Chilean grapes!!!! Newbie!!

[Boatboy24]

Thank u guys for the advice. I am going to do some research and see if I am up for it this round. If not I will try it in the fall when I have some more experience with grapes.


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[nayrea143]

Ohhhhhhhh got it. Honestly tho is doing a mlf too much of an undertaking for a complete newbie?!?!?? The article u linked was great but I am still intimidated. I need more special testing equipment. All I have is a hydrometer


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[harleydmn]

I have done it without testing equip., and my wine turned out great. I would check it every couple weeks and when there was no more activity I added my kmeta. It took 3 months to get done, but the temps was a little low.

 

[Droc]

I'm doing my first run of juice from chile this spring and I'm going to attempt it. So far I have a bunch of meads and three kits under my belt. From what I've ready it doesn't sound overly complicated, but I do have to get the chromography testing stuff to make sure it's finished. I think the test kits run about $50 or so if I'm not mistaken.


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[JohnT]

MLF can be simple...

1) go easy on the k-meta additions.

2) add the MLB and monitor the temp of the wine

3) taste the wine every couple of days. Does it seem to be softening? If so, then MLF is happening.

 

[nayrea143]

Hahahah hahahah


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[sdelli]

I am doing a 60/40 cab/merlot this year as well. I am going to try using a 50/50 mix with grapes and juice. I usually use BM4X4 or ICVD21 and then VP41 for the mlf......


Sam

 

[nayrea143]

I am doing all grapes. I just ordered 9 half lugs of cab sav and 2 half lugs of merlot. My supplier said we can decide the yeast when the see how high the sugar content is. Said he would know more when the grapes come in.


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[Turock]

Nayrea--In my opinion, Cab really benefits from an MLF. MLF reduces acidity, and makes the wine more robust and smooth. After an MLF, the wine is so nice that even people who don't like dry wines will say how good it is and they can't believe they're drinking a dry wine--at least, that's the kind of comments WE get. Merlot is also nice with an MLF.

If you Google MLF, you'll find several white papers on it. Print out the instructions and follow them exactly when you go to do it the first time. It's not hard, but there is a new layer of attention to detail that you must follow. But then--you're female. Attention to detail is probably your middle name. In the instructions, you'll see that you need to test for completion of the MLF and they mention the Accuvin test kit or chromotography. The Accuvin is quatitative but has an error of 30PPM on the low end. And color change can be hard to detect for some people. Go with the chromo test--it is some fussing around, but you get absolute results and you get used to working with it by the second time you do MLF.

The big thing about MLF is that you need to get all the supplies for doing it and have it ready to go. So do the research and get everything you need for it, ahead of time. Once you see the result of MLF, you'll never go back. It will be alot of fun to give a glass of THIS wine to your friends!!!

 

[nayrea143]

I can't wait for my friends to try this. They think I am crazy for doing all this fussing but I am sure my wine will be tastier!!! ~ there is a good chance my hubby might go nuts when I mention I want to do the mlf. He is already thinking what did I get myself into. Lol. The only problem I for see is yes I pay attention to detail and I rather obsessive with research I am terrible terrible at math and word problems. This will be very challenging for me. Lol. I have been doing some reading but I haven't found a pork table instructions paper anywhere?!?!?!? Any recommendations?? And recommendations on a fair price chromo test??? I am even watching it on u tube!!! Lol


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[nayrea143]

Pork table!!???!? Wth is that. I need to proof read . I guess that's what u get when I am typing and chasing two toddlers around. Lol.


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[nayrea143]

Also all I have is a hydrometer. I am reading about other tests people do in prep for mlf. Like co2??? And ph???


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[nayrea143]

Found a good one on more wine making.com.


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[Boatboy24]

Found a good one on more wine making.com.


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That's the one I learned from. Well, that, and a lot of advice from this forum.

 

[nayrea143]

I am starting to think I am in over my head. lol. Hope this works!!!!


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[Turock]

Well, I DO understand that it seems overwhelming when you don't even have experience with having some ferments under your belt. No one is suggesting that you HAVE to do an MLF on these grapes. I've never had a CAB without an MLF--maybe someone here has, and can give you an opinion on how it tastes. If it tastes nice without an MLF, then maybe you'll choose to go that way. You should do what YOU want to do--don't let us push you into something you're not ready for.

 

[nayrea143]

I want to do it. Really want to do it!!!! Lol. It just seems like I am the only fool who jumps in this deep on my first go around. I haven't even done a crush yet!!!! I know I need a chromo test. But what do u recommend for ph testing ?? And do I need to so2 test as well???


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[nayrea143]

Well, I DO understand that it seems overwhelming when you don't even have experience with having some ferments under your belt. No one is suggesting that you HAVE to do an MLF on these grapes. I've never had a CAB without an MLF--maybe someone here has, and can give you an opinion on how it tastes. If it tastes nice without an MLF, then maybe you'll choose to go that way. You should do what YOU want to do--don't let us push you into something you're not ready for.

This might be asking too much of you but I truly value u and everyone's opinion and help on here so I was wondering if u could kinda help me get my shopping list together for my supplies chemicals and testing. My local store doesn't seem to have the mlf cultures and testing equipment. I really want to have everything ready to go. I will be picking up my grapes second weekend in May.


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[Turock]

Well, you need a PH meter. But if you don't have money for one right now, at the very least you can use narrow range PH test strips. Just be sure they are narrow range--either morewine sells them or E C Kraus.

It's not necessary for you to jump into an SO2 tester unless you want to. However, here's something to think about. If you want to be able to test PH,TA, and SO2 all in one, look at the Vinmetrica SC-200 from morewine. Kind of pricey at $355, but you can get about $80 or so into a PH meter, then if you get the Vinmetrica 100 for SO2 testing, you'd end up close to the price of the Vinmetrica 300. Something to think about, depending on your finances. You could get along just fine, for quite a while, with only buying a PH meter right now.

Your friends think you're nuts to do all this--well, THIS is what today's winemaking is all about. Knowing about providing nitrogen to your ferments thru nutrient management,etc. is something people in ancient times didn't know. And even tho they made lots of wine with native yeasts, we all know that the only time they got GOOD wine was when a tasty native yeast was the most dominate on the grapes. And most of that wine went to the king--not the commoners. So most wine of those times was probably not very good--they just didn't really know how BAD it was because they never had a good wine to make a comparison.

Actually, we didn't work with grapes that needed MLF until we had perfected our winemaking style. But what the heck--LOTS of people do MLF's without tons of experience. It depends on what you're comfy with. Sometimes, trial by fire ain't such a bad way to learn.

 

[Turock]

LOL---we'll help you any way we can. A shopping list is a good idea. You'll need nutrient--Fermaid K is a good idea and you'll need Go Ferm along with it. Get some tataric acid, potassium metabisulfite in the form of campden tabs or powdered meta. Many people like the powder better--I would suggest to get that instead of campden tabs. Not a bad isea to have some calcium carbonate on hand but for these grapes you probably won't need it. But it's handy for raising PH if the grapes are too acidic.

You have to choose your culture. RC212 would be great for these grapes. I really like that culture on big reds. Of course, have quite a bit of sugar on hand for adjusting brix. I'm sure I missed something--anyone feel free to add to the list.