I pressed grapes Nov 5 and ML fermentation is still occuring. Is this
normal and if not how do I stop the fermentation? The wine taste fine
but is still fizzy.

That's normal. I still have merlot, melbec and chardonnay going through
ML that are the same age as your's.


wrote:
> I pressed grapes Nov 5 and ML fermentation is still occuring. Is this
> normal and if not how do I stop the fermentation? The wine taste fine
> but is still fizzy.
>

Last year's MLF was busy until Feb or March I think... I'd have to
check the last Chromatography sheet.

Marty Phee wrote:
> That's normal. I still have merlot, melbec and chardonnay going through
> ML that are the same age as your's.
>
>
> wrote:
> > I pressed grapes Nov 5 and ML fermentation is still occuring. Is this
> > normal and if not how do I stop the fermentation? The wine taste fine
> > but is still fizzy.
> >

How did you decide that it was a ML fermentation and not the secondary
fermentations was still going on??
wrote:
> Last year's MLF was busy until Feb or March I think... I'd have to
> check the last Chromatography sheet.
>
> Marty Phee wrote:
> > That's normal. I still have merlot, melbec and chardonnay going through
> > ML that are the same age as your's.
> >
> >
> > wrote:
> > > I pressed grapes Nov 5 and ML fermentation is still occuring. Is this
> > > normal and if not how do I stop the fermentation? The wine taste fine
> > > but is still fizzy.
> > >

Pino wrote:
> How did you decide that it was a ML fermentation and not the secondary
> fermentations was still going on??

MLF bubbles are tiny for whatever reason; that is one way, look at the
size of the bubbles as they rise.

All my reds seem to come out with an RS of 0.4% by clinitest so I do
understand where you are coming from, is it that last bit of sugar
being consumed or is it MLF?

My Valdepena from 2005 was bubbling and I was ready to bottle. I
racked and sulfited at about 30 PPM and it stopped so I'm thinking it
was MLF.

I have been using titrettes to measure the SO2 in reds for years and
had a few batches go slightly fizzy in the bottle as of late. I really
think it's been MLF all along because my SO2 was too low. That could
be because titrettes report false high, or it could be because I have
switched to synthetic corks and I am not using a vacuum corker so that
little bit of air I push in is driving the SO2 lower as it consumes the
oxygen. It was a well known issue with Supremecorq, I'm not sure I
don't have the same thing going on with Nomacorc. I am considering
jumping in and buying an AO apparatus for measuring SO2.

Joe

I purchased an AO set up this last year and have been using it since.
More time / work involved, but very consistent results.
One thought - to save some $, I set up a air 'push' system, rather than
a vacuum 'pull' - the little aquarium air pump does the job and is a lot
cheaper than a vacuum pump. Just need to be sure all the fittings are
tight.


"Joe Sallustio" > wrote:

>
> MLF bubbles are tiny for whatever reason; that is one way, look at the
> size of the bubbles as they rise.
>
> All my reds seem to come out with an RS of 0.4% by clinitest so I do
> understand where you are coming from, is it that last bit of sugar
> being consumed or is it MLF?
>
> My Valdepena from 2005 was bubbling and I was ready to bottle. I
> racked and sulfited at about 30 PPM and it stopped so I'm thinking it
> was MLF.
>
> I have been using titrettes to measure the SO2 in reds for years and
> had a few batches go slightly fizzy in the bottle as of late. I really
> think it's been MLF all along because my SO2 was too low. That could
> be because titrettes report false high, or it could be because I have
> switched to synthetic corks and I am not using a vacuum corker so that
> little bit of air I push in is driving the SO2 lower as it consumes the
> oxygen. It was a well known issue with Supremecorq, I'm not sure I
> don't have the same thing going on with Nomacorc. I am considering
> jumping in and buying an AO apparatus for measuring SO2.
>
> Joe

I used to do TLC for work all the time. Got VERY good at making
reproduceable spots. Well defined spots with smear suggested large
quantities of Malic Acid, small spots, hard to discern, fast fading,
suggested less.

So I just followed it with the chromatography until the spots
disappeared, then gave it a couple of extra weeks.

Pino wrote:
> How did you decide that it was a ML fermentation and not the secondary
> fermentations was still going on??
> wrote:
> > Last year's MLF was busy until Feb or March I think... I'd have to
> > check the last Chromatography sheet.
> >
> > Marty Phee wrote:
> > > That's normal. I still have merlot, melbec and chardonnay going through
> > > ML that are the same age as your's.
> > >
> > >
> > > wrote:
> > > > I pressed grapes Nov 5 and ML fermentation is still occuring. Is this
> > > > normal and if not how do I stop the fermentation? The wine taste fine
> > > > but is still fizzy.
> > > >