Malolactic Cultures: MBR VP41

The malolactic cultures arrived cold this morning from Scott Labs. A mix up with the shipping meant I had to be here today for the delivery so that they would not have to sit all day in the 100+ degree Houston heat and get ruined.



We're going with Lalvin's MBR VP41 cultures. After fermentation and pressing, when the wine goes to barrel, we will rehydrate these little guys and pour them directly into the barrel. The dosage is one pack per barrel. MLF will take anywhere from 2-4 weeks depending on the wine's parameters. Here's the info from the product brochure:

Lalvin MBR VP41 was isolated in the Abruzzi region of Italy during an
extensive European Union collaboration for use in red and white wines. MBR VP41
was chosen for its good implantation, steady fermentation, high alcohol
tolerance (up to 15% v/v), enhanced mouthfeel and wine structure. This strain
will ferment well with a pH above 3.2 and total SO2 levels up to 50-60 ppm. In
red wines, increased spicy, cherry and red fruit flavors have been noted. Red
and white wines fermented with MBR VP41 have increased richness and
complexity.