2021 Cab and Merlot vintage begins

[CDrew]

Sorry, but still unclear. If I stop the water at 1.5 it will immediately start dropping. If I stop it at 2 it might drop and stop at 1.5. This will be my second using it so I'm still learning.

I can only state what I do. I'll take to to 1.0. It will drop as juice is pressed out. I'll then take it back to 1.0. I'll do this several times. Usually by the 3rd cycle of this, no more wine will press out. I call it done at that point. I've played around with higher pressures-the wine tastes the same to me, and very little additional wine comes out above 1.5. Last year I did a press run to 1.0 and then at the end measured how much more wine came out between 1 and 1.5. It was very little, under 1L. That was with a fully loaded press too. Good luck, but in the end, I don't think it matters that much.

 

[Snafflebit]

I began the post-ferment MLF today using CH-16. I love being able to sprinkle the freeze dried contents. The vintner who I buy ingredients from recommends using a leuco nutrient and I added some to the carboys, about a gram per bottle. I hear that most people don’t worry about ML nutrient.

So, @crushday, I took a picture of the CH-16 I used and it too has a tan tinge. Maybe this is the new color.

 

[G259]

Bordeaux style?

 

[Boatboy24]

I began the post-ferment MLF today using CH-16. I love being able to sprinkle the freeze dried contents. The vintner who I buy ingredients from recommends using a leuco nutrient and I added some to the carboys, about a gram per bottle. I hear that most people don’t worry about ML nutrient.

I honestly don't know if it is a leuco nutrient, but I always add OptiMalo before I add the MLB.

https://morewinemaking.com/products/opti-malo.html

 

[stickman]

Leucofood is just a brand of ML nutrient from the BSG line of products. ML bacteria is now called Oenococcus oeni, but was previously known as Leuconostoc oenos so that's where the name came from.

https://www.napafermentation.com/store/p867/LEUCOFOOD-NUTRIENT.html

 

[Snafflebit]

Woohoo, I finally see the MLF Don Ho Tiny Bubbles in all my wine. I have not racked the carboys off the fine lees yet.

 

[Snafflebit]

I finally finished the measurements after one day of cold soaking.

Vineyard 1 Cab Sauv:
SG 1.094 Brix 22.5
3.42 pH
TA 6.375 g/L
146 lbs.

Vineyard 1 Merlot:
SG 1.120 Brix 28.1
3.79 pH
TA 3.6 g/L
73 lbs.

Vineyard 2 Cab Sauv:
SG 1.117 Brix 27.4
3.58 pH
TA 5.925 g/L
190 lbs.

I will remeasure the SG after I pitch some Lallezyme and let it work. The juice was a little cloudy

My plan this year is to bring the high brix down to 25 with acidified water. Last year I pitched yeast in the merlot at 27 Brix and had some trouble completeing MLF

Here is a progress report on the 2021 wines. 5/30/22

Vineyard 1 Cab Sauv:
I had enough wine to age a press fraction and free run fraction. This Cab Sauv must had no water or tartaric adjustments. The must started as 3.42pH and a low (by California standards) 22 Brix. Today the free run is 3.52pH and the press is 3.47pH. The press fraction had a green characteristic at the first rack, now that characteristic is gone, I am happy about that. I am glad that I have a pH meter, because by the taste I would have never guessed the pH was this low. Tastes fine, not sharp or acidic.

Vineyard 1 Merlot:
This must was adjusted to 25 Brix and 4.8g/L TA, which I felt was a conservative acid level for these very ripe grapes, but I did not want to over correct my grape must TA. Must was 3.79pH at crush, today the wine is 3.50pH and so far is on track to being a very fine wine, deeply pigmented and a little lower in pH than I expected. Backwatering did not hurt the wine.

Vineyard 2 Cab Sauv:
This must was also adjusted to 25 Brix and 4.8g/L TA. Must started at 3.58pH at crush, today the wine is 3.67pH. Again the backwatering did not hurt the wine.

So, I am pleased with the results of light acidulation and backwatering. This leads me to think the high Brix was the result of shrivel more than overripeness of the berries. I want to target 25-27 Brix for the Merlot to create an easy drinking wine that is not bone dry and 23-25 Brix for the Cab to showcase a tannic structure.

MLF completed on time for the 2021 wines. I had a 2020 wine start at 27 Brix and it was still bubbling in Spring 2022! It completed MLF but it worried me. So, I will backwater future musts to 25 Brix unless there is a very good reason not to do it.

 

[Snafflebit]

The Merlot still has that bright magenta color. It needs some age, I think.