I added a yeast culture to the crushed Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc grapes today (October 15), after a three-day cold soak. The grapes were picked on the 12th. I happened to pick up the wrong yeast at The Beverage People and added it to the must before I realized what I had done. In the past I have used the "French Red" or "Rockpile" strains. Frankly, I can taste little difference between them, but the French Red has been more to my taste. I had intended to use that this year but added a dose of the "Pasteur Champagne" strain instead--but that's fine, as this is an entirely suitable yeast as well, and it might turn out to be better. Who knows?
Accidents can be happy accidents. We'll see. I added the yeast at about 9:00AM. By early afternoon, the bubbling had begun. I left the containers in the sun in the driveway to let them warm up to about 80 degrees from the soak temperature of about 65 degrees--which was not really low enough. I put in the yeast this morning because I was beginning to see signs of a white mold at the very edge of one of the fermenters. That was quickly removed and no harm done, but it would not have been prudent to wait longer. Already the house is beginning to smell like young wine--fruity and yeasty. Tomorrow I hope to pick the Sangiovese.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment