If after 5 or so days of fermentation, you were at SG=1.09, wondering
what your starting SG was ?

I typically press somewhere between day 6 and 10, once SG reaches
around 1.02. I found this gives me good color.

Years ago, I had a similar thing happen to me when I put my must into
the oak barrel, fermentation stopped. What I'm guessing happened was
that I washed the barrel out with some sulfite solution and didn't get
it completely removed prior to adding must. I guessing the higher
level of sulfite killed off the remaining yeast. I ended up putting in
additional yeast to get it restarted. Fermentation restarted, but I
was never able to get that batch completely dry.

Good luck, Mark


"Vic" > wrote in message et>...
> I crushed a combination of Cab (60%) and Merlot (40%) into primary and after
> 5 days began to get good bubbling activity. I pressed grapes with SG at
> 1.09 at 9 days - color is fantastic.
> I put juice into French oak with airlock, and am getting no bubbles.
> My question is this: is it possible that the fermentation is taking a
> respite before resuming again?
> Thanks in advance.
> Vic