Comments for Beavers Family Vineyards and Winery, Waco Texas

Comment on Random Thoughts…on Grape Varieties by Jeff Beavers

Jeff Beavers — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 20:48:06 +0000

I had to pull up our Black Spanish and Favorite grapes as the heat and drought killed them. They never really seemed to like my soil either, so I guess it is for the best. I have updated the page with our current grape vine count.

Comment on Crush 2011 – Part 3 – Estate Norton by Jeff Beavers

Jeff Beavers — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 17:06:20 +0000

I allow it to happen naturally. If the wine wants to go malo, I do not stop it. I do however, usually add some malolactic bacteria from lalvin on the first batch of wine that I make. Then as I make my other batches, I add a half a cup of the first batch to all the rest of the batches, so I do not have to buy as much malo. It gets darn costly! I would not mind so much if it were only 50c a packet like the yeast!

Even my white wines I make, I do not stop the malo if it starts. But then again, I do not like light fruity white wines.

The main reason I do not try to stop it is because I do not want to have to mess with extra rackings in the spring or later on if the process decides to spontaneously start. Or worse, start in the bottle. I’d rather let the wine do all it “wants” to do, then adjust the acids later if necessary with tartaric acid.

Now that said, I have only had 1 batch of wine that the malo ruined the wine. At least I am going to blame the malo anyway. It tasted fine just after the primary fermentation, but after the secondary (when the malo started), it started developing very off flavors like beer smell and aftertaste. But that was from a natural malo fermentation. Since then I try to use a half a cup from existing batche when I want malolactic fermentation to take place.

If you really want to stop or avoid a malolactic fermentation, after the primary just add in 250–500 ppm of lysozyme. That will stop the malo cold. If you do not like to add chemicals, you can cold stabilize the wine, filter, and add in meta. That usually will take care of it also.

Comment on Crush 2011 – Part 3 – Estate Norton by tdlc

tdlc — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 02:52:36 +0000

Hi again Jeff. Can you explain your malolactic fermentation process? do you allow to happen naturally or do you intervene? thanks. tony

Comment on Estate Norton Grapes 2011 by Jeff Beavers

Jeff Beavers — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 20:12:58 +0000

Do norton grapes have seeds?

Yes they do, usually 2-3 seeds in each grape!

Comment on Beautiful Wine Colors – Punching Down Cap 2010 by How pH effects color of wine | Beavers Family Vineyards and Winery, Waco Texas

Thu, 11 Aug 2011 19:13:31 +0000

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