Over the past three vintages, I have produced Cab and Shiraz reds from the
cool climate region of the Yarra Valley Australia. Last years Cab was
treated with Calcium Carbonate to reduce an accidental over addition of
tartaric with some success. The wine was bottled after 12 months in barrel
with total SO2 of 100ppm and Ph of 3.36. The bottles are now stained
internally and the wine is extremely dark There is still some activity as
some minor CO2 is evident. Taste is reasonable though.
This year's Cab will also require some acid reduction but by comparison only
a small amount of about 0.4 grams tartaric per litre. As tests reveal Malo
is complete, I am about to rack the wine for the first time. Can anybody
assist in methods of acid reduction apart from Calcium, and methods of
fining.
Thanks
Leon

"Jason" > wrote in message
...
> Over the past three vintages, I have produced Cab and Shiraz reds from the
> cool climate region of the Yarra Valley Australia. Last years Cab was
> treated with Calcium Carbonate to reduce an accidental over addition of
> tartaric with some success. The wine was bottled after 12 months in barrel
> with total SO2 of 100ppm and Ph of 3.36. The bottles are now stained
> internally and the wine is extremely dark There is still some activity as
> some minor CO2 is evident. Taste is reasonable though.
> This year's Cab will also require some acid reduction but by comparison
only
> a small amount of about 0.4 grams tartaric per litre. As tests reveal Malo
> is complete, I am about to rack the wine for the first time. Can anybody
> assist in methods of acid reduction apart from Calcium, and methods of
> fining.

My first question is, why are you picking underripe fruit? If you let the
fruit mature more fully on the vine the pH will come up to a reasonable
level, e.g. 3.4-3.5.

Secondly, why the rush to bottle? Cabernet generally needs at least two
years aging before it's ready to bottle. During that time it should be
racked off the lees a couple of times.

At the end of barrel aging, when you're approaching bottling, you should do
some fining trials to "polish" the wine. That will remove some of the
excess tannin and floating debris that is now staining the inside of your
bottles, as well as improve the mouth feel of the wine. Try a combination
of 1 lb/1000 gallons of Kieselsohl followed by 1 lb/1000 gallons gelatin on
a sample (750 ml) for openers. Let it settle out and taste it alongside the
unfined wine. Still too tannic? Increase the gelatin. Too "stripped"?
Reduce the amount of gelatin. Also, consider using a different fining agent
instead of gelatin. Try isinglass (~3 oz/1000 gallons). After you've
treated the entire lot to a fining regimen that you're happy with you'll
need to allow the finings to settle thoroughly and rack the wine at least
once to get it away from the fining lees. Don't try bottling straight off
the lees or you'll end up with cloudy wine in at least some of the bottles.

Fining is a big subject. I suggest you do some reading. Peynaud's book is
very good, and there are others. Good luck, mate!

Tom S

Leon - Did you cold stabilize the wine? If not that will drop some acid.
Try a sample in the frig. at near freezing temperatures for a week and
retest. Also freeze a sample, thaw and retest.

Ion exchange can be used to totally remove acid from a portion of wine.
Remix the treated wine with the bulk and arrive at the acid content you
want. I make wine as a hobby in 5 to 20 gallon batches. I have an interest
in things like ion exchange and have a small system that I use. Depending
on the size of your winemaking and your interest you could do the same.

But as Tom said...next year let the grapes hang longer.

Bill Frazier
Olathe, Kansas USA


"Jason" > wrote in message
...
> This year's Cab will also require some acid reduction but by comparison
only
> a small amount of about 0.4 grams tartaric per litre. As tests reveal Malo
> is complete, I am about to rack the wine for the first time. Can anybody
> assist in methods of acid reduction apart from Calcium, and methods of
> fining.

Leon - Did you cold stabilize the wine? If not that will drop some acid.
Try a sample in the frig. at near freezing temperatures for a week and
retest. Also freeze a sample, thaw and retest.

Ion exchange can be used to totally remove acid from a portion of wine.
Remix the treated wine with the bulk and arrive at the acid content you
want. I make wine as a hobby in 5 to 20 gallon batches. I have an interest
in things like ion exchange and have a small system that I use. Depending
on the size of your winemaking and your interest you could do the same.

But as Tom said...next year let the grapes hang longer.

Bill Frazier
Olathe, Kansas USA


"Jason" > wrote in message
...
> This year's Cab will also require some acid reduction but by comparison
only
> a small amount of about 0.4 grams tartaric per litre. As tests reveal Malo
> is complete, I am about to rack the wine for the first time. Can anybody
> assist in methods of acid reduction apart from Calcium, and methods of
> fining.

Thanks for the input guys. The fruit was ripe at picking 13.6Be, 3.56 Ph I
simply added too much tartaric (AGAIN) wont happen next year that's for
sure. I had been using warm climate fruit were additions of 4grams per litre
tartaric are not unusual. I also bought a new Ph meter this year, but after
the fact. The idea of aging for two years has merit with the cool climate
fruit. Warm climate is so much lighter in colour and lacks depth. Never had
to fine it before. Do you think egg white could also be appropriate for
fining trials?
Regards
Leon
"Jason" > wrote in message
...
> Over the past three vintages, I have produced Cab and Shiraz reds from the
> cool climate region of the Yarra Valley Australia. Last years Cab was
> treated with Calcium Carbonate to reduce an accidental over addition of
> tartaric with some success. The wine was bottled after 12 months in barrel
> with total SO2 of 100ppm and Ph of 3.36. The bottles are now stained
> internally and the wine is extremely dark There is still some activity as
> some minor CO2 is evident. Taste is reasonable though.
> This year's Cab will also require some acid reduction but by comparison
only
> a small amount of about 0.4 grams tartaric per litre. As tests reveal Malo
> is complete, I am about to rack the wine for the first time. Can anybody
> assist in methods of acid reduction apart from Calcium, and methods of
> fining.
> Thanks
> Leon
>
>

"Jason" > wrote in message
...
> Thanks for the input guys. The fruit was ripe at picking 13.6Be, 3.56 Ph
I
> simply added too much tartaric (AGAIN) wont happen next year that's for
> sure.

I don't understand why you added _any_ tartaric! Those are near *perfect*
numbers.

> Never had
> to fine it before. Do you think egg white could also be appropriate for
> fining trials?

Could be, but I find eggwhites (a) not very aggressive and (b) a PIA to
prepare and use. Gelatin (with Kieselsohl) is my tannin fining material of
choice.

Tom S

"Jason" > wrote in message
...
> Thanks for the input guys. The fruit was ripe at picking 13.6Be, 3.56 Ph
I
> simply added too much tartaric (AGAIN) wont happen next year that's for
> sure.

I don't understand why you added _any_ tartaric! Those are near *perfect*
numbers.

> Never had
> to fine it before. Do you think egg white could also be appropriate for
> fining trials?

Could be, but I find eggwhites (a) not very aggressive and (b) a PIA to
prepare and use. Gelatin (with Kieselsohl) is my tannin fining material of
choice.

Tom S

"Jason" > wrote in message
...
> Thanks for the input guys. The fruit was ripe at picking 13.6Be, 3.56 Ph
I
> simply added too much tartaric (AGAIN) wont happen next year that's for
> sure.

I don't understand why you added _any_ tartaric! Those are near *perfect*
numbers.

> Never had
> to fine it before. Do you think egg white could also be appropriate for
> fining trials?

Could be, but I find eggwhites (a) not very aggressive and (b) a PIA to
prepare and use. Gelatin (with Kieselsohl) is my tannin fining material of
choice.

Tom S