PH Dropping....

How confident are you in your equipment and measurements? I've never observed anything that drastic happen to the pH during fermentation. Are you _sure_ you can rely on that pH meter to be accurate?

Try heating a sample just to the boiling point and see if the pH is really as low as it appears to be. If it then reads 3.4 or maybe a little higher don't worry about it.

In fact, don't worry anyway. If the wine ends up at low pH that's pretty easy to fix with potassium carbonate. For the time being just let it do its thing and let it be until the primary is finished. Don't make the mistake of getting too busy with the wine while it's in a normal processing cycle.

FWIW, I've been using CY3079 for several years on Chardonnay with good results. This year I also experimented with VL2, and that looks promising.

Tom S

Thanks a lot Tom....

As for my equipment.. The PH meter is brand new and according to all the calibration/test fluids (4 and 7) the readings are accurate. However, the meter only reads too one decimal point... Now I am thinking of returning it and maybe getting something a bit more accurate.

Okay...So, here is my plan of attack...Please let me know if I am doing anything drastically wrong...For now I will just let the wine finish the primary. After that I am going to rack it to a carboy with the lees. I am racking not really to remove the sediment, more to have an air tight container for MLF fermentation. At that point I will let is sit for one or two or two weeks to help remove all excess air from the racking. At that point I will do some test to see if everything looks good... If the PH is low at that point should I add a buffer? If so, how is it done?

If everything looks good I will add MB EQ54 MLF bacteria.. After the MLF is done (given that it works) I am going to sulfite and rack the wine to an American oak barrel. At this point I will let it age to taste, then bottle...

Once again thanks for your help...It is very much appreciated,

Shawn

If you measure 'while' fermenting, you will of course find CO2 present. As this is an acid, it influences your pH reading (just as it would your acid test. So stop worrying, add malolactic bact. at the end of fermentation, and rack thereafter from the lees. You don't need those anymore. Don't worry about the bacteria; they just will smile while being racked. When you think that two or three weeks is enough, add sulfite to stop malolactic fermentation. Let wine mature a wee bit. That is the way to go. I sincerely hope that you did not forget to ferment using wineyeast first. If that is the case, do it now. Ed

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For winemaking you really need to go out to 2 digits beyond the decimal point.

If you plan to go into barrel with this wine, why not _ferment_ in barrel? The wine will integrate better with the wood that way. BTW, I wouldn't use American oak on a white wine. I'm not saying that it's a mistake, but I prefer not to use American oak on Burgundian varietals.

Everything else looks OK. If you really do have a low pH problem you can address that later, before cold stabilizing the wine.

Tom S

Thanks again Tom....

I hear ya on the PH meter... I am going to get something a bit more accurate...

As for the Oak Barrel... I was overuled by the boss on this one... My girlfirend prefers American Oak, over French... Personally, I much prefer French Oak because of the "sexyness" it adds to Chardonnay, rather then the more pronouced "buttery oak" taste I find A. Oak attributes to wine... The reason I didn't ferment in the barrel was because the barrel is small and new and with the MLF the time in the barrel could have lasted longer than I would have wanted, resulting in "Eau de Chene" rather than an Oaked Chadonnay. After the Chardonnay I will use the barrel for aging some Australian Shiraz which I feel is a better use of the A. Oak. We'll se how the batch goes and if the Chardonnay is successful I a thinking of trying my next batch with Canadian Oak, which is suppose impart characterics of both American Oak and French Oak...

One more question... Why would I cold stabilize (not that its a problem in my climate?) Do I need to cold stabilize if I don't add any buffers?

Cheers,

Shawn

Shawn, New grape wine contains excessive quantities of potassium bitartrate. The tartrate can precipitate out as crystals or hazes when the wine is chilled, so practically all white and blush grape wines require cold stabilization before bottling. More info here

Hello,

Thanks! I read the recommended article and to be honest I am still confused.. If any one can give me a little personal explination on cold stabilization I would greatly appreciate it...

Cheers,

Shawn

Shawn - Lum's book pretty well explains why K bitartrate crystals form. The wine contains more of this salt than it can hold at a given temperature so it precipitates out. The hybrid grapes I grow are high in acid and potassium. Cold stabilization is a very useful way to rid the wine of excess acid. After fermentation is finished I move the wine to a chest freezer that is equipped with an external thermostat. I set the temperature to 30F. At this reduced temperature potassium bitartrate is less soluble than at normal cellar temperature and it precipitates. Then more tartaric acid combines with remaining potassium to form more potassium bitartrate and it precipitates. This will continue until the wine can hold the amount of potassium bitartrate that is present or until there in no more potassium left to form excess potassium bitartrate. This is why it's helpful to cold condition wine for one or two weeks to allow the process to go to completion.

Bill Frazier Olathe, Kansas USA

Thanks Bill.. I really appreaciate all the help I've been receiving over the last few days...

Okay.. I understand the princinple, however, the confusion is in the practicle application. So, here is a what I will attempt... Once the MLF is done, I will sulfite the wine, rack it to a barrel for aging, when that is done I will rack it to a carboy and cold stabilize it for one to two weeks; then bottle, With that said here are my questions: 1- Are there any problems with my process? 2- How do I know the cold stabilizing process it done? Will the wine be entirely clear? 3- I was thinking I could cold stabilize in my cold room...However, it can get as cold as 14F, is this problem?

Thanks again and I look forward to your reply,

Shawn