2018 Wines - Chapter 8 - Zinfandel

The 2017 OVZ is looking great with some barrel aging but we're trying some more new techniques with the 2018 batch. Started with 108#, added 14ml 10% KMS at crush, along with 2t tannin, 8g Booster Rouge, 8g Opti Red, 2T pectic, 1.2g Lallzyme EX, and into the fridge for a 3 day cold soak. I pulled it out and let it warm for an entire day before inoculating with RC 212. It was step fed with Fermaid K. The malolactic bacteria was co-inoculated the next day. We used 2.5g VP41 with 10g Acti ML. We got good peak temps, 85F or better, punched the cap twice a day, and the SG was down to 1.006 within a week. But rather than press the wine at that time, we did an additional week of extended maceration. This is supposed to lighten the color slightly but soften the tannins.

The wine was pressed yesterday. There's a fair amount of sludge so I'll rack again today and bring the carboys up into the nice, warm pantry to finish MLF. Great tasting yummy wine already.

2018 Wines - Chapter 7 - Grenache Rosé

I gained some confidence with the Row 7 rosé, so we scaled up. Picked up 108# of Grenache, and I wondered if these were grown relatively cool or picked early, because the color was very light. I couldn't imagine making a red wine from these grapes. We crushed on Saturday, added 2T pectic enzyme, 15g Opti White, 1.2g Lallzyme EX; by the following day it was a nice pink color and we pressed off about 8 gallons. At crush pH 3.11, TA 0.78%, SG 1.100. So much for picking early. Inoculated with QA 23, 12g bentonite, and step fed with Fermaid K. The SB was in the chiller so this wine started off in the new 10g fermenter in ice baths.

The ferment was nice and clean but started slow. After a week it was only 1.065, but at that time the SB came out of the chiller and this rosé went in. Once the temps were steady it dropped quickly. At 1.004 I racked to carboy and hit it with KMS at rate of 1ml/gal. It was in the fermenter with minimal disturbance for 2 weeks. It finished in the carboy and is developing nice color.

2018 Wines - Chapter 6 - Sauvignon Blanc

The Sauvignon Blanc had to sit at the brew shop with the California grapes for a few days until I had time to drive over on a Saturday. Using the two $20 gift certificates won at the Kansas City Cellarmasters Wine Classic last year, I picked up a nice 10 gallon fermenter and some odds and ends. The SB came in at pH 2.97 and SG 1.088. I added the usual: 1T pectic, 12g Opti White, 0.7g Lallzyme EX (probably not needed), and inoculated with 5g of QA 23. It got 9g bentonite day 3 and step fed with Fermaid K. I fermented it in the chiller at 57F. Around day 5, at 1.040, I wondered about an off odor so I added a bit of Fermaid O. The next day it was clearly smelling a little reductive. I hit it with KMS at 1.020 and vigorously racked it off to carboy. A couple of days later the SG was 0.998 and the off odor was gone. This wine might have become formulaic. May try grapes next year.