Orin Swift Recipe

Prepare Must

Ensure you have 18 liters of freshly pressed Chardonnay juice with minimal solids. If you desire a slightly more consistent flavor profile or to increase volume, blend in 2 liters of a neutral white wine base. Measure the specific gravity (Brix) and target total acidity; adjust with tartaric acid if needed to reach a balanced starting must (target TA ~6–7 g/L).

Add 0.5 tsp potassium metabisulfite to the must and wait 24 hours to sanitize wild yeasts before inoculation.

Enzyme & Nutrient Addition

Add 1 tsp pectic enzyme to the must immediately after pressing to help clarify and extract desirable aromatics. Add 2 tsp yeast nutrient to support a healthy fermentation, especially if initial YAN is low.

Yeast Inoculation

Rehydrate 5 g Lalvin D47 (or equivalent Chardonnay yeast) according to manufacturer instructions and pitch into the must when temperature is between 16–18°C (60–65°F). Stir gently to evenly distribute yeast.

Primary Fermentation

Ferment at a controlled temperature of 16–18°C to preserve fruit aromatics. Monitor specific gravity daily. Expect primary fermentation to take 10–18 days until dryness (final SG ~0.998–1.000). If fermentation stalls, add small nutrient increments and gently aerate early in fermentation only.

Pressing & Transfer

When primary fermentation is complete, press free-run and pressed wine off the solids and transfer to a clean stainless steel or neutral oak vessel. Rack to remove gross lees after 24–48 hours.

Oak Regimen

Add 150 g medium-toast American oak chips (and 50 g light-toast French oak chips) per 20 liters to the wine for a pronounced vanilla, coconut and toffee character with a touch of subtle spice. Toasted oak chips should be sanitized (steam or sulfite rinse) before use. Place chips in a sanitized mesh bag and submerge in the wine or add staves directly, adjusting contact to taste.

Aging

Age on oak for 3–6 months while monitoring flavor development. Stir or roll the oak chips/staves gently once every 2 weeks for even extraction. If you prefer a more subtle oak, reduce contact time to 1–3 months or use fewer chips.

Malolactic Fermentation (Optional)

If you want a creamy, buttery mouthfeel, inoculate with malolactic bacteria after primary fermentation has settled and temperature is stable (18–20°C). Allow malolactic fermentation to complete (2–6 weeks) and confirm malic acid has converted before proceeding.

Racking & Clarification

Rack the wine off lees into a clean vessel after oak aging is complete. If protein haze is a concern, perform a bentonite fining: prepare a 5 g bentonite slurry, add to the wine, mix and allow to settle for 1–2 weeks, then rack clear wine off the sediment.

Cold Stabilization

Chill the wine to near 0–2°C for 1–2 weeks to precipitate tartrates (cold stabilization). Remove precipitated crystals by racking or filtration.

Adjust Sulfite and Stabilize

Measure free SO2 and adjust with approximately 0.3 tsp potassium metabisulfite (final free SO2 target ~30 ppm for dry white wine) depending on wine pH. If you plan to back-sweeten, add potassium sorbate before bottling as directed by manufacturer.

Prepare Bottles

Sanitize 12 wine bottles and corks. Ensure all bottling equipment is sanitized and ready.

Bottling

Fill bottles, leaving ~2–3 cm headspace. Add final sulfite adjustment if needed (see above). Insert corks using a clean corker and apply capsules or wax if desired.

Post-bottling Care

Store bottles horizontally in a cool, dark place at 12–16°C. Allow the wine to rest for at least 3 months before drinking to allow oak integration and bottle development; optimal drinking window is 6–18 months for this style, though it can age longer depending on balance.