Harvest 2024

[ibglowin]

Usually pH goes up with longer hang times, and more GDD's and basically the higher the brix you are able to achieve, the higher the pH will go.

 

[Obbnw]

Usually pH goes up with longer hang times, and more GDD's and basically the higher the brix you are able to achieve, the higher the pH will go.

I think I need to clarify my question.

What I'm wondering if the age of the vine (not the grapes on the vine) affects the potential PH of the grapes.

In 2018 PH averaged 4.0
In 2019 PH averaged 3.9
In 2020 PH averaged 3.9
In 2021 PH averaged 3.7
In 2022 PH averaged 3.6
In 2023 PH averaged 3.4
In 2024 PH averaged 3.4

I know lots of things can affect PH, but was wondering if the age of the vine is something that affects PH? My vines were planted in 2016. Brix averaged about 24 in all years except 2024 where the average brix is about 23.

 

[wood1954]

How was the weather the last three weeks befor harvest? Warmer weather usually lowers malic acid. After fermentation and mlf your ph must be at least 3.6 or higher, if not maybe your grapes are high in tartaric acid, then cold stabilizing or aging should drop more acid.

Picked Itasca (24 Brix and 2.95 ph) and Marquette (21 Brix and 2.78 ph). I was really hoping my ph would have come up more this year. I have much better sugar, but still low ph. I know my soil is probably the issue, but I’ve been top dressing with lime at least twice a year for the last 5 years. I adjusted the Marquette, but hesitate with the Itasca because I don’t want to overshoot.

Itasca was pressed and I only got about 40% yield out of my must that was destemmed and crushed. Do other people get that low of a yield? Not too happy about that.

Friday we’re picking Petite Pearl and Frontenac. We’ve got some cold nights in the forecast, so I hope they won’t get affected with frost. The trials and tribulations of trying to grow grapes in the north! . Good thing is I had lots of help!!

View attachment 116600

i got 4 gallons of wine out of about 120 lbs of itasca grapes, I was hoping for 8. My berries were pretty small and had four seeds in each berry.