We're getting some Syrah grapes in Thursday (from western Colorado -
warm days, cool nights, low humidity - if that has any bearing) and was
looking around to see what fermentaton temps. most people used for this
variety. I'm pretty happy with some wine we made from Syrah grapes a
couple of years ago, but think there's always room for improvement. I
tend to ferment at the lower end of the recommended range for most
yeasts since I found that my homebrew was always better following this
practice, and have read that higher temps. can result in more
undesirable flavors in wine such as acetic acid and fusel alcohols, but
I see that lots of vineyards ferment Syrah/Shiraz at fairly high temps
(around 30C, 86F) esp over in Oz.

Just wanted to see what kind of temps. most of you ferment reds at
(esp. this variety) and how you think higher or lower temps. affect the
wines in question.

Hate to bump up my own post, but was really hoping to get some thoughts
on this. Picking up grapes from a commercial winemaker today so I'll
get his opinion but since everyone here ferments at some chosen temp,
surely there must be a reason for that selection.

At first I fermented at close to 80 F, but that produced a fermentation
that was too violent. Now I'd rather do it at 65-70 F.

miker wrote:
> Hate to bump up my own post, but was really hoping to get some thoughts
> on this. Picking up grapes from a commercial winemaker today so I'll
> get his opinion but since everyone here ferments at some chosen temp,
> surely there must be a reason for that selection.

miker wrote:
> Hate to bump up my own post, but was really hoping to get some thoughts
> on this. Picking up grapes from a commercial winemaker today so I'll
> get his opinion but since everyone here ferments at some chosen temp,
> surely there must be a reason for that selection.

Like many topics in winemaking, you'll get different answers from
different people. The higher temperature is used to get good colour and
tannin extraction and if you've added ML culture during the primary,
the MLF can sometimes finish in this stage. On the lower temp end,
you'll get more subtle aromas and flavours but some wines can end up
tasting too "green". One approach that seems to give good and reliable
results is to start the ferment at the lower end and then at 7-8 B
raise the temperature to the higher end and let it finish.

Or you can split the batch and experiment with different temperature
treatments and see what you like best - that's more work but that way
you have first-hand data.

Pp

pp wrote:

>
> Like many topics in winemaking, you'll get different answers from
> different people. The higher temperature is used to get good colour and
> tannin extraction and if you've added ML culture during the primary,
> the MLF can sometimes finish in this stage. On the lower temp end,
> you'll get more subtle aromas and flavours but some wines can end up
> tasting too "green". One approach that seems to give good and reliable
> results is to start the ferment at the lower end and then at 7-8 B
> raise the temperature to the higher end and let it finish.
>
> Or you can split the batch and experiment with different temperature
> treatments and see what you like best - that's more work but that way
> you have first-hand data.
>
> Pp

I was thinking that lower temps would give me better color extraction
since the fermentation would take longer and thus more skin contact
time, but you're saying higher temps extract more color so I wonder if
it ends up about the same?

The winemaker I got the grapes from recommended 75F but I was going to
go a little lower since I was unable to do a cold soak and was hoping
the lower temp would give better color. I am now leaning toward your
advice, start cool and finish warmer.

Not sure what you mean by tasting too "green". I associate green either
with vegetal, grassy-like flavors or "young" which is simply lack of
aging.

Wish I had time for split batches and more experiments, but not in the
cards right now.

"miker" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> pp wrote:
>
>>
>> Like many topics in winemaking, you'll get different answers from
>> different people. The higher temperature is used to get good colour and
>> tannin extraction and if you've added ML culture during the primary,
>> the MLF can sometimes finish in this stage. On the lower temp end,
>> you'll get more subtle aromas and flavours but some wines can end up
>> tasting too "green". One approach that seems to give good and reliable
>> results is to start the ferment at the lower end and then at 7-8 B
>> raise the temperature to the higher end and let it finish.
>>
>> Or you can split the batch and experiment with different temperature
>> treatments and see what you like best - that's more work but that way
>> you have first-hand data.
>>
>> Pp
>
> I was thinking that lower temps would give me better color extraction
> since the fermentation would take longer and thus more skin contact
> time, but you're saying higher temps extract more color so I wonder if
> it ends up about the same?
>
> The winemaker I got the grapes from recommended 75F but I was going to
> go a little lower since I was unable to do a cold soak and was hoping
> the lower temp would give better color. I am now leaning toward your
> advice, start cool and finish warmer.
>
> Not sure what you mean by tasting too "green". I associate green either
> with vegetal, grassy-like flavors or "young" which is simply lack of
> aging.
>
> Wish I had time for split batches and more experiments, but not in the
> cards right now.

One VERY important thing to consider is the operating range of the
particular yeast you are using. I found out the hard way last year that
Pasteur Red does not ferment very well at temperatures down around 55
degrees. I had a very long ferment (three weeks instead of the usual 10
days) and the wine was very pale in color compared to previous years and
using EC-1118. It was then - after the fact - that I started researching
temperature ranges for different yeasts.