Winemakers' Daily Notebook for 2013 Production
Sat 21 September 2013 - Austin - 10am
Went with John Madden to UPS Supply Chain to pick up half a ton (one macro bin) of grapes plus a 55 gallon drum filled with 30 gallons of pre-crushed/de-stemmed Must. Latter was to supplement macro bin and ensure a full 60 gallons of pressed wine. Last two years, it had been light from the macro bin, even packed full.
As usual, great service and special attention from UPS/Emery(thanks, Albert!).
Crushed 138 gallons of Must. Placed back in cleaned macro bin in wine room.
Added 60ppm of SO2, 10g of Zyme-o-color for flavor extraction (added to water then mixed in). Added 5 blocks of dry ice.
Monday 23 Sept 2013 - Austin 9pm
Ambient temperature 70 degrees. Must temperature 69 degrees. Added 325 grams Pasteur Red yeast to 100 degree temperature holding bowl. Waited 20 minutes. Folded yeast into Must. Checked Brix - 28 Brix - high!
Also note that macro bin is 90% full. This could be a problem during fermentation. Will need to watch to see whether to transfer some Must to a PFC.
Tuesday 24 Sept 2013 - Austin 8am
Added 2 packets Viniflora Oenos. Added 55g MicroEssentials.
Tuesday 24 Sept 2013 - Austin 7:30pm
Punch down. Ambient 70 degrees. Must 74 degrees. Brix 25.5.
Added 52 grams Bioferm Equilibre to the Must.
Thurs 26 Sept 2013 - 8pm
Added 55g BioFerm Equilibre. Ambient 69 degrees. Must 79 degrees. Brix 21.5.
Saturday 28 Sept 2013 - 8pm
Brix 12.5. Must 82 degrees. 67 degrees ambient.
Monday 30 Sept - 8pm
5.5 Brix. 80 degree Must. 67 degrees ambient.
Tuesday 1 Oct - 8pm
4 Brix. 76 degrees Must. 69 degrees ambient.
Wed 2 Oct - 8pm
3 Brix. 76 degrees Must. 69 degrees ambient.
Thursday 3 Oct - 9pm
1.25 Brix. Must 76 degrees. Ambient 70 degrees. Best guess for press: Sunday.
Saturday 5 Oct - 11am
Brix -0.2. Must 72 degrees. Ambient 67 degrees. We will pick tomorrow afternoon. Will check residual sugar with Clinitest at that time.
Sunday 6 Oct - Press Day - 11am
Clinitest residual sugar 0.5%.
2pm
Pressed 86 gallons of wine. Added 30ppm SO2 and have stored in large stainless steel tank.
Bottled (without label and adhoc) 3 cases of the 2011 that had been in the stainless steel. Team effort!