HELP!! Chilean Pinot/Malbec 1st Time Bucket

[Tom]

Looks OK .
U gonna do MLF? If not make sure you stabilize and age for 12 months.

 

[PAwinedude]

tom

do I stabilize just as i would the kits

add k meta, sorbate, and superkleer?

I plan on letting both sit in secondary for 4 weeks (with oak)

afterwards, I will add k meta, sorbate and superkleer

how much of the kmeta and sorbate should i add?

thanks for all your help

 

[PAwinedude]

additional help

well,

both pails are dry.....

I will rack to carboy

my plan is to add 1/4 teaspoon kmeta

2.5 teaspoons of sorbate

then add oak....for 4-6 weeks

degass after secondary

thoughts

thanks

 

[Tom]

Yep sounds good. Plan on aging these for at least 6 months.

 

[Wade E]

You dont really need to add sorbate to these reds but it wouldnt hurt to do so and it does give it an extra anti microbial property to it.

 

[PAwinedude]

As always, thanks Tom/Wade,

Quick question....

What about topping up?

The raisins sucked up about a bottle of must for both the Malbec and Pinot..

Is it ok to top up after the oaking is complete (approx 4 weeks)?

 

[Tom]

Yes but, add a "like" wine. (pinot and malbec)
Any left over DRINK>>>

 

[PAwinedude]

copy!! will do....

 

[Chateau Joe]

As always, thanks Tom/Wade,

Quick question....

What about topping up?

The raisins sucked up about a bottle of must for both the Malbec and Pinot..

Is it ok to top up after the oaking is complete (approx 4 weeks)?

Tom,

If the raisins suck up a bottle of must, do you squeeze or crush them to get that some of that must back?

 

[Tom]

Raisins rehydrate so yes they will suck up some.
I just remove them and toss. No squeezing/crushing.
Are you gonna do MLF?
If so do not top off till its done

 

[agb_parsons]

The Yeast is the Beast

I started a pair of Merlot's back about 2.5 months ago from rozen grapes. I have treated them identical except the type of yeast used on the grapes in the primary. One used the Red Star recommendation in this thread and the other a higher end yeast recommended by the folks that sold the grapes. During primary fermentation it was plainy evident something different was going on. You could see significantly bigger pockets of gas thorugh the sides of the buckets with the higher end yeast. I was amazed there could be such a difference. Both buckets yielded about 3 gallons in the secondary fermentation carboys. I did a racking (probably was unnecessary I feel now) about 3 weeks ago, so I got a bit of a taste of them so far. The higher end yeast had a better flavor to it no doubt. A gentleman I am in a wine making class with had quite a bit to say about the yeast qualities. He does a lot of beer also and has noted over the years the exceptional difference yeast strains can make. Both are settling in to MLF at this point and I probably will go as far as doing cold aging on them as I have a fridge spare.

I also got talked into saving the mashed grapes and running a batch of "seconds". What a hoot of a project that has turned into. I am really not sure what is coming out of that! It is currently in a secondary and is slowly getting the SG down as you would expect, but I am not sure what I am going to do with it next.

 

[weaverschmitz]

I just got my first buckets from Chile of Malbec and Pinot Noir as well. I'm going to try lalvin 71b-1122 for the Malbec and bourgovin rc-212 for the Pinot.

I realize this post started in 2010 so I'm wondering how the wines turned out and if you have any suggestions for me? Also, why did you use raisins and did they do what you expected? Thanks!