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  • #31
    Originally posted by Cellar_Rat View Post
    30 gallons of Primitivo (also known as Zinfandel) are going into the freezer.
    A couple of recommendations I can make about Zinfandel.

    • As far as yeast, Assmanhaussen (also called AMH) works magic with Zinfandel. RC-212 (Burgundy yeast, aka Bourgovin) is good as well.
    • California winemakers almost invariably tend to blend small percentages - maybe 5 to 10% - of Petite Sirah into their Zins to add additional structure, color, and "spiciness". Barring that, any good stout grape should accomplish the same thing. Monte seems to have some of the same quialities, so that might be one to try.
    • If you oak, American oak is a better match than French for Zinfandel. Something about the vanilla attributes in American oak seem to compliment Zinfandel.
    Steve

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    • #32
      Originally posted by lockwood1956 View Post
      Grenache. Acid 6 g/l (tartaric) Brix 16 SG 1.063
      ...
      Merlot. Acid 7 g/l Brix 19 SG 1.077
      Tempranillo. Acid 7 g/l Brix 20 SG 1.081
      The brix numbers seem quite low and underripe to me. Normal levels for red grapes should be in the 23-24 Brix range (unless you are in California, where they sometimes let them get to 25-27 Brix before harvesting).

      That being said, I know you guys didn't have any say as to when they were picked. I know how that goes. I often find myself in the same boat, so to speak.

      If I might offer a suggestion, one thing that might help with reducing any "green" or herbaceous qualities in the finished wine is to throw some toasted oak chips into the fermentor. Maybe a handful for every 50 kilos of must weight. Works a treat.

      And I would probably try to get the sugar levels up to at least 22, if not 23 Brix. 19 Brix fruit will only get you finished alcohol levels of 10.5% ABV.

      Just my couple of cents. Take it for what it's worth.
      Last edited by NorthernWiner; 12-09-2011, 04:46 PM.
      Steve

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      • #33
        Originally posted by Cellar_Rat View Post
        Are you guys over thinking this ?
        no


        Acid additions(if necessary) can be done later!

        What acid & PH are you aiming for ?
        Im looking for acid levels of around 5 g/l for the reds, not working with pH, and looking for sugar levels nearer 1.080. to 1.090

        so I am reducing the acidity, and upping the sugars

        This will give me more control over what I have at the end of fermentation. Because of the crappy summer we have had in Europe, some of the grapes are lower in sugar and higher in acid than they have been in previous years, they will ferment fine as they are, however, I need to adjust to give me a product that suits my palate more. Like we said, everyone has their own way of doing it......I have Merlot (from 2006) that is 7 g/l acidity, and it isnt attractive to drink, very fruity, but needs to be sweetened to off dry to be drinkable, as i cant drop any more acid from it (it was an acid experiment that went wrong, some of you may remember it...2006) and i'm not a fan of off dry merlot

        regards
        Bob
        N.G.W.B.J.
        Member of 5 Towns Wine and Beer Makers Society (Yorkshire's newest)
        Wine, mead and beer maker

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        • #34
          Originally posted by NorthernWiner View Post
          If I might offer a suggestion, one thing that might help with reducing any "green" or herbaceous qualities in the finished wine is to throw some toasted oak chips into the fermentor. Maybe a handful for every 50 kilos of must weight. Works a treat.
          Learned that last year. Sprinkled each fermenter with chips yesterday
          Pete the Instructor

          It looks like Phil Donahue throwing up into a tuba

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          • #35
            I only have some mild smoked oak chips, they are just getting 'sainitized' now in the oven, to go in later on with this evenings cap pushing.

            Comment


            • #36
              You sure Rich?

              I know how much you dislike oak!
              N.G.W.B.J.
              Member of 5 Towns Wine and Beer Makers Society (Yorkshire's newest)
              Wine, mead and beer maker

              Comment


              • #37
                Yes, fairly sure, only 500g in each. (joke... for the moment at least.)

                Comment


                • #38
                  Right just calibrated my kit.

                  Made up a fresh batch of Sodium Hydroxide 0.1N (4.4 grams Caustic in 1 litre water).
                  Made up a batch of citric acid of 4 grams made up to 1 litre in water (all weighed on scales).
                  Titrated using Ritchie method to 2.7 ppt as sulphuric
                  (75 x 0.1 x 2.7) / 5 (5 being the citric water sample size) = 4.05 g/litre.

                  Someone please check the maths but that looks calibrated to me.

                  Merlot over 2 titrations came as TA 6.5 g/litre.

                  Have to put kids to bed now so Sangiovese coming up. Very hard must to do though this one. Stand by.
                  Simon
                  "I can certainly see that you know your wine. Most of the guests who stay here wouldn't know the difference between Bordeaux and Claret." - Basil Fawlty

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                  • #39
                    Originally posted by SiSandrine View Post
                    Right just calibrated my kit.

                    Made up a fresh batch of Sodium Hydroxide 0.1N (4.4 grams Caustic in 1 litre water).
                    Made up a batch of citric acid of 4 grams made up to 1 litre in water (all weighed on scales).
                    Titrated using Ritchie method to 2.7 ppt as sulphuric
                    (75 x 0.1 x 2.7) / 5 (5 being the citric water sample size) = 4.05 g/litre.

                    Someone please check the maths but that looks calibrated to me.

                    Merlot over 2 titrations came as TA 6.5 g/litre.

                    Have to put kids to bed now so Sangiovese coming up. Very hard must to do though this one. Stand by.
                    I've been having a play with the sangiovese. I ran some tests on the unfiltered must and then after putting it through a filter. 3 Tests ran on each sample and results averaged

                    Unfiltered TA: 8.05 TARTARIC
                    Filtered TA: 6.6 TARTARIC

                    I'm using 0.01M NaOH solution made up using a 5 decimal place balance, so I need to titrate using 10 times as much test solution to get an answer. This means Adding a mL or so in the wrong direction won't have a big effect.
                    To give you an idea of the difference in the volume I'm adding to get the results, the unfiltered must was giving a volume of about 55 whilst the filtered was closer to 43.

                    I'll update later with the TA for the merlot.
                    Dutch Gunderson: Who are you and how did you get in here?
                    Frank Drebin: I'm a locksmith. And, I'm a locksmith.
                    -Police Squad

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                    • #40
                      Originally posted by lockwood1956 View Post
                      not working with pH
                      Hmm. Just a thought can you adjust acid without considering the effect on PH ?


                      Originally posted by lockwood1956 View Post
                      a product that suits my palate more. Like we said, everyone has their own way of doing it...
                      Pallet absolutely agree. Given these are IMO only a bit high I thinking ..
                      A: Make sure the MF goes through (Thanks Grahem for tests which will help loads)
                      B: my old friend cold stab

                      Originally posted by lockwood1956 View Post
                      ...I have Merlot (from 2006) ........
                      Be really interested to know if this had been though A & B ?

                      Another thought - are we frightening the pants off any newcomers?

                      PS have you mislaid your quacking toothpaste?
                      Last edited by Cellar_Rat; 12-09-2011, 08:00 PM.
                      Gluten free, caffeine free, dairy free, fat free – you gotta love this red wine diet!

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                      • #41
                        OK thanks Graham.

                        Just ran the Sangiovese again. Must unfiltered but as it was fermenting I boiled a small volume of it earlier on this afternoon, took 5ml of that and then titrated. Colour change is about 5.6ml for me over 3 titrations (8.4 g/litre). I am fairly content with the chemistry. Don't understand the unfiltered differences or what that means in winemaking terms. Anyone have any ideas on what to settle.
                        Simon
                        "I can certainly see that you know your wine. Most of the guests who stay here wouldn't know the difference between Bordeaux and Claret." - Basil Fawlty

                        Comment


                        • #42
                          When calculating acid increases/reductions do you consider the total weight of the must including grape skins etc or the likely amount of pressed wine afterwards.
                          I would like to reduce the TA on the Sangiovese by 3 g/l and I bought 6 boxes of grapes. Any ideas?
                          Simon
                          "I can certainly see that you know your wine. Most of the guests who stay here wouldn't know the difference between Bordeaux and Claret." - Basil Fawlty

                          Comment


                          • #43
                            I use the approximation 1 box grapes = 4.54 litres juice and use that figure, not exact, but as close as I can get with my limited brain power.
                            N.G.W.B.J.
                            Member of 5 Towns Wine and Beer Makers Society (Yorkshire's newest)
                            Wine, mead and beer maker

                            Comment


                            • #44
                              Originally posted by SiSandrine View Post
                              When calculating acid increases/reductions do you consider the total weight of the must including grape skins etc or the likely amount of pressed wine afterwards.
                              Use the estimated amount of pressed wine. It makes for a less than exact science, but you should be able to get close.
                              Steve

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                              • #45
                                I find pressing reduces the volume by 15%
                                Gluten free, caffeine free, dairy free, fat free – you gotta love this red wine diet!

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