阿蘭.巴迪歐：”當有些事情不易達成時，如果我們允許自己接受將它放棄的念頭⋯我們將允許自己接受一個無趣的人生。”
Alain Badiou: “If we settle on the idea that as soon as something is hard, we have to give it up... we will settle for an uninteresting life.”
- NOWNESS movie “LoveSick: The Question of Love” by William Williamson
我想問的是，所謂無趣的人生是怎麼定義的？是什麼人的立場來決定的？
My question is, how is the so-called uninteresting life defined? And from whose point of view?
在這個時代，我們作為建築師的使命是什麼？
What is our job as architect in this era?
基於當下的隔離要求，很直接的可以想像到：設計宜人的居家環境以讓人們更可以忍受長期的居家隔離。
With the current isolation requirements, it is straight forward that our job is to make isolating at home more tolerable by creating pleasant home environments.
從這裡分岔出去思考，現在其實是一個絕好的自我反思時機。過去的10年充斥著 明星建築師，時尚趨勢，上鏡的設計 等等間的辯論⋯建築師們被 標誌性設計，個人風格設定，可銷售性 的需求撕裂⋯ 建築師的角色甚至經常性的被人們與 室內設計師，空間造型師，裝修師傅，繪圖員及3D模型製作者 混淆。
現在正是可以退去這些雜音，專注於老實說真正重要的事 - 空間 與 人類 的相互作用。
Branching off this, now is a good time for self reflection. Past decade has been debates circling between starchitects, fashionable trends, photogenic design etc... architects are torn between requirements of statement-making, signature-establishment, marketability... an architect’s role is often confused with that of interior designer, space stylist, builder, drafter and 3D modeler.
Now is the time to shed the noise, and concentrate on what honestly really matters - space and human interaction.
無論如何，我們已經裝修了好一段時間了，而因為COVID19的關係工程進度延遲下來完成日未知。但是，我們（慢慢的）在後院裡做了一些進展,還把客廳變成了一個室內叢林。
Anyway, so we have been renovating for a while now, and with the slowing down due to COVID19 the construction work is dragging on. However, we managed to make some progress (slowly) in the garden, and have turned the living room into a indoor jungle.
我很高興我所在的空間是一個 有能力在這個瘋狂的時候仍然帶給我愉悅 的空間，就算它仍然在施工中。
I am glad that the space I am in is one that is capable of giving me joy amongst the chaos，even in construction.
大流行疾病 是最能讓人類謙恭的警鐘之一。不管我們是否存在- 太陽依然升起，季節依然交替，地球依然旋轉。我們不過是許許多多的存在中的一種，並不比其他存在更好或更差。我們極有可能會消失，就像其他已經滅絕的存在一樣。
所以好好的生活吧，當我們還活著的時候。
Pandemic is one of the most humbling wake up call to mankind. With or without us- sun comes up, seasons change, planet Earth revolves. We are simply one of the many many existences, no more and no less than the others. We may well extinct like one of the many that already has.
So live, when we are alive.
4 years ago at Phnom Penh I caught a glimpse of the post-mankind Planet Earth; unexpectedly tranquil
在你最黑暗的時刻請你記得，其實你並沒有失去一切。
At your darkest hour please remember, everything is not lost.
———————
“Everything’s Not Lost” - Coldplay
當我細數我大大小小的心魔
發現原來每天都會有一個
我把其中的善意放在肩膀上
然後把其他的惡意趨趕走
When I'm counting up my demons
Saw there was one for every day
With the good ones on my shoulder
I drove the other ones away
如果你曾經覺得被忽略
如果你以為失去了所有
我會在這細數我的心魔
期盼著其實我並沒有失去一切
If you ever feel neglected
If you think all is lost
I'll be counting up my demons yeah
Hoping everything's not lost
當你以為一切都已經完結
你全身上下都可以感覺到
每個人都為打擊你而出現
你可別就這樣淪陷了
When you thought that it was over
You could feel it all around
Everybody's out to get you
Don't you let it drag you down
因為如果你曾經覺得被忽略
如果你以為失去了所有
我還是會在這細數我的心魔
期盼著其實我並沒有失去一切
'Cause if you ever feel neglected
If you think that all is lost
I'll be counting up my demons yeah
Hoping everything's not lost
唱出聲來吧⋯
其實我們並沒有失去一切
我從沒有故意要對你不好
我來這裡就是為了告訴你
但是如果我做錯了，那麼我很抱歉
我不會讓這個錯誤橫亙在你我之間
因為我的腦無法抑制的憎恨我自己
當我想著那些我不該做的事
但是我們都知道，生命是為了生活而存在
而我不想一個人生活
唱出聲來吧
然後繼續的唱下去
Singing out ...
Everything's not lost
Now I never meant to do you wrong
But that's what I came here to say
But if I was wrong, then I'm sorry
I don't let it stand in our way
'Cause my head just hates when I think of
The things that I shouldn't have done
But life is for living, we all know
And I don't wanna live it alone
Sing out
And just sing
在關於使用 非母語的語言 一事上，我常常在用日語交談時收到這樣的反應：
On the subject of speaking a non- mother tongue language, I get this a lot when speaking Japanese:
「你聽起來說得真溜！」
我的回覆是：「⋯只因為我說得很多，足夠讓我不介意我的錯誤」
“You sound so fluent when you speak!’
Me: “... only because I speak enough of it, that I am comfortable with making mistakes.’
我們最大的阻礙就是對 丟臉 的恐懼。
The only obstacle is the fear to embarrass ourselves.
幾年前我們買了一些手工製作的墨西哥陶板磚。上週我們終於在房子裡把它們鋪出來了。它們溫柔的起伏，意外的狗爪子印，不規則的勾縫線⋯在在都充滿了懷舊的美麗。看著它們反射著黃昏的金光甚至讓我眼眶泛淚。但是它們在鋪下的過程中又是這麼容易破碎，造成整個地面處處都散落著大大小小的缺口。
We bought some handmade Mexican terra-cotta tiles few years back. Last week we finally laid them in the house. The soft undulations, accidental paw marks, irregular grout lines... are all so nostalgically beautiful. Seeing them reflecting the sunset glow brought tears to my eyes. But they are so easily chipped in the process of laying, that all these inevitable chips scattered through the floor.
你說：「我們必須連這些缺口在內一起愛它們。」
You said: “we need to love it even including the chips”
我懷疑，對人，我們是否有辦法像愛這些陶板磚一樣的愛他們？
I wonder, are we able to love people, like how we love the tiles?
Charles 和 Ray Eames 伊姆斯夫婦：「認真對待你的樂趣。」
Charles and Ray Eames: “take your pleasure seriously”
我們人類大多患有拖延症。
We humans procrastinate.
當我們面對一件事情時，通常都會有複數的可能方法去處理它。在我們決定選擇一個方法並將其付諸行動前，所有的可能性都仍然是可行的；一旦我們將決定付諸行動後，所有其他的可能性自然而然的不復存在。換句話說，我們的行動殺死了這些可能性。
When confronted by one matter, there are always multiple possible ways to approach it. Before we make a decision and put it into action, all the possibilities are valid; once we put the decision into action, there are naturally no longer other possibilities. In another word, our action kills off the possibilities.
諷刺的是，如果沒有這個殘忍的「可能性殺戮行動」，我們將無法前進並超越我們一開始面對的事情。
The irony is, without this savage “killing of possibilities”, we can not move forward beyond the matter that confronted us in the first place.
我們拖延，只是因為我們害怕。
We procrastinate, just because we are afraid.
「我是怎麼到達這裡的？」是一個當我發現自己週六清晨趴在衝浪板上時，常會問自己的問題。這是一個直白的問題，尤其當這個清晨是一個又冷又風大的寒冬清晨。
“How did I get here?” is a question I sometimes ask myself, when I find myself on a surfboard early on a Saturday morning. It is a literal question, especially when the morning is a cold windy one in the midst of winter.
one amazingly dreamy foggy sunrise
問題的答案一樣直白。我會在這48小時前開始觀察浪潮資訊，選好海灘，按照潮汐設定了名為「衝浪」的鬧鐘，起床，擦上防曬油穿上潛水服（雖然穿著它開車真的很不舒服我還是寧願先穿），吃了簡單的早餐，把衝浪板放到車子裡面或車頂上，開車到海灘，現場觀察一下浪潮，在沙灘上拉筋，趴在板上划水出去⋯然後發現我又在想「我是怎麼到達這裡的？」。在起床前的所有步驟都是一種期盼，那之後的所有步驟就幾乎是肌肉反射動作了。從我的床到穿上潛水服的衛生間，這之間的5步距離，就是這個肌肉反射動作的觸發點。
The answer is also just as literal. I would have been monitoring the tide information from 48 hours prior, chosen the beach, set my alarm according to tidal movement naming it “surfing”, waken up, put on the sunscreen and wetsuit (as uncomfortable as it is to drive in I still prefer to), eaten a light breakfast, loaded the board in or on top of the car, driven to the beach, observed the tide, stretched on the sand, paddled out... then found myself thinking “how did I get here?”. All steps before waking up are anticipation; from that point onwards it is almost muscle reflex. The 5-step distance between my bed and the bathroom where I put on the wetsuit, is the trigger to kick start the muscle reflex.
在我們的人生中，如果想要到達任何一個地方 - 不管是好的，壞的，還是只是一個中繼站 - 都需要經過一連串的步驟與行動。有的時候這些繁複的步驟與行動似乎很嚇人，甚至會讓人裹足不前，不知道從何開始。但是如果我們能夠慢慢建立起一系列正面的「肌肉記憶」，或許有這麼一天，我們可以像肌肉反射動作般，自然的 跨出第一步。
It always take a series of steps and actions to get to any place - good, bad, or just inbetween - in our lives. Those steps and actions can be daunting or even paralyzing, that we don’t know where to start. But if we are able to build a positive sequence of “muscle memory”, maybe one day, taking the first step can become a natural muscle reflex.
致，前進。
To moving forward.
我一直記得，紅樓夢（石頭記）的開篇討論了「存在」對比「精彩」的概念。一個石頭得到了永久的存在但是沒有感情，感情幾乎是得到永恆存在的「車票」。年輕的我問自己，如果可以選擇，我會選擇永恆卻沒有感情的存在，還是相對短暫但精彩的存在？我的選擇曾經是，也仍然是，後者。
I always remember, in the introductory chapter of The Story Of The Stone, the notion of “existence” vs “liveliness” was discussed. A rock acquired eternal existence without emotion, emotion is almost the “ticket” to eternity. At a young age I asked myself, if there is a choice, would I have chosen an eternal but emotionless existence, or a comparatively short but lively existence? My choice was, and still is, the latter.
在某個階段一個朋友評論道，我的人生簡直像是午間電視的情節劇，甚至算不上黃金時段的。很多事情同時發生著，我也接受了這種誇張的戲劇性為我早先的選擇帶來的後遺症。直到最近我才被挑戰來重新審視這個想法。
At one stage a friend commented that my life resembled the midday tv melodrama - no, not even prime time. A lot was happening all at once, and I accepted the melodrama as consequence of my earlier choice. Only recently I have been challenged to rethink this.
當我年紀愈長需要面對的不再是誇張的戲劇性而是真實的風浪，而這些在我的意識裡不該與「人生」或「精彩」劃上等號。接受生活中的不公，負情緒，以及心痛不代表一個精彩的存在；平和的存在也不代表沒有感情。選擇本來就不是非黑即白的，我們唯一真正的選擇也只是盡力活著罷了。
As I got older it is not melodrama but real turbulence I have been facing, and it should not equate to my sense of what “life” or “liveliness” should be. Putting up with injustice, negativity and heartache in life does not mean a lively existence; a calm existence does not equate to emotionless either. The choice was never black and white, our only real choice is to live the best we can.
我昨天騎著新買的自行車騎了27公里來回去赴一個約。由於我騎自行車一向有點莽撞，所以就算是腳踏板輔助式的電動自行車，對我來說仍然是一個很有野心的挑戰。出發前我看好了路線，試著避開車速高的路段，結果卻是迷路了幾次後發現誤打誤撞的到了想避開的高車速路段。在那時我才看到了旁邊與高車速路段平行的一條小路，於是我沒有遲疑的轉向雖然陡斜卻低車速約小路，繞了一些路，然後準時的赴了約。
很多時候有一些人事物，不管我們付出了多少努力都避免不了。而當不可避免的事發生時，有時候其實並沒有我們想像的那麼糟糕，或者其實有別的出口 - 只是要到我們已經足夠接近了才能夠看得見。
深深呼吸，保持冷靜。
其實真的沒有那麼糟。
Yesterday I rode 27km on my new bicycle to an appointment and back. Being a weak cyclist, even though the bicycle is pedal-assisted it was still an ambitious challenge. I mapped out my route, tried to avoid fast roads with fast cars, only found myself lost several times along the way and ended up at the fast road I tried to avoid. Only then I noticed a small side street running parallel to the fast road, without hesitation I took the steep but slower side street, went around a slightly longer route and made it to my appointment on time.
A lot of the times there are things we simply can not avoid regardless of how much effort we put in. And when the unavoidable really happens, sometimes it’s not as bad as we thought, or there is a way to get out of it - which we can only see when we are that close.
Deep breath, stay calm.
It’s really not that bad.
My new found freedom
吹牛遊戲的唯一必勝法則，就是停止吹牛。
The only way to win at Bluff, is to stop bluffing.
豪爾赫·路易斯·波赫士：「栽種你的花園並修飾你的心靈，而不是等待別人為你送來花朵。」
不要等待；自給自足吧。
Jorge Luis Borges: “Plant your own gardens and decorate your own soul, instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers.”
Don’t wait; be self- sufficient.
所以在我終於可以穩定的乘到白浪（浪打下來後白色的泡沫）後，我現在嘗試著乘上綠浪（還沒打下來的玻璃色的海浪） 。這個嘗試帶給我3個寶貴的課程：
So after I am able to steadily ride the whitewash (foamy water after waves have broken), now I try to catch the green waves (clean unbroken waves). This brings me 3 valuable lessons:
1. 選擇我要試著乘上的海浪
1.Choose the wave to go for
逆著海浪划水到浪後排隊（衝浪人會在大約浪要形成的位置一字排開等浪，叫做line-up）是一件非常累人的事情。如果我為了乘上浪往岸邊划去，我就會失去我排隊的位置。如果我沒有乘上浪，我就會需要重新划水回到line-up⋯如此這般週而復始。我基本上還沒乘上綠浪就被這個過程耗盡了體力。這時我必須審視我應該選擇嘗試乘什麼樣的浪。與其嘗試乘上每一個浪，我需要學習「讀」浪的狀態才能夠選出適合我的浪，然後全心全力的嘗試乘上它。
Paddling up to the line-up at the back against the wave is a very exhausting exercise. If I paddle for a wave back towards the shore, I lose my position in the line-up. If I didn’t catch the wave I would need to paddle out to the line-up again… so on, so forth. I simply was worn out by the process before I caught any green wave. It comes down to what wave I choose to go for. Rather than going for every wave, I need to become better at “reading” the waves in order to identify the wave that’s suitable for me, then full-heartedly go for it.
正如我們日常生活中的各個無法避免的挑戰-小如某人的一句無心的話，大如照顧生病的家人。我們是要無關大小的與每一個挑戰硬碰硬呢，還是放下一些瑣碎的事而專心面對一些重要的，能夠左右我們或某人的人生的挑戰呢？
我決定要挑選我會出場的戰役。
Like every challenge in our lives.. there are always something challenging us on daily basis- little ones like someone said something wrong without the intention, big ones like taking care of lllness in family. Are we going to take every challenge head-on, or do we let go of some of them to focus on the challenge that matters, that would result in fundamental changes in some aspect of our or someone’s lives?
I choose to be selective with my battles.
2. 當決定了時，用盡全力划水
2. When decided, paddle as hard as you can
我曾經數次不能決定是否該乘這個浪而猶豫不決的划水嘗試。這保證了這個浪會從我的衝浪板下滑過，而非將我推進讓我成功乘上。
如果我沒有全力投入，或沒有準備充足，去捉住機會，機會是不會拉著我的手帶我前進的；機會只會從我身邊滑過。機會只有對準備好了全力以赴的人才是機會，對其他人都只是日常的事件罷了。
There have been times when I was undecided about the wave and paddled half- heartedly. It is guaranteed that the wave would pass me by.
If I was not committed, or ready, to catching the opportunity, it wouldn’t pick me up and take me with it; opportunity would only pass me by. Opportunity is only opportunity to the ones ready to commit, otherwise it is just another happening.
3. 會有下一個浪的
3. There will always be a next wave
但是如果我奮力嘗試卻仍然沒有成功乘上浪，只要靜心等待，下一個浪就會來了⋯ 只要我做好要全力以赴的準備。
But if I have tried and failed to catch the wave, just wait for the next swell, the next wave…. as long as I’m ready to commit the effort of catching it.
大概3個月前我開始（嘗試著去）衝浪。 衝浪真的非常困難，但是幾乎每週末去練習加上每晚在家練習在衝浪板上站起的動作，我終於可以站起來並留在衝浪板上（而不是站起來就跌進浪裡）。衝浪真是一條漫長的路啊⋯但是這條路去向何方呢？在一路上我大致上給自己了一些嬰兒學步般的小小目標：
I started (to attempt) surfing from 3 months ago. It is so difficult, but by going almost every weekend and dry land pop up everyday, I was finally able to pop up and stay on the board. It is a long road... to what though? I have been loosely setting baby step goals along the way:
- 在被浪衝倒時可以保持冷靜
- 在推動起身時 可以保持衝浪板的平衡
- 在衝浪板上站起時可以往前看而不是看著自己的腳
- 在 划水時可以更有效率並選擇適合自己程度的浪
- 在快要俯衝時可以記得推動起身
- 可以 將站起動作練到成肌肉反射
- 可以在衝浪板上站起後繼續留在板上
⋯ 這個清單無止境的延伸，甚至有些瑣碎，但是我一直可以找到更多我「接近但是還做不到 」的項目。
- can stay calm when dumped by wave
- can keep board balance when push up
- can look ahead rather than at my feet when pop up
- can paddle efficiently and identify wave right for me
- can initiate push up when about to nose dive
- can build muscle reflex of pop up sequence
- can stay on the board after pop up
... the list goes on, it’s almost tedious, and there’s always something more I find, that is close enough but I’m just not quite there.
這個週末當我終於可以自己乘到浪，在衝浪板上站起滑（以我的超級初學者標準來說）較長的時間，我實在太興奮了！在那幾次較長的滑行後我望向四周期盼有旁觀者給予鼓勵，才發現大家都專注於自己的浪而沒有餘力看其他人。
This weekend when I was able to catch my own wave, pop up and stay on the board for a few long (in my standard) rides, I was ecstatic! I looked around at the end of those longish rides for some encouragement, only to realize that everyone was concentrating on their own surf and no one was looking.
下面是我覺得為什麼衝浪這麼引人入勝，並充滿哲理的原因：
1. 我們都在同一個海洋，但是我們都各自在自己的衝浪板 上衝自己的浪
2. 衝浪是終極孤獨的運動- 它沒有可能組隊參加。你自己的努力直接轉換為你自己的成果，所以沒有任何的藉口
3. 每個人都忙著衝自己的浪，所以沒有人有空看你。不要害怕一直失敗，沒有人在看；同樣的，虛榮或自尊也沒有出場的機會
4. 海洋有時候會給你超出能力範圍的大浪- 學習如何翻過或潛過這些大浪，因為能將人拋到空中的大浪是無法避免的，而你必須 保護自己
5. 每個人衝同一個浪的方式都不一樣。這關於時機的掌控，能力程度，及控制
6. 沒有什麼是馬上就做得到的，而且追求進步的路途沒有終點
現在假設我們把「海洋」換成「宏觀的人生」，「衝浪」換成「微觀的人生」，而「海浪」換成「人生中發生的事件」，你覺得上面那些像是在描述什麼呢？
最重要的是，絕不放棄繼續嘗試。
Here are what I found fascinating about surfing that makes it so philosophical:
1. We are all in the same ocean, but we are all on our own boards catching our own waves.
2. Surfing is the ultimate loner’s sport - there is no way to team up. your effort directly translates to the outcome and there is no excuse
3. Everyone is busy with their own surf that no one is looking at you. Don’t be afraid to keep failing, no one is looking; vanity or pride has no place either for the same reason.
4. Ocean will give you waves sometimes bigger than your skill level- learn how to go over or under the wave, because dumpy waves are inevitable and you must stay safe.
5. With the same wave, everyone surfs differently. It’s about timing, skill and control.
6. Nothing happens overnight and there is no end to the pursuit of becoming better
Now, how does it sound when you think about “ocean” as “life in the macro”, and “surf” as “life in the micro”, “wave” as “happenings in life”?
Most importantly- never stop trying.
為了準備11月去Patagonia之旅，我們決定回去New Zealand嘗試多日登山。本來是訂了去Routeburn Track（32公里長登高1635米）4天3夜，結果到了用去當天早上因為大雨淹水，那個區域 (Milford Sounds)的登山步道全部關閉，除了一條Kepler Track（61公里長登高2216米）3天2夜，所以臨時改去Kepler Track。
In order to prepare for our November trip to Patagonia, we decided to go back to New Zealand to try out multiday tramping. We originally booked Routeburn Track (32km elevation gain 1635m) for 4 day 3 nights, however on the morning to start trekking, all tracks in the Milford Sounds area including Routeburn Track were closed due to flooding, with the exception of Kepler Track (61km elevation gain 2216m) for 3 days 2 nights, so we decided to change over to trek Kepler Track last minute.
意思就是，本來一天走10公里變成一天走16公里，可留宿的營地也少一天所以按原計畫裝備反而多帶了食物加重了背囊。
What that means is, originally we planned to trek 10km per day, now it becomes 16km. With 1 night reduction in campsite availability, we have also brought too much food as packed according to original plan which in turn added to the weight of our backpacks.
第一天走5小時登高到1200米，風大雨大，留宿一宿。第二天應該沿著山峰過兩個嶺，結果因為連夜的大雨步道淹水甚至開始下雪，風速估計為120公里，步道關閉。只好按原路下山，另覓營地過夜。
Day 1, we trekked for 5 hours in the wind and rain, reaching elevation of 1200m, and stayed overnight in the cabin. Plan for Day 2 was to walk along the ridge to cross 2 summits, but because of the rain overnight which started to turn into snow, wind speed reaching 120km/ hour, remaining Kepler Track was closed for safety reason. We could only descend back down the same way we came from, and camped elsewhere.
難道這一切都是徒勞嗎？我可不這麼認為。 我學到的教訓有：
Was it all for nothing? I think not. I learnt that:
於是我們唱著Queen樂團的 “We Will Rock You” 和 “We Are the Champion” 上了又下了Kepler Track，後來又轉移地點去Wanaka爬山露營，好好的享受了我們的假期。
So we sang Queen’s “We Will Rock You” and “We Are the Champion” up and down Kepler Track, ended up camping and trekking in Wanaka, and definitely enjoyed our holiday.
Top of cloud
Accepting the fate to descend
on the descend
amazing sunset at Milford Sounds campsite
camping by Lake Wanaka has always been the most peaceful
瑪雅.安傑盧： “你或不能控制所有發生在你身上的事情，但你可以做出 不被它們貶低自我價值 的決定”
Maya Angelou: “You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.”
今天我經過一個 因為過去曾有的創傷而一直避開的地方。然後我想像了一下 如果當初事情不同的話 現在的我的人生可能的樣子；我經歷了一個短暫的Nemo Nobody時刻。
可是你知道嗎？不管我有多少個人生分支， 最重要的是我現在有的這一個人生分支是好的。就算不是，我也會把它變成是一個好的。
感謝那曾經的創傷 把我從當時的路途撥開，我才會在我今天所在的地方。我們的人生中 太多事情不受我們控制的發生。如何面對這些事情的選擇，是我們唯一可以控制的。一步一步走著，也就到了一個自己可以認同的地方。
Today I walked past a place I avoided due to past traumatic events. Then I contemplated about how my life would have been if things were different; I had a Nemo Nobody moment.
But you know what? Doesn’t matter how many split lives I have, the most important is that the one I have right now is a good one. Or I make it into a good one.
Thanks to the traumatic event which threw me off my path, that I am where I am now. Things happen in our lives out of our control. How we choose to face it is the only control we have. One step at a time, I was able to slowly but surely get to this place I can agree with.
在第二次發酵後，TA（總酸度）值為5.325，PH值為3.9 - 理想的數值應該是TA值大約6及PH值大約3.4。於是我們取出約200ml的樣本來做一些實驗。
一開始由於TA值較為接近理想的關係，我們嘗試用單寧來降低PH值，但可惜這並不是很有效（而且味道差極了）。所以我們重新來過，這次用酒石酸來降PH值，效果好多了。然後我們必須決定要降到什麼程度⋯考慮TA值，PH值，及口感之間的平衡，我們最後決定調整TA值到6，但將PH值停止於3.6左右。
酒精濃度度量為16度，有些偏高。但它已經從初步發酵後的17度酒精降下來了，我猜想在陳釀期間應該會持續下降吧。
上次我提到酒汁味道「少了些深度」。所以我們打算試試看酒泥陳釀四個月，然後再看看情況。
After secondary fermentation the TA (titratible acidity) level was measured at 5.325 and PH level at 3.9 - ideally we would like TA to be around 6 and PH around 3.4. So we took out around 200ml of sample to trial.
At first we tried to lower the PH with tannin rather than acid as TA level was quite close, but it was ineffective (and tasted horrid). So we started over and tried with tartaric acid, which worked very well. Then we had to decide how far we want to take it.. considering balance between TA, PH and taste, we decided on TA at 6 and leaving the PH at 3.6.
Alcohol measured at 16%, slightly on the high side. But it has lowered from the 17% after primary fermentation, I suppose it would lower during aging.
Last post I mentioned about the wine somehow “lacking depth”. So we decided to try sur lie aging for 4 months and see how it goes.
各種測量工具 various measuring tools
寶石般的紅色 gen-like red
從第二次發酵桶把酒汁轉移到demijohn裡陳釀 transferring wine from secondary fermentation tubs to demijohns for aging
16度酒精 16% alcohol
這是一年一度特別忙碌的時期，而且也是特別緊張的時期.. 釀酒葡萄可以採收了！ 由於今年夏天又乾又熱，獵人谷的Shiraz 比往年更早收成。二月9日我們手摘了約50公斤，手榨成約42L（後來初級發酵期間一度上升到50L），在籃式壓榨及第一次換桶後現在剩下27L。在它的第二次發酵階段，目前對酒汁的印象是⋯ 由於天候因素，葡萄比往年糖度更高，產生了較高的17度酒精（通常可以予想約13度）。可惜的是，它似乎少了一些深度 - 幾乎感覺不到單寧及酸度。有可能是因為高糖度造成過度活躍的初步發酵，導致我們提早結束了初步發酵（4天）造成酒汁與葡萄皮接觸時間不夠，所以我們未能將今年葡萄果實的全部風味提取出來⋯接下來就要看我們怎麼挽回了！
It is a busy time of the year, and particularly nervous time too.. the wine grapes are ready! With a dry and hot summer, Shiraz at Hunter Valley were ripe earlier than usual. On FEB 09 we hand picked around 50kgs, hand crushed into 42L (which later went up to 50L during primary fermentation) and now down to 27L after pressing and first racking. In it’s secondary fermentation phase, impression of the juice so far... with the weather, grapes are sweeter than usual yielding higher alcohol at around 17% (it is usually expected around 13%). However it is somehow lacking depth - tanin and acidity could barely be detected. This could be because of the extremely active primary fermentation due to high sugar content of the grapes, that we shortened the primary fermentation (4 days) resulting in reduced skin contact thus we failed to extract the full flavor of this year’s fruit...now we need to see how we can save the wine!
