To punch or not

[Wild Duk]

My must should hit 0 brix today and I have to leave town for 3 to 4 days. I will be able to press then when I get home...

Should I just seal up fermenter when I leave or still have da wife punch down cap a few times a day for me????

 

[joea132]

At this point you are more onto an "extended maceration" so I would suggest sealing it with a top and saran wrap. If you have access to argon or CO2, now would be the time to use it. As for punching the cap, I say don't. If it is properly sealed it should not dry out the cap and you'll be okay.

 

[Wild Duk]

You mean put saran wrap directly on top of the grapes???

 

[Rocky]

Wild Duk, how much wine are we talking about and what size fermenter? If you are getting down to 0 brix, you are at the point of moving the wine to a secondary container, e.g. a carboy and pressing the grapes. I am not sure I would trust plastic wrap of seal the fermenter. If you have a lid that seals tightly and will hold an air lock, I would use that in favor of the wrap. The best option, IMHO, is to rack and press right now but it seems like you don't have the time to do that, right?

 

[Wild Duk]

It's a 5 gallon bucket of crushed grapes in a 8 gallon fermentor. I don't have time to press till tues night...

 

[altavino]

if the cap has sunk , lay saran wrap directly on the top of the must .
and put the lid on tight and put the fermenter in a cold spot . it will be fine for 3 or 4 days.

another option is to innoculate with mlb , then do the saran wrap and lid on and leave it in a spot thats a bit warmer (room temp )