Starting Brix and yeast ABV tolerance for Tempranillo

[VictorV]

Going to be harvesting Tempranillo from my own vineyard for the first time. Brix is currently 25. Using this calculator, a brix
of 25 has a potential ABV of 15.1% which is pretty high IMHO. I am using Wyeast 4028 yeast which has an ABV tolerance
of 14%. My question is should I reduce the brix to around 23.5 so the max potential ABV is 14%? I don't want any residual sugar.

Victor

 

[Johnd]

Going to be harvesting Tempranillo from my own vineyard for the first time. Brix is currently 25. Using this calculator, a brix
of 25 has a potential ABV of 15.1% which is pretty high IMHO. I am using Wyeast 4028 yeast which has an ABV tolerance
of 14%. My question is should I reduce the brix to around 23.5 so the max potential ABV is 14%? I don't want any residual sugar.

Victor

Personally, I'd be much more inclined to switch to a yeast that can handle the sugar, 25 BRIX is still in my wheelhouse for a Tempranillo. BM4x4, D254 or D80 are my go to yeasts for medium to big bodied reds.

 

[VictorV]

That was an option I considered but I'm harvesting on Saturday and don't have enough time to acquire a different
yeast strain.

 

[Chris Johnson]

You can always pitch your Wyeast and get a 2nd yeast to finish it.

 

[AaronSC]

D80 is an awesome strain for Tempranillo and will handle this kind of gravity -I used three different strains on my Tempranillo (which was 23 Brix so fairly different) and I really loved the character of the D80. D254 is good too for helping to enhance fruit but you have to feed is carefully or it can get stanky...

 

[Johnd]

That was an option I considered but I'm harvesting on Saturday and don't have enough time to acquire a different
yeast strain.

Then you’ve not left yourself many options. You can either water it down, which will reduce the body of the wine, it’s the least desirable option. You could put your must in the fridge for a cold soak til you get yeast, a pretty great option. You can pitch what you have, and add a second yeast when you have time, as @Chris Johnson said above, or you can use what you have, spin the wheel, and hope it finishes dry.

 

[VictorV]

Great idea to pitch what I have and order something else to add when it arrives. I really hate to add water!

Victor

 

[BI81]

Then you’ve not left yourself many options. You can either water it down, which will reduce the body of the wine, it’s the least desirable option. You could put your must in the fridge for a cold soak til you get yeast, a pretty great option. You can pitch what you have, and add a second yeast when you have time, as @Chris Johnson said above, or you can use what you have, spin the wheel, and hope it finishes dry.

I read a post sometime ago on another website by Roy Piper (high end Napa Cab producer) where he said he picks in the 26 Brix range, waters back then does a saignee to increase concentration. Pretty interesting approach. As a side note he sells his wines for $150 a bottle and has a great reputation...so it must work!!!

 

[Johnd]

I read a post sometime ago on another website by Roy Piper (high end Napa Cab producer) where he said he picks in the 26 Brix range, waters back then does a saignee to increase concentration. Pretty interesting approach. As a side note he sells his wines for $150 a bottle and has a great reputation...so it must work!!!

This is all I could find. It is a interesting concept if that’s what he does, and it’s a plan, not a fall back position, with top of the heap grapes.

 

[salcoco]

your yeast tolerance has a lot of room for variance. it will probably finish higher abv. also I imagine you are measuring brix based on vineyard sampling. it can be lower once crush is done as you will have a better mix of different ripe grapes.

 

[Steve Wargo]

Sometimes yeast will finish above it's high-end ABV tolerance level if feed correctly. Feed DAP, and Nutrients at the correct times, if you have them.

 

[BI81]

This is all I could find. It is a interesting concept if that’s what he does, and it’s a plan, not a fall back position, with top of the heap grapes.

View attachment 66792View attachment 66792

I found the post, it was on wineberserkers website post #490 on the link below:

https://www.wineberserkers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=157104&start=450
He also has a cool blog on his website with some cool videos that actually show his process, not just the standard marketing promo stuff. I’ve never had his wines but appreciate his openness.

 

[Johnd]

Still, he has a net reduction in skins / wine ratio, so he doesn’t lose body, unlike if you just added water to drop BRIX