Inspired by Tom S' lovely Chateau Burbank, I'm determined to make a
barrel-fermented Chardonnay this year. I'd like to produce a fully
ML'd, sur lie style wine using a new 15 gal. French Oak barrel
(Allier, medium toast). This will be a first for me.
-Can someone experienced with this process make recommendations on
fermentation temperature? Once inoculated for MLF how warm should it
be to encourage ML without blowing off all the fruit?
-I was planning on a 'concurrent' ML innoculated at about 10-12 Brix
but if the fermentation is very cool, this might not be the best
approach.
-Does anyone know of a source for CY3079 in quantities smaller than a
500 gm brick?

Thanks,
RD

Hi, I have made many barrel ferment Chardonnay. First, you must know
that if you barrel ferment and do a MLF you will loose most of the
light fruitiness a Chardonnay can have. Barrel ferment Chardonnay with
MLF will have more body, more mouthfeel, more buttery, nutty character
that is more than welcome in good Chardonnay IMHO.

Here is few recommendations :

Ferment slowly at 10-14 Celcius with proper yeast strain CY3079 or D47
if you want to keep some fruits. The CY3079 if better for sur lees
ageing however.

Don't add the ML Bacteria till the wine is fermenting. You should not
do that when cold fermenting as the MLF could stuck and will be
difficult to restart. Also, if you have a slow fermentation and you
add your culture early as co-inoculation, the MLF will occur
simultaneously with the alc. fermentation and as soon as they all
convert the available malic acid the bacteria will search for something
new to "eat" and will eat the sugar that remain in the must and thus
convert some as acetic acidity. Better is to let the wine ferment till
dry and add your ML culture in the barrel or rack and add it in carboy
or any other container if you have enough oak. You should increase the
temp to 18 Celcius and ideally use some Opti-Malo Nutrient or such to
help kickup the MLF. Oh, stirring the lees in the barrel once per week
is ok during the fermentation but there is no need once the MLF is
started. MLF is an anaerobic fermentation.

During MLF there will be a production of diacetyl compound that are
responsible of the buttery flavors you can found in some nice
Chardonnay. The more malic acid in the juice and the more diacetyl
compound you can have. As soon as the MLF is over ( confirm with a
test kit ) you should rack and ideally filter the wine to remove as
much yeast as possible to avoid them consuming the diacetyl ( most
strain start as soon as they have no more sugar to eat ). So using
filtering with a good dose of K-meta will stabilise the wine.

For the yeast, I think that More Wine have it in small quantity (
http://morebeer.com/ ).

Hope this help,
Séb


wrote:
> Inspired by Tom S' lovely Chateau Burbank, I'm determined to make a
> barrel-fermented Chardonnay this year. I'd like to produce a fully
> ML'd, sur lie style wine using a new 15 gal. French Oak barrel
> (Allier, medium toast). This will be a first for me.
> -Can someone experienced with this process make recommendations on
> fermentation temperature? Once inoculated for MLF how warm should it
> be to encourage ML without blowing off all the fruit?
> -I was planning on a 'concurrent' ML innoculated at about 10-12 Brix
> but if the fermentation is very cool, this might not be the best
> approach.
> -Does anyone know of a source for CY3079 in quantities smaller than a
> 500 gm brick?
>
> Thanks,
> RD

Séb,

Thanks for the advice and source for CY3079.

RD

> wrote in message
oups.com...
> Inspired by Tom S' lovely Chateau Burbank, I'm determined to make a
> barrel-fermented Chardonnay this year. I'd like to produce a fully
> ML'd, sur lie style wine using a new 15 gal. French Oak barrel
> (Allier, medium toast). This will be a first for me.
> -Can someone experienced with this process make recommendations on
> fermentation temperature? Once inoculated for MLF how warm should it
> be to encourage ML without blowing off all the fruit?
> -I was planning on a 'concurrent' ML innoculated at about 10-12 Brix
> but if the fermentation is very cool, this might not be the best
> approach.

An initial temperature of 55-60 degrees F is fine. After a couple of days
(right after the fermentation takes off) the temperature will be a little
higher, and that's the time to inoculate for ML. The Brix will be ~20 or
so. BTW, you should not have added any SO2 yet.

> -Does anyone know of a source for CY3079 in quantities smaller than a
> 500 gm brick?

A local winery? Ask them. You don't need much. If you have to, buy a
brick. Yeast isn't all that expensive. It keeps well in the 'fridge if you
seal it up properly.

Good luck with your wine.

Tom S

"Séb" > wrote in message
ups.com...
Also, if you have a slow fermentation and you
add your culture early as co-inoculation, the MLF will occur
simultaneously with the alc. fermentation and as soon as they all
convert the available malic acid the bacteria will search for something
new to "eat" and will eat the sugar that remain in the must and thus
convert some as acetic acidity. Better is to let the wine ferment till
dry and add your ML culture in the barrel or rack and add it in carboy
or any other container if you have enough oak.

I've heard this before, but have never experienced such a problem with
California fruit. FWIW, the Wine Lab recommends concurrent alcohol & ML
fermentation with the strains of ML culture they offer.

If you are working with fruit from a different region (e.g., Europe)
concurrent fermentations _may_ not be advisable.

Tom S

> An initial temperature of 55-60 degrees F is fine. After a couple of days
> (right after the fermentation takes off) the temperature will be a little
> higher, and that's the time to inoculate for ML. The Brix will be ~20 or
> so. BTW, you should not have added any SO2 yet.


Thanks, Tom. I've only worked with California fruit and also have not
have problems with co-innoculation. However, I'm used to doing this a
bit later at around 8-12 Brix.

If I understand you correctly, a barrel fermented chardonnay in this
style will end up fermenting/MLing up around 65F? Once ML is complete
do you drop the temp or this not necessary?

RD