Adding pectic enzyme to your wine
Pectic enzyme at a glance
- AKA pectinase
- A protein that breaks down pectin within fruit
- Added to juice or must pre-fermentation
- No notable downside of using this additive
- Available in powder or liquid form
Right… but why is it important?
- Using pectic enzyme increases juice, tannin, flavor, and color extraction
- Aids in clearing wine by eliminating potential “pectic haze”
Who should use pectic enzyme?
If you’re making wine of any kind, whether from grapes or any other fruit, adding pectic enzyme will be a positive influence on the end result. Both home and commercial winemakers use pectic enzyme as a means of extracting the most they possibly can from their fruit.
When should I add it?
Since it works more slowly after fermentation has completed, add it beforehand. Add at the beginning of fermentation after temperatures have begun creeping up. It works best at around 80F; lower temperatures.
How much do I add?
For white juice/wine, 1-2g/hL. For red must/wine, 2-4g/hL. It comes in either powder or liquid form; depending on the producer the recommended dosage may be different so always be sure to double check the label before making an add.
What happens if I don’t add it?
Simply put, there’s no reason to not add it. Not adding it runs you the risk of having a pectic haze develop. This can be very tricky if not borderline impossible to fix later on; adding pectinase post-fermentation will also not work as well, if at all.
OK, I think I’ve got it now. But can we go over this one more time?
Adding enzyme post-crush/pre-fermentation increases free run juice, color and tannin extraction in both reds and whites, increases filterability and clarification, and lowers chances of pectic haze development. There are many options you can choose from for your pectic enzyme needs, either powder or liquid form.
Numbers from Washington State as of 9/14/17
Numbers are of 9/14/17
Pinot – 22.5 Brix, 3.3 pH
Merlot – 22 Brix, 3.47 pH
Cab Sauv – 20 Brix, 3.4 pH
Cab Franc – 19 Brix, 3.42 pH
2017 Harvest Outlook for Suisun Valley, Lodi, and Central Valley
Suisun Valley Harvest Outlook
Everything is maturing along in Suisun Valley. We are seeing verasion come to end in varieties such as Merlot and Sangiovese. Petite Sirah, Cabernet 169, and later varieties are still going through the verasion process. Looking at the maturity level of the grapes harvest should start around September 4th in Suisun Valley – beginning with Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. The next varieties to pick will most likely be Merlot around September 10th and, Sangiovese, and Malbec around September 16th. The later varieties such as Petite Sirah and Cabernet 169 should harvest around late September/early October.
Interested in the weather in Suisun Valley? Click here to see what our weather stations are picking up on a daily basis!
Lodi Harvest Outlook
Overall the Lodi crop looks great. The rain helped strengthen the deep roots this winter, which allowed the vines to grow a vigorous canopy. The big canopies from the record rain fall has protected the grapes from the summer heat. Therefore, it should be an average to slightly below average crop this year. Most varieties look normal, however Cabernet and Zinfandel look to be low slightly lighter than last year. The Lodi appellation is made up of mostly sandy loam soil and unlike the Central Valley they get constant cooler temps in the evenings. This area experiences 40 degree swings in temps that help with coloring the grapes and the skins are thicker which produce a dark juice high in tannins. This is why the region is famous for its delicious Zinfandels and Italian grape varieties!
Central Valley Harvest Outlook
With the extra rain fall Central Valley is looking to be a great harvest. The crop looks to be about the same as last year and we should be harvesting about 4-6 days later than last year. We anticipate some of the Central Valley fruit to start shipping to the East Coast around August 28th. Get your crushers ready!!
We should have an updated harvest report pertaining to Paso Robles, Napa/Sonoma, Contra Costa, and Washington State next week. Keep an eye out for our next email.
There is a lot going on at Musto Wine Grape Company and we are looking forward to seeing you on August 26th for Customer Appreciation Day.
Cheers to making your favorite wine!!
The Winemaker’s Think Tank: Vol 25 – Why is my wine evaporating?
What’s the Winemaker’s Think Tank?
Every Thursday we will post about a few frequently asked questions that our winemaker has answered. If you have a winemaking question you would like to have answered, please email us at support@juicegrape.com and we will try to get into next week’s post. Cheers! 🙂
Why is my wine evaporating?
Just like water or any other liquid, with prolonged exposure to air, wine can evaporate. When aging wine in an enclosed container such as a tank, carboy, or demijohn, the container should have an airtight seal via an inflatable gasket or an airlock and bung. This will help prevent against oxidation and will reduce the amount of evaporation dramatically. If you still see some evaporation happening in one of these closed containers, evaluate your bungs and seals as they may not be working properly.
The main source of evaporation in winemaking is through barrel aging. Barrels are a porous environment that allows the wine to “breathe” over time. This “breathing” process is essentially evaporation. The wine is exposed to air through the porous staves and small portions of the wine evaporate into the atmosphere. This has positive effects on the wine as it creates a creamier mouthfeel, can reduce the perception of acidity, and imparts oak flavor. The barrel must be filled monthly with additional wine to reduce the head space and replace the evaporated product. This will prevent the wine in the barrel from oxidizing. While the breathing process may be a source of frustration, as you witness your wine evaporating into thin air, it will help you to create a fuller, heavier, more lush wine.
We hope this information helps with your winemaking. If you have any follow up questions or winemaking questions in general, please email us at support@juicegrape.com.
The Winemaker’s Think Tank: Vol 21 – Do I need a barrel to make wine? Can I just use tanks/glass?
What’s the Winemaker’s Think Tank?
Every Thursday we will post about a few frequently asked questions that our winemaker has answered. If you have a winemaking question you would like to have answered, please email us at support@juicegrape.com and we will try to get into next week’s post. Cheers! 🙂
Do I need a barrel to make wine? Can I just use tanks/glass?
Most aspiring winemakers hold romantic visions of putting their wine in a barrel, tasting it periodically with loved ones, waiting until the magical moment it tastes perfect, and is ready to bottle. While there are benefits of barrel aging wines, it is not required to create a dry wine with oak flavors. Juice may be fermented in barrels, tanks, carboys, or pails. While the oak will add certain flavor characteristics and “sacrificial tannins” to the wine during fermentation, the winemaker can add oak dust, chips, or staves to create a similar effect. Furthermore, during the aging process, oak chips, spirals, staves, balls, cubes, etc. can be added to the wine to give it a pleasant oaked flavor. This is ideal for the home winemaker as it is more cost effective and often requires less time than traditional barrel aging. When wine is aged in a barrel, some of the wine evaporates out of the barrel, often referred to as the “angel’s share”. This results in a more concentrated, creamy mouthfeel as well as an oaked flavor. The wine within the barrel must be maintained as the evaporation will cause an air gap in the barrel (headspace), which can promote oxidation. Spare wine must be kept in a separate container to be used to top off the barrel to minimize this headspace. In summary, barrel can add a beautiful finesse and flavor to your homemade wine, but are not crucial to home winemaking success.
We hope this information helps with your winemaking. If you have any follow up questions or winemaking questions in general, please email us at support@juicegrape.com.
Chilean Wine Grape Update: Arrivals & In Stock
As of 5/2/2017 the following is in stock…
Juices:
ALL Chilean Varieties
ALL South African Varieties
Grapes:
Malbec
Carmenere
Merlot
Petite Verdot
Syrah
To Arrive 5/5/17….
Juices:
ALL Chilean Varieties
Grapes:
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Franc
Carmenere
Pinot Noir
Petite Verdot
Malbec
Merlot
Syrah
Please feel free to contact us at sales@juicegrape.com or 877.812.1137 to schedule your pick up!
We are looking forward to working with you this Spring Harvest! Keep an eye on our Facebook Page and Harvest Tracker for more harvest information and upcoming wine classes.
Notes from our Winemaker Frank Renaldi about the Chilean Sauvignon Blanc
Notes from our Winemaker Frank Renaldi about the Chilean Sauvignon Blanc
“Good day, Grapes looked really good. No mold, clean, juicy. Let set with enzyme for 5 hours. Good press. Tomorrow will measure, adjust and add goodies and pitch yeast.” – We are sold out of the white grapes but still have some reds grapes and white & red juices available Give us a call at the office to secure your order!
Don’t forget to sign up for the Spring Bootcamp with winemaker Frank Renadli! Learn how to make great wine at home in just 5 weeks!
The Winemaker’s Think Tank: Vol 12- Common Winemaking Faults and Flaws
What’s the Winemaker’s Think Tank?
Every Thursday we will post about a few frequently asked questions that our winemaker has answered. If you have a winemaking question you would like to have answered, please email us at support@juicegrape.com and we will try to get into next week’s post. Cheers! 🙂
In this week’s Winemaker’s Think Tank we outline the difference between flaws, faults, and how to identify them.
- Flaws
- Flaws are a mistake made in the winemaking process that leads to a property in the wine that is not characteristic of the varietal
- Stylistic Choice vs. Flaw
- Imbalance Flaw
- Acid vs Sugar, Oak Levels, Alcohol Level
- Visual Flaws
- Haze, Sediment, Effervescence, TA Crystals, Floaters, Lack of Color Saturation
- Aroma/Bouquet Flaws
- Lack of Aroma, Non-varietal aroma, Over-oaking
- Faults
- Faults are often a microbial or chemical reaction within the wine in some part of its life that significantly alters a wine, eventually leading to the point of spoilage.
- Oxidation Faults
- Acetaldehyde – oxidation of Ethyl Alcohol smells like sherry, or old apples, browning
- Causes: headspace, low sulfites, poor corks, bacterial contamination
- Acetic Acid – Vinegar
- Causes: Acetaldehyde, Acetobacter bacteria react with ethanol, Fruit Flie
- Ethyl Acetate – Nail Polish Smell
- Oxidation of Acetaldehyde and Acetic Acid
- Causes: headspace and bacterial contamination
- Acetaldehyde – oxidation of Ethyl Alcohol smells like sherry, or old apples, browning
- Sulfur Faults
- Hydrogen Sulfide – Rotten Eggs Smell
Causes: lack of yeast nutrients, yeast stress, sulfur sprays, yeast bi-product, high temps - Sulfur Dioxide – Burnt Match Smell
Causes: over sulfating, wild yeast - Complex Sulfur Faults- Mercaptans, DMS, DES, DMDS, DEDS
Causes: Hydrogen Sulfide reacting with Ethyl Alcohol
- Hydrogen Sulfide – Rotten Eggs Smell
- Microbial Faults
- Brettanomyces – Barnyard, Horse Saddle, Antiseptic Ointment, Band-Aids, Bacon, Clove
- Causes: spoilage yeast cells that are incredibly dangerous and difficult to eliminate. Most often found in contaminated barrels, winery cleanliness, resistant to acid and SO2
- Geranium Taint – Fresh cut geranium leaves
- Causes: Reaction of potassium sorbate with Lactic Acid Bacteria in the presence of Ethyl Alcohol
- Refermentation – Fizzy wine, popped corks
- Causes: Yeast or microbial fermentation of residual sugar
- Brettanomyces – Barnyard, Horse Saddle, Antiseptic Ointment, Band-Aids, Bacon, Clove
- Other Faults
- Cork Taint – Wet basement, wet old newspaper, mildew
- Causes: strain of trichloanisole on cork (cork taint); mold that contacts chlorine and wood
- Heat Damage – Cooked fruit smell, brick red color, similar to oxidation
- Causes: leaving wine in a hot car, in the sun, etc.
- Cork Taint – Wet basement, wet old newspaper, mildew
We hope this information helps with your winemaking. If you have any follow up questions or winemaking questions in general, please email us at support@juicegrape.com.
The Winemaker’s Think Tank: Vol 7 – Grape Yield
What’s the Winemaker’s Think Tank?
Every Thursday we will post about a few frequently asked questions that our winemaker has answered. If you have a winemaking question you would like to have answered, please email us at support@juicegrape.com and we will try to get into next week’s post. Cheers! 🙂
When it comes to making wine, often there is nothing more exhilarating than sampling the fresh grapes as they come in and selecting the varietals that will best suit your individual winemaking needs. Once you have selected the varietals that you would like to make that season, the most often the next question is “How many grapes will I need to make my desired amount of wine?”. The answer changes slightly depending on the origin of the grapes. South American producers fill their crates with 18lbs of grapes. This typically requires the winemaker to purchase 4 crates (18lbs each) to yield 5 gallons of wine. The same formula roughly applies to South African grapes as well, with their grapes being packed 20lbs per crate. Obviously this will yield the winemaker a bit more juice, but the overall formula is applicable.
Fall harvest from the northern hemisphere gives us slightly different guidelines to follow for estimating yield. North American producers have larger crates, packed 36lbs/crate. On average, each crate yields 2.5 gallons of juice, the winemaker needing two crates per five gallons of desired wine. Seasonal growing conditions apply to the yield as well, rainfall having the most profound effect upon juice yield. Also, premium growing areas where the grapevines grow under stressed conditions, resulting in premium fruit will yield significantly less juice than grapes grown in irrigated fields. We suggest purchasing one additional crate per desired 5 gallons of finished product. The two crates per five gallon rule is a safe assumption when estimating juice yield, as it is more of a conservative estimate of juice yield. We often hear reports of a higher yield rate for certain west coast varietals. Berry size will affect the yield of juice as well. Pinot Noir and Grenache berries are significantly larger than Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Syrah berries, often yielding up to 10% more juice. While a certain level of experience and research can aid in the estimated juice yield from your grapes, the basic rule of 4 crates per 5 gallons for South American/African produce and 2 crates per 5 gallons for North American produce is an easy means of determining how much produce you will need.
We hope this information helps with your winemaking. If you have any follow up questions or winemaking questions in general, please email us at support@juicegrape.com.
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