Sangiovese from Fresh Juice

Target Levels: SO2: 40 Start SG: 1.090 Acidity (Must) 6.5 g/L Acidity (Final) 5 g/L pH (Final) 3.3 Finish SG: 1.000 or less -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Step No 1 - Primary Fermentation In a Food Grade fermenter pour in 6 gallons of warm (room temp) juice. Add dry Potassium Metabisulphite or 15 ml 10% KMBS to bring to 50 ppm SO2. Cover, and leave for 24 hours. After 24 hours, check the starting specific gravity. Specific Gravity should be around 1.090 - 1.100. Add sugar as needed. Check your acid level by using your acid testing kit and pH meter. Your acid reading should be between 6.5 and 7 g/L. Adjust with Tartaric Acid. Make a yeast starter by pouring approximately 4 ounces of juice and 4 oz water into a bowl. Sprinkle the Yeast and Yeast Nutrient into the solution allowing it to proliferate for about 30 minutes. Add Pectic Enzyme and add to must. In a cup of warm water add Bentonite and stir well. Add Bentonite solution to primary. Loosely cover the primary fermenter with a plastic lid and place in a warm area (70-75°F) to maintain a constant temperature for the next few days. Fermentation will start within 24-48 hours if the temperature is kept constant. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Step No 2 -Secondary Fermentation When the Specific Gravity reaches 1.020 - 1.010, usually 7 to 10 days, (it depends on the fermenting temperature; the warmer the temperature the faster the fermentation) it is time to rack (siphon) the wine into the clean and sanitized carboy (preferably glass) using a proper siphon system. Attach air lock, but do not top off at this point. Leave the carboy at a temperature between 70-75°F for a further 14-20 days to finish fermentation. After 14 days, check the Specific Gravity. You should get a reading of less than 1.000. If the Specific Gravity is 1.000 or above allow a few more days of fermentation and then check the Specific Gravity again. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Step No 3 –Malolactic Fermentation Follow instruction on culture container. Use Thin Layer Chromatography for monitoring. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Step No 4 -Stabilizing & Degassing Add dry Potassium Metabisulphite or 12 ml 10% KMBS to bring to 40 ppm SO2. Stir vigorously (using the handle end of your mixing spoon) for 2–3 minutes to release any excess CO2 gas. This is very important. Add oak now. Top off WITH A DRY WINE and attach air lock. Place the wine in a cooler area between 60-68°F (16-20°C) to clear. Check oak and SO2 level every 2 weeks. Rack if oak gets overly strong else leave set for 30 days to clear. After oak reaches desired level, rack and adjust final acid. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Step No 5 - Filtering & Bottling Once wine is clear it is ready for bottling. To give your wine a professional appearance, it can be filtered before bottling, but this is not a requirement. To lengthen the aging time add ¼ tsp of dry Potassium Metabisulphite.