Poppyseed Cellars

This is the racking after the CuSO4 fining, about a week ago. We racked into 2 14 gallon demijohns, 2 1 gallon jugs, 2 750 mL bottles.

We tried the copper test again, as we stilled sensed some H2S on the nose. I think we are getting more discriminating. We decided pna another bench trial. We did 4 samples, 0.0, 0.1, 0.3, 0.5 ppm CuSO4. There was a clear difference between the control and the 0.5 ppm. We finally settled on 0.4 ppm as the final addition. As I will be out of town next weekend, we decide to do the additon Wednesday evening, and rack sometime when I get back.

• SO2 calulations:
  • 9 14 gal demijohns:  desired 37 ppm free based on 27 ppm starting: add 9 mL 10% SO2 solution
  • 1 gal jugs : desired 37 ppm free based on 27 ppm starting: add 0.7 mL 10% SO2 solution
• CuSO4 calulations:
  • 0.4 ppm CuSO4 will be added January 27, 2010
  • From MoreWine…0.15mL/gal 1% CuSO4 = 0.1ppm copper
  • 14 gal demijohns: Add  8.4ml 1% CuSO4 solution
  • 1 gal jugs: Add 0.6ml 1% CuSO4 solution

I tested the SO2 at BevPeople: 5 ppm. This is not much. I need to bump it up. The pH as last measured was 3.7 I need to measure it again. If it is still 3.7, I need about 40 ppm free SO2. I will add 40 ppm, which is 2.6 mL/gal. But first I need to measure everything else:

• 6.3 gal carboy:
  • pH: 3.9
  • TA: 5.25 g/L
  • SO2 added: 2.6 mL/gal * 6.3 gal = 16 mL
• 6 gal Better Bottle
  • pH: ?
  • TA: ?
  • SO2  added: 2.6 mL/gal * 6 gal = 15.6 mL

I also realized that I still have a H2S problem. The smell of “oak” is NOT oak; it is H2S. Same at the ’09 syrah. I need to do a bench trial to see how much more CU to add. Each container already has 0.3 ppm.

Tested the 09 SB at BevPeople…LO sulphites…as in none…zip…zilch!

Bob said that titrets read about 25ppm high, and I have been measuring 25 ppm…

I need to add some sulphites. I am going to add 30 ppm. This is 2.0 mL/gal 10% sulphite solution.

• 2.0 mL/gal * 6 gal carboys = 12.0 mL each

0.5 ppm Cu requires an addition of  0.75 mL/gal 1% CuSO4 solution:

• 14 gal demijohns:   0.75 mL/gal * 14 gal = 10.5 mL each
• 3 gal carboy: 0.75 mL/gal * 3 = 2.25 mL
• 3/4 gal topping jug: 0.75 mL/gal * 3/4 = 0.56 mL

I will stir this in, and we rack in about 1 week.

Based on the comments we got from Bob at the BevPeople, we decided to try a copper fining bench trial. I followed the procedures in MoreWines copper fining paper.

• Sample 1: 0.o ppm 1% CuSO4 added.
• Sample 2: 0.1 ppm 1 % CuSO4 addded.
• Sample 2: 0.3 ppm 1 % CuSO4 addded.
• Sample 2: 0.5 ppm 1 % CuSO4 addded.

Erwin and I could both clearly smell the difference between the control and the 0.5 ppm. I blind tasted the 0.5 ppm vs the control and had no problem figuring out the better one. Erwin blind tasted the 0.3 and 0.5 and was able to pick out the better one. I had a harder time between thos two.

Based on this, we chose to do the full 0.5 ppm addition to the rest of the wine. 0.5 ppm is the legal limit for residual copper in finished wine.

Erwin made the followiong measuremnt:

The Free SO2 level according to the measurement I made at the Beverage People on 1/8/10 was 27ppm.

Cold stabilization is complete. I will rack into 2 6 gallon (23 L) carboys, with some left over into clear bottles. The clear bottles will make it easier to see the clarity, and compare to some commercial wines. I think that there is a very slight haze, and I might need to fine the wine.

I have a sample to take to BevPeople, to do a SO2 test there. I want to correlate it with my titret test.

I seem to not have measured the final sugar levels, or at least if I did, I never entered it into these notes. So here are a complete set of measurements:

23 L carboy (6 gal):

• pH: 3.08 with meter
• Acid: 6.6 g/L by titration with pH meter to 8.2 pH
• Sugar: 0.2% by clinitest
• SO2:  20 ppm by titret
• Eye: Clear (in a glass), pale straw
• Nose: Nice citrus. grapefruit
• Mouth: Crisp. Good citrus flavor. Nice long finish.

25 L carboy (6 gal):

• pH: 3.05
• Acid: 9 g/L by titration with pH meter to 8.2..this cannot be right. I will measure the acids again when the wine is at the same temp as the pH calibration samples. The pH meter is supposed to be TC, but maybe this is too much of a temperature difference (the wine might be near freezing).
• Sugar: 0.2% by clinitest
• SO2:  20 ppm by titret
• Eye: Same as above
• Mouth: Same as above
• Nose: Same as above