I wouldn't bother diluting. My potential alcohol formula say you get 13.9%
with 24.9brix and 13.4% with 24.0 brix. No big difference. If you can
ferment at 50F I think you will end up with much more fruit flavor in your
wine. The Brehm juice should be as good as you can buy. Why start a ML
fermentation? I guess it's OK but you may get a crisper wine without this
step. I like the bentonite step. This will smooth out some roughness the
new wine may have. You might also consider a PVPP fining step which will
keep the wine very light in color.

Bill Frazier
Olathe, Kansas USA

> wrote in message
oups.com...
> Knowing that many on this group are experienced with this style of wine
> making, I'm hoping to get some guidance. Though I've seen some of
> this discussed, I haven't seen specifics on how people handle this in
> glass. I'm making just a 5 g batch to see if it works out - using
> Brehm frozen juice. Any comments or suggestions on my 'plan' below
> are greatly appreciated. The grape stats are as follows: Brix 24.9,
> pH 3.30, TA 0.8g/100mL
> -will dilute to 24 Brix
> -use Lalvin D47
> -Ferment on 1oz. of medium-toast French oak cubes (in glass carboy)
> slowly at 55-60F over 4 - 8 weeks.
> -will put through 'concurrent' MLF initiated at about 12 Brix.
> -will stir on the gross lees once per week during primary and MLF
> -will sulphite once MLF is complete. Do I rack at this point?
> -Continue stiring once per week - fine lees? gross lees?
> How long should the stirring continue? Are there risks here?
> -Fine with bentonite
> -Cold stabilize
> -Bottle
>
> Thanks for your help,
> RD
>