1. Home
  2. Winemaking Craft Forum
  3. avdice to novice, first batch with grapes, cab savi

avdice to novice, first batch with grapes, cab savi

So first time around (hopefully many more!) with grapes. 106 lbs. Needed to fortify, added bit more corn sugar and Tartaric acid to recommended numbers for cab sav. Primary ferm is complete, SG is .994, really low. Beautiful red/purple, clear juice. The cap did not fall as I was expecting, because of the low SG? Will press now, juice on the skins with toasted oak chips for 2 weeks. The taste is fine but the odor is very sharp, alcoholic - surprise! Smells like rubbing alcohol. Too late for malo manipulation? Looking for best advice on the next two or three steps. I have read the 'basics's but am looking to extend my knowledge base with your fine guidance. Should I add more fresh oak to the secondary fermenter? What are the preferred clarifiers?

Reply to
altawine
Loading thread data ...

Alta- I made cab this year as well. Around the time of pressing my wine did taste really hot (alcoholic) too. It also had a bit of fizziness due to MLF. After pressing into carboys it taste a whole lot smoother in a week or two. You might get other suggestions, but mine is to sit down and read a good novel, then taste again. Also, regarding chips. I don't think you can get enough oak out of the chips in 2 weeks. I've had them soak in the wine for 3 months without thinking it was too much. The packages of chips normally say soak for

4to 8 weeks, which leads me to believe that all the usefulness of the chips is g> So first time around (hopefully many more!) with grapes. 106 lbs.
Reply to
marcortins

Two weeks is pretty short for oak contact but then it depends on your taste. I know some who do not want oak to touch their wine and others who want it to taste like sawn timber. I would use more. As far as clarifiers, Red grape wine seldom, very seldom needs to be clarified. It should clear on it's own. I would get some oak cubes (not flakes) and add it so a carboy and let it sit on it for 3 months or more. But then I just bought my first barrel! After 25 years of wine making? ;o)

Always try something new.

Ray

Reply to
Ray Calvert

DrinksForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.