Broad Run Cellars Fall 2017 Crush

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Merlot was at 1.002 today and I pressed it. Malbec still at 1.040 and I'm going to try and make it to Friday with that. It is insanely dark. Looks more like Petite Sirah.

The Merlot seems happy in its new carboy home. Yielded a little more than 7.5 gallons. A little light, considering I added a little under a gallon of acidulated water. But the color has come around and I'm not too disappointed in the yield. Will rack in a day or two and let it sit until I'm ready to pitch MLB on the others.
 
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Day 9: Malbec at 1.028 this morning. Certainly slowing down, but plenty of CO2 and a good cap. I'm not sure why this one is going so slow, but I'm trying to be patient.
 
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Do you need your Opti Malo?

I still don't have my other two wines - I was going to pitch MLB on all of them at the same time. However, with still no word on the remaining grapes, I might just bite the bullet and order more MLB. So, I might need it this weekend.
 
I still don't have my other two wines - I was going to pitch MLB on all of them at the same time. However, with still no word on the remaining grapes, I might just bite the bullet and order more MLB. So, I might need it this weekend.

Be adventurous, wait to pitch on your "finished" wines until your grapes come in, and do them at the same time, first batch inoculated sequentially, second batch concurrently.
 
Be adventurous, wait to pitch on your "finished" wines until your grapes come in, and do them at the same time, first batch inoculated sequentially, second batch concurrently.

Thought about that too. BM4X4 good with MLB? D254?
 
There's some data sheet somewhere that says BM4x4 is below average for MLB compatibility. But I kinda thought proper feeding cancels that out. And I did just have a successful MLF with VP41 and BM 4x4 (co-inoculated)

I did this on last years wine and it was fine co-inoculated.
 
Wish I had known of the difficulty with doing an MLF with BM4x4. I might have gone with something different. Time to do some reading.

So, can I drop the MLF now since they're in active fermentation in a attempt at coinoculation??
 
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Wish I had known of the difficulty with doing an MLF with BM4x4. I might have gone with something different. Time to do some reading.

So, can I drop the MLF now since they're in active fermentation in a attempt at coinoculation??
I have done Mlf on Chambourcin twice with BM4x4 as the yeast and the MLB added after fermentation had completed. They both finished and made great wines. I don't have my notes in front of me so I can't say which MLB I added. So don't lose faith.
 
Wish I had known of the difficulty with doing an MLF with BM4x4. I might have gone with something different. Time to do some reading.

So, can I drop the MLF now since they're in active fermentation in a attempt at coinoculation??

You are using VP41 aren't you? I think you'll be fine. Just might take a little longer, be patient and stir every couple of days. You might want to consider ordering some Acti-ML to rehydrate it in and possibly some other nutrients in the case it gets stuck.
 

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