Chardonnay (Makes 5 Gallons)

• 70 lbs fresh Chardonnay grapes
• 1/4 tsp potassium metabisulfite
• 1 tsp pectic enzyme
• 2˝-3 tsp yeast nutrient
• 3 tblsp oak powder
• Malo-Lactic culture
• White Labs Chardonnay (liquid) wine yeast, SB2 Burgundy (dry) wine yeast, or Unican Burgundy (dry) wine yeast

Grapes may be destemmed and crushed or whole-cluster crushed. Stir pectic enzyme into crush, cover, and let sit 4-6 hours. Press grapes and put juice in primary or 6˝-gallon secondary. Stir potassium metabisulfite into juice, cover (or attach airlock to carboy) and let sit additional 6 hours or overnight. Adjust acidity and sugar if required and stir in yeast nutrient, activated yeast and oak powder. Re-cover and set in cool place (65° F.) to ferment. On 5th day of vigorous fermentation, add malo-lactic culture. When specific gravity drops to or below 1.000, rack into secondary. Store carboy in cooler place (55-60° F.) for 6 weeks. Rack, sulfite (Ľ tsp potassium metabisulfite), top up, reattach airlock, and return to cool place. Repeat racking every 6 weeks until wine clears, fining after 3rd racking if necessary. Keep wine cool for 2 weeks after it clears or 4 weeks if fined. Filter if deemed necessary. Sweeten if required and rack into bottles. Allow 3 months before tasting. [Author’s own recipe]