasn't going back up those stairs yet again for my thermometer).
All smells good to this point, slight sulphery odor in PN is a thing of the past, and hopefully stays in the past.
Pinot Noir - 1.022 @ 70*F
Pinot Grigio #1 & #2 - 1.032 @ 64*F (ambient, wasn't going back up those stairs yet again for my thermometer).
All smells good to this point, slight sulphery odor in PN is a thing of the past, and hopefully stays in the past.
Boatboy24
No longer a newbie, but still clueless.
Smooth sailing here as well. After FermaidO additions all has been well (I forgot to add the initial dose after fermentation started
). And the Syrah, which had the strong pepper notes, has mellowed and has nice fruit, with a little pepper in the background. I didn't check SGs tonight, just stirred. I only check every couple days anyway during primary. I was also racking the LR Aglianico and racking/stabilizing the LR Sauvignon Blanc Rose. Things are progressing well though, and I'm still planning to press and rack tomorrow night, so I don't have to worry about it during my overnight with the Scouts on Friday.
I just pressed and racked my grapes using the WineEasy, which gave me 7.5 gallons (108 pounds of grapes). There was definitely some juice left (moist grapes), but the process was simple. I only got 3 gallons free run in my 6 gallon carboy before I had to turn on the motor to pull the press down. I then filled a 1 gallon jug, and then half of another 1 gallon jug. I'm planning to MLF the 6 gallon, and at a later date compare it to the wine that didn't go thru MLF. Let the experiment begin!
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If you have room in your freezer, put those left over skins in as they can help improve the nose, flavor and mouth feel of a cheaper kit.
I put mine in a food saver bag, partially freeze, compact, freeze some more, then food save. I have some now from last September and they're looking good still (very little freezer burn).
Dang I tossed them already. Good tip though. I'll remember for next time.
It is a good tip, and I got it from a few here I won't mention, might go to their heads, but they know who they are!
Boatboy24
No longer a newbie, but still clueless.
Got all 4 racked/pressed tonight. I stopped at Lowes on the way home and grabbed a 2ft piece of 4" PVC, along with a cap for one end. I then, as @JohnT has suggested, drilled a 'gajillion' holes in it. Stuck that into the primaries and put the racking cane (hooked to the Allinone) inside that and racked the juice out while squeezing the remaining juice out of the grapes that were in paint strainer bags. The whole process - nearly 30 gallons of wine - took a little over 2 hours from setup through cleanup.
Cabernet: 1.002
Merlot: 1.004
Syrah: 1.010
Carmenere: 1.012
Will hopefully rack off gross lees on Saturday and pitch MLB.
Cabernet: 1.002
Merlot: 1.004
Syrah: 1.010
Carmenere: 1.012
Will hopefully rack off gross lees on Saturday and pitch MLB.
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Glad that worked out for you. Those column strainers are real handy..
Just squeezed the Pinot Noir bag and checked the SG, it was down to 1.010, so I'll have to rack it tonight after work and pizza. The Pinot Grigio(s) are both about .010 slower than the PN, but they are in their original buckets with the grommet drilled out and an airlock stuck in, so not too worried about moving those anytime soon.
Hopefully re-rack and pitch MLB in the Pinot Noir on Sunday if all goes well.
Hopefully re-rack and pitch MLB in the Pinot Noir on Sunday if all goes well.
Finally got around to racking this today. Squeezed and put the very small quantity of grape stuff that was left in the paint strainer bag into an open ended food saver bag and stuck it in the freezer. Will seal it once the liquid freezes for a bit. Racked it to a 7.9 gallon fermentation bucket, and when I snapped the lid down to add an airlock, wine came out of the hole, so I put a StarSan soaked paper towel over the top. Plan on racking it to a 6 gallon glass carboy tomorrow and adding the MLF bacteria. SG was 0.998 @ 68*F.
Smells really good, doesn't taste as good. At this point would make a nice London Broil marinate and I've heard that really young Pinot Noir can be "gamey" with many obtuse flavors, but I do love the aroma!
Smells really good, doesn't taste as good. At this point would make a nice London Broil marinate and I've heard that really young Pinot Noir can be "gamey" with many obtuse flavors, but I do love the aroma!
"Smells really good, doesn't taste as good." That made me laugh. Same though, wine is of course undrinkable right now. CO2 in wine, yuck!
I kinda know what the wine will be like after the CO2 goes bye bye. But this really has all kinds of flavors I've never experienced in a young wine. First try at this Pinot Noir thing. Wasn't sure what to expect because it is from Chile. I can go get a Cali or Oregon or Washington State PN off the shelf pretty easily at the State Store, but Chilean PN's are hard to come by. Seen a few from Agrentina, but that is the closest I've sampled.
After my earlier rookie mistake, adding too much tartaric acid, I was able to correct the pH to 3.38 prior to fermentation. I tested again 36 hours after pressing and racking and was shocked to see my pH dropped to 3.2. Is this normal and something I should expect in the future? I decided to roll with it and added the VP41 this morning. Hoping MLF has a big impact raising pH.
MoreWinemaking.com seems to think VP41 goes down to a pH of 3.2. I'm sure there is some leeway there, since like anything, they aren't going to publish the absolute lowest pH it will work in. If you have some, or can order some Acti-ML and use it to rehydrate that bacterium, it might help it get going in those less than optimum conditions. It seemed pretty bullet proof to me as I think a Merlot MLF can give problems, for whatever reason, to MLF bacteria in general.
Hopefully some of the veterans will chime in and maybe give some good suggestions if there is a course of action that would improve your odds of the MLF to proceed normally.
I do know there is another strain that works at a lower pH, and worked fine for my Chardonel as well as my red Dornfelder batch. MoreWine sells it as Viniflora CH35, goes down to a pH of 3.0.
Hope that helps or gives you some ideas.
As far as the pH drop, I've seen it go both ways, might depend on the yeast and the variety of grape. Once again, people with more knowledge than I have will hopefully add their thoughts.
Hopefully some of the veterans will chime in and maybe give some good suggestions if there is a course of action that would improve your odds of the MLF to proceed normally.
I do know there is another strain that works at a lower pH, and worked fine for my Chardonel as well as my red Dornfelder batch. MoreWine sells it as Viniflora CH35, goes down to a pH of 3.0.
Hope that helps or gives you some ideas.
As far as the pH drop, I've seen it go both ways, might depend on the yeast and the variety of grape. Once again, people with more knowledge than I have will hopefully add their thoughts.
Yep, I used the Acti-ML. I got help on my low pH in another thread. I was just wondering if the pH drop after fermentation-press-rack was normal, or if it was more likely due to adding too much tartaric acid, and then correcting with potassium carbonate.
What thread, I'm interested in the solution? Need to add tools to my tool box, ya know.
http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=53377
Or under Wine From Grapes, look for Tartaric Acid Mistake
Or under Wine From Grapes, look for Tartaric Acid Mistake
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