Differences in sediment

I was racking some Pinot today following cold stabilization (Finally! Some real cold weather here in the Pacific NW!). I noticed that some of the carboys threw a much heavier sediment that the others. They've been handled identically, other than the grapes with lesser sediment were picked about 10 days earlier. The original Brix/acid numbers are about the same on the two groups. Both groups were racked following primary, and haven't been racked since. They've both gone through ML since being racked. Both groups are Pinot Noir, don't know about clonal varieties.

So, not that it matters that much, but more out of curiosity, any ideas why one set would throw more gunk than the other?

Rob

Reply to
Rob
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Did each wine have equal lengths of time in primary? There could be more vegetable matter in one. Or there could be more suspended yeast in one batch....or more tannins causing fining. Really the variables are extensive.

Reply to
Droopy

They both went about 10 days through primary. ONe's been in carboy probably about 12 weeks, and the other about 14 weeks.

I know the variables are extensive, and that's why I'm curious - it's neat to learn what they could be!

Thanks

Rob

Reply to
Rob

Could be difference in pressing or free run vs. press run? Free run throws more gunk but you probably would have racked off that already.

Pp

Reply to
pp

Were the colors of the sediment different and was it mostly tartrates or was it more sediment? Same yeast on both? The major change in ripening other than sugar is a change in the acid balance, younger grapes are more malic and lose that. Pinot Noir is about as predictable as a hurricanes path as I see it... Joe

Reply to
Joe Sallustio

There was a difference in the sediment colors - the heavier sediment was more purple, the lesser was more grey. Both were mostly sediment, and what tartrates there were were mixed into the muck by the time I was really looking (they weren't big honking crystals, they were more fine. I did notice some). Different yeasts, though I pressed both very late (near 0Brix).

The "predictable as a hurricane" comment is well taken, Joe!

Rob

Reply to
Rob

Differnt yeast may be part of that. I know when I use Red Star 'something' (I can't remember which) I get a much larger quantity of sediment which seems fluffier too. I usually use Lalvin, RC 212, EC

1118 and K1V1116.

Joe

Reply to
Joe Sallustio

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