Chateau Michaelena Winery/San Acacia Cellars

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Mike,
Ok, here come the newbie grape questions.
I notice on some of the clusters what appears to be "smashed" or damaged grapes. What do you do with those, discard them?
Also, in your last picture of the single cluster, I notice some lighter grapes mixed with the darker ones. Do you use those also? Why are they lighter, not as ripe?
And finally, what drives the brix up so high, leaving on the vine too long?

As you can tell, I am not a grape guy but would love to dabble with them someday.
Good to know about those in Denver as my son lives in Winter Park.
 
The smashed grapes come from being loaded into lugs and stacking the lugs on top of each other. No way around it. Do you toss them, heck no, just think of it as starting the crushing process a little early! The only thing you would toss are any clusters that are dried up completly, slight raisining is OK, any moldy clusters you would toss as well.

So that last cluster is a cluster of Grenache. This is the first time for me to work with that grape and that is pretty typical for that varietal, it is sorta unique in that aspect. It has high acid and low tannin. Not sure if I will blend it all with Syrah and Petit Syrah or bottle some as a varietal wine.

High brix is very typical of Lodi, CA fruit. They have very warm weather and have had some really hot streaks with periods over 100 degrees. Also lack of water (drought) will of course concentrate the sugars making for a high brix as well. It is quite typical to have some fruit in the 27,28 Brix range. Unless you want to make a port without the need to add Brandy you need to water it back with acidulated water in order to get it down to ~24 brix. Also you are better off using a refractometer with high brix grapes than a hydrometer, the must is just too thick to try and get a reading.

wineforfun said:
Mike,
Ok, here come the newbie grape questions.
I notice on some of the clusters what appears to be "smashed" or damaged grapes. What do you do with those, discard them?
Also, in your last picture of the single cluster, I notice some lighter grapes mixed with the darker ones. Do you use those also? Why are they lighter, not as ripe?
And finally, what drives the brix up so high, leaving on the vine too long?

As you can tell, I am not a grape guy but would love to dabble with them someday.
Good to know about those in Denver as my son lives in Winter Park.
Click to expand...
 
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Mike,
Bonus on the additional lugs!
Just curious what were your numbers in terms of Brix, Ph and TA?

Thanks,

Steve
 
Most Brix were high 26 to almost 29 on one! Cab Sauv, Zin, TA all in the 0.6-0.7 range. pH in the 3.5 to 3.6 range. Added some acid water to bring the brix down.

Brix on Syrah and Petit Sirah was weird, only around 24 which is low, usually in the 26-28. TA was 0.6-0.7 range pH was ~3.5.

The Grenache was 23.6 brix and 3.45 on the pH. I am gonna let that one ride and see where it lands as the TA was 0.6.

Steve_M said:
Mike,
Bonus on the additional lugs!
Just curious what were your numbers in terms of Brix, Ph and TA?

Thanks,

Steve
Click to expand...
 
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As of this AM everybody seems to be off to the races with nice smells and really nice caps!

The RP15 I am using on all the Zin was slow to get going. Somehow when I ordered supplies I was not thinking and only ordered a single package of yeast for each primary. The rule is 1gm per gallon of must so I really needed around 11-12 gms per primary. The packets I used were from Morewine and they contain 8gms each so about 3-4gms low on each primary. The slower than normal takeoff was because of the smaller amount of yeast used, took an extra day really to get really going. Must temps are all 74F this morning. This is the first time to try and ferment in one of the 20G rectangular Brutes. Little worried about the lack of headspace compared to the 20G round Brutes. Hoping the different shape makes up for what seems to be a much smaller headspace. Guess we shall see!

I also ordered a 10G Brute (white) with lid as well as another 20G rectangular Brute (white with lid) yesterday from Amazon.

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I have probably 200+ pounds of cold hardy grapes still hanging on the vine that need to be picked! Everything will be here on Thursday.

Gotta love that Amazon Prime membership! Home Depot would have been higher plus would not arrive until next week unless you paid a steep price for expedited shipping
 
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We got 6 Primaries pressed off today only 4 more left! :db

The Cab Sauv is always slow and the last to go for some reason. Used D254, BM4x4, BDX and have all four Primaries with nice big caps still today. Probably make it till Wednesday or so I would guess.

Pressed off 3 Primaries of Zin, one Primary of Petit Sirah, one Primary of Syrah, and....... my Primary of GRENACHE! :hug It already smells wonderful and taste wonderful for one week old wine.

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Do you have a picture of the press? Looks like the beginning to a great cellar of wine!!
 
LOL The cellar is full! Not sure where the heck I will put this! Its good to have friends with basements...... :)

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LOL I need a close basement! I might need to keep an eye on the stock.... :HB


I always am taking wine to family in TX, MO, CA, WA. Thank you SWA for still allowing two free checked bags as I alway take advantage and am lugging 6-12 bottles through the airport it seems. Its nice to have plenty during the holidays to give, parties to go to, and amateur contest to enter.

I still may need a bigger winery after this year! I am for sure looking at either a new 30 or 40L Vadai. Those extra 6 Lugs are just what I needed to keep it full as well as the other Vadai's for the next year.

Looks like I will press off the last four tomorrow after work. I had hoped to make it till Friday so I could sleep in but 3 out of 4 are looking thin on the cap so it may be a long evening tomorrow.
 
You get some MLB! and you get some MLB! and you also get some MLB!

Everybody gets some MLB!!!!!!!!!

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