Vintage 2017 Update 7

The Pinot Noir was picked during a short break in the weather on 5th March after 4 days of very heavy rain totalling 125mm.
The was more evidence of botrytis in this variety than in the Semillon. The bunches were extremely tightly packed and the rain has caused some berry splitting encouraging the fungus.
The affected berries were removed from the bunches during the harvesting process.
Baume 13.5° (great!)
pH 3.8 (needs adjusting to 3.6 or a little less by tartaric acid addition)
The grapes were immediately destemmed and crushed and the must (skins, seeds and juice) transferred to a stainless steel tank.
Normally we ferment red wine in an open top fermenter. However we want to let the Pinot soak for some time after fermentation has finished to extract as much colour and tannin as possible. We also want the wine to go through MLF. All this has to be done without any SO2 addition so a sealable tank gives us more oxidation prevention control.
200ppm DAP and 15g/hL rehydrated specific red wine yeast added.
Fermentation began within 12 hours.
The cap was punched down about every 4 hours and any wayward stalks that had found their way into the must at the crusher removed. Alcoholic extraction of stalk tannins can give wine a unpleasant bitter or vegetative flavour.

"Tight" Pinot Noir (L) and "loose" Tempranillo (R) Bunches

The Tempranillo was picked on 9th March.
Fruit was in fair condition after over a week of constant rain but with little sign of fungus. Leaving it longer on the vine to get a little riper was always going to be a gamble this time of year. We thought the dry summer might continue into early autumn but alas....
Baume 13.4° (ok considering the rain dilution)
pH 4.0 (way too high! Needs adjusting as above)
200ppm DAP and 15g/hL rehydrated specific red wine yeast added.
Fermentation started within 12 hours.
The cap was punched down every 4 hours and any wayward stalks removed.
When the Tempranillo is 'finished' we will the press it and the 'soaking' Pinot on the same day saving one clean up.
The free run wine and pressings of each will be transferred to their individual tanks.
After a few days the wines will be racked off their fermentation lees ready for the fining process.