Because malolactic fermentation raises pH should I go ahead with it when I've already got a pH of 3.8 in a Syrah must? One more question to anyone who might know....That same must had a brix of 25.5 at crush time. Is it wise to dilute it with water to lower the alcohol content or would it be better to face the consequences of potential 14.8 to
For the future, what you should have done was dilute your must with acidulated water (7 grams of tartaric per liter) and gotten down to a Brix of about 24. At that point, you could have added a little bit more tartaric and then you could do anything you wanted with MLF.
I have a current batch of relatively high pH syrah and I'm planning to forget the MLF and just end up with a fruitier syrah. I did this last year, and the results are delicious. Make sure, if you do this, that you're adequately sulfited.
Lee
If your pH is already at 3.8 you won't be able to _stop_ ML! In fact, it may finish before the sugar, unless you heavily sulfited the must (something I don't recommend).
One more question
I'd recommend you leave the Brix alone (no water), but add tartaric to get the pH below 3.5 _before_ fermentation. After you press it, settle it for a couple of hours and get the clearest fraction into a new, French barrel (or eq.), and keep it topped up and sulfited after you're sure ML is complete.
By all means, re-settle the remainder, but keep a sharp nose out for stink (H2S). Settling and consolidating ASAP after fermentation helps avoid that problem.
BTW, if you water your must down you will never realize the full potential of that fruit. I recently read a quote from a well-known Syrah vintner: "26 is the new 24." Words _I_ could live by! :^)
Tom S
Thanks for the sage advice. I also read that article about the "26 being the new 24".
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