Newbie in Northern CA, making Zin

[whatagrl]

I'm Lisa in Far Northern California, and a member of the Shasta-Cascade Viticulture Association.I am making my first-ever batch of wine, from local Zinfandel grapes.Any tidbits are welcome. I have a thousand questions. I am currently at the end of primary fermentation, and trying to decide if I want to do a MLF.I'm a little on the acidic side (3.3 pH) but with a TA of .63.I seem stuck at 6 brix, but the hydrometer reads a sp.gr. of 1.000
I am wondering mainly if I need to press BEFORE mlf or if I need to do MLF first, and THEN press.help help help? I am doing this off a textbook, the internet, and kind, experienced winemakers like all of you.
Many thanks
Lisa

 

[grapeman]

Welcome Lisa. We will try to help you. First off, the brix reading. It is innacurate after it gets a bit of alcohol in it, so you need a conversion table to use it. You have the hydrometer reading of 1.000, so it is time to press now. You may perform the mlf either before or after pressing, but since you are ready to press, go ahead and do it now. Then innoculate afterwards. Leave a touch of the sediment you will get after pressing when you rack off the gross lees a day after setting post pressing. This little sediment will feed the malo bacteria.


Don't worry about a pH of 3.3- that is fine. It will likely go up just a bit after mlf.




Good luck and again welcome.

 

[Runningwolf]

Lisa, welcome aboard. There are many very knowledgeable folks on this forum in wine making and vineyards. Free free to ask any and all of your questions.

 

[Wade E]

Appleman is spot on. Its much more accurate to use a hydrometer once fermentation has begun.

 

[AlFulchino]

curious as to what your initial sg was/brix...how long have they been on the skins?