Mine are chugging along faster than I expected. Might press as early as tomorrow evening.
2020 Fall Grape Season Coming Up
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Mine are chugging along faster than I expected. Might press as early as tomorrow evening.
How many days on the skins would that be?
If you count Saturday and Friday it would make 6 days. I used Opti Red, Booster Rouge and FT Rouge and the color is very nice. Extremely dark for the PS and about what you would expect on the ZIN.
Cynewulf
Senior Member
Since you’re interested in punch down tools, Fred, I thought I’d share a couple of short videos from one of my favorite wineries: Clos Fantine in Faugères. You’ll get to see how they use the ‘pigeou artisanale de Clos Fantine’ in their huge cement tanks. If you’re curious, towards the end of the first video she says something like ‘In this tank this year it was juice at the beginning and we did a délestage. After that we left it alone and didn’t touch anything. Now we’re at the point of removing it from the tank so we’ll do a punch down so the juice rises back into the cap and makes it more liquid.’
In the second video they explain they only punch down once or twice total because they prefer to leave the must ‘tranquil.’
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Great videos. A shame they can’t do pumpovers in the cement tanks. He’s gonna be working those tanks all day long! Thanks for sharing.
Cynewulf
Senior Member
Yeah, no doubt. At the beginning of the second video, the guy with the camera says, ‘And so after an hour and a half of effort, the cap has been pierced.’ My understanding is this particular winery doesn’t use any pumps; everything is done with gravity. As best I can tell, they do just one délestage (which also must be a pain without a pump), then seal it up for however long fermentation is going to take, then finish with the one punch down at décuvage. So at least he doesn’t have to do it every day. Having had a few bottles over the years, I will say the results are delicious.
I've always thought if the skins are left to the open air if will cause spoilage organisms primarily acetic bacteria.
If it’s a sealed cement tank though is that the same thing as open air? That space is filled with some seriously strong gasses. I guess that would prevent the bacteria.
And delestage is an interesting technique not often utilized at home. But anyone who uses some type of racking pipe filter is more then capable to doing it. Then I guess after some time passed just dump back in on top of the skins. While still punching down routinely?
The act itself is very doable. But fguring out what grapes would benefit, how often to do it, and would it even be worth it—- that’s another story.
Cynewulf
Senior Member
Indeed. In a couple of these videos when people look in the opening at the grapes they’re warned about getting too close as they get hit in the face by carbon dioxide.
franc1969
Senior Member
My Albarino and Viognier are getting close. Tomorrow evening or Saturday I will combine the fermenting carboys to settle out yeasts. I have each split into two to ferment. Zinfandel with Assmanhausen is surprisingly almost done as well. Syrah slowed, I hope it will finish up without issues. I am probably just unfamiliar with how the yeast is progressing, though it did blast past and I missed the timing for extra nutrients.
I was supposed to be back on Saturday for Malvasia that missed the last truck. Then it was unavailable and substituted Muscat- which ended up not happening as Delta sent truck short again, and without notice. Jim is going to pick up some buckets from S&S as replacements, particularly as part of what has gone missing again is his own juice. I gave some possibles but really am not sure what I will be getting. Something will work out. The possibles were all from next year's projects, but I'd planned to get juice and grapes so I'd have skins. At this rate I could have gone to pick up Italian juice, but really don't have time to run to Gino Pinto.
I was supposed to be back on Saturday for Malvasia that missed the last truck. Then it was unavailable and substituted Muscat- which ended up not happening as Delta sent truck short again, and without notice. Jim is going to pick up some buckets from S&S as replacements, particularly as part of what has gone missing again is his own juice. I gave some possibles but really am not sure what I will be getting. Something will work out. The possibles were all from next year's projects, but I'd planned to get juice and grapes so I'd have skins. At this rate I could have gone to pick up Italian juice, but really don't have time to run to Gino Pinto.
Boatboy24
No longer a newbie, but still clueless.
Here are this morning's numbers:
Cab Sauv: 1.016 (BM4X4, starting Brix of 23.2)
Sangiovese: 1.004 (BM4X4, starting Brix of 22.8)
Merlot: 1.022 (D21, starting Brix of 23.0)
Cab Franc: 1.036 (D254, starting Brix of 25)
Zin: 1.008 (RP15, starting Brix of 23.6)
I'm not sure what to do. Thinking I should press the Sangio and Zin tomorrow (Saturday), but it's a busy day and I absolutely hate the thought of setting up and cleaning up twice. A little concerned about the Cab Franc. Thoughts?
Cab Sauv: 1.016 (BM4X4, starting Brix of 23.2)
Sangiovese: 1.004 (BM4X4, starting Brix of 22.8)
Merlot: 1.022 (D21, starting Brix of 23.0)
Cab Franc: 1.036 (D254, starting Brix of 25)
Zin: 1.008 (RP15, starting Brix of 23.6)
I'm not sure what to do. Thinking I should press the Sangio and Zin tomorrow (Saturday), but it's a busy day and I absolutely hate the thought of setting up and cleaning up twice. A little concerned about the Cab Franc. Thoughts?
lots of CO2 in those wines. If it’s me (and it likely will be when I take readings tonight), I’d cover those wines, keep the bugs away and go one more day into Sunday. Press everything in one day.
You can let those suckers go another day or two for sure, even when they are done fermenting, you've got days of CO2 in there. I'd wait til Sunday and do the ones that are below 1.000, the rest when they are all below. Or just let em all go for several days for a little mini EM........
Keep in mind the Cab Franc had the highest brix so to me it makes sense it is the furthest behind.
While caps are still forming, they are not nearly as tall or firm. The sangio is the weakest of the three. The Malbec is in the middle and the Cab/Merlot is the most firm. Makes sense.
I’m going to make some blocks for my press today in preparation for tomorrow or Monday.
I’m going to make some blocks for my press today in preparation for tomorrow or Monday.
This will be the last post of my numbers since I'm pressing today. For me it was an interesting exercise seeing the progression of the different yeasts.
Cynewulf
Senior Member
Looking good, Fred. How do you get the odd numbers on your readings? Just when it appears to be between two hash marks?
That plus I have a finish hydrometer which reads more accurately.
Cynewulf
Senior Member
Got it. I think I need one of those. Now that my must is below 1.000 everything is slowing down and it’s getting harder to read the changes.
I reads 1.020 to .990. Pretty nice to have.
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