The Spaniards

[Johnd]

interesting to see when your mlf is done with the coinnoculation.

I'll keep you posted, but as I mentioned to Craig a few posts back, did it also with this Fall's California wines. Pressed and moved into carboys, racked off of the gross lees two days later, and when I did my first test they were mostly done. All of the cabs had completed 18 days after pitching MLB during AF. The petite syrah lagged behind a couple weeks. The merlot made a career of it, as merlot will do sometimes, but it eventually limped across the line............

 

[Johnd]

Tempranillo at 1.000 this morning, Merlot at 1.019, moving day for the Temp. Vacuum racked a full carboy of wine, plus another 2-3 gallons in the second carboy. Time to go to pressing!

 

[Boatboy24]

Gosh, those pics make me nervous!!

 

[Johnd]

Gosh, those pics make me nervous!!

Fermentation and vacuum transfer completed without a drop escaping the fermenters or carboys!! Don't be scared!

 

[Johnd]

First press basket loaded of 2017, Happy New Year!

 

[Stressbaby]

@Johnd, I have a question about your press.

It looks like the same press I have. But you have it elevated with a 4x4 under each leg. I would like to do that in order to get a bucket underneath, but I was concerned about the stability.

How stable is that setup? Do you have any issues with the press sliding or screws loosening? And how tall are the 4x4s?

 

[Johnd]

Not too shabby, three hours from getting started to kicking back on the couch. Almost a full 18 gallons from 4.5 buckets, one on the right is free run, middle is half and half, left is the press juice. Probably will end up with 15 gallons or so in the end, so about as expected, 67% of the must volume is wine.

Tomorrow after work, I'll do it all over again, the Merlot will be ready. Expecting a slightly better yield there, since it had to be watered back with a high BRIX.

 

[Johnd]

@Johnd, I have a question about your press.

It looks like the same press I have. But you have it elevated with a 4x4 under each leg. I would like to do that in order to get a bucket underneath, but I was concerned about the stability.

How stable is that setup? Do you have any issues with the press sliding or screws loosening? And how tall are the 4x4s?

It is very stable, I used treated 4x4's which are heavy and keep the press from being top heavy, I have no complaints. There's a single hole in each foot of the press stand, I predrilled a 3/8" hole into each 4x4, and installed a 1/2" galvanized lag bolt 3" long, tight as a drum.

As far as the height goes, I measured the height of a carboy and made the legs tall enough to get one under the discharge spout, which also works well for a bucket with strainers. For my press, the legs are 12" tall and puts the discharge spout just under 22" off the ground.

 

[Stressbaby]

It is very stable, I used treated 4x4's which are heavy and keep the press from being top heavy, I have no complaints. There's a single hole in each foot of the press stand, I predrilled a 3/8" hole into each 4x4, and installed a 1/2" galvanized lag bolt 3" long, tight as a drum.

As far as the height goes, I measured the height of a carboy and made the legs tall enough to get one under the discharge spout, which also works well for a bucket with strainers. For my press, the legs are 12" tall and puts the discharge spout just under 22" off the ground.

Thanks. I'm surprised you have no problems with the lag bolts screwed into end grain of the 4x4. Now off to the workshop to see what I've got on hand...

 

[Johnd]

Thanks. I'm surprised you have no problems with the lag bolts screwed into end grain of the 4x4. Now off to the workshop to see what I've got on hand...

Key is to predrill so you don't split the end grain, but not too deep or two big that it doesn't hold tight. Squirt a little gorilla glue in there if you like, then the lag bolt.

 

[Stressbaby]

Done, thanks! I used 3/8" 5" lag bolts.
I may add some leveling feet like this on the bottom: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-1-1-16-in-Threaded-Glide-4603644EB/203672161

 

[Johnd]

Done, thanks! I used 3/8" 5" lag bolts.
I may add some leveling feet like this on the bottom: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-1-1-16-in-Threaded-Glide-4603644EB/203672161

Nice!! My next move will be wheels on the bottom.

 

[Johnd]

Merlot pressing this evening, big improvement on my time expended, two hours stem to stern. Filled three carboys with a few ml to spare.

Photo of the six amigos, finishing AF and MLF.

 

[Johnd]

Got up early this morning as we had severe weather warnings and huge thunderstorms rolling through here, and decided to run a chromo to see where things stood. Couple folks were following this co-inoculation ( @ceeaton , @johny99 )my second time doing it.

Pitched yeast (BM 4x4)on the previously frozen must on 1/8/17, it was still pretty cool and I did not sulfite it at all. First cap was on 1/11/17, which is when I pitched VP41 along with acti / optic products. Pressed and went to glass on 1/15 and 1/16, racked off of gross lees on 1/18 and 1/19. This test is 11 days after pitching MLB , and AF is crawling to a halt.

You can see the T M L standards to the left, followed by Fall Merlot 1 & 2 (they were a tad slow), Tempranillo 1 & 2, Temp / Merlot blend, and Merlot 1, 2 & 3. Pretty impressive.

 

[Tnuscan]

I'm glad to hear your having good luck with this, I will give it a try this next go around.

 

[stickman]

Looks good, not too much longer. Did you get a PH yet? Just curious on the effect of AF and ML on the PH.

 

[Johny99]

Pretty nice, 11 days and you are close. Looks like they will end at about the same time

 

[Johnd]

Looks good, not too much longer. Did you get a PH yet? Just curious on the effect of AF and ML on the PH.

No, no testing yet. I'll run some numbers and post them in a few weeks when it's time to hit them with some sulfite.

 

[Johnd]

Ran a chromo overnight, took it out this morning to dry. All clear on the Montsant Tempranillo and Merlot. Some time during the next week I'll do some pH / TA reading, racking and sulfiting. Might buy another barrel.....

 

[Johnd]

Did some lab work on the Spaniards, here's how they sit today, not yet sulfited or moved to the wine room, but finished MLF:

Montsant Tempranillo
Initial BRIX at 23, adjusted to 24, dry now
pH 3.95, adjusted to 3.56, 3.70 today
TA 4.8 g/l, adjusted to 6.4 g/l, 7.0 g/l today

Montsant Merlot
Initial BRIX 27.3, adjusted to 25, dry today
pH 3.40, adjusted to 3.50, 3.47 today
TA 8.8 g/l, adjusted to 7.8 g/l, 7.8 g/l today

I'll probably ride the numbers above for a while and evaluate again before they hit the barrels.

Also did a 50/50 Temp/Merlot Blend at pressing / racking, it is currently at pH 3.59, TA 6.6 g/l
The blend has the best numbers of the whole lot! Something to consider down the road.....