Started my 1st Merlot & Sauvignon blanc

Well my California shipment come on....6gal of Merlot and 6 gal of Sauvignon blanc from a Cali vinyard. I will post progress as we go along. So far just took off lids and replaced with air seal lids, added proper yeast and also to the Merlot I added roasted French Oak chips wrapped in cheese cloth to the mix for a bit of a smoked oak flavor. We shall see how this goes. I sually let ferment in this primary stage for 2 weeks time. Any other suggestions??? Do I need to check on the SG levels or is 2 weeks a good time and then move to secondary???

Sounds great. Can you tell me where you sourced the must from. My wife is very fond of Cali wines and I'd like to start a few of these myself.
I'm a newbie but I would check SG prior to move.
Thanks!

The merlot was already pressed? I've never bought red wine juice, just grapes, so I didn't know it came already pressed. I have bought white grape juice before.

I usually keep wines in primary 5-7 days before racking to secondary and topping up and airlocking. I don't airlock my primary, unless there are fruitflies around, as it makes it a pain to remove the lids and stir down the cap twice per day, so I just cover with a towel for primary to make that job a bit easier.

FortMillBrew said:

Sounds great. Can you tell me where you sourced the must from. My wife is very fond of Cali wines and I'd like to start a few of these myself.
I'm a newbie but I would check SG prior to move.
Thanks!

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Yea this was just juice...it came from a wine supply store here in PA....he orders shipments by the 6gal bucket....so I got 6 gal of each juice. So far so good. But as far as was vinyard it come from I do not know...was just told it was Cali juices.

Yooper said:

The merlot was already pressed? I've never bought red wine juice, just grapes, so I didn't know it came already pressed. I have bought white grape juice before.

I usually keep wines in primary 5-7 days before racking to secondary and topping up and airlocking. I don't airlock my primary, unless there are fruitflies around, as it makes it a pain to remove the lids and stir down the cap twice per day, so I just cover with a towel for primary to make that job a bit easier.

Click to expand...

Yes they were both already pressed...it come from the vinyard already in the 6gal buckets of juices. It come on a large shipment the supply store ordered in of 6gal buckets from Cali. There was about 20 different reds & whites to pick from. I will keep you all posted on the process. The Merlot started fermentation right away...it took the S Blanc like 2 days longer before it started to do anything. Planing to rack this wkend into the carboys. Pics will be coming.

Nice and when its racked to a carboy you end up with 2 new 6 gal primary buckets.

After 14 days in the Primary...I racked it into the 6 gal carboys. Now wait for another round of racking. But here are some of the pics from last nights Garage Winery.

How long should I wait for the next racking??? 2 weeks??? Im not used to doing this from juice stage...usually mine has alot more heavy must with it. I usually have to rack in every week for the first 3 weeks usually

I'm about at the same stage with my first 2 batches of wine.

Did you top them off? If yes what did you use?

ratfarmer said:

I'm about at the same stage with my first 2 batches of wine.

Did you top them off? If yes what did you use?

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I did have to put about 24 oz in each one...I just use tap water that I boil and let cool...then add it.