First time using real grapes

[SLM]

I picked up 4 pails from WineGrapesDirect, CS, CF and 2 Merlot. Merlot is fermenting quite slowly. Used BDX in all musts. Room temp is 72.
Starting SG and @5 days:
CS: 1.106-1.028
CF: 1.106-1.022
M: 1.107=1.083
Would you add more yeast? I have EC1118 on hand.

 

[NorCal]

As long as it continues to move, you are good, I’d let it ride. Punch down a few times per day.

 

[Ajmassa]

No yeast. But i’d make sure to add nutrients to it. The slower ferments can tend to eat up the available food leaving nothing for later to finish dry.
so if you weren’t adding nutrients i would now. If you already were then maybe break down the dose for a little bit each day instead of one or two shots.

It doesn’t happen to be 2020 grapes from Wash St does it?

 

[SLM]

Washington yes. The cab franc is 2020, the merlot is 2018 Red Mt.

I added 5g Fermaid O on day 2. Was planning on another 5g, which I can break into smaller doses. Is there any harm in adding more nutrients?

 

[ybl84f1]

As a newbie wine maker those pails of grapes look pretty awesome; as an old timer that has made pizza for decades I'm very interested in that sack of what looks like Pizza Crust flour! (I'm a "00" Caputo flour guy...).

(Today I just racked my WE Zin for the second time and my WE Chard will probably get its first racking tomorrow!)

 

[Cap Puncher]

Do you have any bad smells coming from the Merlot? You may have a low nutrient must and BDX with Starting at 1.107 (brix=25.3) may need more nutrients. The red mountain merlot could easily be a low nutrient must. I would consider adding Fermaid K (which didn't come with the winegrapesdirect ingredient kit). Below is from the ScottLabs Fermentation. Handbook 2020. This would come out to 1.5 gm/gallon of must (15 gm for you 10 gal of merlot of fermaid O). Usually, normal Fermaid K doses would be 1 gm/gal of must (10 grams/ 10 gal). I would add the fermaid K if you can get it in before SG 1.070 (or a bit lower). The MoreWine Red Winemaking Outline is nutrient schedule is the fermaid O 1.5gm/gal at cap rise and fermaid K
1 gm/gal at 1/3 sugar depletion.

Also, it wouldn't hurt to reach out to winegradesdirect for suggestions either. They are good guys and are always willing to help.

I am planning on getting 5 buckets of rattlesnake cab sav and 2 buckets of red mountain merlot in a couple months form winegrapesdirect. Thanks for the heads-up on the red mountain merlot.

 

[CDrew]

Can you warm up the area about 5 degrees?

The CS and CF fermentations look perfect for your temp.

I would watch the Merlot carefully. Nutrients likely a good idea. I have no experience with BDX yeast, but my guess is, the yeast is not the problem.

I posted in my 2020 thread that, I had semillion and Sauvignon blanc side by side fermenting at the same temperature with the same Fermaid o schedule, and the Semillion brix dropped at half the rate of the Sauvignon blanc. Just the way it goes.

Good luck.

 

[SLM]

as an old timer that has made pizza for decades I'm very interested in that sack of what looks like Pizza Crust flour! (I'm a "00" Caputo flour guy...).

There is a bread thread on this forum that includes some pizza talk. I propose a dedicated pizza thread. What could possibly be better than pizza and wine? I am Italian at heart. But as a member here says: No longer a newbie but still clueless. Me too.

 

[SLM]

Do you have any bad smells coming from the Merlot?

No, the merlot smells awesome, no issues there.

Also, it wouldn't hurt to reach out to winegradesdirect for suggestions either. They are good guys and are always willing to help.

Yes Andrew has been very helpful. But I reached out here for more opinions as I feel quite at home in a state of confusion!
I will start with the nutrients first and monitor.

 

[SLM]

Can you warm up the area about 5 degrees?

Yes thanks for that. I had the same idea and cranked it up this morning. Merlot is closer to the floor but could that really make a difference?

 

[CDrew]

Yes thanks for that. I had the same idea and cranked it up this morning. Merlot is closer to the floor but could that really make a difference?

Sure. Temperature has a huge influence on fermentation speed. Get the ferment to 75-80 and see what happens.

 

[Ajmassa]

might need some more nutrients on the merlot. Apparently a lot of washington grapes had abnormally high amount of sluggish/stuck ferments reported according to Scott’s Labs. Even though the merlot is 2018 maybe it’s a similar cause. I did a red mt cab in the fall and was crazy slow.

Ferm O calls for about 1.5g/gal so each 5gal could get (x2) 7.5g doses. (40g/hL) personally i’d go 12g for this 2nd dose but spread it out adding a little each day. this is basically what i did and it went fully dry. however I was using FermK w/ some extra DAP. Not saying this is what u need to do- just saying it’s what worked for me.

good luck and keep us updated.

 

[SLM]

I turned up the heat and am slowly adding nutrients as recommended. It's moving slow but sure.
Day 6: 17 Brix = 1.070 SG
At this pace it's going to be a long AF

 

[heatherd]

As long as it stays moving you're good. Long ferments aren't necessarily bad.

 

[Cap Puncher]

Going from 1.083 to 1.070 is a good pace. Hopefully the long fermentation will make amazing wine. I wouldn't do to many more nutrient addition after tonight or tomorrow. Yeast stop taking up nutrients after ~9% alcohol. You don't want to leave a nutrient rich environment for other microbes to feed on later.

Also, was the Cab Sav you are doing the Rattlesnake Hills 2019 from WineGrapes Direct? I noticed your SG start was 1.106. They advertised it was 24.25 Brix (SG1.1022) on their website. Was it really cold must when you measured it? I am just wondering because I am getting 4-5 buckets of it in a couple months.

 

[Rice_Guy]

I turned up the heat and am slowly adding nutrients as recommended. It's moving slow but sure.
Day 6: 17 Brix = 1.070 SG
At this pace it's going to be a long AF

Metabolism is extremely sensitive to temperature up till the maximum for that strain, insulating the carboy is another tool for pushing higher temp,,,, warning to this in that higher population requires nutrients or else off flavors start.
patience usually does the trick, unless you HAVE TO get the carboy emptied out.

 

[CDrew]

At this pace it's going to be a long AF

Maybe not. Once the temp is in the sweet spot, it goes fast. Glad it's moving for you. I like ferments done in a week which is rarely a problem in Northern California,

You are fermenting in the middle of winter. its going to take longer.

 

[SLM]

Also, was the Cab Sav you are doing the Rattlesnake Hills 2019 from WineGrapes Direct? I noticed your SG start was 1.106. They advertised it was 24.25 Brix (SG1.1022) on their website. Was it really cold must when you measured it? I am just wondering because I am getting 4-5 buckets of it in a couple months.

Yes that's the one I got. Like they say, chemistry will vary pail to pail. Mine was bang on 25, thawed at room temp. stirred up from the bottom in case sugars settled, same result.

 

[SLM]

Now we're having fun

 

[crushday]

Now we're having fun
View attachment 71427

Your pressed wine is surprisingly foamy. What variety is that?

And, secondary question: Are you planning on blending?