"Tom S" > wrote in message
. com...
<major snip>

: In any case, be sure not to leave picking shears, sticks or any pointy
: objects in the basket. I've been using a bladder press since 1987 and
have
: not popped one yet - but I'm pretty careful.
Tom S

Tom, do you do whole berry press on your Chardonnay or do you crush first?
That is, can you get adequate pressure from a typical home water line to
press whole berries? I've tried whole berries with a small ratchet press
and it was damn near impossible without bolting the press to the floor.
Looking for an alternative.

Tim O

"Tim O'Connor" > wrote in message
...
> Tom, do you do whole berry press on your Chardonnay or do you crush first?
> That is, can you get adequate pressure from a typical home water line to
> press whole berries? I've tried whole berries with a small ratchet press
> and it was damn near impossible without bolting the press to the floor.
> Looking for an alternative.

I have never done whole cluster pressing because I don't believe you get the
best part of the fruit that way. I crush and cold soak the fruit with
pectic enzyme and press the next day.

However, I'm sure that 3 atmospheres in a bladder press will do the trick if
that's (whole cluster) your schtick. :^)

Tom S

Tom S ) wrote:

>"Tim O'Connor" > wrote in message
...
>> Tom, do you do whole berry press on your Chardonnay or do you crush first?
>> That is, can you get adequate pressure from a typical home water line to
>> press whole berries? I've tried whole berries with a small ratchet press
>> and it was damn near impossible without bolting the press to the floor.
>> Looking for an alternative.

>I have never done whole cluster pressing because I don't believe you get the
>best part of the fruit that way. I crush and cold soak the fruit with
>pectic enzyme and press the next day.

>However, I'm sure that 3 atmospheres in a bladder press will do the trick if
>that's (whole cluster) your schtick. :^)

>Tom S

FWIW, I do whole cluster pressing on my chard every year, and we're
able to do it at 2 bars or less. That's as high a pressure as the
press (Vaslin-Bucher membrane press) will develop.

I think the decision on whether or not to do it has to depend on the
grapes and the year. We've found that if we don't do it, we get
harsher phenolics than we want, and have to fine them later.

Dave
************************************************** **************************
Dave Breeden

Tom S wrote "I have never done whole cluster pressing because I don't
believe you get the
> best part of the fruit that way. I crush and cold soak the fruit
> (Chardonnay) with pectic enzyme and press the next day."

Tom, am I correct that you crush the grapes, add pecitc enzyme and let the
juice sit on the skins overnight until you press the next day? What's the
max. time you've let Chardonnay juice sit on skins before pressing? Thanks.

Bill Frazier
Olathe, Kansas USA

"William Frazier" > wrote in message
...
> Tom, am I correct that you crush the grapes, add pecitc enzyme and let the
> juice sit on the skins overnight until you press the next day? What's the
> max. time you've let Chardonnay juice sit on skins before pressing?
> Thanks.

A day or so. I'll probably experiment in future with extending that to 3 or
4x just to see how the wine tastes. Maybe 1 barrel's worth in new wood -
just for fun. :^)

Tom S

"David C Breeden" > wrote in message
...
> FWIW, I do whole cluster pressing on my chard every year, and we're
> able to do it at 2 bars or less. That's as high a pressure as the
> press (Vaslin-Bucher membrane press) will develop.
>
> I think the decision on whether or not to do it has to depend on the
> grapes and the year. We've found that if we don't do it, we get
> harsher phenolics than we want, and have to fine them later.

Yeah! Exactly my point.

I don't _mind_ fining for excess phenolics later on. I feel that their
presence adds a _lot_ to the character of good Chardonnay. Actually, it's
pretty nice on Pinot Grigio too - and I'll bet the same approach would work
on other white varietals - e.g., Gewurtztraminer, Pinot Blanc. ??.

I'm very familiar with late fining of white wines. It's an option that
permits the construction of a big wine that is quite harmonious among all
its components.

But that is a style related issue. If your style is to produce _pretty_
wines with minimal intervention, then fining is something you want to avoid.
You also wouldn't be using any, or not much, oak.

Those are winemaker-specific issues. You and I each know what our benchmark
is, and what we are trying to accomplish - and I'll bet we each have
different views on what it is and how to achieve it.

Tom S