MLF for press run wine in carboy?

[Dom Lausic]

Hello All,

Just made a nice 50L batch of red blend (Cab Sav, Merlot, Syrah - 1:1:1), and racked it to my barrel over the weekend. I've put in the MLB yeast into the barrel yesterday. But i also ended up with about 12L (3 gal) of press run wine, currently sitting in a carboy. Should i run it through MLF????

Only issue might be that I've treated it with KMB..... Thought this was a good idea because the press run wine was exposed to so much air (and i had to store it in a 6 gal carboy for a few days until i get a smaller one). But wasn't thinking that i may have stunted the final stages of fermentation??? And possibly lost the chance at MLF?? My intention for this left over wine was to use as a topping up wine for my barrel.

Not sure what to do from here with my press run wine. Looking for help and suggestions!

 

[Johnd]

Hello All,

Just made a nice 50L batch of red blend (Cab Sav, Merlot, Syrah - 1:1:1), and racked it to my barrel over the weekend. I've put in the MLB yeast into the barrel yesterday. But i also ended up with about 12L (3 gal) of press run wine, currently sitting in a carboy. Should i run it through MLF????

Only issue might be that I've treated it with KMB..... Thought this was a good idea because the press run wine was exposed to so much air (and i had to store it in a 6 gal carboy for a few days until i get a smaller one). But wasn't thinking that i may have stunted the final stages of fermentation??? And possibly lost the chance at MLF?? My intention for this left over wine was to use as a topping up wine for my barrel.

Not sure what to do from here with my press run wine. Looking for help and suggestions!

It may need more taming than your free run, if you’ve got the mlb, why not give it a shot?

 

[Dom Lausic]

I guess you're right! Over the course of the next 12 months, most of it will end up in the barrel anyway

 

[Boatboy24]

I agree with John. And if it fails in the carboy, it'll likely be successful in the barrel, once blended w/ the rest of the batch.

 

[Johnd]

I guess you're right! Over the course of the next 12 months, most of it will end up in the barrel anyway

Only real problem there is that you’ll be itching to sulfite your barrelled wine to protect it as soon as MLF is finished. That sulfite dosage will most likely inhibit further MLF as you top up with the spare wine, leaving you with wine that has some malic in it again. Personal preference is to top up wine barrels full of MLF complete wine with MLF complete wine.