I am thinking about making Sauvignon Blanc, suggestions?

[Snafflebit]

I have the opportunity to buy some Sauv Blanc juice from Monterey county, and I am tempted to try to make another white wine. I have made Chard in the past.
My preferred style of Sauv Blanc is the very grassy citrusy New Zealand type. Unfortunately I am pretty sure this juice will not produce that style of wine.

So, are there any special tips the veteran white wine makers can provide to me? I will not make more than 10 gallons, if that.

 

[winemaker81]

I suspect you can't duplicate NZ SB with CA grapes. I've read a lot of the character comes from the higher level of UV rays that NZ has.

If it were me, I'd ferment in 2 batches, using different yeast. I've made SB with QA23 and was happy with it. The other one is open to suggestion.

 

[Snafflebit]

@winemaker81 My experience is mainly with reds. Do you make any special attempt to prevent MLF?

 

[winemaker81]

@winemaker81 My experience is mainly with reds. Do you make any special attempt to prevent MLF?

Supposedly dosing with K-meta should make MLF less likely to occur.

In 2020 I purchased 7 gallons of CA SB, which when young was one of the best whites I can recall making. However, it declined rapidly at the 15 month mark. If I purchased again, I'd add powdered tannin to give it a bit of structure, and bump the acid just a bit. Hopefully the two would give it more longevity.

Please note that I don't have a lot of recent experience with white juice -- mostly French-American hybrids from 30+ years ago.

 

[Hazelemere]

Forget about MLF. Just press the grapes and rack the 1st run off of the 24 hour sediment to flood press skins with some pectic enzyme for 48 hours with about 25 ppm total sulphite e.g. 1/4 tsp per 5 US gallons of 2nd run must. Assume 2 gallons of 1st run pressed juice racked off of solids with solids added to skins for 2nd run gives you 1 gallon of second run when you repress the skins. If your Sauvignon Blanc is in nice condition i.e. low in skin botritis and devoid of obvious mildew you should get something really good. Forget about matching New Zealand gooseberry style. Monterrey Sauvignon Blanc won't give you that. Personally if you get high quality Monterrey Sauvignon Blanc it will beat New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc every time as long as the brix isn't rediculously high. I've used Lalvin EC-1118 but now would use Lalvin 71B. You can blend the 1st and 2nd runs if you like or keep them separate. Try to bottle at 75-80 ppm total sulphite as potassium metabisulphite which should give you 25-27 ppm free sulphite which should allow your wine to age for at least 3 years and more likely 5+. Good luck with it. 1/4 tsp potassium metabisulphite gives you 20 ppm free sulphite in a 5 Imperial gallon (30 bottle carboy). A wine at 75+ ppm total sulphite will not go malolactic. https://asvwines.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Montoya-Sauvignon-Blanc-2020-Wine-Notes.pdf

 

[Hazelemere]

https://asvwines.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Montoya-Sauvignon-Blanc-2020-Wine-Notes.pdf

 

[Snafflebit]

My Chardonnay came from the same region and was excellent. The juice is through a third party and I do not have the numbers or the delivery date. And knowing my luck I will have to deal with fermenting my grapes out of the area and then the juice will arrive.

Hmm, this may not be a good year to try juggling this.

 

[DaveMcC]

Just adding my "ditto" to the fact that NZ SauvBlanc, especially from Marlborough, have characteristics distinctive to that region (and terroir). My wife is a fanatic about NZSB and nothing, nothing has compared to it in terms of those kiwi, grapefruit, gooseberry, grass and mineral and floral notes.
If you really want to make wine like that, move to the Wairu river basin and enjoy!