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Pasteur Red and RS

I'm using Pasteur Red for the fourth time to make a dry red. All four times I've had trouble bringing primary fermentation to completion. The must sticks at about 1% RS and I struggle to get to 'dryness'. I've been careful about rehydrating yeast properly, creating a vigorous starter culture, keeping sugar below 25 Brix, adding yeast nutrient in

3 portions during the process, keeping temperature spikes below 95F, and after pressing, maintaining temp above 70F. This year I've had to add Premier Cuvee' to try to get over the finish line. Currently, the wine tests at 0.5% RS.

i) Have others experienced this with Pasteur Red - is it a poor closer?

ii.) Does anthocyanin concentration affect the Clinitest assay? The wines I've used with Pasteur Red are usually deeply pigmented and show difficulty getting below 0.5% on the Clinitest. Any advice or suggestions are appreciated. RD

Reply to
rddamiani
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It sounds like you're doing everything right, except maybe pressing before dryness. I've never had Pasteur Red stick on me. It's considered a pretty vigorous strain.

A small residue (~0.2-0.4%) of unfermentable sugars is normal in grape wines. Are you _sure_ the wine isn't dry? Does it _taste_ sweet? Rely on your taste more than on Clinitest.

Tom S

Reply to
Tom S

Thanks, Tom. You locked on to the piece that has troubled me - pressing before dryness. This wasn't my intention (particularly for a cab like this) but weekends are the only time I have to tackle pressing. Try as I may to set up my fermentations to complete for the weekend, Mother Nature doesn't always acquiesce. RD

Reply to
rddamiani

Rather than pressing too soon, I'd suggest delaying pressing to the following weekend. True, you need to keep air away from the wine for that time, but there are ways to do that. Spritzing the surface of the must with sulfite solution (after wiping down the fermenter walls above the must), smoothing a sheet of food grade plastic over the surface of the must and weighting it down with flat boards (or even water) works pretty well. You should check the must every couple of days, and stir the bottom to prevent reduction (H2S).

Tom S

Reply to
Tom S

Thank you for the advice, Tom. I will try this next time. In fact, this year I attempted a second run wine that I was unable to press in a timely manner. Since it was a second run, I didn't worry so much and I allowed the 'dry' must to sit for 5 days before I was able to press. It turned out fine. I'd be more careful with a first run, of course. How do you weigh down the plasticwrap with water? Can you just use a spray bottle to spritz it?

Thanks again, RD

Reply to
rddamiani

Just pour a layer of water on top of the plastic to hold it down against the wine. An inch or so should suffice. I wouldn't recommend doing this unless the primary is pretty much finished gassing though, or it could get messy when gas pressure starts pumping wine up between the sheet and the fermenter, and then onto the floor.

Obviously you'd need to be sure the plastic extends well beyond the rim of the fermenter and that it doesn't have any holes in it. You'd also want to be careful when dumping the water so that it doesn't end up in the wine.

Tom S

Reply to
Tom S

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