2019 Wines - Chapter 6 - Chardonel

The 2018 Chardonel has become a favorite, possibly the best wine I've ever made. Looking back, the starting numbers on that wine were much better than they were this year. I'm considering resting these vines next year without taking a harvest - I think this year they got overcropped and stressed, and the starting numbers show it: pH 2.69, SG 1.065, TA 12.6. But the critters! So we picked 9/5, a full 18 days later than last year.

I cold settled for two days, then rewarmed the 7 gallons of must. 1863g sugar got SG to 1.090(est).  65g calcium carbonate took the pH to 3.13 and TA to 8.6(est). 8g Booster Blanc, 15g Opti White, 5t pectic enzyme, then QA 23 rehydrated with GoFerm. It was step fed with Fermaid K, hit with 11g bentonite on day 3, and by day 7 the SG was down to 1.015 and it went into carboys. Two days later it was dry, racked again, and sulfited.

Based on the starting numbers, we may not have the quality of last year's vintage, but we'll see. We'll be happy to even get close.