All Wines- Taking Numbers and Checking Out
At 8 pm, I arrived at the winery to check up on all 3 wines, "take numbers", and make some winemaking decisions.
First, I punched down all of Tom's wines that were cold soaking. Then I punched down all of my and Bryan's fermenting wines.
Around 9 pm, I took numbers- checking Brix, taking temperatures, and sometimes tasting. Also, to kick start the secondary fermentation (malolactic fermentation, ML for short), I added Enoferm and nutrients. Though both wines are at different stages, I am hopeful that ML will finish. If not, I will troubleshoot.
2002 Eno: Pinot Noir- Dutton Ranch
Very actively fermenting at different rates.
| 2002 Pinot Noir- Dutton Ranch (Russian River) | ||||
| 100% Pommard T-Bin | RC 212 yeast | 6.5 Brix | 81° | Very active fermentation with nice moderate temperature. Excellent color extraction. |
| 25% Pommard/75% 115 T-bin | Assmanhausen yeast | 19.5 Brix | 75° | Had ~7 days of cold soak before a slow fermentation. Excellent color. |
| Added Vinquiry's Enoferm for ML fermentation. Also, added Leucofood, a nutrient to encourage ML. | ||||
A biochemical reaction, sometimes called secondary fermentation, where bacteria converts malic acid into lactic acid and carbon dioxide-no alcohol is produced. Because lactic acid is milder than malic acid, wines that undergo this process become softer and smoother. In addition, malolactic fermentation produces diacetyl (or biacetyl), which resembles the smell of heated butter and adds complexity to wine...
more on: epicurious' Wine Dictionary
2002 Eno: Zinfandel- Teldeschi
One bin is dry; the other virtually done.
| 2002 Zinfandel- Teldeschi Vineyard (Dry Creek Valley) | ||||
| Bin 1 (Waffle) | SYR yeast | 0 Brix | 61° | Bright mid-palate and moderate tannins. Since under 64°, may slow ML. |
| Bin 2 (T-bin) | SYR yeast | 1 Brix | 67° | Still working |
| Added Vinquiry's Enoferm for ML fermentation. Also, added Leucofood, a nutrient to encourage ML. Also, placed visqueen on top of must to minimize air contact. This will allow for extended maceration. | ||||
2002 Eno: Syrah- York
Fermentation is complete. I took a barrel sample from the Vernou to check the Brix. It has finished primary fermentation and is undergoing secondary fermentation (ML fermentation). Has excellent color and great potential.
| 2002 Syrah- York Vineyard (Amador County) | ||||
| 2001 Vernou: Hybrid barrel | SYR yeast | -1.5 Brix | NA | Slight barrel fermentation is integrating the oak. Undergoing ML- smells and tastes like it. |
| Neutral barrel | SYR yeast | NA | NA | Undergoing ML- smells like it. |
Around 10:45 pm, I went home very tired. These 20 hr. days and traveling from Sunnyvale > SF > Berkeley is exhausting.