This Chardonnay must had it's vital statistics taken; it was tested for Brix, pH and nitrogen (YAN) levels and, after being inoculated with a commercial yeast, it is now enthusiastically frothing through fermentation. The barrels on the other side of the aisle with a different yeast selection are, by comparison, staidly going about their business.
The Cross Evolution (CE) yeast being used, in this particular fermentation, is a hybrid yeast from a breeding programme at the Institute for Wine Biotechnology at the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa. Here in the US, at the winery where I am gainfully employed, CE is selected for it's ability to increase mouthfeel/texture and enhance varietal characteristics in Chardonnay. But, perhaps more importantly, CE is chosen because it is tolerant of high potential alcohol (up to 15%, important for Napa wine) and can withstand fermentation temperatures as low as 58°F (important for a non-ML Chardonnay).
Vinomaker, unlike me, is quite a Chardonnay fan and was drooling, just as much as this bubbling barrel, at the thought of the finished 2011 wine.
6 comments:
Puts monkey and My cider making in the shade but we are trying.
C'mon, get fermenting!
Very nice! How do the wines compare?
The batches, fermented with different yeasts, will be all blended together, prior to cold stabilisation, for bottling this July. Did not get the chance to do a comparison tasting.
I have to scratch my head thinking about the Martinelli Winery 2012 Vigneto di Evo Russian River Valley Zinfandel at 17.2% alcohol!!!!!!
17.2%? That's just not right, it's supposed to be a wine not a spirit!!!
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