2018 Sauvignon Blanc, day 181: SO2 levels

I mixed up a batch of 10% meta solution and added 4 ml to each 5 gallon carboy, looking to raise the levels by 12 parts per million.  More or less.  No more fiddling with the SB, just a countdown to bottling.

2012 Reds, Day 23 (Nov 11): SO2

On the strength of the Enoferm Beta data sheet's representations about SO2 and the worry, anyway, that we might not be able to maintain MLF-friendly temps in the cellar this far into November, I bolted ahead and added 10 ml of 10% meta solution to each of the 5 gal Merlot and Cab Franc carboys last night, and 6 ml to the 3 gal.  That should bring things from just about zip to about 30 ppm.  I'll breath easier.

Preparing to bottle the last of the 2010 Muscat

With a ph of about 6.1 and a current SO2 reading of about 11 ppm, I'm adding about 7 ml of 10% metabisulfite solution to raise the ppm to the low 30's before bottling.  Meanwhile, here's a pic from the pre-party testing:

2010 wines, SO2 added

I didn't take new readings, but working from last week's readings I raised all vessels about 30 ppm using a 10% potassium metabisulfite solution.  That's something like 1.2 tsp for the 3 gallon carboys and 2.03 tsp for the 5 gallon carboys.  Spit in the ocean for the 1 gallon jugs.  Should put us between 40 and 50 ppm, depending on how much the racking changed things last week - some of the vessels racked smooth and slow, and others were more agitated.

2010 Reds, day 2

6 AM: Chart updated with readings.  Room cooler, musts slightly warmer.  We held of inoculating the musts yesterday to let them come up in temp a bit and feeling OK with having added meta at destemming - an enforced mini-cold soak.  The D21 yeast Mike & Pam are using gives "best results" 55 F to 90 F.  The fussier D45 that Lori & Peter and I are using is best results 64 F to 82 F, but we'll be pitching at 56 or so.  Both yeasts will be mixed with Go-Ferm.  Question: add yeast and nutrients on volume of must, or expected yield of juice?  There's just under 30 gal of Primitivo must, and just over 25 gal of Cab / Merlot / PV must, but our history with the weight of grapes suggests 20 gallons of juice from each.  Oh, it's a mystery.  My guess is we'll shoot at the higher numbers.

[1.25 g Go-Ferm for each 1 g yeast.  Hydrate the Go-Ferm first in 17 ml water per 1 g Go-Ferm.  Then add yeast.  Then add to must 15 to 30 minutes later.]

9 AM:  We decide to base additions on expected juice, and go with 24 grams yeast, 30 grams Go-Ferm.  We follow hydration instructions, and add Crowe's step: at 15 minutes into hydration we add an equal volume of must, and let that stew for another 15 minutes.  Then we pitch.

3 PM:  Ferm has visibly and audibly started in both wines.  Am guessing we're at least a day from any capping.

9:30 PM: Steady as she goes.  Temps rising.

Muscat yield, pectic enzyme?

Yield might be a little better this year than last, but it's still close to only half our red yields.  Lori's going through some back issues of Wine Maker Mag and has found an article on Muscat where they hold they add pectic enzyme to the destemmed grapes and let it sit for 8 hours before pressing.

(Author: Alexis Hartung Issue: Dec 07/Jan 08 Online Date: Thursday, 29 November 2007.)

Shopping list, 2010 pre grapes

(Yeah, this is like my Aug. 1 post, only with a little more urgency.)
OK, destemmer and stand already ordered.
Much of our other equipment will be going to B's new place on Staten Island, so here's a list of what we're looking to acquire, with notes. 

Primary fermentation tanks,

• at least one 44 gal., one 32 gal.,  one ten gal.  James Guido thinks he can get them for us at a commercial restaurant supply here in NY.  We'll know on Monday, Aug. 30.  Food grade: would like to avoid plain trash cans.  Lids yes, dollies no.
• one 50 gal purchased @ Lapide, 8/29/2010
• another 50 gal @ Lapides, 9/4/2010
• We have plenty of 5 gallon buckets already on hand.  
• We'll want additional large fermenters if Mike and Pam want to make a different wine than S&L&P.

Bottling:

• corker, 
• Portuguese floor corker @ Lapide, 8/29/2010
• bottle washer, 
• @ TP&S, 8/29/2010
• large plastic funnels (2), 
• @Bowery Restaurant Supply, 8/30/2010
• 12 feet of 3/8" tubing, 
• @TP&S, 8/29/2010
• 150 colmated corks (for the remainder of our productions still in carboys).  
• 100 @TP&S, 8/29/2010

We can get this either from Presque Isle or one of the other houses we've used, or from Terminal Market.

Secondary fermentation, aging:
another stainless steel variable capacity tank is what we would really love to get, but it's a little too rich for us this year after the destemmer, so

• just more carboys.  M&P own four, S&L own two, but two have P's 2007 Cab. S. in them, and three have 2009 wines in them.  I think we're going to want to have a total of 10 empty at press time at the end of next month.  Probably best to buy these at Terminal Market.  
• one 5 gal cb @ TP&S, 8/29/2010
• 3 more 5 gal cb @TP&S, 9/4/2010 
• 6 more 5 gal cb @ TP&S 9/18/2010
• We'll also want new caps and bubblers for these, which I'll order from P.I.
• 6 caps & bubblers @ TP&S, 9/4/2010

Chemicals, additives, tests:

• KS02, 
• 2 # ordered 9/6/2010 from MoreWine.
• malolactic bugs.  
• ordered 9/6/2010 from MoreWine - enough for 66 gal. 
• Anyone want any extracting enzymes?  (I'm willing to pass on these this year, though I've been the one who's suggested them in the past.)
• Clinitest (which I think I might like to use for the white wine)
• Accuvin acid tests
• Tartaric acid ordered 9/6/2010 from MoreWine.

We just lost a gallon of the 2009 Merlot, and here's how

I think it was the day after the party last weekend I noticed that the solid rubber cork on one of the 2009 Merlot overflow gallon jugs had popped off.  I don't know how long it had been off - maybe minutes, but maybe up to 12 hours.  I reset it.  The next day it was off again and I replaced the rubber stopper with another.  This morning it was off again, and I'm going to assume the jug is oxidized (and, well, I'll taste it to be sure). 

It's the only 2009 container that had a solid stopper rather than an airlock.  It's possible the neck on the jug id bad (I doubt it) and it's possible the wine is more active than it appears, which was the case with our 2006 Zinfandel.  It's also possible that if the wine was more active, it was just that jug, and not the full batch - we've seen that before, too, particularly with Bernardo's 2008 Cab. 

I'm guessing the wine is active, and probably the whole Merlot lot.  Which is fine - it's all still in bulk - except for whatever might still be remaining of what we bottled for the party.  I'm betting that gets a little frizzante in the bottle over the next few months. 

Of course, unlike in 2006, in 2009 we added bugs to force the completion of the malolactic fermentation, so my theory should be wrong.  (See October 3.)

Will check late summer.

Malolactic culture added

I just added the malolactic culture to all three red wines. We're using Chr Hansen Viniflora Oenos. 1.5 gram package, shared out amongst all the containers.

A few small supplies ordered

Ordered a handful more of those sassy orange carboy caps (in case B & L want to switch to them), some new bubblers to insert in them, more K2S2O5, and oak for Peter's 2007 Sangiovese and Barbera (medium toast American, in spiral form). Should be here in a few days.

2008 malolactic bugs have been added, day 9

The 2 chapitalized barrels had small cakes and some initial fizz on punching down, but get hydrometer readings of abut zero, so we've added (at about 8:15 AM) the freeze dried Chris Hansen malolactic bacteria. Divvied up the small amount in the pouch (1.5 g.) as best we could to match the relative volumes of the barrels.

Day 8, 2008

Good fermentation through the day in the two sugared barrels.

Peter has decided not to add sugar, and not to ad S02 - he'll take the chance on spoilage and shoot to pres the same day as the rest.

10:00 PM and the brix is under 1. Tomorrow morning is probably when we want to add the malolactic bacteria. Once the pouch is open, everything should be used the same day. That gives Bernardo, Laura and Peter a bit of time to decide.

When to press?
Sunday, Peter is @ Toto for brunch & Tano for dinner - might have some mid-day hours. B&L? Lori & I will not likely go to Philly (but that can change). Still, and even though it may be MLF time, we might not be quite still.
Monday? Tuesday would be the latest we can go without getting dicey, especially Peter's barrel.

08-10-25 additives

Added 1 full dropper of pectic enzyme per 11 lb or so of grapes immediately after crushing.

Mixed each package of RC 212 yeast w/ 2 oz. water, stood for 15 minutes. S&L mixed the yeast & water with an equal amount of wine just before pitching - not sure if B did the same. S&L let the yeast sit up top of the must (on someone or other's recommendation - don't remember who), B stirred his thoroughly into the must (I think).

Rapidase pectic enzyme details

From Presque Isle:

Rapidase Vino Super, liquid pectic enzyme, 1 oz dropper bottle (30 mL). It improves juice yield and provides faster and more compact settling of juices as well as improved filterability. It is active over a range of 45°F to 131°F with a doubling of activity for each 10° F rise in temperature. It will lose 3 to 5% of its strength per year when stored in a refrigerator, but more than 20% at ambient temperatures. Normal usage is 12 to 24 mL per ton (1.5 to 3 drops per gallon). 1 mL = about 20 drops. Double the rate for Vitis labrusca grapes and triple the rate for most other fruits. Use even more with peaches and plums. It is designed primarily for white wines because color extraction is not as good as the macerating enzymes such as Ex-Color, Adex-G or Crystalzyme Tinto, but it is still used with reds where free run yields and settling are important.

Supplies

October 13, 2008 order from Presque Isle:

• Plastic carboy caps
• potassium metabisulfite
• RC212 yeast
• Rapidase super enzyme
• Chris Hansen malolactic culture
• Westover hand refractometer

That last piece is for my own amusement. Everything else for the partners, or those partners who want to use pectic enzyme and / or malolactic bacteria.

With shipping, $156, $105 of which was the refractometer.