Colorado Merlot Numbers
 

Hello, I just ran the numbers for Colorado Merlot I got in yesterday.

Sugar: 23.5 Brix (Refactive Index, calibrated w/ distilled water to
0.0)
pH: 3.70 (Meter calibrated to 4.01)
Acid: 6.8% (NaOH Titration method using a pH meter to determine the
endpoint, meter calibrated to 7.01)
Sample Temperatu 65F
Pick Date: 10/10/2006
Crush Date: 10/11/2006
Maceration: 10 hours at 50F prior to sampling

I'm not comfortable w/ the pH, esp since I plan on doing MLF, but the
Acid looks good. What do you guys think: close enough go forward w/
fermentation, or add acid to bring the pH down to 3.5ish? Also, does
the maceration time affect the numbers? Thanks! -David

Colorado Merlot Numbers
 

I agree David...pH at 3.70 before fermentation is too high when you plan on
ML fermentation also. The ML will raise pH by about 0.2 pH units. This
will make it hard to protect the wine with SO2. You could consider adding
tartaric acid to lower the pH to 3.40 - 3.45 before fermentation. Plan on
doing a hard cold condition after all fermentation is complete which should
drop a lot of excess K bitartrate out of the wine. Not sure about
maceration at 50F for 10 hours. My guess is it wasn't long enough to drop
much acid out of solution. BTW, were these Merlot grown in Colorado and if
so where?

Bill Frazier
Olathe, Kansas USA

"David D." > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Hello, I just ran the numbers for Colorado Merlot I got in yesterday.
>
> Sugar: 23.5 Brix (Refactive Index, calibrated w/ distilled water to
> 0.0)
> pH: 3.70 (Meter calibrated to 4.01)
> Acid: 6.8% (NaOH Titration method using a pH meter to determine the
> endpoint, meter calibrated to 7.01)
> Sample Temperatu 65F
> Pick Date: 10/10/2006
> Crush Date: 10/11/2006
> Maceration: 10 hours at 50F prior to sampling
>
> I'm not comfortable w/ the pH, esp since I plan on doing MLF, but the
> Acid looks good. What do you guys think: close enough go forward w/
> fermentation, or add acid to bring the pH down to 3.5ish? Also, does
> the maceration time affect the numbers? Thanks! -David
>

Colorado Merlot Numbers
 

Thanks for the reality check Bill. The grapes were grown in the
Palisade, Colorado...our major grape growing region in CO. It's a high
desert region, where most vinyards are 4,500 - 6,000 feet above sea
level. They grow a great Syrah here, but most of the growers were
overcommited on it this year, so I had to settle w/ Merlot.


William Frazier wrote:
> I agree David...pH at 3.70 before fermentation is too high when you plan on
> ML fermentation also. The ML will raise pH by about 0.2 pH units. This
> will make it hard to protect the wine with SO2. You could consider adding
> tartaric acid to lower the pH to 3.40 - 3.45 before fermentation. Plan on
> doing a hard cold condition after all fermentation is complete which should
> drop a lot of excess K bitartrate out of the wine. Not sure about
> maceration at 50F for 10 hours. My guess is it wasn't long enough to drop
> much acid out of solution. BTW, were these Merlot grown in Colorado and if
> so where?
>
> Bill Frazier
> Olathe, Kansas USA
>
> "David D." > wrote in message
> oups.com...
> > Hello, I just ran the numbers for Colorado Merlot I got in yesterday.
> >
> > Sugar: 23.5 Brix (Refactive Index, calibrated w/ distilled water to
> > 0.0)
> > pH: 3.70 (Meter calibrated to 4.01)
> > Acid: 6.8% (NaOH Titration method using a pH meter to determine the
> > endpoint, meter calibrated to 7.01)
> > Sample Temperatu 65F
> > Pick Date: 10/10/2006
> > Crush Date: 10/11/2006
> > Maceration: 10 hours at 50F prior to sampling
> >
> > I'm not comfortable w/ the pH, esp since I plan on doing MLF, but the
> > Acid looks good. What do you guys think: close enough go forward w/
> > fermentation, or add acid to bring the pH down to 3.5ish? Also, does
> > the maceration time affect the numbers? Thanks! -David
> >