My First Red -- Tempranillo

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adiochiro3

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I lucked into some Tempranillo grapes grown in Livermore, CA last weekend -- picked, crushed and de-stemmed for $0.50/lb. I picked up 200 lbs. and am currently cold soak macerating. I plan to make both table and port-style wines.

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The free-run juice tastes amazing, and I plan to make a few batches of jelly out of some of it. I have some gravity and chemistry adjustments to make, but I'm going to wait out the maceration period and do them before I pitch.

I am thinking of using Wyeast 4767 -- at least for the port-style batch. Any other thoughts or suggestions?
 
$0.50/lb picked, crushed and destemed? WOW!

What are your numbers now? For yeast, I think I'd go with RP15, BM4X4 or D254. There are a few others recommended by MoreWine ( http://www.morebeer.com/public/pdf/wyeastpair.pdf )

Yeah, I was stoked to find such a deal. My numbers are:


  • Brix 31.5 -- Adding aciduated water after the cold soak maceration to reach 23-25 Brix (haven't decided yet)
  • pH 3.66
  • TA 5 g/L -- I plan to push this up to around 6 g/L

Thanks for the yeast recommendations!

Wow. I love Tempranillo

I knew nothing about it until last weekend -- but what a grape! The flavor and color are amazing!
 
31.5 brix? I almost choked on my bourbon!! What's the tolerance of the w 4767? Are you planning on fortifying this, arresting fermentation or what? What a deal!!!!!!!
 
31.5 brix? I almost choked on my bourbon!! What's the tolerance of the w 4767? Are you planning on fortifying this, arresting fermentation or what? What a deal!!!!!!!

I'm cold soak macerating -- so I am not yet fermenting. I plan to dilute with aciduated water tomorrow or Friday after the press to bring it into the 23-25 Brix range. The difference between Sunday's free-run juice and the macerated juice is huge with regard to mouthfeel, flavor, etc.

I figure the press will give me a solid idea of my volume so I can make accurate Brix and acid adjustments. Then I will pitch. I may add some or all of the solids back during the fermentation phase for more body and tanins depending on how I like the taste. I am very open to advice on any of these thoughts/methods. Starting my starter tonight.

I do plan on fortifying a couple of gallons of this for a port-style wine, so I will arrest fermentation around 1.035 for that portion. Looking very forward to that.
 
To go from 31.5 down to 25 brix is a lot of added water. You may end up with something much lighter and thinner than you want. I'd most definitely keep all those skins on during fermentation.
 
To go from 31.5 down to 25 brix is a lot of added water. You may end up with something much lighter and thinner than you want. I'd most definitely keep all those skins on during fermentation.

Thanks for the input. I will definitely do that. My calculations for lowering the Brix from 31.5 to 25 lead to a 16L/4.2 gallon aciduated water addition. I added 7.5L of aciduated water tonight and will recheck my numbers tomorrow evening to make my final adjustments before pitching.

28 Brix brings a potential of 17% ABV, and the 4767 will quit around 14%. I have half a mind to leave it around the current 28 Brix level and finish with Lalvin D254, BM 4X4, or EC 1118 if needed/stuck. I don't want to risk this being either light or thin. Thoughts? What about using two yeasts simultaneously? I've read that is also a common technique.

I made my Wyeast 4767 starter tonight and plan to pitch either tomorrow evening or Saturday morning after ~5 days of cold soak maceration. I can build another starter with one of these other yeasts first thing tomorrow if needed.
 
$0.50 a lb crushed and destemmed! I think those might have been @JohnT (s) grapes as they sound like they fell out da back of a truck somewhere……….. :)
 
$0.50 a lb crushed and destemmed! I think those might have been @JohnT (s) grapes as they sound like they fell out da back of a truck somewhere……….. :)

You'd think, but these were leftovers after the commercial harvesters had their fill. You can bet I kept their name and number and that I will drop off some of the grape jelly and wine I'm making to stay on their short list for next year!
 
You'd think, but these were leftovers after the commercial harvesters had their fill.

I'm always wondering about this. When you're buying tons of grapes (literally), what's a few hundred extra pounds going to harm? I'll see listings trying to sell 600lbs of this, or 800lbs of that. Crikey! Just add it to your 3 tons! ;)
 
Update: I split the must and pitched Wyeast 4767 in one half and Lalvin BM 4X4 in the other half. Fermentation took off quickly in both batches.
 
Update: I split the must and pitched Wyeast 4767 in one half and Lalvin BM 4X4 in the other half. Fermentation took off quickly in both batches.

Nice. I really like what BM4X4 brings to a wine.

Typically, it is a slow starter, but mine took off for this ferment as well.
 
Another Update:

The Lalvin BM 4X4 batch hit 1.030 and the Wyeast 4767 gravity is 1.034. I pulled off 14.2L of wine (7L of each) and blended for an average of 10.9% ABV. I fortified with 5.25L E&J XO Brandy for a calculated 18.8% ABV.

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What a glorious thing! Now to find a 5 gallon oak barrel...
 
Update: Gravity hit 0.996, so we pressed Monday evening.

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We found it interesting how the taste of the wine changed as the press progressed. We probably cut the press a little short, but figured quality over quantity was the wise choice. Yielded a total of 8+ gallons.
 

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