Repeat after me: I am not worried about how slowly the Merlot is fermenting, I am not worried about how slowly the Merlot is fermenting, I am not worried about how slowly the Merlot is fermenting...
600: Room 68 F, Merlot 71 F, Cab Franc 74.5 F.
The Cab Franc is fine, happy, driving onward. Not going to fuss too much about the sugar levels. As fermentation falls off further I'll take readings. No issue with it not reaching the weekend for pressing.
The Merlot, on the other hand. Good lord, what's it waiting for. A couple of inches of cap, and a fair early phase of fermentation underneath, but only a single degree rise in temps. Anyone home?
1900: The Merlot looks much as this morning, no temperature rise, but it has lost a couple of points Brix - measuring 22.5 now. Small blessings. The color is totally kick-butt - I don't think anything in the cellar has looked that rich so early since we used Alacante Bouchet and it's back juice to blend with the 2006 Zin.
But it's all cool, because tonight while we're sleeping upstairs the Merlot is going to break out into a major sweat, it's going to go torrid, jump 5 degrees F and blow off a quarter of it's sugar. I know it. Guaranteed.
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