Do you measure TA or just rely on pH?
petite pearl wine
- Thread starter JustJoe
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Prior to harvest I check ph, I’ll check TA after crushing
Bossbaby
Senior Member
I made 12 gal petite pearl last fall using Go ferm to hydrate BM 4×4 and then 2 additions of fermaid K during primary. I added CH 16 ML bacteria at about 1.014 . I used a medium toast french oak. This wine is good at one year, low acid high tannin. I can imagine the tannin will melt with the oak a little better in the next year or so but definitely compares to a decent Cab sauv. I am in line to pick this grape in a couple weeks and plan on using Renaissance -Avante yeast and again CH 16 MLB.
Mine are not fully ripe yet. I‘m in the UP of MI, so I think I am behind most people. i am very worried about them getting ripe without too much rain because we have about a week of rain coming up. I will post what I end up with when I pick.
I was watching a video of a winery picking their Marquette in Maine it looked like the vines had shed most of their leaves. So hang in there
Cnem
Junior
My Petite pearls were 21 Brix and 2.5 pH yesterday. I am worried that the pH will not increase enough by harvest time. Anyone have any numbers to compare ? I am in Southern WI
I have a batch of petite pearl fermenting now. The grapes came from Iowa, picked about 3 weeks ago and were destemmed and frozen when I got them. When they thawed and before I did anything to them they were at 25 brix.
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I am also in Southern WI. I will check mine and post Tuesday
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Checked a 10 berry sample today. Brix 22. PH. 3.35. Picking tomorrow.
Sounds perfect
Cnem
Junior
I’ll have to recheck mine.
Cnem
Junior
I rechecked tonight. 23 brix and 2.8 pH. My pH meter is calibrated. So it looks like I wait and watch the yellow jackets!
Cap Puncher
Senior Member
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I know a local winery in SE WI waits until the last couple weeks of October to pick their petite pearl. The seeds were nice and mature. It is the last grape they pick. In 2018, I made some with D254 and got a “2nd” in the WI state fair (2021).
However, I think Avante yeast or Bravo would go nicely.
However, I think Avante yeast or Bravo would go nicely.
Well, my husband is helping me pick my Marquette and Frontenac today. Frontenac was not ripe but I didn’t have a lot of choice. The Marquette seemed pretty ripe, but the sugar is still not adequate. It came in at 15 Brix and Ph of 2.83. So I’m very disappointed. It’s been a long haul for 4 years trying to get to this point and I was hoping to have better results. We had a rainy cooler summer, so I hope that’s what caused the poor results. I still have 25 vines of Petite Pearl to pick, which will probably be the next few days. We’re starting to get close to frost at night, so I don’t want to wait too much longer. The joy of living in a northern climate!
I’ll make adjustments for ph and add sugar, so hopefully my wine will be drinkable!
I’ll make adjustments for ph and add sugar, so hopefully my wine will be drinkable!
Close! You must be near the lake because I’m in NE WI and we had a hard freeze last night with another coming tonight. My beans and pepper plants are
How are the Pearl looking? And what were your numbers for the Frontenac? I’m putting in a dozen of those next spring.
We are close to Lake Superior, that’s why I thought weather would be ok for growing hybrids.Close! You must be near the lake because I’m in NE WI and we had a hard freeze last night with another coming tonight. My beans and pepper plants are
My Petite Pearls look really good, but sugar is still not very high. I’m going to give them a few more days. Frontenac was taking longer to get ripe, but ph was slightly better than Marquette.
Bossbaby
Senior Member
I just spent the last 6 hours bottling last years petite pearl, I used BM 4×4 for yeast and then decided to do MLF, I also added a medium toasted oak spiral to each carboy. I am pretty happy with the results. I just picked 250lbs of petite last weekend and I will make it roughly the same way again this season I think. Good luck with your petite this season!!
Bottled last seasons wine. I had 7 gal of Marquette, 5 gal of Petite Pearl, 3 gal of Frontenac. I think they all looked very clear & good color, especially the PP. They are all a little tart yet, but not sour. I’m anxious to try after another 3-6 months in the bottle. My husband was making wine spritzers with some leftovers and thought it was wonderful! My husband is pretty picky about his wine so I was happy!
