Wise Acres Winery

I added oak staves to the Chardonnay and ML to carboy #1, leaving the rest free of ML. Oh, I need to innoculate one of the topping

Sugar test for the non-ML carboy (#2) was negative

SO2 is 25 ppm

With help from the strong backs of Sheila, Steve, George and MJ (plus Phoebe and Taylor, see photo) we pressed the Cabernet on Saturday. It went well, but may have pressed it alittle hard. Last year the yield was light, I may have over-compensated. We ended up with almost exactly 12 gallons. I put it into kegs this time, two full and one partial for topping, but I might not need to top if I keep them in the stainless.

I need to add oak

Fermentation temperatures never got high as I wanted. Averaged around 75ºF

I am planning on pressing Saturday.

DATE     pH     TA     GRAVITY
9/27     3.36     .83    24.5ºB
10/5     3.41     .92*      .99
10/9     3.43     .89       .99

* Apparently this high value was due to the presence of carbonic acid. I let the sample sit for a day before testing and got thet lower value listed 10/9

I just racked the Chardonnay into two 5 gallon carboys (plus 1.5 and .75 liter bottle for topping). I am thinking about only adding ML to one carboy and keeping them seperate through bottling. It tasted really good, strong peach and grapefruit on the nose, nice acid. Here are the numbers:

DATE       pH       TA       GRAVITY
10/9         3.46     .82       .99
10/13       3.45     .85        –

There was a little sulfur smell on the second carboy and topping wine. I will cross my fingers that it is just really yeasty.