Wine Juices

[ffemt128]

It will make your wine nice and smooth compared to being harsh with a bite.

Looking forward to it. I'll make sure to have culture ordered so it's ready for the next batch of juices in the fall.

 

[Koric]

DO NOT add anything now. Once MLF is done add 1/4tsp of meta. DO NOT EVER add Sorbate to a wine that went thru MLF. It will add a geranium taste to it

I'm still a little bit confused about MLF. I've been reading up on it but I found a couple of different way to do it. I have a Cabernet Frac and a Syrah in primary now right now, I added 2 pounds of raisins each to them. One way says to rack to to a carboy before starting MLF remove the raisins, another says to add the bacteria right to the primary and a third say to rack it with the raisins. I assume they all work but what will the effect of doing them this way be?
I even Googled it but I came up with so many different thing it only made it more confusing.

 

[Tom]

KORIC .. WELCOME!
I have always added it to the secondary because I dont want the wine to sit on the gross lees for 2+MONTHS.
Where in NJ are you.

 

[ffemt128]

I added the culture last night. Last night and this morning I could notice the airlock bubling ever now and then. Nothing fast like a primary fermentation but apparently it started to work.

 

[Koric]

KORIC .. WELCOME!
I have always added it to the secondary because I dont want the wine to sit on the gross lees for 2+MONTHS.
Where in NJ are you.

Thanks for the welcome Tom!
That's what was confusing me about adding it to the primary, but I wasn't sure if it needed the lees to work.

I'm up in Moorestown.

 

[ffemt128]

I checked the readings of the MLF this morning. The Cabernet Franc initially was at about 160 it is now at 50 and the Chianti was initially around the same and is now at about 75. Will check the end of July again.

 

[ffemt128]

Based on the color of the strip from the test kit, it would appear that the MLF has completed. The color of the test strip was a light grey for both batches. Is there any other way to determine if this completed?

I tasted both samples that I drew and the mouth feel is very smooth with no "bite" give the fact that both are only about 60 days old. I added 1 oz of oak cubes after primary fermentation and left those on the wine for approx 30 fays before removing. Both have a fairly prominent oak flavor but it is not over powering. I'm glad I didn't follow the recommendation of the manufacturer, they said 3 oz for 5 gallons for 6 weeks.

What would be the next steps for stabilizing? I know I cannot use sorbate. I was planning on racking at the end of the month and then again the end of August with botteling at the same time or the middle of Sept. I will need my carboys when Sept juices come around.

Let me know. Thanks

 

[Brintk]

If you are happy with the taste of your wine, I would say that you have the right plan for racking and bottling. Don't forget to add the sulfite when you rack at the end of the month.

 

[ffemt128]

If you are happy with the taste of your wine, I would say that you have the right plan for racking and bottling. Don't forget to add the sulfite when you rack at the end of the month.

As of now, I'm happy with the taste and feel of the wine. The oaking is where we like it (neither of us like heavy oak). I think that after aging this will end up a very fine wine in my opinion.

Do I add the normal 1/4 tsp per 5 gallon or would I need to add more to inhibit the MLF? I'm new to both Juices and MLF so please bear with the questions.

 

[Brintk]

1/4 tsp of K-meta per 5 gallons is a good rule of thumb for a wine that is around 3.5 - 3.6 pH. However, If your ph is higher or lower than that you might want to be a little more scientific with your K-meta additions. A good source of knowledge on this subject is the following; http://www.accuvin.com/pHSO2Links.pdf

Good luck.

 

[Tom]

DO NOT ADD Sorbate to a wine that went thru MLF.

 

[ffemt128]

DO NOT ADD Sorbate to a wine that went thru MLF.

I'm aware of that. Just wanted to make sure there was nothing other than kmeta that needed added to inhibit further MLF.

 

[Tom]

U B fine then

 

[ffemt128]

Thanks everyone. I think I'm going to like the MLF process.

How long does the dry MLF culture last. I purchased 4 packages so I would have 2 extras for fall. It's been kept in the fridge in a ziplock bag.

 

[Tom]

there should be an EXP date in it somewhere.

 

[ffemt128]

Racked the reds yesterday. Very little sediment at bottom of carboys. I'll likely rack again the end of August or middle of Sept. I'll be needing the carboys they are in for the juice we are getting in the fall. I'll rack off the whites today and then again prior to bottling. I want to back sweeten the whites and will likely do that today as they have already been stablized with kmeta and sorbate. The reds received a dose of kmeta yesterday (I know, no sorbate for the reds due to MLF).

Both the reds and the white will be bottled when I need the carboys for fall and will age in bottles.

 

[djrockinsteve]

I just printed out the new 2010 Regina wine list from Premiere Produce. Gotta start my list for ordering. All will be in first of September.

Prices still look good.

 

[Tom]

Whats the pricing?

 

[djrockinsteve]

Whats the pricing?

Here's a few...All 6 gallon Regina buckets

Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc both $43.00
Chenin Blanc, French Colombard $40.00

Cabernet Franc, $43.00

Cab. Sauv., Nebbiolo, Syrah and Zinfandel $45.00

Chiante, Merlot, Sangiovese $44.00

All in all there are 11 Whites, 1 Rose a Grenache $40.00 and 19 Reds

Workin' on my blends. Can't wait.

 

[jdeere5220]

I'm supposed to be getting my first buckets of fresh juice in a week. The company is named "Festa Juice" and they say they have already balanced and innoculated with the appropriate yeast:

www.festajuice.com

My questions are:

- Should I add Oak when I get it home? I'm getting a Montepulciano and a Zin, both dry reds.

- I'm assuming the juice bucket doesn't come with any stabilizers or clarifiers like you get with a kit- So I'll need to pick up some sorbate and some clarifier, right?

- In general, should I treat this just like a kit that's missing everything except juice? Same process, same degassing, same stabilization, etc...?

Thanks!