2015 Merlot

At our local wine grape vendor, California Wine Grapes, I walked through the coolers tasting the merchandise. I like the Merlot pretty well. When I got home, I made a little glass of grape juice that was less impressive. 

I decided to make the Cab Sav into a blush, and after pressing the blush, I took the left-over skins and put them into the Merlot to strengthen the flavor. 

2015 Merlot

108 lb Merlot grapes
Pressed grape skins from 72 lb of Cabernet Sauvignon
1200 g sugar
11 g Yeast Energizer
2 packets of Red Star Montrachet

The Merlot grapes were a little juicy and measured at 23.8 Brix (26.1% sugar) for 12.4% alcohol. To get to the desired 14.1% alcohol I would need 29.8% sugar so I added 1.2 kg of sugar on the estimated 31 kg (7.5 gal) yield. 

With the Cab Sav skins in the primary fermenter, there may be too many skins for the volume of liquid. I am a little worried about fungus growth on the surface. I hope the liquid weeps out of the solid material to make this work a little better. 

2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Blush

So I got Cabernet Sauvignon when I thought I was getting Cabernet Blanc. The white grapes were really picked over. I decided to make a blush of it. The grapes turned out the be dry, so there was not much juice. 72 lb yielded 4.5 gallons. I am going to use the skins in the Merlot.

As always, the grapes are pressed immediately after crushing. The juice was 26.4 Brix which will make 13.8% alcohol -- good to go!

2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Blush Recipe

72 lb Cabernet Sauvignon (4.5 gallon of juice)
4 g pectic enzyme
6 g yeast energizer
1 packet Red Star Premier Crevee

2015 Primitivo Zinfandel

I found some grapes labelled Primitivo which is the Italian name for Zinfandel, as shown by DNA some time ago. The lady at the counter knew this. The grapes were great though. I did a taste test with the Cab Sav and my Merlot, and the Primitivo was winner.

The grapes were juicy so the sugar was a little low at 24.4 Brix. I added sugar up to 27% Brix or 14.2% alcohol.

2015 Zinfandel Wine Recipe

108 lb Zinfandel Grapes
2.4 lb sugar
11 g yeast energizer
1 pack Red Star Montrachet

Almost the same recipe as last year.