"Jon Gilliam" > wrote in message
...
> This made for about 80 liters (about 8 1/2 gallons) of must for each
variety
> after destemming and crushing, and I have these cold soaking, each variety
> divided into to two batches in separate 7 gallon primary fermenters. The
> Zinfandel looks like it may work out ... there was a large variation in
the
> grapes, leaving the two batches with very different numbers. One has a
low
> pH and TA, and the other a high pH and TA. Once I combine the two, I
think
> it should even out pretty well. One batch is at 26 Brix/3.13pH/.7TA, and
> the other 22 Brix/3.6pH/.9TA. I added 13gm of potassium bicarbonate to
the
> second batch to bring down the TA. That left the pH at about 3.7, which
is
> too high, but should correct on mixing back with the first batch.

IMO you were too busy with the acid adjustment on this wine. Also, I find
it hard to believe that the Brix on the first is at 26° and the pH down
below 3.2. Are you _sure_ about those #s?

> The Petit Syrah, on the other hand, is problematic. The two batches there
> have identical numbers: 21 Brix, .85 TA, 3.75 pH.

It would have been nice if the fruit had been picked at full ripeness. By
then the pH would have been in the 4s, but that's nothing a little tartaric
couldn't fix. :^)

> Now the pH is reading about 3.6, but the TA is up at
> about 1.0. I also added 26lbs of sugar to bump the sugar to 23 Brix.
>
> Does anyone have recommendations for the Petit Sarah? A MLF will raise
the
> pH, and even after my acid addition, the pH is still at the maximum it
> should be. After fermentation, I may need to adjust the acid upwards
again
> to get back into a healthy pH range.
>
> Is this a "doomed" wine? Will the TA be so high after the acid additions
to
> get the pH at an acceptable level, that the wine will be unpleasant?

I doubt it, and I probably wouldn't add any more acid. Petite Syrah often
has high pH, and the excess TA will drop out with cold stabilization. You
have to be careful tending it to prevent spoilage, but if you keep the free
SO2 up and all containers topped up it should be OK.

Tom S