GRAPE HARVEST UPDATE

27th September 2011

The Montepulciano and the Sangiovese both look excellent. Probably should have thinned them, especially the Sangiovese as it is just loaded with fruit, but I have had other priorities this year,

The Montepulciano are not quite ready to pick, showing at aroun 21 Brix, but the Sangiovese still have a way to gay, showing at just over 18 Brix at the moment.

The Pecorino are a big disappointment, they look very sad, courtesy of the problem we had with the weed killer, I doubt that we will get any crop at all from the this year :-( Still there is always next year, and now we have the prospect of making red wine with great looking Montepulciano grapes, very exciting !

Cheltenham Food Festival

Friends of TruffleHunter

This weekend we are exhibiting at Cheltenham Food Festival

If you are anywhere near Cheltenham please come along and visit us,

We are showcasing our new Summer Truffle butter, and our full product range.

Nigel

SPRAYING

First spraying of the new season carried out April 20th

WINE UPDATE

PRUNED all Vines, it took 3 people a day and a half.

Pruned as follows;

Montepulciano, 4 - 6 * 4 bud spurs
All other vines, 2 canes 12 buds each, 2 spurs 2 buds each

Measured the Alcohol Percentages results as follows;

Pecorino 13.6%
Montepulciano 13.6%
Sangiovese 13.0%


RACKED

Wines Racked again, added 2 Grams of Potassium Bilsulphite per 50 Litres of Juice

ALL WINES LOOKING AND SMELLING VERY GOOD

FIRST RACKING

Racked all 3 wines, adding Sulphite.

For Pecorino 2 grams, for Montepulciano and Sangiovese 1 gram of sulphite.

The wines look OK to me, anyway no nasty aromas and the condition looks fine.

Both the montepulciano and sangiovese are already looking attractive, starting to clear with a nice bouquet. The White is still very cloudy and very yeasty and looks like it has a long way to go.

WINE MAKING NOTES

Friday 24th September

We picked 101Kg of Pecorino, Brix 23.5, crushed, destemmed all, and sulphited at 2grams per 23 Kgs of grapes. Crushed at 5pm Friday, left overnight on skins at 14degrees.

Saturday 25th September

Pecorino, medium press at 9am Saturday to obtain around 50 Litres of Juice. Added yeast, Lalvin D47, immediately in stainless steel vat in cool room, temperature 14 degrees C. Hydrometer reading 90.

Picked Sangiovese around 2pm, 54 Kgs of grapes. Brix 23, 3pm crushed, destemmed around half, and sulphited at 2grams per 23 Kgs of grapes. Left overnight on skins at 14degrees.

Sunday 26th September

9 am medium press Sangiovese to obtain around 28 Litres of Juice. Added yeast, Lalvin D47, immediately in stainless steel vats in cool room, temperature 14 degrees C. Hydrometer reading 86.

Around lunchtime added 2 grams per gallon yeast nutrient to the Pecorino and Sangiovese.

1pm, looked again at Montepulciano and checked Brix. Decided to pick as Brix had risen to 23. 1pm picked 91.7 Kgs Crushed, destemmed around half, and sulphited at 2grams per 23 Kgs of grapes. Left for 2 hours on skins at 14degrees, then gentle press to obtain around 50 Litres of Juice. Added yeast, Lalvin D47, immediately in stainless steel vat in cool room, temperature 14 degrees C. Hydrometer reading 90.

GRAPE HARVEST

Here is an update, 22nd September

Pecorino

Brix at 23.5, Acid approx. 8-9 ppt. The acid maybe on the high side, but I dont want higher brix so I think we should go with this.

Montepulciano

Brix at 22.5, Total Acid at 6.5 ppt. These still have a little way to go, the berries look fine, and some are still changing colour, so I plan to let these hang a while longer.

Sangiovese

Brix at 23.0, Total Acid at 7 ppt. Although the acid is on the high side, some of the berries are starting to shrivel, and as these are for Rose, I think we should pick.

Note; I have a very primitive acid testing kit, so I am not sure how reliable these numbers are Need a proper Ph tester for next years vintage.