Poppyseed Cellars

Moved everything indoors. Using space heater to keep temp at 75F.

5PM:

• 6 gal carboy clinitest shows sugar = 0.4%
• 3 gal carboy clinitest shows sugar = 0.6%
• 1 gal jug clinitest shows sugar = 0.4%

8:30PM:

• 1 gal jug clinitest shows sugar = 0.4%

8AM: Everything still bubbling slowly…

6AM: All 3 containers bubbling

9PM: Transferred wine from 1 gal H2O jug to new glass jar with airlock. Everything still bubbling.

7AM:

• Punch down
• Temp at 75F.
• Sugar at 1 Brix.

4PM:

• Unable to rent a press, and I want to press now to keep wine light and fruity.
• Press by hand with a cheesecloth. What a pain!
• Transferred into carboys, 6gal, 3gal, 1gal.

9AM:

• Punch down
• Temp at 78F.
• Sugar at 4 Brix

5PM:

• Punch down
• Temp at 76F.
• Sugar at 2 Brix.

8AM:

• Punch down
• Sugar = 9 Brix

3PM:

• Punch down
• Sugar = 7 Brix

10PM: Punch down

7AM:

• Punch down
• Brix = 18
• Added 2 teaspoons of Fermaid K, because of slight H2S smell, I think.

4PM:

• Punch down
• Temp = 80 F

10PM:

• Punch down
• Temp = 85 F
• Sugar = 13 Brix

7AM:

• Punch down.
• Temperature at 70 F.
• Brix at 26.

10PM:

• Punch down.
• Temperature at 77 F.
• Brix at 22.
• Fermentation is really going. Possible smell of SO2, but I am not sure.

7AM: Must slightly fermenting

6PM: Temperature at 65 F.

10PM Temperature at 67 F. Still only slight fermentation.

7AM: Removed the ice jugs from the must to start letting it warm up. Time to start the fermentation. The color looks gorgeous!

9PM:

• 25 Brix
• 65 F
• Added 3 tsp DAP (1 tsp/5 gal * 15 gal = 3 tsp)
• Added yeast starter mixture, using 10g French Red yeast from Beverage People. I sprinkled the starter over the top without stirring it in.

9PM: Continues cold soak, using milk jugs of ice.

• Added 6 tsp pectic enzyme (.5 tsp/gl * 15  gal = 7.5tsp…I used a little less).
• 25 brix
• 5.8 g/l TA
• ~20 ppm SO2

I went and got the crushed grapes from Paul at his house in RP.

Initial measurments:

• Temp 58F
• 24 Brix, 13% PA
• 5.0 g TA; 5.5 g after stirring the must
• 10 mg/L free SO2

Additions:

• Sodium Meta 11 tsp 3% solution. Target is 43 ppm. (17 gal * .66 tsp/gal = 11.2 tsp

Added 1 gallon jug of frozen water to bring down must temp for cold soak.

I’ve lived in Sonoma County for 19 years, and I have been drinking and tasting wine all that time. Now I am going to try and make it. I’ll try and keep track of it here…

I was lucky enough to get 15 gallons of de-stemmed and crushed Zinfandel must from a friends vineyard near Alexander Valley:

I haven’t made wine, but I have been reading Home Winemaking by Iversen. Here is the plan for this wine. I want a light fruity Zinfandel, meant to be drunk quickly. No saving this one. It will start out with a several day cold soak. This supposedly will extract color without too much tannin extraction, or at least the softer tannins only, as the soaking is done without alcohol.

I will use French Red yeast, which Paul and Beverage people say is good for reds. I will take the grapes off the skins before fermentation is finished. This also will help too produce the light fruity zin.