Delestage - on Pinot Noir

Sounds very sensible to me. The yeast only really need oxygen during the beginning of fermentation - oxygen exposure later into fermentation is not necessary - so conducting your delestage during the first couple of days of fermenation should be ideal for your aims.

Ben

Do the seeds settle down that fast? I would think it would take some time for the pulp to disintegrate before the seeds get releases.

Otherwise, Ben, I thought the purpose of delestage was to introduce oxygen later in the fermentation to soften up tannins, not to give yeast oxygen in the beginning, there should be plenty of that.

Pp

I am very new to attempting Delestage - I just tried this method on a Cab Franc - by pulling the "raised" cap off the top of the fermentor. I got a decent dump of seeds 48 hours after pitching a fairly active starter.

I will be working with Brehm Washington Pinot which he suggests can have strong tannins, which is why I'm looking at techniques to soften them up - and do an extended maceration without sitting on the seed bulk. My worry is related to people saying Pinots are to be handled "gently" and not exposed to much O2. I am guessing this means after fermentation - or atleast after the initial stages when the yeast need to O2.

but this is my first time working with Pinot as well - so it'll be a learning experience all around .

thanks for your replies (Ben included!) - steve in Vancouver

With a vigorous fermentation, maceration should be sufficient for seeds separation even early on in fermentation.

That's true, but I was responding *specifically* to Steve's concern for over oxidation and extraction of seed tannins.

Ben