Lingua Franca 2023 Pinot Noir "avni,” Willamette Valley, Oregon Recipe

Red

1. 1

   Prepare the Grapes

   Harvest fresh Pinot Noir grapes, ensuring they are ripe and free from rot. Rinse the grapes under cool water to remove any debris.

2. 2

   Crush the Grapes

   In a large bowl, crush the grapes by hand or with a wine press to release their juices. Ensure that the skins remain intact to extract flavor.

3. 3

   Mix Ingredients

   In a separate container, dissolve the sugar in 1 cup of water. Add the crushed grapes, dissolved sugar, and bentonite to the fermentation vessel.

4. 4

   Add Yeast

   Sprinkle the wine yeast over the mixture and stir gently to combine. Cover the fermentation vessel with a clean cloth.

5. 5

   Ferment

   Allow the mixture to ferment in a cool, dark place for 7-10 days. Stir daily and monitor the fermentation process, checking for bubbling activity.

6. 6

   Add Oak Chips

   After the primary fermentation has slowed, add the oak chips to the mixture for flavor enhancement. Stir gently.

7. 7

   Sulfite Addition

   After 14 days of fermentation, add potassium metabisulfite to stabilize the wine and prevent unwanted microbial activity.

8. 8

   Rack the Wine

   Using a siphon, transfer the wine to another clean container, leaving the sediment behind. This process is known as racking.

9. 9

   Age the Wine

   Seal the container and let the wine age for at least 6 months in a dark, cool place. Taste periodically to assess development.

10. 10

    Bottle the Wine

    Once aged, siphon the wine into clean, sterilized bottles and seal with corks. Label the bottles with the vintage and varietal.