After a few days, these were the levels.
pH: 3.84
TA: 0.62
SO2: 19 ppm

No change in the pH, though the TA is up a bit. I can taste an increase in the tartness of the wine. So I will not add more tartaric at this time, but will continue to work on the sulfite level. The wine still tastes young. I can taste the tannins and the pepper, but not much to speak of mid-palate yet. It is young though, I will not despair!

Tonight I will add 7 Campden tablets and 1/2 lb of Tartaric acid. I would like to lower the pH a bit and boost the TA, to avoid a flat flavor to the wine.

I used two different calculations, and will list them here:

First, the formula listed in The Winemaker’s Answer Book, by Alison Crowe, listed this one: (I don’t know how to underline yet, so the nominator is in bold, the denominator is below in italics.

I have about 72 gallons, so that formula gives me 14.34 g. Using Campden tablets:

14.34 g/ .44 (avg. wt. of tablet) = 32.59 tablets

Before I found the above formula, I had tried to wrap my mind around the math and figured the following:

72 gallons x 30ppm/gal = 2160 ppm total/(66 ppm/tablet) = 32.72 tablets.

So both formulas got me to about the same answer. I ground 33 tablets with a mortar and pestle until a fine powder and dissolved it in boiling water. It is cooling now, for addition shortly.

NOTE: Avoid breathing the powder or the fumes when it is mixed. This stuff is nasty and VERY bad for you, especially if you are asthmatic. I am, and even a small amount of exposure makes me feel drained and achy later in the day, not to mention the wheezing. Its yucky for sure.

But what it does for wine makes it worth the effort. When I take a whiff of the barrel, the fruit jumps out first. Syrah has a strong berry aroma and to smell it already, when such a young wine is not expected to have such a nose, is of great encouragement. I have high hopes for this varietal. The cool summer last year allowed for a slow, prolonged development of the flavor components not seen in a hot summer. Hope I don’t mess it up!

Evening: Ambient Temp: 72°, Must: 87°. Did four punchdowns today. The 1/3 full can inadvertently received double the amount of Go-Ferm that the others did, and I noticed the sulfur smell coming from that one. I will continue to aerate, hope I won’t lose it. They are a beautiful, rich purple now. Just lovely.

Innoculated with Lalvin Bourgovin RC 212 yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), purchased during my last visit to Napa Fermentation Supply. Mixed well with my cement mixer, I mean punch down apparatus. Must temperature: 58°.

It took us three hours, a new record for us, though about 2 hours longer than it would take professional grape harvesters to get the same 1/2 ton. And we only had three cut fingers, five grape fights and three screams from close encounters with ants and earwigs. It was a great morning. Now it is on to Steele Wines, an award winning winery nearby, to borrow their crusher/destemmer.

The must (it actually looks like watery grape pulp, with lots of whole berries) is safely stashed in “Primary Fermentation” canisters. I have three of food-grade polyethylene plastic and two trash cans I bought in a pinch. The must is sulfited to ward of any unintentional fermentation due to natural yeasts in the vineyard. I will leave it alone for two days, to pull juice from the grapes.

2007 Walking Horse Ranch Syrah harvest, originally uploaded by mireyaturner

Harvest time has FINALLY come for the 2007 Walking Horse Ranch Syrah. I have started this page to keep track of this experience, since I tend to file away my data pages in “Very Safe Places” which must migrate to that same safe place where one of each of my socks tends to go after doing laundry! I invite all comments, since I am a baby-level winemaker and have a great desire to learn more about this fascinating field. Enjoy!