2012 Merlot and Cabernet Franc racked

About time.  Racked both red wines and added Barrel Mill spirals of medium toast American oak (6 weeks until neutral).

Lost extremely little - the lees were light and thin in the Merlot, much more mucky in the Cab F. but just not a lot of it.  And a little volume was taken up by the oak.  Merlot went from 5+5+5+3+1 to 5+5+5+3.  Cab F was a little more complicated.  We only had 5+3 to start with, and that turned into 5+2.5 or a little more.  So?  Topped off with the remaining Merlot.  All is well.

Haven't added more SO2 - need to think that through and look at when it was last added.  Should probably up the level, since it will be 6 to 8 weeks before we touch it again.  (Now I see it's been 4 months since last SO2 - will definitely add today or tomorrow.)

The Cab F is candy-apple red, clear, not much nose and a little low in acid.  The Merlot is ruby red, has a real attack when you first sip it - acid is up in the white grape range, and I like it a lot.

Cab F pH was about 3.73 at the end of fermentation and it measured 3.71 today.  Need to look to see if we have a pH for the Merlot from the end of fermentation: I see one from the start, which was only 3.27.  Today it measured 3.77.