Pinot Noir questions

[distancerunner]

For those who have worked with Pinot Noir, do you know of any good resources for study and instructions?

It's known to be challenging both in the vineyard and in the cellar.

How about pitfalls and problems? Recommendations for success?

 

[mainshipfred]

I knew the vineyard is sometimes a challenge but I was never aware it extended to the cellar. I've made it twice and just use my standard protocol for reds. Personally I prefer not adding any oak but everyone's taste buds are different.

 

[distancerunner]

I've talked to some folks recently who believe that higher fermentation temperature is important. Along with a healthy dose of pectic enzyme and "sacrificial" tannin in the crush.

It's the temp that will be challenging for us. I'm envisioning heaters and tarps. Enzymes and tannins are easy.

 

[Ohio Bob]

I wonder if a fruit flavor yeast like QA23 would be worth checking out?

 

[Jbu50]

Cool or warm climate?

 

[winemaker81]

I've talked to some folks recently who believe that higher fermentation temperature is important. Along with a healthy dose of pectic enzyme and "sacrificial" tannin in the crush.

It's the temp that will be challenging for us. I'm envisioning heaters and tarps. Enzymes and tannins are easy.

Many moons ago I was acquainted with a researcher at the Geneva NY grape research center. He was experimenting with Pinot Noir, and fermented at 85 F to get color. The problem was the heat blew off the aroma and he was not happy with the results. He got nice color, but the wine was less pleasing. He tried blending with a cooler fermented Pinot Noir, but wasn't happy with the result, either.

Based upon his explanations and my recent experience with maceration enzymes, I'd ferment cool and use enzymes. If you do that, pectic enzyme is not necessary, but definitely add fermentation oak.

 

[Sailor323]

I wonder if a fruit flavor yeast like QA23 would be worth checking out?

Might be interesting but QA23 is usually used for whites. But certainly worth exploring. RC212 is the classic yeast for Pinot Noir in Burgundy. From the Lallemand site, "
Lalvin Bourgovin RC212™ has been isolated in the Burgundy region of France, by the Bureau Interprofessionel des Vins de Bourgogne (BIVB) for its ability to highlight the Pinot Noir grape variety qualitative potential, especially in regards to the polyphenols. Indeed, thanks to its limited cell wall polyphenol absorption, Lalvin Bourgovin RC212™ promotes color and tannin stabilization during fermentation. This specific property makes Lalvin Bourgovin RC212™ a perfect choice to ferment grape varieties such as Pinot Noir, Grenache and Zinfandel with delicate structure, ripe cherry, bright fruity and spicy character."

 

[distancerunner]

Cool or warm climate?

Pittsburgh. Mid October cellar temps in the low to mid sixties. Means maximum ferment temps under 78F. The goal is 85F. Frequent punch downs will help, along with extra heat to bring the must from near freezing to 70F in the first twenty four hours. We are not going for a long cold soak. Though, we may decide to extend maceration post fermentation.

We’ll see.

 

[BarrelMonkey]

This is a good overview of PN - I have no connection with the author other than reading his articles. There are several other useful writings on that site, including malolactic, battonage etc.

I made 1/2 ton PN from local (N. California) grapes in 2021. Here is my fermentation profile:


As you can see, temperature was relatively modest. I added no macerating enzymes or sacrificial tannins, but still got nice extraction (punch downs 2x daily).

I used Assmanshausen yeast, which i think is a nice choice, it adds some spicy character. RC212 is a good choice too, with an emphasis on red fruit notes. Several folks here have expressed concern about H2S production with RC212 - it can get a little stinky during fermntatioon but with judicious use of nutrients that should go away and resolve into an elegant wine.

 

[anthocyanin]

This year I'm planning to make my first wine from whole grapes - thus far I've been a fruit winemaker - with some local Willamette Valley Pinot Noir (also potentially planning a second batch of Pinot Noir blanc). Here are my plans:

Day 0: Pick 150 lb of grapes, hopefully around 23.5-24 brix, crush and destem on site into my 20 gal Brute fermenter. Add 50ppm sulfite and a dry ice brick to cool the must and flush out the O2 in the headspace for the drive back. Once home from the vineyard, add Lallzyme EX and Opti-Red in recommended dosage (I am hoping to get as much color out of the grapes as I can). Use frozen water jugs as needed to keep temperature < 50F for 2 day cold soak.

Day 1: (or whenever juice starts to take on a rose hue) Siphon off a little more than a gallon of juice to ferment separately as a rose (saignee). Possibly add another CO2 brick to flush headspace again.

Day 2: End of cold soak, start of primary. Try to warm must relatively quickly with seed heaters and/or space heaters. Rehydrate 3 packets of RC-212 yeast in Go-Ferm. Measure brix and pH, note down and make adjustments if needed (hopefully unnecessary). Pitch yeast. Aiming for "warm" primary ferment in upper 70s with spikes to low-mid 80s OK. (Want to strike a balance with good extraction yet retaining some of the delicate frutiness). I think with my batch size I can maintain these temps just from the ~68F ambient room temp.

Day 3 - end of primary: Add half of the recommended Fermaid K dose and also recommended amount of Tannin FT Rouge Soft at first punch-down. Add second half of Fermaid K at 1/3 sugar break. Punch down 3x daily during primary.

Press: At or very near dryness. Settle out gross lees for 24-48 h then rack off, add recommended dose of Opti-Malo Plus and malolactic culture (probably Viniflora Oenos 2.0). Rack into carboys for MLF (hopefully will fill a 5 gallon + 3 gallon + extra for topping off)

At end of MLF: Rack again and add sulfite plus a light dose of French medium toast oak cubes to the carboys. Age on oak cubes for 4-6 months, probably doing cold stabilization as well during this time, since it'll be winter.

Rack off oak, measure and adjust sulfite, and age for another few months. If no or very little sediment, bottle without racking again, else rack one last time before bottling.