Techniques in Home Winemaking is a resource for home winemakers looking for information or help on making great wines, including troubleshooting winemaking problems, and to share that knowledge with fellow winemakers. This resource is based and builds on my book by the same title and my newly released book titled Modern Home Winemaking, which has been updated to reflect the newest techniques and products for making outstanding wines.
Much of my experience is derived from extensive literature search as well as from my experience both as a home and a commercial winemaker.
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Hello Daniel – Where do you stand concerning the two groups of wine-making: Interventionists – fining and filtering, vs the strict non-interventionists.
Hi Pete,
I am NOT inhibited by tradition. My objective is to make good wine, first and foremost, and always strive to make the best. I adapt my techniques to the type and style of wine I make. I usually fine/filter whites except for bull-bodied, oak-aged Chardonnay. I age reds for many years, so no fining or filtering on those.
I’ll use whatever “technology” is available that can make my wine better. I also experiment A LOT for the purpose of learning, and so, I cannot be inhibited. I make wine for enjoyment but also as a researcher. I must keep an open mind as such.
Hello Daniel,
Can you recommend a filter for home use. I’ve seen the Buon Vino Super and Mini advertised. Any others?
I use the Buon Vino SuperJet most often but I also have an Italian model that can handle large volumes.
Hello Daniel
While on the subject of filtering, my only aversion is that when I filtered 19 litre batches I would get a paper taste in the first gallon or so. Also if I ran water through the filter first, I found that the wine would become diluted an in a small batch, it becomes significant.
Any suggestions on how to avoid the paper taste? Cheers.
Dip the pads in a 10% solution of equal parts of sulfite and citric acid until fully soaked. Then install and run a good half-carboy of fresh, good-quality water. “Force” the filtering just a tad when all the water has filtered out, just to make sure you get as much water out as possible. There should be no dilution, no paper taste. I never had the problem.
Daniel,
Thanks for your excellent book. When fermenting white wines at a low temperature, should I rack during fermentation or wait until it is dry? I have been fermenting a Sauvignon Blanc in a carboy for 4 weeks at 55F, and it still has a bit to go. I have left it in the same carboy the whole time. Is there any concern about it being on the lees for the duration of fermentation?
Craig,
Some might express a concern but I’ve never had problem. I’ve had to ferment whites as long as for 2 months at low temperature. You simply have to make sure that you cold settle the juice after pressing and rack properly. You may also want to stir the gross lees once a week during fermentation.
I once heard a talk about the right order in which sorbate and sulfite are to be added. Getting it wrong could produce bad odors (I think). Of course I’ve forgotten what the right order is. Can you help?
You need to inhibit LAB that might be present with sulfite first and then add sorbate. Otherwise LAB can start feeding on the sorbate and produce off-flavors and aromas.
Daniel.
I am preparing for bottling but need to add some disacid to two of the barrels.Total 10.
I also want to add ELAGITAN and Gumarabinol.
Can I also use some Bentonite or is this not necessary.
If adding all is OK.
What is the recommended sequence, times between additions and before bottling.
Wine is still in barrels and I assume adding all before racking into holding tanks 4 days before bottling.
Please advise
John,
I think you are trying to do too much, all at the same time, and in an unrealistic quick timeframe.
What’s important at this point is that you perform bench trials with anything you expect to do to the wine.
Deacidification would have been better just before fermentation. At this stage, run some trials to see what works best and then treat the whole batch. Re-check your wine chemistry and cold stabilize if necessary (may not be necessary, esp. if you are dealing with reds — I assume it’s reds though you don’t mention that).
Then fine with egg whites (if reds) or other agent best suited for reds. I don’t use bentonite in reds. You need to run bench trials to see what works best. Then treat the whole batch and let it clarify properly, typically 2 weeks.
Once clarified and assuming you won’t filter (if red), you need to run bench trials for ellagitannins and gum Arabic. Add those just before bottling.
I suggest transferring all the wine to a holding tank prior to any of the above treatments. Then hold the final treated batch for at least a week or more preferably to see that everything is ok before you bottle.
Good luck.
Daniel
Hello Michael – In a pinch, can you make a sanitizing solution with campden tablets? How many tablets per quart of water?
Hi Pete,
I’m still Daniel.
Yes, you can use Campden tablets. You need 1-2 g of sulfite per liter of water for a good sanitizing solution. 1 g/L is approx. 4 g per gallon. Campden tablets are approx. 0.44 g, so 10 tablets in a gallon will work just perfect. You just have to crush them really well as sulfite doesn’t dissolve well in water as you know.
Thanks Daniel
Daniel,
I am fermenting 3 buckets of 2011 Vino Superiore Sangiovese (though sourced from a different vineyard than the one you used) in a 20-gallon fermenter. I know one would typically wait to press until the Brix are in negative territory, but my fermentation has been taking longer than I thought, and I was wondering if I should consider pressing soon anyway. I was hoping for about a 10-day fermentation, but I’m now on Day 13 ( I struggled with getting the temperature into my target 72F-75F range until Day 4). The recent timeline: Day 7 (p.m.)- 12 Brix, Day 9 (p.m.)- 7 Brix, Day 11 (a.m.)- 5 Brix, Day 12 (a.m.)- 3 Brix, Day 13 (a.m.)- 2 Brix. This morning, at 2 Brix, it is still producing a good amount of carbon dioxide and keeping the cap up. The tannins do not seem overly strong, though this is my first non-kit red, so I may not know what to look for. Should I let it continue fermenting on the skins, or press and let it finish in carboys?
If I do press before it’s dry, do I run a greater risk of a stuck fermentation? In particular, I am a bit concerned the alcohol could get too high for my yeast. I am using Wyeast 4244 Italian Red (formerly Chianti), and it only has an alcohol tolerance of 14%. The Vino Superiore bucket said 23.9 Brix, but I measured 26 Brix initially. Depending on what potential-alcohol formula you subscribe to, that could be over 14% alcohol. By the way, do you still stand by Table B-1 in your 2012 edition of Techniques, or are you persuaded by Dale Ims’ position referenced in his chapitalization article in the most recent WineMaker Magazine? Do I have much reason to worry about the fermentation stopping before it’s dry?
Thanks so much for your help. Your willingness to answer random questions from the public is amazing.
Craig,
Personally, I would ferment complete dry on the skins and then press. You have to make sure to stir the wine and solids thoroughly and at least 2 or 3 times a day. The only problem you want to avoid at this point is letting the wine sit on the gross lees and cause hydrogen sulfide, which would impart a rotten-egg smell.
If you have extracted as much tannins and color as you want, although this might be hard to assess in your case since it’s your first go at it, you can press and let fermentation finish in carboy. Once racked there, you’ll have much less gross lees. You should not have any problems fermenting to dryness if the temperature is on the warm side and if you added extra nutrients at 1/3 Brix depletion as you should have been instructed to do.
No worries about the alcohol being too high; what you want is balance, and that you’ll get with this must without much intervention. The yeast will handle just fine.
The relationship between sugar and alcohol is very, very tricky, no matter how detailed a calculation you perform. Fermentation dynamics (evaporation, oxidation, other microorganisms feeding on the sugar etc etc) can change things quite a bit. So why worry whether the wine will 13.5% instead of 14%. Even commercial wineries are allowed a rage of +/-1% (some even 1.5%).
BTW, as the Technical Editor of WineMaker magazine, I reviewed Dale Ims’ article (and several orders), and which I had previously read in great detail and with great interest. As a researcher (yes, that’s what I consider myself), it’s all very engaging, but again, as a hobbyist, the calculations are overkill.
So stop worrying and enjoy the hobby for what it was meant to be, and look forward to drinking great wine.
Good luck.
Daniel
Hello Daniel
What are your thoughts on MLF for Sauvignon Blanc? Will I lose the aromatics for which is SB is known? I have done bench trials using Acidex as well as back sweetening to deal with the .85% acid and was wondering about MLF and whether it is suited for SB. Thanks!
Hi Vince,
I don’t recommend MLF for SB. You may up end with some unwanted, undesirable flavors.
That being said, I know some winemakers who have experimented with it and achieved results they like.
Daniel
Hello Daniel, When back sweetening a wine that has been fermented dry, is there formula to determine the amount of sugar, in ounces or grams per gallon or liter, to achieve a certain level of residual sugar?
Hello Pete,
What you add is what you get. So if you add 10 g of table sugar to each liter of wine, you’ll 10 g/L (1%) residual sugar, theoretically, though it will be higher by whatever amount you already have. A dry wine can have 2 g/L RS or up to 5 g/L depending on how you define dry.
Hi Daniel !
I have 80 gals of california cab savingon and 30 gal of Ruby cabernet that just done with MLF . inicial Brix for both was 25%
Ruby has a pH =3.8, a TA=6.7 g/l and has a good” grape aroma”
Cab. Sav has a pH =3.5 , and a TA =7.2 gr/l and it taste good but a little bit sour , and I think just because of the TA.
I did tried some bench trials of a mix of 2;1 and resulted a good tasting wine without the sourness and with a pH =3.64 , a TA = 7.0 gr/l.I know some of your opinions about the game of mixing related to personal choices but I need your opinion about timing (Can I do it now or later), any positive or negative reaction to this mix . or is the cab sav is going to be ok next year . ( I bottle after two years). Thank you and I really enjoy your blog.
Hi Ali,
The TA is a bit high on the Cab Sauv but nothing to really worry about, esp. if you let the wine age. The sourness can also be due to tannins, which increase the acid’s sourness. As the tannins polymerize, the sour taste should diminish.
There are 2 ways you can approach the blending:
1. Blend now and let bulk age, then bottle. This gives you the chance to monitor how the blend is evolving.
2. Keep the wines separate and blend just before bottling. This allows you to drink the wine as you bottled it (assuming that’s how you liked it). You can also let it age in the bottle and see how it evolves.
Personally, I do it the second way and only because I then select the wines to go into different blends depending on quality. The quality can be significantly different if the wines have been aged in barrels.
Good luck.
Daniel
Daniel.
I am busy fermenting 500 lit Chenin Blanc. After pressing I added enzymes ,kept kool for 3 days and racked off gross leese, then innoculated with yeast.
I want to take it through MLF.
Do I rack it off the leese again, after alcoholic ferment, before innoculating with MLF bacteria. or just go straight on.
During alcoholic fermentation, does one do punching, or stirring or pump over, or just leave it to do its own thing.
John
Hi John,
It’s best you just leave the wine do its thing during alcoholic fermentation to avoid introducing oxygen.
For the MLF, I would rack first before inoculating. If you want more flavor complexity and you can ensure your MLF won’t take too long, you can leave the lees in and stir them AFTER MLF is complete. Extend contact on the gross lees can lees to sulfides.
Daniel
Hello Daniel
I have a question about cold stabilization. My 2014 SB has been stored in bulk for several weeks at temps ranging from 2 to 6 degrees C. I read somewhere that seeding with cream of tartar hastens the precipitation of tartrate crystals. Would this method precipitate further tartaric acid or given the time spent at low temps, do you think that the maximum precipitates have been reached. I am looking to reduce TA by about .1%. Thanks.
Hello Vince,
Your wine is only as stable to the temperature at which it was stabilized, and provided it was maintained at that temperature sufficiently long for full precipitation. So if there were daily fluctuations between 2 and 6C, you should figure that your wine is only stable to 6C.
Yes, you can use finely ground cream of tartar to hasten precipitation. I had written about this procedure in WineMaker magazine. For it to work, the cream of tartar crystals must act as nucleation sites for tartrates to precipitate. That means you need to stir the cream of tartar regularly to keep it in suspension. And you will only get further precipitation if stabilization is not complete.
You can stabilize the wine with cream of tartar in just a couple of hours if you can take advantage of a really cold spell. That’s what I do. At -20C, I can do 200 L in 2 hours.
Good luck
Daniel
Thanks Daniel.
Another question: When is filtering done, before or after adding sorbate and sugar syrup and/or deacidification?
Ideally it should be the very last step just before bottling. Depending on the filter and pads you use, you may want to add the syrup after filtering as you may have a hard time pushing the syruped wine through. It should not be a problem with a good filter system even with tight pads.
Hello Daniel. I decided to approach the acid issue with the Sauvignon Blanc by further cold stabilizing the wine outdoors for about 4 hours at -10 degrees. I added the cream of tartar as you suggested stirring regularly. This worked well as the TA dropped to the 0.7 – 0.75 range which is good for this varietal. Thanks for that suggestion! After racking I decdied to filter. (Now I remember why I stopped filtering years ago.) I was able to get through about 12 litres before the pads got clogged and the machine started to leak. I was left with a carboy of semi-filtered wine. Rather than filter again I added bentonite to remove the fine particles. After a couple of days I racked the wine off the fluffy sediment and noticed that the wine has a haze to it, no particles, just haze. It’s been 2 days now and there is no sign of this haze settling. I am I just being impatient or is filtering my next option?
Thanks in advance.
Vince.
Hello Vince,
You are rushing things.
If you want to go straight to filtering without fining, then you need to start with coarse pads and move down to medium and then fine; otherwise, your pads will clog and the unit will leak.
My recommendation is to fine with bentonite first, and then filter. In this method, I am able to filter in one pass with fine pads. But you have to let the bentonite do its work; that takes 2-3 weeks.
Good luck.
Daniel
Hi Daniel,
Looking for feedback,fermenting whites on skins. I have fermented both, Pino Gris from California and NY Traminette
on skins. Wine Maker Mag awarded Gold on the Gris, and the jury will decide how the Tram., is for 2015. I have had comments of positive results about body and flavor of skin fermented whites.
Regards,
Joe DiPonzio
Hi Joe,
Fermenting on skins for whites depends largely on the variety and whether or not you like the style. Many wineries do macerate for a few hours or a day or even two. The danger, if you are not equipped, with macerating and/or fermenting on the skins is keeping an anaerobic environment as the juice/wine is highly oxidizable. And depending on the variety and style, you may need a fining to round out tannins.
Hope this helps.
Daniel
Hello Daniel – The sorbate will not dissolve completely, even in 50 ml of warm water. Is my sorbate old?
Pete
Hi Pete,
I can’t comment on how old your sorbate is just by the fact it doesn’t dissolve well. It depends on how well you stored it. Try crushing the pellets first.
If you stored the sorbate in a well-sealed jar, in a dry, cool spot, it can last a long time.
Daniel
Hello Daniel – Possibly three years old, well sealed bottle. Did not know it needed to be crushed before dissolving. Thanks
It doesn’t need to but I suggested it since it would make it easier.
3 years old … might consider a new batch.
Hi Daniel.
How long do I wait before racking the wine after adding Bentonite.
What is pinking. Apparently I use PVPP Divergan to get rid of Pinking. Is this correct. When and how do I apply
John
Hi John,
It depends on the size and shape of your container, but 2-3 weeks is usually good for most types of containers used in home winemaking.
Pinking is a reaction that gives some whites a slightly grayish-pink to pink color; it usually does not impact affect organoleptic qualities. Some varieties are more susceptible than others depending on phenolic composition. Both Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier are white varieties at high risk of pinking in a warm dry vintage, when the skins have much higher levels of phenolics. Colder fermentation and the use of inert gas to protect against oxidation are known to make wine more susceptible to pinking. Under continued oxidative conditions, the wine can quickly evolve to a brown color as anthocyanins oxidize to their o-quinone forms.
You can use PVPP to prevent or fix pinking.
PVPP powder can be added directly to wine and at a rate of 25–50 g/hL of wine. Bench trials at the lowest rate are recommended as excessive use of PVPP can easily impact mouthfeel or impact aromas and flavors. Settling occurs quickly, as fast as 1–2 hours depending on the type of PVPP used, though usually within several days. The wine must be racked immediately after settling followed by a filtration.
Daniel… Just a note to thank you for attending and conducting Winemaker Mag conference in Portland. It was a great event and I know it could not be pulled off without your support. I am in an area of Texas without too many local resources, and your blend of technical knowledge and practicality is really appreciated. You and the other professionals take your time out and are super cooperative to those of us with lots of questions. I will never be a pro, but I want to be a very good hobbies! Thanks again and look forward to Sonoma next year todd holman Longview, TX
Hi Todd.
Thank you for the feedback; it’s greatly appreciated.
Looking forward to seeing you in Sonoma.
Daniel
P.S. Keep it a hobby. Never forget that.
Hey Daniel,
I’m going a a trip to Provence and Loire (Near Chinon). Any suggestions as to wineries I should visit?
Thanks,
Neil
Lucky you.
I’ve had many wines from Provence and the Loire but I know that the quality of wine is never really related to the winery experience. Since I’ve never visited those regions, I cannot provide any recommendations.
Sorry.
Enjoy
Daniel
Daniel-
Im about to complete my 2014 Chard with fining, cold stabilization and then bottling. My fSO2 is perfect at 23PPM (pH 2.25) but the books all talk about “adding a dose of sulfite” during these later stages, in particular prior to bottling, but I can not find a clear answer on how much. Can I simply continue to follow the fSO2 and bottle at the current values (adjust as pH and SO2 change) or do I need to “overdose it” in anticipation of changes and/or do I need higher levels at bottling?
Thanks.
Brian,
First, make sure you check for protein stability before doing a fining.
I assume your pH is 3.25, not 2.25, which would otherwise be excessively tart.
As for FSO2, you want to make adjustments at every procedure to maintain your desired level. Ditto for bottling, i.e. adjust FSO2 to the level you want right at bottling. Don’t overdose.
I would only recommend “overdosing” when a lot of binding is expected. I’m assuming your Chard is healthy and fine, so there is no need.
Good luck.
Hello Daniel
I have a question about acidity in red wine. I checked the TA in my 50/50 blend of Cenral Valley Syrah and Ontario Dornfelder and I got somewhere between .60 to .65%. According to literature, this is an ideal range for red wine however, I find it a tad flat and I am tempted to add some tartaric to taste hoping it will cut through some of the wine’s “thickness”. It is very full bodied with lots of fruit and I think this stems from the condition of the Syrah which was extremely ripe (was on its way to raisinhood). Would it be a good idea to add tartaric to taste and what would be a safe method? Thanks.
I have not tasted the wine to assess its “bite” and you don’t mention anything about that. My point is that I would probably try oaking before adding tartaric acid. I think that will solve it and the wine will be that much better than just adding tartaric acid.
Thanks Daniel-
Regarding your protein stability comment; I’ve re-read the sections in the book, are you saying I should test and see if i DO NOT need to fine at all? My understanding was that a modest fining (I going to use Bentonite) would be a safe thing to do a priori?
Thanks again.
Brian
You’ll likely be fine if you use bentonite, although there is no guarantee that the wine will be protein-stable, esp. if you use too little.
Fining is mainly to clarify wine, and if you use some other non-protein binder, fining will do nothing for protein stability. Bentonite is excellent to remove those proteins that may cause a haze later on.
Daniel,
How do you recommend cleaning and sanitizing wooden basket presses?
Start with a hot water rinse to remove any particulates and dust that may have gathered during the off-season. Follow with sulfite-solution treatment, and finally a cold-water rinse.
If the press is very old, you may want to precede the sulfite treatment with a percarbonate treatment to remove any matter that may be inside the wood.
Thank you. What concentration of sulfite solution should I use?
3 tbsp of powder in 1 gallon of water
Is that 10% (i.e., 10 g / 100 ml)?
It’s more like 10 g/L, so 1%.
Hi Daniel,
I’m going to be disgorging and sweetening some sparkling wine. Any suggestions as to how I should go about adding sulfite, and roughly how much per bottle.
Thanks.
Hi Neil,
Best way is to prepare your dosage with everything you want, including the sulfite, then use a syringe to add the precise amount you need to add that gives you both the desired sugar concentration and SO2 level. This requires some computations but it’s easy.
Another way is to add the sulfite separately as a 10% syringe using a good 1-mL syringe knowing that you need about 0.068 mL for each 5 mg/L of SO2 you want in a 750-mL bottle. 35 mg/L is a good target, which means you would need to add 7 x 0.068 or 0.47 mL of solution.
Daniel
Thank you Daniel. That is very helpful!
Hey Daniel-
Getting prepped for Crush and I’d love to know your thoughts on the myriad of additives, enzymes, tannins that one can add during crush and fermentation? There are a diversity of products with bold names and vague terms. It’s difficult to know if things to “reduce browning and vegetal overtones” really matters it not.
Thanks.
Hi Brian,
That’s a loaded question. It all depends on the variety, vintage and quality of the fruit, your objectives, etc etc.
I usually only add sulfite to my whites and sulfite + macerating enzymes for reds, perhaps some tartaric acid to adjust acidity.
Always read up on additives and processing aids so you understand what they are, what they do, what they contain, etc etc
Daniel
Hello Daniel. I have made wine with many different varieties over the years but there is one variety that I haven’t attempted and that is Pinot Noir. From what I have read it is a very difficult grape to master and can give outstanding results or yield mediocre wine. I am considering 100% Pinot from Niagara or even blending a little Central Valley Pinot. I plan to do a cold soak, add pectic enzymes and draw about 10% of the juice to concentrate flavour prior to fermentation.
I was just wondering what your experience has been with the “heartbreak grape” and whether you have any pointers for success. Would you blend a little warm climate Pinot with cool climate fruit? Are there any additives that you would use at
crush to extract colour and flavour? Is a cool fermentation better? Finally, is MLF recommended? Thanks in advance. Vince.
Hi Vince,
My experience is that warm climate Pinots are not typical Pinots, not the way I like them, like Burgundian or Oregonian Pinots. Even Niagara Pinots when well made can be sublime. I know of many examples
So I am not keen on blending warm with cool climate Pinot. But that’s just me.
Your intended techniques are good. The 10% run-off also helps concentrate color, which is always a challenge with Pinot. If you are not going to age the wine in a barrel, I also suggest tossing in some oak chips right at fermentation. Tannin extraction is always another challenge, esp. in a poor vintage.
I don’t recommend any other additives other than pectic/macerating enzymes. Then it all depends on the quality of the fruit you get and the result from fermentation.
No, I don’t recommend a cool fermentation. As I said, extraction is already an issue, so you want to go with a hot fermentation.
MLF is always recommended.
And check the latest issue of WineMaker Magazine. There is a feature story on making Pinot.
Good luck.
Daniel
Okay thanks for your help Daniel. Here’s a tough question. Is Pino Noir from the bench in Niagara better than the fruit from Notl?
As you know, there are many factors to consider. But in my experience, Pinot from the Bench from a good grower is best.
Hi Daniel
Love your book. Will probably need to get a second copy because first is a bit beat up from frequent use. It really has been the most helpful resource…of the many I have used. I am creating my first dessert wine…soon to be bottled . I grow my own vines here in Minnesota. We left the grapes on the vines for about two weeks after freezing then they went right in the deep freezer for several months before I got to them. Pressed them frozen, so the wine is very thick, sweet , dark for Frontenac Gris, and yummy. Should I cold stabilize ? Would it do any good? Also assuming I should not filter …don’t want to lose that rich viscosity. Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much for your wisdom and passion
Hi Kathi,
Thank you for your kind words.
Yes, you should definitely cold stabilize if you can. It will prevent tartrate deposits if your wine is subjected to cold temperatures. It can happen even if you don’t think it will. You may give a bottle to a friend, he/she forgets it in the fridge, gets tartrate crystals, and then that reflects on you as a poor winemaker. Cold stabilization will drop acidity a bit.
Filtering is optional. If you don’t have the right equipment, filtering a think wine might prove to be a challenge. Filtering should not remove viscosity when done properly.
Good luck.
Daniel
Thank you Daniel
I do have filtering equipment though it is a pain in the ass to work with. I would consider upgrading My vines, this year, are giving me more than twice the fruit I have ever had. Anticipating over 300 gallon of wine. Yikes , big Christmas parties and wine give aways, I guess.
Can I use the cream of tartar to speed up cold stabilization for dessert wine? What is the minimum amount of time? I need to bottle for state fair competition. Should I use the coarse filter only ? Feeling like a pest.. But one more question. What do you think of the WineEast press/fermenter by Blichmann. Considering purchasing 2 or 3 55 gallon units to help make my process a little less crazy. Love, love growing grapes and making wine
Yes, you can use cream of tartar as a seed for tartrate crystallization. The trick is that the powder has to be very very fine. Then, the colder the temperature, the faster the stabilization. I do it in about 3 hours when the temperature outside hits -5F. You need to stir frequently, but gently, so as not to dissolve too much oxygen.
You can filter with coarse pads if you have a good system (i.e. good pump).
I do have a WineEasy and love it.
Oops that was supposed to say WineEasy
So cold stabilize with fine powder cream of tartar, then filter Right?
Yes. Give the wine time to settle and fully precipitate its sediments. Then filter.
Hi Daniel
I have never degassed before and I am wondering if it is really necessary. I am preparing to bottle the remaining wines (2 different cold hardy varieties) Need to clear away the space for this year’s harvest. I only have red remaining. It has been in process for 23 months. Would there be any benefit to degassing at this point? Our acid levels are always challenging here in Minnesota. I have about 7 large carboys, all created using various experimental techniques. The range of TA (at this point) is ..6.7 to 1.1 Is it true that degassing helps mask the high acidity?
Hi Kathi,
Taste the wine to see if you pick up any carbonation or slight fizz. If you don’t, then degassing is pointless. But if you do, that residual CO2 can distract the taste buds and take away from the other flavors of the wine. When CO2 remains in the wine, it is soluble and is present in the form of carbonic acid, which increases acidity, so yes, degassing actually removes CO2 and the gas — not just mask it.
Hello Daniel. I have some Cabernet Sauvignon coming in from the West Coast – I’m looking to do a malolactic fermentation. How do I pick the proper strain?
Hello Pete.
Take a look at my wine yeast chart.
Look for any yeast that has higher compatibility for MLF. I am partial to the RC-212 for my West Coast Cabs.
Daniel
Thanks Daniel – I’ve used RC-212 with good results. What are your thoughts on Bordeaux Red (BDX) for Cab Sauv?
What about a malolactic strain suggestion?
Can’t go wrong with a BDX for Cab … it’s a marriage made in heaven.
I have tried several ML strains and I have had great success with them all, although I do prefer the freeze-dried one over the liquid cultures … a question of stability. The Bacchus strain from Lallemand is a good choice for home winemaking.
Thanks Daniel.
A question on country wines. I have a strawberry and an apple currently working. Since the country wines are low in TA to start, do I still need to cold stabilize?
Pete
The short answer is YES. If there is excessive potassium, the wine can still be unstable.
Hi Daniel,
I am going to be making several varietals with California (lodi area) grapes and wanted your recommendations for yeasts. In the past I have used Pasteur Red, Cotes de Blanc and Champagne with pretty good results. Occasional H2S or VA.
I am planning to make a Cab Sav, Petit Syrah,Old Vine Zin, Tempranillo, Viognier, Montepulciano, and a Pinot Noir.
What yeasts would you recommend for these grapes?
Thanks, Mark
Hi Mark,
Take a look at these charts I have put together. You should be able to find something there.
Good luck
Hi Daniel
I am stocking my wine room for the 2015 harvest. Looking at some new yeasts. Lalvin C has been recommended by researchers to help lower TA , but I can’t find any data on this one regarding compatibility with malolactic bacteria Also QA23 is being recommended for our whites. Do have any thoughts on these yeasts. I don’t see them on your fabulous reference tables
Hi Kathi,
These are new yeasts for home winemaking and therefore not in my book. The tables on my website are taken straight out of my book.
Lalvin C is a bayanus strain and therefore a strong fermenter, which would compete strongly with ML bacteria and inhibit MLF is conducted in parallel. For that reason, you would want to do the MLF after the AF. However, Lalvin C does indeed reduce TA by metabolizing as much as half of the malic acid. This might be ideal with varieties that don’t do well (aromatically) with MLF but which could use a malic-acid reduction.
QA23 does well with whites and fruit wines. I have never used it. I have some samples waiting for some testing.
Hope this helps.
Daniel
I’ve used QA-23 with muscat. Very easy to work with and produced lovely aromatics. It will probably be one of my “go to” yeasts
Daniel
Do you know where I can get some of the Lalvin C? Seems like it is only sold in very large quantities. An online source would be great.
Thank you so much for your help
Kathi Jo
No, sorry. These only come in “large” quantities. It was not designed for home winemaking. There is no demand for it.
Hello Daniel – If I may offer a response to Kathi. I used QA-23 last year on some Southern Ohio Vidal Blanc that turned out very nice. Pete
Thank you Pete
QA-23 is available in home winemaker quantities through on-line retailers
Hi Daniel-
Would appreciate your thoughts. I’ve been using N2 to move (push) and filter near-finished wine from a stainless steel keg (via a cartridge filter) but it suddenly dawned on me that I may get better results (and save on N2) to instead use my self-priming diaphragm pump to pull a vacuum on the receiving stainless steel keg to pull the wine thru the filter and into the new keg. This would achieve zero air contact and I’m thinking also degas the wine?
Thanks as always.
Hi Brian,
Yes, absolutely. I describe the setup in my book if you have a copy.
Hello Daniel. I have found a source for Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon grapes which should arrive around the end of September. To take full advantage of these premium grapes I am thinking of freezing the pomace after pressing and then adding it to a crush of Niagara Merlot/Cab Franc which will be available about two or three weeks later. Do you have any thoughts on frozen skins that could be used as sort of a “ripasso”? I know it wouldn’t have a huge influence on sugar or acid in the Niagara must, but I think It may add some complexity of the Cabernet complexity.
Sonoma fruit, eh? Lucky you.
I have never tried that technique but it definitely has a lot of merit. There are indeed a lot of good compounds still to be extracted.
Give it a try. Let me know how it works out.
Daniel
Thanks Daniel. Not really lucky, just spending a ton of $ this year. Lol.
Would you recommend any additives in terms of pectic enzymes or colour-pro in this case? Would it be good to counter fine with bentonite and should that step be taken.
Have a great weekend.
Yes, definitely, you should be using pectic enzymes/Color-Pro. No need to counterfine.
Hi Daniel
I really appreciate your responses to all of these question. It is so helpful.
I used Pro Color a few years ago on our Marquette and Frontenac. Are there pectin enzymes in the Pro Color? I need enzymes for our Frontenac Gris. This is a white..ish hybrid that does not want to press easily. Don’t want to add more color to that one. Should I just use straight Pectin?
Does the use of the Pro Color reduce the time period for macerating the reds ? If I left on too long could it have contribute to a harsh taste of wine…perhaps from pulling too much from seeds. I left on reds in skin from 14 to 21 days in various batches. The batches with Pro Color seem very bitter. They were on skin for 14 to 17 days. Just trying to avoid that mistake again this year. Thank you so much for your help
Kathi Jo
Hi Kathi,
The first thing you need to decide is your objective. Do you want to make a wine you want to drink in 2 years or 10? Those require possibly very different techniques. I used to extract the h–l out of my grapes because I wanted wines that would age and that I could drink down the road when much older. I’m partial to very old wines. I still have not bottled my 2002s. Now that I am older and cannot think about aging wines for 10-20 years, I changed my techniques accordingly.
Yes, Color Pro contains pectinases as well as proteases to break down cell walls and extract more color in reds. Does Color Pro reduce the need for maceration time? It helps but don’t figure on that being significant. Just go by color you observe and want. Long macerations can indeed contribute to over-extraction of tannins that will take years to mellow out.
During winemaking, taste the must and wine often, very often. That way you’all avoid disappointments. But we have the tools to make necessary corrections down the road.
As for your Frontenac Gris, you really don’t need pectinases if you will not be macerating. But you will then be more concerned about proteins, and so you’ll have to treat for protein stability down the road.
Good luck.
Daniel
Hi Daniel
The problem I have had in the past with the Frontenac Gris is it will simply not press. The grape stays in a gel like ball and won’t juice. I did put Pro Color …because I had it… in the last several lugs I picked It pressed fine but was a rich Amber color, which I would like to avoid
Thanks
KJ
The amber color may be due to not sufficient sulfite although I suspect the variety has naturally darker color. I’m not that familiar with it.
You have 2 pressing options: 1) crush, add some yeast hulls, and press, or 2)press whole clusters like they do in champagne. Option #2 has the advantage of leaving the stems and that will help in the pressing, the disadvantage, if you want to call it, is reduced yield but higher quality.
Good luck.
Daniel