Petite Sirah PH at the end of MLF

[geek]

I pitched Wyeast 4007 MLB on Sept. 26 and checked for completion on Dec. 1st but was still showing half way.

Small batch close to 7gal so that's why I used that MLB.

Since I will be away for about 10 days, I didn't want to leave the wine much longer without protection, so decided to rack, add k-meta and into the Vadai oak barrel.
I thought about checking the PH and it shows ~3.92

I plan to check MLF process and see results tomorrow but not caring much since I added sulfite and wanted to move on.

I tasted the wine and surprisingly it is really good for such a young 3-month wine...

I am not planing to adjust it since "I think" the flavor is within good taste based on my taste buds.

Not sure what the MLF result will show but what do you think about that high PH?

 

[Boatboy24]

What's your TA? If the wine is tasting good, I wouldn't mess with it. You can always add tartaric acid if it seems a little flat after barrel aging.

 

[geek]

I didn't want to check TA as I have so many things going on before our long trip...

 

[ibglowin]

Are you blending with something else with a lower pH?

If not I would try and knock it down as much as you can. I think you will have a better wine and a more stable wine long term.

 

[geek]

I thought about it too...
What would blend good with PS?

I have cab/merlot blend, also Sangiovese with some Cab blended....and Amarone.

 

[ibglowin]

You could blend some in with the Cab/Merlot but probably not too much.

I would get an accurate TA first and see where you are at the moment.

 

[geek]

Ok, will do that once it comes out of the Vadai 23L oak barrel, I'm looking at maybe 3 months in it, or more??
This would be batch 7 so it should go a long way.

 

[Treeman]

I would try an acid addition to 100mL and see what it takes to get your pH down to 3.7 or lower. Three months in a small barrel at pH ~4 is walking the edge of a potential problems.

 

[Turock]

If you like the flavor, I would leave it alone. ESPECIALLY because it's still young. Young wines are very tough to fully evaluate. So I wouldn't make any adjustment to it until it ages more. Then if it tastes unbalanced to you, THEN go about adjusting or blending to your liking. However, at this time be sure you have enough free SO2 on this wine because of the high PH. No doubt that a 3.9 PH is quite high and it will take about 90PPM of free SO2 to keep this wine safe. But the SO2 is well below the limits of what most people can taste.

 

[geek]

I would try an acid addition to 100mL and see what it takes to get your pH down to 3.7 or lower. Three months in a small barrel at pH ~4 is walking the edge of a potential problems.

Good point about possible spoilage due to the low acid, I am planing to keep up with k-meta additions throughout its resting time and thinking about doing a test of TA/PH in a month from now and see where is at.

 

[geek]

If you like the flavor, I would leave it alone. ESPECIALLY because it's still young. Young wines are very tough to fully evaluate. So I wouldn't make any adjustment to it until it ages more. Then if it tastes unbalanced to you, THEN go about adjusting or blending to your liking. However, at this time be sure you have enough free SO2 on this wine because of the high PH. No doubt that a 3.9 PH is quite high and it will take about 90PPM of free SO2 to keep this wine safe. But the SO2 is well below the limits of what most people can taste.

Thanks Turock.

 

[geek]

BTW - I added about 3 1/4 tsp of k-meta during racking, a bit higher than what I normally use.

 

[Boatboy24]

BTW - I added about 3 1/4 tsp of k-meta during racking, a bit higher than what I normally use.

I hope you mean 3/4 tsp (ie: 0.75) and not 3 + 1/4.

 

[geek]

Less than a teaspoon

 

[Turock]

You might want to think about getting something like a Vinmetrica 100 and begin testing your wines for free SO2. You'd be surprised how wrong you can be about your free SO2 levels until you start testing them.

 

[NorCal]

The grapes in my AVA tend to drop acid at a pretty good clip and pH of 3.7-3.9 are not uncommon. Keeping the SO2 levels at the required level seemed painful, but the wine tasted really good and the additions never reached a level that it affected taste/smell. Note: this year we did some significant acid additions.

 

[Turock]

I agree, NorCal. You don't want the PH so high that it takes unreasonable levels of free SO2 for preservation.

 

[JohnT]

I would either adjust the acid OR set the SO2 to at least 62ppm.

 

[geek]

I would either adjust the acid OR set the SO2 to at least 62ppm.

I am planing on testing after my long trip return in a few days.
Thinking about it, I should've adjusted one bottle as a test and bring with me to trade with you....quick swap near I95 later this evening [emoji12][emoji12]

Maybe next time...