2011 Fresh Grapes From California via FVW's

[ibglowin]

Thought I would start my own thread on this endeavor. Finally getting around to posting some updates and pics. Its been a rough week. Got sick in Texas and the head cold turned into sinus infection then bronchitis. Was a good excuse to miss the entire week of work but have felt like crap as well. Finally felling better almost 2 weeks later but this cough is hanging around and nights are not fun for sure.

Fruit quality was about a 3.5 out of 5 I would say. I wish I could have had more time to inspect the fruit but we had been waiting around for 3 days and I really just wanted to get it crushed and on the road. I picked up 21 lugs or a little over 750lbs.

6 lugs Cabernet Sauvignon
6 lugs Merlot
3 lugs Malbec
3 lugs Petit Verdot
3 lugs Cabernet Franc

As most folks know this harvest was one of the toughest on record to bring in. Cold weather in the Spring followed by a cool Summer and then late rains made it a challenge to say the least on the vineyard managers. The fruit showed some signs of that from the initial numbers

Cabernet Sauvignon #1 Initial chemistry

pH 3.80 SG 1.106 (25.5 Brix) TA 5.4 G/L Added 15gm Tartaric acid

Retest:

pH 3.70 TA 6.0 G/L

Cabernet Sauvignon #2 Initial chemistry

pH 3.88 SG 1.104 (25.5 Brix) TA 5.1 Added 15gm Tartaric acid

Retest:

pH 3.79 TA 5.9 G/L

Merlot #1 Initial chemistry

pH 3.64 SG 1.114 (27.5 Brix) TA 4.2 G/L

Added 2.5L Acidulated water

Retest:

pH 3.48 SG 1.102 (25 Brix) TA 5.7

Merlot #2 Initial chemistry

pH 3.59 SG 1.104 (25 Brix) TA 4.8G/L Added 20gm Tartaric acid

Retest:

pH 3.46 TA 6.3

Malbec Initial chemistry

pH 3.62 SG 1.104 (25 Brix) TA 5.4 Added 10gm Tartaric acid

Retest:

pH 3.59 TA 6.0 G/L

Petit Verdot Initial chemistry

pH 4.07 SG 1.114 (27.5 Brix) TA 4.5

Added 2.5L acidulated water with 35gm Tartaric acid

Retest:

pH 3.98 SG 1.102 (25 Brix) TA 6.3

Cabernet Franc Initial chemistry

pH 3.98 SG 1.102 (25 Brix) TA 3.9 added 30gms Tartaric acid

Retest:

pH 3.72 TA 6.0


The Petit Verdot was a mystery as the the acid came up nicely but the pH barely budged from the initial test results. If I had to make a guess we are seeing some sort of potassium buffer phenomenon from the skins.

I wanted to tweak the chemistry a bit more but I was running out of time as with this much must and me running out of energy it took me till Tuesday night to get this far (after picking the grapes up on Sunday and driving home Sunday night) The grapes were plenty cold when unloaded as I added a bag of ice to each The temps were 52 degrees on Sunday night but I was in no shape to start testing until Monday morning. I spent all day Monday removing leaves, twigs, small clusters and testing. Tuesday was add acid and retest day. Wednesday morning was yeast hydration and pitching day. Hard to believe that pitching yeast could be an all day affair but it takes almost a full hour for each batch.

I used Lallzyme EX and OptiRed on each batch. I rehydrated the yeast in water and Go-Ferm. I am using Fermaid-K in 2 additions at 1/3 and 2/3 Brix drop.

I am using using several different yeast to bring out different flavor profiles. The batches will then be combined closer to bench test trials in about 18mo from now. I will be striving for a nice Bordeaux blend as well as bottling some pure varietals as well.

Yeast used were:

Cabernet Sauvignon #1 Bordeaux Red
Cabernet Sauvignon #2 D254
Merlot #1 D254
Merlot #2 Bordeaux Red
Malbec D254
Petit Verdot D21
Cabernet Franc D21


D21 is specifically recommended for reducing vegetal off flavors in the Cab Franc and Petit Verdot.

Here is a "raw" video I Posted to You Tube taken with the iPhone. SWMBO was taking it while trying to keep an eye on the 85lb Golden Retriever who accompanied us on this big adventure! Much thanks to George and Joseph. They worked long and hard on Saturday and Sunday without any sleep at all but they took it all in stride non the less!

[ame="http://youtu.be/LuiKl2zcrp4"]YouTube Crushing Video[/ame]

 

[Runningwolf]

ROFLMAO, so who rented the "load N Go" truck from Home Depot and used it for picking up grapes instead of taking home a delivery? Thats a problem they have with customers as it's cheaper to rent that for $20.00 then to go to a car rental place and rent a truck.

 

[Runningwolf]

Great video and pics Mike. How long did it take to get the grape stains off your hands? Will this be the first time to use your new press?

 

[Wade E]

Great thread Mike and please update on every step for us and for you to look back on. Its actually better then notes as you always on here.

 

[ibglowin]

No idea who rented the Home Depot truck, must have been somebody with a small car as their only vehicle. Seemed like a good alternative to renting a truck for a full 24hrs when you only need it for a couple at most. I didn't get any stains at FVW, but my hands were pretty blue on monday after spending most of the day pulling leaves, twigs, clusters out of the must plus pulling juice samples for testing.

This will be the first time for the new press. I am a little worried about where the heck to press off. I have a lot to press and its getting colder and colder outside. Hopefully by the end of next week we will have a warm up period and I can wait till afternoon. My patio faces south so full sun and nice and warm but if we get a cold front through it could be 20 degrees outside. SWMBO is already not happy about me fermenting in our unused living room (mostly doesn't like the smell) but not sure if I can press in the house or not being that juice will squirt out the sides for 10 feet. Guess I could toss a trash bag over it to catch the side spray!

 

[Runningwolf]

Mike, I would NOT press in the house. If you do it on the patio or driveway be prepared to hose it off to prevent staining. As far as squirting out the sides, that is a very easy fix. Get some 12-14" shrink wrap at harbor freight and wrap your press. We do that all the time and it works like a champ!

 

[ibglowin]

Ha! OK, bad idea....

I do have an all tile house for the most part, Tile is also brown. Our dinning room could be cleared out.......

Still trying to work that one!

 

[Runningwolf]

The tile's not usually the problem, it's the grout that will stain. Do you have a garage? Either way it has to be outside as it gets messy.

 

[rhoffart]

Wow, I can't imagine the aroma in the house. It's strong in my garage with three buckets going.

sorry about hi-jacking your other thread.

 

[Randoneur]

I always lay down a large tarp, then a large painting cloth on my patio when I press. A tarp by itself is just about as much of a mess as not using anything.

 

[AlFulchino]

Nice story and pics Mike....have a great time w it!

 

[ibglowin]

Nothing has been easy this year, now I have to find a good place to press off. I pressed last year on the patio and know full well that juice goes everywhere! That said, the forecast for late next week is for a high of 40 degrees. The sun is strong here and if there is no wind, 40 can feel like 55 easily. That said will the cool down effect the must enough to keep it from fermenting to dry? Should I ferment below 1.000 in the Brute before pressing......

Garage is pretty full and is NOT heated. It would be easier to warm up the winery and press in there over the garage but in all honesty the dinning room is all tile and faces south as well looking out over the patio and there is an 8' X 4' window so not much wall. If I wrap the basket.........

 

[Wade E]

I agree with Dan!!! Do not press inside! You will die a horrible death by wife!!!

 

[AlFulchino]

those temps are cool to bring to dry...but it can be done....good color extraction...and brutes are fine to go to dry with

a quick suggestion for you since you are in a land of sun....get some plastic from hd or lowes etc...create a mini greenhouse/hot house....i know this...if i want 80 degrees right now all i have to do is go close the doors on the greenhouses and let the sun do the rest....the fans will kick on if it gets too hot

you could easily get free heat and great temps for fermentation to help you along...the night time temps may be a different story...so let a cap build before evening and trap heat in instead of punching down late in the day

 

[ibglowin]

Brutes are inside the house nice and warm. I would only have to move one at a time outside to press, transfer to carboy and then haul the carboy back inside to warm up to finish out. I am thinking ferment to dry in the Brute and then press. That way I don't have to worry about a stuck fermentation, only trying to get it to go as low as it can past 0.998. Should only take 30-45 min for each Brute.

If I start at noon i should be able to finish outside before dark. The only other option is to try and press indoors. Not pretty but nothing has been easy as stated before.

 

[Racer]

Mike don't worry too much about pressing off outside. I have the same issue every year I get premium grapes more california. I have pressed off in snow showers and haven't had a batch stick on me because of the cold. I just make sure to have everything completely ready to go then bring out one batch of grapes at a time. Return the wine back inside before doing any other clean up or prep for the next batch.

I'd rather chance a stuck fermentation then anger my better half. Pressing off grapes inside a house sure sounds like a good recipe for having ones wife turn you from a bull into a steer.

 

[ibglowin]

OK, will go with easy to clean up outside! Looks like the high on Thursday will be sunny and 45. Will shoot for then or Friday partly sunny and high of 50. I may need to pick up some more carboys or some one gallon glass jugs. Couple of those guys have close to 13 gallons of must which should yield ~8 gallons of wine.

 

[Rocky]

Mike, great pix and video. Take care of that bronchitis; it can turn into something worse if not properly treated.

In watching the videos, I was struck by the amount of juice vs. skins. It seemed like little juice to me or am I missing something?

Also, obviously there were no OSHA people around. You guys were scaring me putting your hands into the crusher-destemmer.

One last question. Where did "Jack" ride on the way back to New Mexico? It did not look like there was a lot of room in the SUV.

 

[ibglowin]

Feeling much better today and first full day back at work! Most of the Brutes have 11 gallons of must which will make ~6.5 gallons of pressed wine. The two that I had to add some water to get the SG down have about 13 gallons of must so they will make about 7.8 gallons! There is a lot of juice under the cap for sure. Poor Jack only had 2/3 of the back seat to ride home in. He fit lying down but just barely! The other 1/3 of the seat had the (2) 20G Brute buckets.

Just checked the SG on all 7 Brutes. They are all basically dry or very close to dry and its only day 5 today! It is supposed to snow tonight and off and on tomorrow and then warm up and be pretty nice on Wednesday and Thursday. I need to go to Santa fe tomorrow and pick up a bunch of 1 gallon jugs from the LHBS. I have the carboys, just not enough smaller sizes.

SG's just now taken

Cabernet Sauvignon #1 1.010 must temp 72 degrees
Cabernet Sauvignon #2 0.998 must temp 70 degrees
Merlot #1 0.998 must temp 70 degrees
Merlot #2 1.006 must temp 72 degrees
Malbec 0.998 must temp 70 degrees
Petit Verdot 1.000 temp 70 degrees
Cabernet Franc 0.998 temp 70 degrees

All of them smell wonderful with no off odors including the Cab Franc. The color on them is pretty amazing as well, especially the Malbec and the Petit Verdot.

I plan on letting the temps fall to room temp 64-68 and pressing on Wednesday at the earliest or Thursday at the latest.

 

[rhoffart]

Wow ... looking good