I also live in Minnesota (Southern) and had my soil from 2 small vineyard plots tested for the first time this last fall. Both of my plots showed a PH of 7.8. I'll be watching this thread to see how I might also be able to adjust PH levels down.
I checked the PH on a sample of about 16 grapes pulled throughout my vines and it's still on the low side. The same mixed sample gave me a brix of 27, so the sugar keeps rising and the acid is slowly dropping. I've decided to let it go. Next weekend I'll be out of town so it will be two...
I last checked my Marquette last Sunday the 3rd of September and PH had climbed a little bit to from this to 2.78. Brix is at 26 and the weather this weekend in southern Minnesota is perfect for harvest with lows in the 50's. I'm open to opinions though......
I live in Southern Minnesota and checked my Marquette grapes two days ago. Brix was at 25 which is great. But the ph was at 2.73. I'm hoping that the ph will move up soon so I can grab them before the birds and the yellow jackets get too busy
Yes my vineyard has full sun. It is situated on level ground with no slope but good old Minnesota former farm field black dirt. The grape vines seem to love it IF we get enough moisture during the growing season as I have no water source near the plot unless I haul water. Most of the vines...
I use solid bungs on my barrels and I usually top every two weeks. I have a slight vacuum sound each time I open the barrels to top, so I'm good that way. Most of my wines sit 6 to 12 months in a carboy before they hit the barrels, so not much CO2 left after them being vacuum racked a few...
Awesome responses! The barrels came from Mainshipfred and are nice and tight. I love the Idea of having wine in them while I am away. I think that I will take NorCal's advice and make sure that the barrels are topped and SO2 is in the proper range and leave them full. My basement wine area...
I like the idea of leaving the one barrel full and finding an accomplice to top it off. If I have them do it once at the end of January and once at the end of February it might work out!
I have three 25-30 liter Hungarian oak wine barrels full of wine at the present time. My wife has convinced me to take a three month winter vacation out of the Minnesota cold this year so we will be gone January, February, and March. I know that i can't leave barrels untopped during that time...
Fred
Did you ever find out if you could add a 30L to the order, or is the extra 25L still unspoken for? Either one would work for me. I looked back at our pm and shipping was $40 per barrel last time.