Malolactic Fermentation

[asterof]

I have a Merlot on Malolactic Fermentation, using White labs WLP675
I started it with

Alcohol at 15%
PH 3.2
Initial level of Malic was 3

Time wise this should take about four weeks from what I have read
Question is should any activity be present during this conversion
such as CO2 production or bubbles.
Thanks

 

[acorn]

You may see some tiny bubbles rising to the top, especially if your wine is topped off in the narrow carboy neck. Though your alcohol and acidity are close to borderline tolerance of most MLB, I would say. As such, the rate of transformation of malic acid to lactic by MLB is probably low in your case, so you may not even see any activity upon visual inspection.

 

[Turock]

I never see activity during an MLF. Best way to note progress is thru testing.

However, you can be pushing the envelope on MLF when your alcohol is right at 15%. Are you SURE it's not over that? Hard to tell. I like to see alcohol content below that 15% tolerance level of most of the MLB's just to be sure.

Also, just let me say I have not had good luck with the White Labs culture. I've experienced stuck MLF when using it, as have many other people on this site.

 

[Fsim]

You may see some tiny bubbles rising to the top, especially if your wine is topped off in the narrow carboy neck.

Agree you can see bubbles at times in the neck of a carboy. That is usually my first inspection prior to testing for completion. I use a Chromatography testing kit to test for ML completion. I Use this kit and have great success. No guessing, pretty easy to use.
Just make sure when you are buying a ML Bacteria it us for the high alcohol. I would also get the PH up to at least 3.4 or 3.5. You are a little low. Did you use any Active-ML or something of the sort prior to your second fermentation?