Merlot & Syrah

[rrawhide]

Well, we picked up the merlot and syrah 'wine' from my friend this
morning. He called it dirty wine since he just pumped from the
primary into oak barrels for the secondary. He has not racked yet
- probably 10 days from now. So we pumped from the oak barrels
into my Imperial Carboys. Probably have 7 gallons of each.
Here is what it looks like:

(just starting to settle down from trip home.)

The numbers are Merlot - Brix 21.5; TA .65; Ph .4 and SG 1.1.

Syrah - Brix 23.5; TA .54; Ph .4 and SG 1.1.



I presume that I just wait - wait - wait for about 10 days for the SG
to get below .992 and then do what? What chemicals do I need to
add? Do I add the chemicals like we do in kits or what?
Plus this being over 6 gallons do I need to adjust upwards?



I found out that an Imperial Carboy weighs much more than a regular 5
gallon glass carboy. After stabilizing and fining I think that I
will put into 5 gallon carboys and figure out a blend for the
rest. Any suggestions on the blend ratio?



Anyway, any suggestions/help/assistance/hand holding will be appreciated.



Also, here's what we now have going:

from the left - merlot - syrah - MM Amarone - WE Gewurztraminer - WE
Cabernet - (front) IM Modified Blackberry Cabernet - fresh fruit
strawberry - blackberry and peach.



in bottles: WE Riesling (for Thanksgiving) IM White Strawberry Merlot and IM Wildberry Shiraz.



Drinking - commercial !!!!!



One day - hope to be enjoying mine!!!!! wait - wait -wait
!!! Keep my hands off - let it bulk age
------------hummmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!



thanx

rrawhide



ps: just waiting for the proper time and meal for the Fish Farm
Bronze that Joan was so gracious in sending. Thanx Joan

 

[grapeman]

Boy you have a tall order for us here to fill, but I will give you a little of my info. First, they should make a couple great wines if all goes well.


The numbers aren't all right-not sure what is out of whack. You have two differnt brix yet the SG is the same at 1.1. The Syrah is closest to correct. The 23.5 brix is about 1.095 SG. The 21.5 brix of the Merlotis about 1.088SG. ThepH should probably be 3.4 not .4. TA seems about right.


Next, what did he innoculate these with for yeast? Did he start a malolactic ferment before pressing? It's probably not needed for the acid if the TA is as listed.What is the present SG of each. You probably don't need chemicals, but if there is no malolactic bacteriain there, I would test the sulphites and add some if it is real low(probably 1/4 tsp K-meta).


I would definitely get some oak cubes in both of those right away expect to leave them in a minimum 2 weeks. I'm thinking you would likely only get 5-6 gallons out of each of those with all those lees and headspace(even though they are 7 gallon carboys). Let's get them finished out first and then decide how much you have and how to mix.

 

[Wade E]

Looking good rrawhide, those are some serious lees and they will most likely compact a bit. I was actually thinking of racking in 2 weeks to get them off those lees and then add oak cubes or just transfer the cubes with the wine to a clean carboy.

 

[rrawhide]

Well I guess that I better get my numbers right. In my
haste - I put .4 for the Ph and it is 4. The SG I took
after putting them in the winery. The SG is actually 1.01 and not
1.1. I think that i am going back and get a refresher course in
typing 101. All the other numbers he gave me after he did his
balancing - the TA on the Syrah is .65 and not .54. Typing 101!!!!



I have some House Toast French Oak; some House Toast American Oak and
some Heavy Toast American Oak. Which Oak should I use for which
wine?



I imagine that the SG will be under 1.0 soon as there are no bubbles
coming out of the airlocks at all. Should I let them sit for
awhile? or should I rack and add the Oak now? Or add the oak now
and let sit for awhile and rack over and leave the oak for awhile
longer?



Just went out and looked at them again and the lees have compressed a
little more but still are pretty deep. When he pumped from the
barrel he tried to keep the hose off the botom but who knows. By
the way he ended up with 3 - 55 gallon barrels each of merlot and syrah
- about 300 gallons total. wow!!!



Thanx guys for your help - lots are needed.



have a good evening.



rrawhide


Edited by: rrawhide

 

[Wade E]

I would give it at least a week to let them lees compact, this way you will not lose as much wine transferring. the oak you have, is it chips or do you have cubes, the chips wont be easy to transfer over being as how your in a carboy so Id just wait until you rack off the lees to add to add the oak. Has this wine already been racked off lees or was the barrel he pumped out of his primary?

Edited by: wade

 

[rrawhide]

mornin'



The wine has not been racked at all - he will be racking all of his
next week. The oak that I have are all cubes. He has open
vat primarys so he just picked - crushed/destemmed - fermented -
lightly pressed and pumped into the barrels. That's why he called
it dirty wine. You are right - doing it now would lose too much
wine. thanx. have a good day.

rrawhide