When making RED wine (cabernet sav) from fresh grapes is it advisable to do "cold soaking" or "soaking"? This is where you leave the crushed grape skins in contact with the juice for a few days before adding the yeast. I assume Kmeta is added to prevent spoilage during the soak.
The reason I ask is that there is no description of this practice in the "More Wine" manuals or Jeff Cox's book. Jeff talks about skin contact time after pitching the yeast but no mention of it before.
Here a Crushpad video all about soaking:
http://on.aol.com/video/wine-making-at-crushpad--wine-color-35023939
I've only make kits up to this point but plan on getting 150lbs of fresh grapes this september (from west coast grapes.) So I'm trying to wrap my head around all the additional steps before I'm up to my knees in must.
What's everyone's opinion on this?
John
The reason I ask is that there is no description of this practice in the "More Wine" manuals or Jeff Cox's book. Jeff talks about skin contact time after pitching the yeast but no mention of it before.
Here a Crushpad video all about soaking:
http://on.aol.com/video/wine-making-at-crushpad--wine-color-35023939
I've only make kits up to this point but plan on getting 150lbs of fresh grapes this september (from west coast grapes.) So I'm trying to wrap my head around all the additional steps before I'm up to my knees in must.
What's everyone's opinion on this?
John