When to Press

[Jenks829]

I picked up 300 pounds of Merlot grapes on October 24, I pitched the yeast on October 25. Initially, things got off to a slow fermentation. It seems temperature was the culprit. I warmed the fermenter up and things have been coming along nicely. That debacle can be seen here:

http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10147

On November 9 the gravity reading was 4.5 Brix. I am going away this weekend and wont be back until mid day on Monday November 15. Initially, I was going to press then. I would really rather do this on a weekend but I thought it wasn't up to me, it was up to the yeast. I called the local homebrew shop to get their opinion about waiting and they said that if I wait until the weekend (November 20), I run a risk because the must will no longer be producing CO2 and will not be able to protect itself. They went on to say that I could purge the head space of the fermenter with an inert gas or CO2 to make it to the weekend and that the additional maceration time could benefit the wine. I don't believe I need any additional time on the skins as they have been in contact for 17 days already. If I press on Monday it will be 22 days, if I wait until the weekend it will be 27 days.

What does Winemakingtalk think? Press on Monday or inject CO2 to delay pressing until the weekend?

 

[JohnT]

Go ahead and press it. You have had the wine on the skins now for over 2 weeks. This is a tad too long in my opinion.

Just leave 20% of empty room in your secondary, and you should be fine.

 

[Joedaddy]

I think you can go either way and you won't have a problem. If you press it now, fermentation will keep going in the glass. If you wait a few days, I don't think you will have any problems. It still has some fermentation to go and will still be shooting off CO2 as protection.

 

[JohnT]

I think you can go either way and you won't have a problem. If you press it now, fermentation will keep going in the glass. If you wait a few days, I don't think you will have any problems. It still has some fermentation to go and will still be shooting off CO2 as protection.

My fear is not the CO2 protection, but the wine becomming way too tanic due to such an extended period of maceration.

 

[winemaker_3352]

My fear is not the CO2 protection, but the wine becomming way too tanic due to such an extended period of maceration.

I think you are right - you might have to let this baby age a while to bring down the tannin level.

Don't be surprised when you draw a sample and pucker from the taste - time will correct it

 

[Wade E]

If t is too tannic you may need to fine it with egg whites.

 

[JohnT]

If t is too tannic you may need to fine it with egg whites.

I'm "Bacon" to ask if the "yolks on you"?

 

[Jenks829]

So we press on the November 21 which was 27 days after the yeast was pitched. I stopped punching the cap down the last 7 days to prevent mixing in too much ambient air and replacing the CO2 cushion that was left. In addition, there wasn't much of a cap as the fermentation slowed/stopped the skins began to sink into the must.

We have two batches going: 330 lbs of Merlot grapes and 324 lbs of Cabernet grapes. Both finished at 0.996/0.997 final gravity. pH was 3.3/3.4 for the Merlot and 3.4/3.5 for the Cabernet. TA was on the high side at 0.9% and 1.0% respectfully. I am hoping a cold stabilize will lower the TA.

We finished up with three 6.5 gallon carboys filled to the top plus an additional gallon to be used for top up per grape type. (minus what we drank that came out of the press)