White Grape Prep

[grapeman]

In agreement with Al, yes crush/destem them first, use pectic enzyme and press later.

 

[winemaker_3352]

I don't have a mechanical destemmer - other than picking the grapes off by hand - is there any other suggestions to speed this step up?

This is the crusher i have - it just crushes:


Chardonel 23.5 Brix - .85 TA - will be picking this weekend!!!

 

[grapeman]

I wouldn't bother to destem if you don't have a destemmer. The fruit will be ripes, so the stems will impart minimal vegetativeness in the overnight soak in pectic enzyme before pressing. Just crush them, add k-meta to kill wild yeast, add pectic enzyme, let soak 12-24 hours to loosen up and press to get the juice. You don't ferment the grapes like reds, so it isn't a bad problem. Good numbers by the way!

 

[winemaker_3352]

I wouldn't bother to destem if you don't have a destemmer. The fruit will be ripes, so the stems will impart minimal vegetativeness in the overnight soak in pectic enzyme before pressing. Just crush them, add k-meta to kill wild yeast, add pectic enzyme, let soak 12-24 hours to loosen up and press to get the juice. You don't ferment the grapes like reds, so it isn't a bad problem. Good numbers by the way!

Awesome - that will shave hours off my time!!!

Yeah i was very happy with the numbers.

I am pumped about getting them this weekend!! I have made wine from grapes for a few years - but just table grapes - so i am excited about using wine grapes this year!!

 

[winemaker_3352]

The chardonel is fermenting away and is creating foam on top - when i rack to the carboy - do i leave the foam behind - or take it all?

I know that i will leave the sediment behind - but wasn't sure on the foam.

 

[grapeman]

You don't need to rack the foam over. You probably will want to rack after the foam has died down anyways- around 1.010.

 

[Wade E]

Yep, thyat foam is just an active fermentation and that will subside most likely around 1.030 or there abouts.

 

[jet]

I just started my first batch of from-grapes wine this past weekend with chardonel. I did some checking and it seems that MO wineries typically treat chardonel like chardonnay, with oak (sometimes barrel fermentation) and MLF.

 

[winemaker_3352]

I just started my first batch of from-grapes wine this past weekend with chardonel. I did some checking and it seems that MO wineries typically treat chardonel like chardonnay, with oak (sometimes barrel fermentation) and MLF.

Cool - right now it is at 1.072 - so hopefully in a 2-3 more days i will be able to rack.

Yeah i read though with chardonel you don't have to perform the MLF since it is a hybrid of seyval - but i could be wrong.

 

[jet]

Cool - right now it is at 1.072 - so hopefully in a 2-3 more days i will be able to rack.

Yeah i read though with chardonel you don't have to perform the MLF since it is a hybrid of seyval - but i could be wrong.

AFAIK, MLF is always a stylistic decision for whites, but I'm sure someone with more experience can say for certain.

 

[grapeman]

I have never done mlf on the Chardonel so I can't speak how sucessful it would be, but I like it the way it is so haven't wanted to try.

 

[winemaker_3352]

You don't need to rack the foam over. You probably will want to rack after the foam has died down anyways- around 1.010.

so the SG is at 1.028 right now at this time yesterday it was at 1.072.

the way it is going - it will surpass 1.010 before i can get to rack it tomorrow when i get home.

should i rack it tonight into the carboy?

 

[grapeman]

Let it go until tomorrow it will be fine. If you rack now I will guarantee it will overflow.

 

[Wade E]

Wow, what the heck is the temp there? I know its freaking hot here and hotter tomorrow and even hotter again on Thursday. 93* here today and will be almost 100* by Thursday. That will make a wine ferment faster and I like to cool ferment my whites.

 

[jet]

I have never done mlf on the Chardonel so I can't speak how sucessful it would be, but I like it the way it is so haven't wanted to try.

I agree. This is just my first chardonel, but I won't be putting it through MLF. If someone wants it to be chardonnay, or like the typical Missouri chardonel, they'll want to do MLF (as well as oak).

so the SG is at 1.028 right now at this time yesterday it was at 1.072.

the way it is going - it will surpass 1.010 before i can get to rack it tomorrow when i get home.

should i rack it tonight into the carboy?

I think the most important thing is to rack before the wine falls still. I just make sure I get it racked before the SG falls below 1.0.

 

[winemaker_3352]

I agree. This is just my first chardonel, but I won't be putting it through MLF. If someone wants it to be chardonnay, or like the typical Missouri chardonel, they'll want to do MLF (as well as oak).

I think the most important thing is to rack before the wine falls still. I just make sure I get it racked before the SG falls below 1.0.

See that i am not sure about - the way it is going - it will be below that - unless it starts to die down.

Let it go until tomorrow it will be fine. If you rack now I will guarantee it will overflow.

k - if i wait until tomorrow and the SG falls below 1.000? Will it still be alright?

Wow, what the heck is the temp there? I know its freaking hot here and hotter tomorrow and even hotter again on Thursday. 93* here today and will be almost 100* by Thursday. That will make a wine ferment faster and I like to cool ferment my whites.

high 80's to 90 - suppose to get in the 70's for the high over labor day weekend. Fermentation temps of the must have been about 78, 79 degrees.

 

[Wade E]

You should put an airlock on it tonight if getting that low.

 

[winemaker_3352]

You should put an airlock on it tonight if getting that low.

well - the bucket i have doesn't have an airlock hole for it - it is just a bucket from the bakery.

With that in mind - should i just transfer it to a carboy with an airlock and leave - and just give it room so it doesn't overflow as grapeman indicated?

Actually i just took another SG reading - and i let the hydrometer float in the bucket for a couple of minutes - and the SG was slowly crept up to 1.042 and it stayed there.

so maybe my first reading i took to fast.

 

[Wade E]

Thats more like what I would have expected hence why I asked you what temp it was cause in my opinon it was fermenting to fast. While its fermenting that good its hard to get a accurate reading in there, youll really ned to extract a sample in a thief or test vial.

 

[winemaker_3352]

Thats more like what I would have expected hence why I asked you what temp it was cause in my opinon it was fermenting to fast. While its fermenting that good its hard to get a accurate reading in there, youll really ned to extract a sample in a thief or test vial.

ok - so with the test vial - it came out to 1.030 - and it appears to be slowing down.

so do you think i will be alright to wait until tomorrow to rack it?