Low Brix while crushing

[WineHombre]

Just hand picked some Cabernet Sauvignon grapes here in Southern California. When tedting samples at the vineyard we were getting brix readings of anywhere from 21 - 29 brix with a little coming in at 20.5 or higher. We brought 200lbs home to crush and while crushing we were getting brix readings of 19.5 and higher with the majority of the readings at 21.5 or so. The brix meter that I have is electronic and its does a temp adjustment too. I bought it on amazon.

Questions is I am doing s cold maceration for 4 days or so. I did use Lallzyme EX in each bucket before sealing it for the cold soak and potassiun Metanisullfite wa0 added to each bucket duing the crush to stop fermentation. Will these gain brix from the Cold Soak? I'm thinking it may need some Dextrose to get it to 24 but hoping I don't have to use so much. Ph was coming in at 3.30.
Thanks!.

 

[BarrelMonkey]

21-29 brix is a huge range... How did you do your testing in the vineyard?

Grapes can certainly 'soak up' during even a single day of maceration... I would test the juice tomorrow (by hydrometer) and see where you are, but if you're around 20-22 brix that sounds a bit light for cabernet sauvignon, particularly from SoCal.

pH looks good to me, though I am used to working with NorCal pinot noir...

 

[Paulie vino]

As barrel monkey said your brix may increase slightly during the cold soak, but probably not enough to get it to 24 which is probably where you want to be. The enzymes may help coax out a little more sugar maybe

 

[WineHombre]

21-29 brix is a huge range... How did you do your testing in the vineyard?

Grapes can certainly 'soak up' during even a single day of maceration... I would test the juice tomorrow (by hydrometer) and see where you are, but if you're around 20-22 brix that sounds a bit light for cabernet sauvignon, particularly from SoCal.

pH looks good to me, though I am used to working with NorCal pinot noir...

We were pulling berries from certain clusters and testing the brix with the electronic brix meter as we moved around the vineyard.
This is from the Temecula area. We just got out of a heat wave where temps were over 100 and then we had thunderstorm.about 5 days ago from the line fire on the mountains not too far away.

 

[verdot]

We were pulling berries from certain clusters and testing the brix with the electronic brix meter as we moved around the vineyard.
This is from the Temecula area. We just got out of a heat wave where temps were over 100 and then we had thunderstorm.about 5 days ago from the line fire on the mountains not too far away.

I would measure the juice with a hydrometer to validate the prior reading.

 

[WineHombre]

I would measure the juice with a hydrometer to validate the prior reading.

I took a hydrometer reading this morning after an overnight cold soak. It read 1.086. which is 21 brix.

 

[verdot]

I took a hydrometer reading this morning after an overnight cold soak. It read 1.086. which is 21 brix.

It’s unlikely you’ll have any change in your sugar levels until you choose to add sugar. As a general rule, 1.5 oz (per gallon must) will raise 1 brix. It’s a good idea to add half the amount of sugar you think you’ll need and measure, then add the second half with any adjustments.

 

[Snafflebit]

Odd that you got that low level Brix. When you hand picked, did you select the first two to three nearest the cordon? Or did you pick clusters farther out on the canes? They are less ripe

 

[WineHombre]

We picked all along the trellis mostly towards the top of the canopy. Its just there was hidden greenies in some of the clusters we didn't see until we crushed them.