Sangiovese juice very high SG

[TomMonger]

Hello again,

I picked up my 6-gal bucket of Sangiovese juice today. I checked the SG and it's exactly 1.100 ... pretty high. Should I pitch the yeast anyway, or should I somehow lower the SG? What yeasts would be best? This juice has no additives... just pure, cold juice.

Thanks,
-Tom in Scranton, PA USA

 

[Tom]

Sure. Waiting will not lower the gravity... LOL

 

[Wade E]

Thats about right for a Sangiovese.

 

[ibglowin]

Are you sure it doesn't already have yeast added?

 

[TomMonger]

Good point, Tom

Yes, Mike, just pure juice. What SG can I expect this to "dry out" at?

 

[ibglowin]

Every wine will finish out a little different. 0.996 is pretty standard if all goes well.

 

[Lopez]

My Sangiovese was at about 1.098. Pitched BM45 Monday at 9PM. She was at 1.008 this morning. Air temps ranged from 70-74 and the juice never got above 78.

 

[TomMonger]

Thanks ... what esle should I add?

 

[robie]

You asked which yeast and what else you should add.

I need to ask if you have experience making wine from anything other than kits, which usually include everything (chemicals and instructions) needed to make a decent wine?

If you don't, well, we all have to start somewhere, some day. I would suggest you quickly read the tutorials from this forum's tutorial section. Since you already have the juice, you might be starting a little late on the how-to's.

I don't know how you could get hold of it this quickly, but BM45 is referred to as the Brunello yeast. (Brunello is a Sangiovese grape.) It will work for up to 14% ABV.

Your wine should finish out below 14% at somewhere around 13.6%, give or take a little.

With fresh juice, any yeast should have yeast nutrients added. BM45 would be a good choice but only if you have proper yeast energizer and yeast nutrients and know how to apply them. With that yeast, if you don't feed the yeast, it can spell disaster as in "H2S". Again, if you don't feed BM45, I can almost guaranty that with fresh juice, you will end up with H2S.

If no nutrients, choose a yeast that has very low nutrient requirement.
Here is a nice reference:
http://www.lallemandwine.us/cellar.php

Once you see a yeast you like, click on it and get its detailed nutrient and temperature requirements.

Here is a nice yeast/grape paring guide:
https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http://www.morewinemaking.com/public/pdf/wyeastpair.pdf

Good luck. Let us know what you decide and how it all turns out.

 

[TomMonger]

Robie,

I am new to winemaking, yes. I started last year with a bucket of fresh Cabernet Sauvignon. My friends, who have made wine for many years, basically told me "you get the juice, add yeast, rack every so often, and let it alone". I made a great Cab (added oak). Next was pear wine from pears. I followed the instructions found on Jack Keller's site. Then Skeeter Pee ... lots of vatiations! They came out wonderful.

With these "good" juices, I'm not sure about adding tannin, energizers, nutrients, acid blends, etc. Yes, I went through many tutorials, but they get confusing. I've never had Sangiovese and have no clue how to treat it, which is why I asked.

Thanks for the links for yeast selections!

-Tom in Scranton, PA USA

 

[robie]

What yeast and other stuff did you end up adding?
Let us know how it is coming along.

 

[TomMonger]

I used 71B-1122 because I couldn't find BM45. I hydrated it, and added it to my must. I also added nutrient (1/2 tsp per gallon of must). It looked great until 2 days ago when I could smell a distinct rotten egg smell. First time I ever encountered this. So I got a nice, clean and sanatized copper pipe, stirred the must and left the pipe in the pail overnight. The smell went away. There's no foam on top of the must, but there is plenty of "movement". SG was 1.05 this morning.

 

[robie]

I used 71B-1122 because I couldn't find BM45. I hydrated it, and added it to my must. I also added nutrient (1/2 tsp per gallon of must). It looked great until 2 days ago when I could smell a distinct rotten egg smell. First time I ever encountered this. So I got a nice, clean and sanatized copper pipe, stirred the must and left the pipe in the pail overnight. The smell went away. There's no foam on top of the must, but there is plenty of "movement". SG was 1.05 this morning.

H2S Ugh! I hate that condition! That wine seems to need a little more nutrients. Some wines, like Zins for sure, don't have as much nutrients already in the wine as others do. They are a little more needie.

While the wine is in primary (SG above about 1.010), it needs lots of oxygen to keep the yeast going. Make sure you stir it well regularly and stir in some air each time (splash it). Don't seal the wine up during primary. Lack of oxygen can also bring on H2S.

Each batch is unique. It is also probably a good time to add a little more nutrient. Add about 1/3 the full dose specified for the full fermentation ( say, 1/8 tsp per gallon). Also, when you rack it to secondary, add another 1/3 dos. Your wine will likely use it all up. You will be better off with a little excess nutrient than H2S. (It's easier to rack off nutrient than H2S!!!)

 

[Wade E]

IMO nutrient is always a good thing to use but like any other additive there are better ones to use then the generic ones sold at most supply stores.

 

[TomMonger]

Thank you both! I have the wine in a primary with just a cloth (and fruit flies!) over it. And yes, I stir it 3 times a day. I will add a bit more nutrient.

 

[Wade E]

Just dont exceed the amount specified on the product.

 

[robie]

Thank you both! I have the wine in a primary with just a cloth (and fruit flies!) over it. And yes, I stir it 3 times a day. I will add a bit more nutrient.

I forgot to mention that another thing that can cause H2S is if the yeast are not kept in their operating temperature range. Periodically check the internal temperature of the must and keep it in range.

Up toward the higher end of the temperature range will give you better color extraction.

Just o clarify, it is not normally a good idea to have nutrients left over after fermentation. The idea is if the yeast don't use it all up, some bad bacteria just might come along and scarf it up.

In this situation, since you got H2S so soon, even though you added nutrients up front, your grapes might be very low on available nutrients and especially if the fermentation is going quickly. Since excess nutrients is a better option than H2S, I think it is worth it to take a chance at having a little excess nutrients rather than to have a deficiency. You can always rack off of them, which is what you will do anyway. Just don't leave the wine in the secondary on the lees any longer than needed.

 

[TomMonger]

I used 1/8 tsp per gallon (3/4 total) last night. I also strapped a heat belt around the bucket. This morning, there was a vigorous fermentation going on! No H2S smell. I think this has finally back on track

 

[TomMonger]

Wow! This is going very, very nicely now!