2019 Cab

[stickman]

Picked up the frozen must today, 100% Sonoma Moon Mountain AVA, absolutely frozen solid, won't even bother opening for a couple of days. The following numbers are from the supplier: Brix 26.1, TA 4.7g/l, PH 3.62, YAN 133ppm, right now is the clicking of the chain on the roller coaster ride.......

 

[cmason1957]

I'm kinda jealous. I think I count 15 buckets, 3 gallons of finished wine each?? so about 45 gallons give or take. Very nice. I might, but might not based on taste add some tartaric acid to it, to push up that TA some. But I love me a 3.6 PH to start with, so maybe I wouldn't do anything.

 

[Johnd]

3.62 pH with a 26.1 BRIX is a dreamy start for a Cali Cab, you should have a lot of fun with this one!!!

 

[stickman]

Only 10 pails for me, the other five I'm transporting for a fellow winemaker. I appreciate the vote of confidence on the numbers, we'll see what we got soon enough, I suppose some people will cringe if I decide to water back to 24.5 brix.....

 

[mainshipfred]

I believe I've read the trend in wine is to increase the alcohol levels. Personally I seem to like the 13.5 to 14% range for big reds so you won't get any grief from me.

 

[cmason1957]

I won't cringe at you watering back. After all it is your wine and you should make it how you like it. I probably wouldn't, but then I like my dry red fairly heavy and chewy with 14-15% abv.

 

[stickman]

I understand the need to get to proper ripeness which may ultimately mean higher brix must, but I just don't want the quite that much alcohol.
Historically I use my hydrometer for measurements before and after fermentation, typically 24.5 brix starting and ending .992sg. Looking at my hydrometer 24.5brix is right at 1.100sg, using Fermcalc 1.100sg dropping to around .992 it indicates 15% ABV or so, depending on what number you want to believe. It seems like 15% ABV is high enough, I guess I'm getting old, any higher than that and it's one glass and I'm done.

 

[Johnd]

I’m cringing!!!

 

[ibglowin]

I would do the same using acidulated water. If fact you really have no other choice unless your making port out of all that.

I suppose some people will cringe if I decide to water back to 24.5 brix.....

 

[CDrew]

I'd look at these as great numbers and would be hesitant to do more than bump the TA a bit.

Any one else you feel a bit of alcohol is lost during open fermentation? I think it takes it down by a point or so but I have no numbers to back it up.

 

[stickman]

Pails are at 55F. Made up a 2 gallon starter by combining samples of 5 of the pails, heated to 160F then chilled back down to 75 then took measurements, the pH is just as reported, I got 3.60 on a freshly calibrated probe, the brix came in at 26.5, I watered back the starter to 23brix, and added nutrients before acclimating and adding re-hydrated DV10.
I intend to water back the entire batch to 24.5 once everything is in the vat, I've done this before without any issues. The must is so dense with skins and seeds that I can't imagine the water will have much of an effect on the flavor of the finished wine. Added 35ppm sulfite to all of the pails, added Lallzyme EX, will add starter to pails in the morning.

 

[jsbeckton]

Interested to see what you think of these Brehm buckets vs. fresh grapes. I’m always wondering if the premium is more for quality or convenience? Starting a batch in December certainly does sound appealing!

 

[Ajmassa]

Interested to see what you think of these Brehm buckets vs. fresh grapes. I’m always wondering if the premium is more for quality or convenience? Starting a batch in December certainly does sound appealing!

a large portion of the premium is related to the handling/crushing/storing/shipping of the must. In one of these brehms related threads recently stickman mentioned the #s.
Purchasing the same grapes locally at harvest is about 40% of the cost of purchasing the frozen must.
Makes sense. Making top quality wine from top quality fruit but only needing ‘hobbyist sized amounts’—- either live in the region or pay up!

 

[CDrew]

a large portion of the premium is related to the handling/crushing/storing/shipping of the must. In one of these brehms related threads recently stickman mentioned the #s.
Purchasing the same grapes locally at harvest is about 40% of the cost of purchasing the frozen must.
Makes sense. Making top quality wine from top quality fruit but only needing ‘hobbyist sized amounts’—- either live in the region or pay up!

Unfortunately, right? But this looks like great stuff. Bet it makes great wine. Any time of the year too. Looking forward to updates on this.

 

[stickman]

It's been watered back to 24.5brix, 1st dose of nutrients and starter added, pails are at 62F, I have the garage set at 65F for now, letting the fermentation come up slow, but should have a cap by noon tomorrow, I'll dump everything into the vat tomorrow, need to get some sleep.

 

[stickman]

The pails had a cap in the morning, ended up putting 9 pails into the vat, left one out to prevent a mess. Drained and returned a few pails in the evening to get some early oxygen to the yeast; the aroma is intoxicating.

 

[Johnd]

Looks wonderful!! I note how much color you have already, it’s one of the advantages I enjoyed with frozen must.

 

[Johnd]

The pails had a cap in the morning, ended up putting 9 pails into the vat, left one out to prevent a mess. Drained and returned a few pails in the evening to get some early oxygen to the yeast; the aroma is intoxicating.

It's hard to be sure in the pic, but it looks like you have some holes drilled into your PVC drain pipe on an angle nearly parallel to the direction of flow, I assume that is to allow some air into the flow as the wine passes through? Or are those just drops of wine that happen to appear symmetrical ? Something else?

 

[mainshipfred]

It's hard to be sure in the pic, but it looks like you have some holes drilled into your PVC drain pipe on an angle nearly parallel to the direction of flow, I assume that is to allow some air into the flow as the wine passes through? Or are those just drops of wine that happen to appear symmetrical ? Something else?

Good eye, interested in hearing the response.

 

[stickman]

I agree, in the photo above the must is still cool at around 63F, the yeast has just become active, so the color is from the freezing process, the Lallzyme EX, and cold soak during the thaw.