I picked up 300 pounds of Merlot grapes on October 24, I pitched the yeast on October 25. Initially, things got off to a slow fermentation. It seems temperature was the culprit. I warmed the fermenter up and things have been coming along nicely. That debacle can be seen here:
http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10147
On November 9 the gravity reading was 4.5 Brix. I am going away this weekend and wont be back until mid day on Monday November 15. Initially, I was going to press then. I would really rather do this on a weekend but I thought it wasn't up to me, it was up to the yeast. I called the local homebrew shop to get their opinion about waiting and they said that if I wait until the weekend (November 20), I run a risk because the must will no longer be producing CO2 and will not be able to protect itself. They went on to say that I could purge the head space of the fermenter with an inert gas or CO2 to make it to the weekend and that the additional maceration time could benefit the wine. I don't believe I need any additional time on the skins as they have been in contact for 17 days already. If I press on Monday it will be 22 days, if I wait until the weekend it will be 27 days.
What does Winemakingtalk think? Press on Monday or inject CO2 to delay pressing until the weekend?
http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10147
On November 9 the gravity reading was 4.5 Brix. I am going away this weekend and wont be back until mid day on Monday November 15. Initially, I was going to press then. I would really rather do this on a weekend but I thought it wasn't up to me, it was up to the yeast. I called the local homebrew shop to get their opinion about waiting and they said that if I wait until the weekend (November 20), I run a risk because the must will no longer be producing CO2 and will not be able to protect itself. They went on to say that I could purge the head space of the fermenter with an inert gas or CO2 to make it to the weekend and that the additional maceration time could benefit the wine. I don't believe I need any additional time on the skins as they have been in contact for 17 days already. If I press on Monday it will be 22 days, if I wait until the weekend it will be 27 days.
What does Winemakingtalk think? Press on Monday or inject CO2 to delay pressing until the weekend?