Livermore Cabernet and Merlot Frozen Must

[crushday]

I picked up 14 pails this morning in Portland, Oregon. The guys at Wine Grapes Direct are great. They helped me load my pickup, gave me two finished bottles of wine made with grapes from the same vineyard I was taking home. I cannot wait to try them...

I’ll document each step in the fermentation process and post pics in the coming several days. Here’s the particulars on each variety:

2019 Livermore Merlot Frozen Grape Must

Livermore Valley, California
Brix 25.4, pH 3.78, TA .55
Harvested October 11th, 2019

2019 Livermore Cabernet Sauvignon Frozen Grape Must

Livermore Valley, California
Brix 25.7, pH 3.7, TA .59
Harvested October 11th, 2019

The trip home was hot and the grapes thawed pretty quickly. Still had some ice in the center when I opened the pails. I dumped them into the stainless fermenting pots.

Let the cold soak begin!

 

[CDrew]

Dang @crushday, save some room for next fall!

 

[crushday]

Dang @crushday, save some room for next fall!

This is it until September/October. I’m going to have open barrels soon and I need something to fill them. The Malbec I made a few weeks ago will be part of that barrel fill.

 

[Boatboy24]

I'm jealous!

Not a lot of room for cap formation there. You like to live on the edge.

 

[crushday]

I'm jealous!

Not a lot of room for cap formation there. You like to live on the edge.

Jim, I too am concerned about the cap. I have 35 gallons of must in each of these 45 gallon stock pots. My experience is that each 5 gallons of must expands to 6 gallons with the raised cap. I should be fine once it’s fully thawed and settled in. But, as a contingency, I can remove some of the must and use another fermenter to provide adequate space. Time will tell...

I don’t plan on losing any to the floor...

 

[Boatboy24]

Jim, I too am concerned about the cap. I have 35 gallons of must in each of these 45 gallon stock pots. My experience is that each 5 gallons of must expands to 6 gallons with the raised cap. I should be fine once it’s fully thawed and settled in. But, as a contingency, I can remove some of the must and use another fermenter to provide adequate space. Time will tell...

I don’t plan on losing any to the floor...

You've certainly got a spare bucket or two around now.

 

[stickman]

Interesting, where did you get those horizontal fermenters?

 

[crushday]

Interesting, where did you get those horizontal fermenters?

Lol... I made them myself. They’re sectional and expandable. Their slender profile makes temperature control a snap. Cheap too...

 

[Boatboy24]

Interesting, where did you get those horizontal fermenters?

I love the way they magically hold in the must.

 

[crushday]

Update:

Merlot cold soak temp is 39. Added EV-X, OptiRed, and Tannin Riche
Cabernet cold soak temp is 35. Added EV-X, OptiRed, and Tannin Riche

Tomorrow I’ll check the temp again, pH and free SO2 levels and, add TA as needed.

I’m hoping for a long cold soak. Temps on Tuesday and Wednesday are highs in the low 60’s and high percentage chance of rain. Right now I have temp assist turned off and just letting the ambient temp do its thing. It’s about 70 degrees in the fermenting room.

 

[crushday]

Update. Pitched the yeast, BDX on the Cab and RP15 on the Merlot yesterday morning. This morning, must is at 67 degrees and had formed a loose cap. Wine already has good color. I’ll snap a picture at the next punch down and post on the next update.

I’ll likely inoculate with CH16 tomorrow morning after punch down.

 

[crushday]

A few pics...

Cabernet:



Merlot:

 

[Ajmassa]

A few pics...

Cabernet:

View attachment 61170

Merlot:

View attachment 61171

BEAUTIFUL. F****NG BEAUTIFUL!!! Really, that’s gorgeous.

Looks like that cap space ran out quick. I’m assuming you’ll be moving some off like ya said earlier. FWIW I just had 30gal must rise to >40gal at its peak.

 

[sour_grapes]

Living on the edge!

 

[crushday]

Looks like that cap space ran out quick. I’m assuming you’ll be moving some off like ya said earlier. FWIW I just had 30gal must rise to >40gal at its peak.

Monitoring the cap level - I’m trusting my calculations but they are based on 5 gallons of must per bucket. If, by chance, a bucket had more volume than advertised I’ll be moving some out. Either way, you’ll see a pic!

 

[Ajmassa]

Monitoring the cap level - I’m trusting my calculations but they are based on 5 gallons of must per bucket. If, by chance, a bucket had more volume than advertised I’ll be moving some out. Either way, you’ll see a pic!

I hear ya. Though that’s still a rough estimate and small variations make a difference when multiplied x7.

1. Overflow/removing to 2nd vessel
vs
2. No action needed
My moneys on #1. But even if I’m wrong I’ll still call ya a crazy man!
“Fool me once something something......”

 

[Boatboy24]

Living on the edge!

I was just singing Aerosmith in my head!

 

[crushday]

Ok, @Ajmassa and @sour_grapes - and any other interested parties. I introduce to you the 2019 Caberlot custom blend, 50/50! I decided it was a fool’s errand to waste such great must to my bullheaded ways. Especially since I was planning on blending six gallons in the end anyway. Might as well do it now - save the mess, frustration and heartache.

I pulled out four gallons from each active ferment and mixed it in a 18 gallon vessel.

Thanks for the repeated warnings...

 

[Ajmassa]

Better safe than sorry. Would be a shame to lose some.

for the record I was only kidding around with ya. Nobody can judge a situation better than the person in it. Didn’t know if the picture was the first cap that would increase thicker still or was a few punchdowns in. Or if the punch pushed some up skins on the sides to appear higher than it was etc etc.

Either way eliminating risk is never a bad thing. Good luck and enjoy!

 

[crushday]

For the record I was only kidding around with ya. Nobody can judge a situation better than the person in it. Didn’t know if the picture was the first cap that would increase thicker still or was a few punchdowns in. Or if the punch pushed some up skins on the sides to appear higher than it was etc etc.

Either way eliminating risk is never a bad thing. Good luck and enjoy!

Whether kidding or serious, I joined this forum to learn how to make wine. Knowledge is obtained by personal and collective experience. I’m grateful for you and for the mutual wisdom.

That was my second punch and the fermentation isn’t even really going yet. There was going to be a mess for sure - and, frankly, might overflow still.

How did @stickman keep his 2019 Cab from over flowing? Looking at his pics, there’s not much cap space on #16 of the thread.

All in all, I’m blessed you’d care enough to offer advice.