Rombauer, California Recipe

Sanitize all equipment (fermenter, hydrometer, siphon, airlock) with a no-rinse sanitizer. Ensure containers are cool and clean.

Pour 4.5 L of high-quality Chardonnay juice into a sanitized 6 L fermenter. Top with 0.5 L neutral white wine if you need to make volume to 5 L while preserving balance.

Measure starting specific gravity (SG) and temperature. Target starting SG ~1.080–1.090 for a fuller-bodied Chardonnay (will ferment to ~13.5–14% ABV depending on yeast). Record these values.

Warm the must to 18–20°C (64–68°F) if it’s cooler. Rehydrate the chosen wine yeast per manufacturer instructions (typically in 10× dry weight warm water with Go-Ferm) and then pitch into the must.

Add 1 tsp pectic enzyme to help clarify and extract desirable aromatics. Stir gently to incorporate.

Add 1 tsp yeast nutrient at the start of fermentation to ensure a healthy, complete fermentation. If you're doing staggered nutrient additions (SNA), split the nutrient into thirds at 24-hour intervals starting 24 hours after active fermentation begins.

Fit an airlock and allow fermentation to proceed. Maintain fermentation temperature 16–20°C (61–68°F) for aromatic preservation while ensuring adequate yeast activity.

Monitor SG daily. Expect active fermentation for 5–14 days. When SG approaches 1.000–0.995, fermentation is nearly complete.

When primary fermentation has finished (stable SG for 3 days), rack the wine off gross lees into a sanitized carboy, leaving heavy sediment behind.

If you desire the classic Rombauer-style buttery character, allow malolactic fermentation (MLF) by inoculating with Oenococcus oeni. Ensure wine pH >3.2 and free SO2 is low (below ~25 ppm) — if necessary, reduce SO2 with careful timing or wait until SO2 has declined naturally.

Rehydrate the MLF culture per supplier directions and add 1 tsp MLF nutrient if recommended. Keep temperature warm for MLF, about 18–22°C (64–72°F).

Monitor malic acid decline using paper chromatography strips or lab analysis. MLF can take 2–6 weeks depending on conditions.

Toast selection: medium-plus toasted American oak gives coconut/vanillin and robust oak; French oak adds spice and finesse. Sanitize oak chips by steaming or soaking in a small amount of wine or potable water, then add to a sanitized oak bag or directly to the carboy (if supplier-sanctioned).

After MLF is complete or nearing completion (many winemakers add oak during MLF or immediately after), add 80 g medium-plus American oak and 40 g medium-plus French oak to the wine. If using oak powder, add 5 g for extra surface contact.

Age on oak for 3–6 months, tasting every 2–3 weeks to gauge integration. Stir or recirculate gently when racking to increase contact if desired. Note: Oak time is crucial — longer aging yields more oak influence and softer texture.

If oak flavors become too dominant, rack the wine off the oak into a clean carboy and allow further settling and clarification.

Once oak aging is complete and the wine is clear, perform bench adjustments: measure titratable acidity (TA) and pH. If TA is low, add small amounts of tartaric acid (0.5 g increments) and retest until desired balance is reached (typical Chardonnay TA ~5.5–7.0 g/L depending on style).

If protein hazes are a concern, prepare bentonite: hydrate 5 g bentonite in warm water, let swell, then add to wine and mix. Allow to settle for 1–2 weeks and rack off lees.

If any residual sugar remains and you want a dry wine, ensure fermentation is complete. If you plan to back-sweeten, add potassium sorbate (0.25 tsp) and potassium metabisulfite (0.5 tsp) to inhibit re-fermentation and achieve desired residual sugar by adding measured sugar (start with small additions—5 g—and adjust).

Cold-stabilize by chilling the wine to ~0–2°C for 1–2 weeks to precipitate tartrates, then rack off the sediment.

Measure free and total SO2 and adjust with a small addition of potassium metabisulfite (final adjustment indicated: 0.1 tsp at bottling, but adjust to target free SO2 ~30 ppm for white wine depending on pH).

Sanitize bottles, corks or screwcaps and bottling equipment. Flush bottles with SO2 solution if desired and let dry.

Rack the finished wine to a bottling bucket and top with enough wine to minimize headspace. Add the final SO2 adjustment (0.1 tsp potassium metabisulfite or calculated amount to reach target free SO2).

Fill bottles, leaving ~1–2 cm headspace, then cork or cap. Store bottles on their side (if corked) in a cool, dark place at 12–15°C for short-term aging.

Allow the wine to bottle-age for at least 3 months before drinking; many Rombauer-style Chardonnays benefit from 6–12 months bottle age to integrate oak and butter notes.