2018 wines, day 63

Checked the wine for SO2 levels, taste (right on!) and general poking around.  The Sauvignon Blanc is settled and clarified enough to be officially transparent rather than translucent.  The image at left is shot through the smallest vessel - 1 gallon - and not lit in any way.  Hello!

Tested the SO2 level in CB #1 and found it to be somewhere south of 15 ppm.  Made a batch of 10% meta solution, and used WineMaker Magazine handy online SO2 calculator.  Not taking any temperature of pH readings into account, and shooting for 30 ppm, the calculator came up with an addition of 6 ml 10% solution to every 5 gallons.  I took the coward's way out and assumed the Syrah to be at about the same place as the Sauv. Blanc.  As the wine had been still since before I racked it off the lees, I'm assuming this addition will have no affect on MLF - it's happened already and come to a happy place or it's going to wake up come the spring (please, No).  I didn't do much in the way of agitating the wine to disburse the meta solution: might go back and do that.  Refilled all of the bubblers and made sure everything is clean.

And here's a sad note - after testing the SO2 I realized I'd been making an error every time I used Titrets over the last few years.  Too embarrassing to go into detail, but it ain't going to happen again.

2018 Syrah, day 41, racked off of the lees

@ racking: 14:30, 54 F outside, 69 F in the cellar.

I've had 10 gallons of the Syrah up on the bench and ready to rack for over a week now.  This afternoon we did it.  Tasted every vessel and they were nearly identical, from large to tiny and from free run to pressed.  (Lori says she can taste the feet, but we didn't stomp this wine - we fermented the whole destemmed - but not crushed - berries.)

Color is whacky dark. I could barely see the racking wand up against the carboy glass.  No great shakes on the nose, but for a wine that's only as old as Noah's rainstorm the taste was surprisingly recognisable (as wine).

The lees were pretty minimal but I still was very conservative and we went from 5+5+1+1+1/2 to 5+5+1+1/2.  There was a liter more, or at least .75, but I chose to salute and say goodbye.

Have not added any SO2.  Replaced the cops & bubblers with stoppers & bubblers.  Zero post-racking activity so far in the wine, but will keep an eye on it.

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23:30, 67 F in the cellar.

All the new stoppers are snug, and there's not the slightest hint of activity.  Going to guess that MLF has happened, and no harm will come of raising the SO2 levels.  Will likely pick a target tomorrow.