# Pinot Noir (Vintner's Reserve) Kit



## iowawine (Nov 30, 2009)

Working on my first kit it's a Pinot Noir (Vintner's Reserve) I've started secondary fermentation in the carboy and I'm not seeing the gas coming out the airlock as I did with primary fermentation. It's been in the carboy for about 24 hours, should I be seeing more action by now? There are some bubbles on top of the must. 

As I stated I'm a newbie, so any thoughts are much appreciated.

Thanks.


----------



## rawlus (Nov 30, 2009)

what was the SG when you moved it to the carboy? what temp is the carboy at?


----------



## iowawine (Nov 30, 2009)

The SG was 1.000 when racked into carboy and the carboy temp is 72 F..


----------



## cpfan (Nov 30, 2009)

Iowa:

"Visual signs of fermentation are highly overrated". (GeeWhiz, I should make that my signature!! ). Wait until day 18 (or whatever the instructions say), and check the sg. You'll probably be great.

Steve


----------



## iowawine (Nov 30, 2009)

Thanks for the advice, just nervous I've somehow screwed it up already, though I have followed the directions very closely.


----------



## Wade E (Nov 30, 2009)

With an sg of 1.000 you are pretty much done or are done fermenting regardless of what the instructions say. Lots of smaller kits finish off right about there. Just follow the instructions to the point of bottling but let it age at that point for longer in the carboy.


----------



## rawlus (Nov 30, 2009)

i made a vintner's reserve valpolicella awhile back, i just looked at my notes and on day 29 it was racked from secondary off the remaining sediment and put into bulk aging. SG at the time of this final racking was 0.992 @72*F
starting SG on day one was 1.076 @72*F

you may see that 1.000 drop down a few more tics between now and your stabilizing phase of the process. but it may not be obvious by the airlock or visual cues as has been mentioned.

be sure to come back to this post and let us know how it went in a few weeks.


----------



## Green Mountains (Dec 1, 2009)

Agree, you're doing fine.

Secondary fermentation is really not so much fermentation but a chance for the wine (it's not just juice any more) to shed what's left of the dying yeast. Lack of bubbling means all is going well, just keep that airlock on.


----------



## iowawine (Dec 1, 2009)

Thanks everyone, the instructions say the SG should finish around .998 so it's almost there. I'll update this post with how everything turns out. I appreciate the help. I can see that this forum is going to be useful as I experiment with additional wine making.


----------



## MN-winer (Dec 1, 2009)

I did the VR Pinot this past summer. I good starter kit. These kits are pretty fool proof. I racked at 1.01 like instructions recommended and mine bubbled quite a bit for a few days but eventually stopped and finished up at about .990. 

Make sure you degassed properly - follow the instructions and degas more than they say. Mine had some effervesence for quite some time until I filtered it. Its a thinner wine but very nice table wine. I think you will be pleased with this kit if you are not a connoisseur. 

Good luck!!


----------



## iowawine (Dec 6, 2009)

When is the first time you should taste the wine? Me being a newbie, I've wondered if it would be useful to sample at different stages just to learn the differences.

The SG was .992 prior so I added the metabisulfate, sorbate, chitosan, then degassed really well, I hope.. Things are moving along.


----------



## Wade E (Dec 6, 2009)

You should sample at every stage especially when you are new to wine makling to develope a know-how of about what any stage will taste and smell like so that you can eventually determine when you have a problem before it gets too far along.


----------



## phermenter (Dec 6, 2009)

iowawine said:


> When is the first time you should taste the wine?



You can taste it virtually any time, though I wouldn't bother until it's at least finished fermenting. The only caution is: Don't jump to conclusions. It may be wine at that stage, but it isn't anywhere near done. Often a red will taste too "jammy" at this stage (in my limited experience), and a white will taste sharp or edgy, mostly because oak isn't integrated yet.

Jim


----------



## iowawine (Dec 18, 2009)

Update regarding this VR Pinot Noir kit, couldn't wait any longer, it's been clearing for about 12 days but had to take a sample this evening. Tasted great, not too sweet and not too dry. At this point it is quite clear, at least the sample off the top was. I'm still waiting til after the holidays before racking off the lees and bulk aging for a couple months.

Thanks everyone for the help on my first kit. And as I have read on other threads, it's addictive and I'm beginning to look for my next kit. Probably try something white and sweeter as the wife recommends, any recommendations?


----------



## Green Mountains (Dec 19, 2009)

A white will be much more drinkable early so that's a good choice. It'll be ready long before your Pinot Noir matures.

I made a RJS Grand Cru Gewürztraminer last year that is very good. Perhaps a reisling?


----------



## Virgin Vintner (Dec 20, 2009)

IOWAWINE,
Question for you on the VR Pinot Noir kit. I am comparing it to the E.C. Kraus Sun Cal Pinot Noir kit because at this point, I don't know which one I'm going for and am in the process of weighing the required materials.

The E.C. Kraus Sun Cal kit comes with a 6 gallon primary fermenter, but only makes 5 gallons. In your initial experience, do you think it's required to use a 6 gallon primary fermenter to make 5 gallons of wine, or can you get away with a 5 gallon primary fermenter?


----------



## iowawine (Dec 20, 2009)

Virgin Vintner said:


> IOWAWINE,
> Question for you on the VR Pinot Noir kit. I am comparing it to the E.C. Kraus Sun Cal Pinot Noir kit because at this point, I don't know which one I'm going for and am in the process of weighing the required materials.
> 
> The E.C. Kraus Sun Cal kit comes with a 6 gallon primary fermenter, but only makes 5 gallons. In your initial experience, do you think it's required to use a 6 gallon primary fermenter to make 5 gallons of wine, or can you get away with a 5 gallon primary fermenter?



I used a 7.5 gallon primary and a 6 gallon carboy for secondary. I'm not sure you would have much room for stirring if you used a 5 gallon primary and had it full. I'm sure you could make it work somehow, but I think I would use a 6 gallon primary.


----------



## cpfan (Dec 20, 2009)

Virgin Vintner:

Size of the primary is not an issue, as long as it is not too small. If you think that at some point you will make a kit with grape skins get a 7.9 US gallon primary minimum. I use a 11-12 USG primary for everything except 1 gallon batches. No problems with foaming or stirring or anything.

I have heard some not so good stuff about the SunCal brand. I know that Vintners Reserve is considered low end by many on the forums, but I suspect that SunCal is even lower.

Steve


----------



## Wade E (Dec 20, 2009)

SunCal and Alexanders are lower and I for one dont like them at all! they might make a good mixer with another fruit blend to make a Blackberry Cab or something but straight up they are nasty IMO!


----------



## Virgin Vintner (Dec 22, 2009)

Wow! not too much faith in those 2 kits, eh? What kit(s) would you recommend? I'm just beggining my adventure and am not looking for more than I can handle at this point. I'm staying away from skins and grapes for now and am just thinking about concentrated juice. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!


----------



## iowawine (Feb 3, 2010)

Update on this kit. I bottled last week, went fairly smooth. The corking went pretty good once I got the hang of it. I have the double lever corker. Could not have done it alone, that corker requires 2 people or some sort of jig to hold the bottle in place.

The wine was a pretty thin as expected, but tasted pretty good. I think a few months in the bottle will make it a fair table wine. I'll be starting another batch of something in the near future, this was just too much fun to not do it again.

-iowawine


----------



## Wade E (Feb 3, 2010)

Uh oh, I think we have hooked another!


----------



## Runningwolf (Feb 3, 2010)

hook, line and the wrong corker!


----------



## ffemt128 (Feb 4, 2010)

rawlus said:


> i made a vintner's reserve valpolicella awhile back, i just looked at my notes and on day 29 it was racked from secondary off the remaining sediment and put into bulk aging. SG at the time of this final racking was 0.992 @72*F
> starting SG on day one was 1.076 @72*F



Well those reading just about mirrored mine for the Valpolicella. I agree that you may be just about done, let it go in your carboy and follow the remaining directions. You may move a little more but not too much.


----------

