Harford Vineyard Chilean Grape/Juice Pickup

Tnuscan said:

Yes always interested in information on wines, can't get enough of it. Just wish I could retain it though, wouldn't photographic memory be a blessing.

I had felt they were early, I can't rememer hearing the seeds weren't ripe, that helps knowing that. I propably think too much on a lot of this stuff, I just really became interested in Jims thread.

I am satisified that this these was picked a little early, and received a little too much SO2. And like I said earlier, it would be nice to be able to check the total SO2, with something accurate and more affordable.

Thanks again!

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I've only checked the free SO2 on mine, but will check total at some point. A little more involved, but with the Vinmetrica, not difficult.

Boatboy24 said:

I've only checked the free SO2 on mine, but will check total at some point. A little more involved, but with the Vinmetrica, not difficult.

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Didn't realize the vinmetrica could also give the total. I'm happy now, I already have one of those.

Tnuscan said:

@Johnd , @ceeaton , and any others that done the 2016 Chilean pails with added grapes, have any primary ferm. issues like H2S or sluggish/stressed ferments?

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I used RC-212 on my Pinot Noir bucket with added grapes lasat Spring. In an earlier post I noted that I did get a sulfury whiff at one point but added Fermaid O and it subsided. That seems pretty standard when using RC-212. If I remember correctly, at last taste it was pretty good, though I don't think I've sampled since Christmas.

ceeaton said:

I used RC-212 on my Pinot Noir bucket with added grapes lasat Spring. In an earlier post I noted that I did get a sulfury whiff at one point but added Fermaid O and it subsided. That seems pretty standard when using RC-212. If I remember correctly, at last taste it was pretty good, though I don't think I've sampled since Christmas.

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Sorry Craig I saw that right after I had posted. Thanks.

Tnuscan said:

Sorry Craig I saw that right after I had posted. Thanks.

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No need to be sorry. It is good for me to look back over those older posts as my memory isn't as good as it used to be. Funny (or not so funny) how time can alter memories.

ceeaton said:

Funny (or not so funny) how time can alter memories.

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Or eliminate them completely! I'd forgotten about the stink bomb we came home to that one day.

Boatboy24 said:

Or eliminate them completely! I'd forgotten about the stink bomb we came home to that one day.

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The smell of cooked eggs in the morning are wonderful except when you didn't cook any for breakfast.

@Boatboy24 After more thought I would give Noblesse a go, this may be the route to reviving these wines. You may know this already,... just thought I would throw it out there.

http://www.apps.fst.vt.edu/extension/enology/downloads/Delteil_Noblesse_guidelines_dec_2010.pdf

Stressbaby had posted this a while back on another thread,(?), and I came across it again while reading up on acids and odors.

Thanks Dave. Will look more into that.

Sadly, since adding K-carbonate and moving things to the garage, daily highs have been in the 60's and 70's.

I've seen 'Jane' Japanese Magnolia trees fully bloomed and some mowing yards here in Middle Tennessee.

In February,,, whats up with this????

Tnuscan said:

I've seen 'Jane' Japanese Magnolia trees fully bloomed and some mowing yards here in Middle Tennessee.

In Feburary,,, whats up with this????

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It's crazy. My car should be covered in snow. Instead, it's covered in pollen.

Boatboy24 said:

It's crazy. My car should be covered in snow. Instead, it's covered in pollen.

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I believe, from what I heard, your desire for a snow covered car is supposed to happen next week (at least up our way).


Edit: Just checked the forecast, it has changed a bit, no snow on my 10 day radar.

Looks like lows in the 30's and 40's starting next week. Should be OK. Cold garage at night, then wrap in blankets during the day.

Boatboy24 said:

It's crazy. My car should be covered in snow. Instead, it's covered in pollen.

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I blame this latest snow on you. Supposed to be nice and cold for a few more days, hopefully that helps with your CS.

ceeaton said:

I blame this latest snow on you. Supposed to be nice and cold for a few more days, hopefully that helps with your CS.

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I plan to rack and move them back in this weekend. It will be a month in the garage at that point. I could see a ton of sediment in them all today. Fingers crossed.

OK did some chores after work. Not related to this thread, but I emptied Vadai #1 of the Kmeta/Citric solution that'd been in there for the last few weeks, then moved the Lanza Zinfandel into it. After freeing up that carboy, I racked the Chilean Carmenere out of the garage and into a clean carboy. Sadly, it still tastes like utter crap. I'll check pH on the Carmenere tomorrow, but I have low expectations. There was a lot of sediment in the carboy, but no crystals, like you'd expect. And again, the taste - I wouldn't drink this myself, I wouldn't serve it to anyone I know and I wouldn't even serve it to someone on hidden camera just to see the look on their face. It's just terrible. Tomorrow, I'll also rack and test the other three (Cab, Syrah, Merlot) and see how they did. Again, very low expectations. I can't believe it, but I really do think I'll be dumping 24 gallons of 'wine' very soon. I have other non-**** stuff to make and need the carboy space.

Well of any thread I've ever read, I was hoping this one would have better news, fingers are still crossed.


Edit: Eyes probably will be too in a few more hours.

I need to go back through this thread and see exactly when this nastiness showed up. I know that during primary, everything was good, and I was actually excited about these wines. Trouble started after that with not being able to get MLF going. I still have no idea what would have caused the pH to drop on these the way it did. But they were all between 3.44 and 3.7 at the start. Then this sourness started showing up, along with a musty sort of funk. I don't know if it is what some would call 'barnyard', but perhaps I have a Brett issue. These wines were unprotected for quite some time, so it is certainly a possibility. I will tell you I'm going to be far more particular about sulfite levels from this point forward. We'll have to see what the other three taste like this afternoon, but I expect more of the same.

Boatboy24 said:

Then this sourness started showing up, along with a musty sort of funk.

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Brett Barnyard usually = organic to the point of cowpie.

So it is both in the taste and the aroma? Is there a sherry note discernible in the taste or aroma? Just doing some research since I'm bored and had to sit down to rest from my active day of not drinking... time to go clean the bathrooms then plant my tomato seeds.

If the sulfite levels and headspace were managed well during these final steps, (which I'm betting they were), and if it were Brett, then these two things may have keep it so that Noblesse might still have a chance to turn things around.

After reading this thread, and then seeing this: http://www.apps.fst.vt.edu/extension/enology/downloads/Delteil_Noblesse_guidelines_dec_2010.pdf

I decided to keep noblesse, reduless and yeast hulls on hand at all times.