Kosher Wine Finds Champion in Livermore- new wine

[Craig Winchell]

http://www.wineindustryinsight.com/ex_n ... 42836.html

[David Raccah]

Love it, Craig you should reach out and extend your expertise as an option for when he inevitably runs into issues, that require technology or filtering that needs things that the non Jewish winemaker may not know how to get kosher. Including yeast, enzymes, etc.

[Elie Poltorak]

Rabbi Resnick is a close friend of mine and although he discounts his wine knowledge, he has a fine palate (I've spent several yomim tovim at his home) and I'm sure he'll make a great wine.

[Craig Winchell]

Glad to hear it, Elie, because we don't need another fly-by-night kosher winery making embarrassing wine.

[Elie Poltorak]

Rabbi Resnick is trying to obtain kosher cultures for malolactic fermentation. Anyone know where he can get them?

[David Raccah]

LOL!!!! Ask Joe Hurliman, as far as I know - Royal is the only one that has it, there is no publicly available malo enzyme that is kosher and passover OK. Craig - correct me if I am wrong.

David

[Elie Poltorak]

So everyone else just waits for natural malo? Or adds some wine from the previous vintage that already underwent malo?

[Craig Winchell]

There is kosher P freeze-dried malolactic culture available from Scott Labs, but it is a special-order item and probably is not in stock in California. However, it is available- already produced, sitting on a shelf somewhere. Very expensive, though... almost $600 for enough to inoculate 1000 gallons. Made by lallemand. Binyamin Cantz called me last night, but I could never get through to him, so I just gave up. Interesting to find the question here.

[Craig Winchell]

There used to be live cultures available through Vinquiry. However, they were very difficult to propagate. Most winemakers typically just hope for spntaneous malolactic activity. Those who have kashered previously nonkosher wood cooperage probably still have it residing in the fibers of the wood. Others might have a hard time of it absent buying the lallemand packets. Most do, however, go for the spontaneous method. I must say that my reds never overwent a complete ML fermentation, no matter what I did, but since I sterile-bottled, there was never a problem.

[Josh Patt]

Craig,
Even without sterile bottling, wouldn't the sulfite added before bottling prevent ML from starting in the bottle?
Josh

[Craig Winchell]

No. It only temporily inhibits a malolactic fermentation, if commercial amounts are used. Bottling at 35-40 ppm as SO2 is inadequate to completely eliminate the risk.

[Josh Patt]

Thanks, and Mazal Tov Zayde / Sabba / Grandpa!
Welcme to the club. I'm a sabba for 4 months now and it's great
Josh