2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Numbers

Harvested rows 1-3 & 7-9, and to our surprise ended up with 2 primary fermenters - so the grapes in them are a random mix.  Here's how they came out:

Batch Z:
Brix 23.5
pH 3.3
TA 8.5

Batch B:
Brix 22.5
pH 3.3
TA 8.5

To batch B, we decided to add 1 lb of sugar, with the goal of bringing the brix up to 24ish.

We'll re-test before pitching the yeast, tonight after the must warms a bit.

First harvest

Enough waiting already - with big rains on their way, even though the grapes are still testing under-ripe we harvested about half today.  We opted for the top and bottom rows (rows 1-3, 7-9).  Numbers to follow!

Pressed the Zin

Zin seemed to be settling down from its earlier fermenting vigor (this snapshot from last week) - so we pressed, put into carboys, and continue to stir up the lees every few days to keep ML fermentation going.

Still waiting

Grapes STILL not ripe: average Brix = 20.  Looking very fall-like though; and new crop of weeds sprouting up.

Zin!

We once again were generously given the chance to harvest extra Zinfandel grapes from our friends up in El Dorado County.  Being a relatively cool, and wet, season some of the grapes had developed bunch rot (tan-ish and powdery on surface) and sour rot (pink/redish throughout)- so picking around those I came home with enough grapes to make 7-8 gallons of wine and 7-8 quarts of jam.  The numbers:

Ph: 3.3

Ta: 8.7

Brix: 24

We did our standard: 25 ppm potassium metabisulfate to kill existing yeasts upon crush, then 24 hrs later pitched Lalvin BM 4x4 with yeast nutrients, then the next morning stirred in ML bacteria culture into the top 2 inches of the must.

Bottling

Busy day - today we pressed the Merlot, yielded 6 gallons of must.  Now it'll settle out and hopefully continue to go through MLF.

We also realized as long as we were going to clean all our gear might as well use this as a chance to bottle some of the wine in larger carboys we'll need for winemaking very soon.    We tasted the various wines, and opted not to blend any together - we liked the individual tastes each had compared to the blend.

What we got:

6 cases 2009 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon.  One batch came out oakier than the other, so we labeled it 'Reserva' in Argentinian tradition.  Not sure it's better or worse, time and your preference in oak will tell.

2 cases 2010 Amador County Zin.  This was the stuff made from Murrill Vineyards grapes.

2 cases of 3rd Little Red Wagon.  This was one carboy that ended up with surplus from our racking operations,  mostly '09 Zinfandel with some '10 Zinfandel and '09 Cab Sauvignon. 

Different red leaf

I've started to notice that on the opposite side of the vineyard as the red-leaved group, a slightly different manifestation of red/burnt leaves is appearing.  Looks like I noticed it in previous years too.