# WineXpert Private Reserve Fiero Kit Started



## Mike Parisi (Nov 7, 2020)

Just started this kit today. Added water up to 23L, grape skins, 2 packets of oak chips. Stirred and let it sit for about 5 hours. When I checked the SG, it was only 1.08 (I checked my hydrometer first, using distilled water and it was right at 1.000). I pitched the yeast (2 kinds). But now I am wondering if I should do more. With a starting SG of 1.08 the wine alcohol level will be only about 11% or so. WE says it should be 14%.

Did I just not leave enough time after adding the grape skins for the sugar to get into solution? Should I do something more? Add raisins or something? Not much room left, with 23L of juice, plus the skins. Or should I just leave it as is?


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## sour_grapes (Nov 7, 2020)

IME, a skins pack will raise the SG by ~0.015.


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## Mike Parisi (Nov 7, 2020)

So, did I just not leave enough time for the sugar in the skins to be released?


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## ras2018 (Nov 7, 2020)

I would add some corn sugar or simple syrup to get yourself to 1.10, but that’a just personal opinion. sometimes you just get a kit with a low SG.


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## Mike Parisi (Nov 7, 2020)

Well, it has already started fermenting, so it is probably too late.


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## sour_grapes (Nov 7, 2020)

Mike Parisi said:


> So, did I just not leave enough time for the sugar in the skins to be released?



Yes, I think so. Generally takes ~24 hours or so.


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## Hypno (Nov 9, 2020)

I heard you should check the SG before it has had time to settle.


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## joeswine (Nov 10, 2020)

Adding the *simple syrup *creates a better balance, that's just the way I do it and you can track that on my threads, the instructions are there for you to follow that's all then you as the winemaker has to take over .
you need to adjust the* ABV*. on all these kits, that's what we do.* Think out side the box it came in.*


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## Mike Parisi (Nov 10, 2020)

I expect the skins probably did add about .015 SG, which would bring it to about 1.095 to start. When I checked the following afternoon, the fermentation was going gangbusters and the SG was 1.086. Down to 1.062 yesterday. Will check this afternoon again but, when I punched it down this morning it was still fermenting hard.


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## cmason1957 (Nov 10, 2020)

My wife brought me up a taste of our Fiero the other day. It is about 4 months old, still in carboys, I am very impressed with it already, I added just a touch more sugar at the start and some extra tannin. I think it's going to be one of the best kids I have made. Glad I bought and started two of them at the same time.


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## WinoDave (Nov 11, 2020)

cmason1957 said:


> My wife brought me up a taste of our Fiero the other day. It is about 4 months old, still in carboys, I am very impressed with it already, I added just a touch more sugar at the start and some extra tannin. I think it's going to be one of the best kids I have made. Glad I bought and started two of them at the same time.



Agree, I tasted mine last week, it’s around 4 months old also, very good flavors already, should be great around the year Mark. I just made my per kit Instructions.


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## Mike Parisi (Nov 11, 2020)

I am too new to winemaking (1 year, 4 kits) to attempt any tweaking.


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## WinoDave (Nov 11, 2020)

Mike Parisi said:


> I am too new to winemaking (1 year, 4 kits) to attempt any tweaking.


You really don’t need to “Tweak” any of the wine kits you buy especially the more expensive ones. They’ll all make good wine. The wine kits with lots of wood and grape skins make the best wines. With that being said though I made a $80 Cabernet Sauvignon wine kit one time, entered it into the fair and it took 2nd place.


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## Mike Parisi (Nov 11, 2020)

Of the kits I have made, my favorite is the Mosti Nero D'Avola. Wood chips only during fermentation, and no skins. Doesn't have much nose, but really tasty. My BIL, who has been winemaking for a long time, tasted one that I had bottled less than 6 months earlier and said it tasted like a $15-$20 wine.


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## Boatboy24 (Nov 14, 2020)

I was not familiar with this kit and looked it up, thanks you your post. This one looked interesting, and I haven't done a red kit in a long time. I grabbed one from Label Peelers and plan to do an extended maceration on it.


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## Boatboy24 (Jan 17, 2021)

Just mixed this one up and my SG was a disappointing 1.076. I always let the skins sit several hours or overnight before I pitch the yeast, just so I can get a better SG measurement. Will see where this one ends up. I added some tannin and am toying with changing the yeast. It came with RC-212 and EC-1118. I know I'm not doing using the EC. May swap out the RC for something else. I have some BM4X4 and RP15 on hand as well.


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## robert81650 (Jan 17, 2021)

I started the Fiero kit about a month ago and letting in age for about 8 months to a year.


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## StreetGlide (Jan 17, 2021)

Just placed an order for this. Might have to buy another Spiedel instead of waiting for one to open up...lol


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## cmason1957 (Jan 17, 2021)

My wife and I bottles our double batch of Fiero last weekend. It was at about the six month mark since yeast pitch at that point. We won't be touching it for at least another six months, but we did have a bonus 3/4 bottle and one bottle that for some reason didn't cork well. They have been consumed and I must say we were quite surprised by it. I don't have my notes, but I probably used the rc212 only (I might have swapped out for BM4X4). I seem to remember that I was disappointed with the sg after a 24 hour cold soak and added a bit of extra sugar to it. I think it will age quite well.


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## Boatboy24 (Jan 18, 2021)

I ended up pitching the RC212 on mine this morning. After a 24 hour soak, it was reading 1.092. Not great, but certainly within range. I decided not to mess with the SG. I did add a tablespoon of Tancor Grand Cru though. I've almost always added a teaspoon to red kits and end up feeling I should've done more in the end. So I just went for it. I also plan to do an extended maceration, though haven't decided how long yet.


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## joeswine (Jan 19, 2021)

Opened a bottle last night tho one will be very good in a short time.


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## StreetGlide (Jan 20, 2021)

Just put this one together. I opted to use BM 4x4 in place of the RC212. I had them both on hand, just like the BM 4x4 better.
I did add 60g of French Med T chips and 6g of FT Rouge.
Plan on a 6 week EM 
And barrel aging for at least 4 months. Not in any rush.


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## Boatboy24 (Jan 21, 2021)

Mine is humming along in my primary. Will move to the Big Mouth in the next 24-48 hours and let the skins soak for a month or so.


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## Boatboy24 (Jan 24, 2021)

Moved to the Big Mouth yesterday, where it will sit for a month or so.


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## StreetGlide (Jan 26, 2021)

Boatboy24 said:


> Moved to the Big Mouth yesterday, where it will sit for a month or so.


A 7.9 Gal Spiedel fermenter is some of the best money I’ve spent doing kits. I see you can get them a bit cheaper then the $99 I paid. I have 2 7.9g and one 15g that I used for double kits and crushed grapes. For EM they are just great.


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## Boatboy24 (Jan 26, 2021)

StreetGlide said:


> A 7.9 Gal Spiedel fermenter is some of the best money I’ve spent doing kits. I see you can get them a bit cheaper then the $99 I paid. I have 2 7.9g and one 15g that I used for double kits and crushed grapes. For EM they are just great.



I've been tempted by those on several occasions, but I don't think I do enough kits anymore to justify the cost. The last red kit I did prior to this one was in January of 2019.


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## Old Corker (Feb 3, 2021)

StreetGlide said:


> A 7.9 Gal Spiedel fermenter is some of the best money I’ve spent doing kits. I see you can get them a bit cheaper then the $99 I paid. I have 2 7.9g and one 15g that I used for double kits and crushed grapes. For EM they are just great.


@StreetGlide I am thinking about getting a 60L Spiedel and start doing double kits. I has 5g, 6g and 6.5g carboys and want to use them to manage head space in bulk aging of double batches. I would use it for primary fermentation and EM as you suggest. I'm just trying to justify the cost compared to $20 for a plastic trash can. Sounds like you like yours. Any negatives about them?


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## StreetGlide (Feb 3, 2021)

Old Corker said:


> @StreetGlide I am thinking about getting a 60L Spiedel and start doing double kits. I has 5g, 6g and 6.5g carboys and want to use them to manage head space in bulk aging of double batches. I would use it for primary fermentation and EM as you suggest. I'm just trying to justify the cost compared to $20 for a plastic trash can. Sounds like you like yours. Any negatives about them?



I honestly can not give you one negative. I love the ones I have. Right now I have 2 Cru Intl Nebbiolo kits in my 15.9g, a Fiero one of my 7.9g and a EP Aus Cab/Shiraz in the other. All going through 8 week EM and I don’t have a worry with them in there.


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## scottboyd9670 (Feb 4, 2021)

Sorry, what is EM?


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## Boatboy24 (Feb 4, 2021)

scottboyd9670 said:


> Sorry, what is EM?



Extended maceration. Kit instructions have you leave the skins in for a week to ten days, then remove and move the wine to a carboy. With EM, the wine is done in a container with a little less headspace and sealed up, where the skins are left for anywhere from a couple to 8 or 9 weeks before removing.


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## Khristyjeff (Feb 6, 2021)

FWIW I bought a 7.9 gal Speidel from MoreBeer/MoreWine a few months ago, and shipping and tax included was $75.41. I do like the extra space it has for the kits that require more than my Big Mouth Bubbler can handle. I've also experimented with the spigot to rack the wine to secondary and believe it worked ok. However, I'm now leaning toward capping the spigot hole and just racking normal.


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## joeswine (Feb 6, 2021)

I don't mind taking my time and racking it manually and doing everything I can manually it's wine making was all about at least in the beginning I kind of hold true to them traditions as much as I can.
Putting your manual effort into a project no matter how it comes out , does make it a learning experience into itself. That's how you learn your do's and dont's that's what makes wine making fun.


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## scottboyd9670 (Feb 7, 2021)

Boatboy24 said:


> Extended maceration. Kit instructions have you leave the skins in for a week to ten days, then remove and move the wine to a carboy. With EM, the wine is done in a container with a little less headspace and sealed up, where the skins are left for anywhere from a couple to 8 or 9 weeks before removing.


Thanks. Still a lot to learn.


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## Boatboy24 (Feb 9, 2021)

Mine is still in EM, but I like to add a little sulfite when it looks like fermentation is done. I went to do that after work when I realized there is now a combined sorbate/sulfite pack in the kit. Set that aside for an occasion that will likely never arrive and just went with KMeta. Wine smells and tastes pretty good right now.


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## joeswine (Feb 10, 2021)

I followed the instructions.
I also added tannins to the secondary, it's a winner this one is.


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## Boatboy24 (Feb 10, 2021)

joeswine said:


> I followed the instructions.
> I also added tannins to the secondary, it's a winner this one is.



Joe,

Did you add tannin in primary too? I put a tablespoon in there.


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## joeswine (Feb 10, 2021)

Yes it helps build structure which will add depth .


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## Boatboy24 (Feb 25, 2021)

30 days into EM on this one and I've still got positive pressure in the "S" airlock (though no bubbling). I'll continue to watch that airlock for another 2-4 weeks. If the pressure starts to go the other way, I'll rack sooner. 

Oh, and a correction on my previous posts: I'm using a Fermonster, not a Big Mouth Bubbler.


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## Swedeman (Feb 27, 2021)

Boatboy24 said:


> Oh, and a correction on my previous posts: I'm using a Fermonster, not a Big Mouth Bubbler.


I too use a Fermonster for EM. Works like a charm except for that one kit where I added the skins to the Fermonster in the muslin bag.


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## Boatboy24 (Feb 27, 2021)

Swedeman said:


> I too use a Fermonster for EM. Works like a charm except for that one kit where I added the skins to the Fermonster in the muslin bag.



Curious what happened. I'm only on my 2nd EM, but have used the bag both times. I normally start the kits in my bucket, then after anywhere from 3-7 days, transfer to the Fermonster. Just gives me a little piece of mind that I've got some extra room if things really foam up those first few days.


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## Swedeman (Feb 28, 2021)

Boatboy24 said:


> Curious what happened.


Removing the bag at the time of racking off the Fermonster was a messy experience. How do you do that step?


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## Boatboy24 (Feb 28, 2021)

Swedeman said:


> Removing the bag at the time of racking off the Fermonster was a messy experience. How do you do that step?



It can get a tad messy, yes. I try to carefully get it out, then squeeze the goodness into a bowl and pour the contents into the carboy.


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## opus345 (May 8, 2021)

Just started the Fiero tonight. I know it will be messy later, but I always have better results when I let the skins and oak chips swim free. My SG was 1.097. I'm going to let it cold soak for 12 hours and pitch BM4x4 with some Opti Red Tannin tomorrow. Following my normal pattern of no Sorbate/Clearing agents and a 1 year secondary in glass, I'm really excited for this kit.


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## opus345 (May 13, 2021)

After 12 hours cold soak, SG was 1.103. Added 8 gr Opti Red Tannin and pitched BM4x4. Open bucket fermentation with a large dish towel and BBQ grate to cover. Used 8 gr Fermaid K at 1/3 sugar break. Punched down skins and 5 mins of stirring 3 times a day. This morning SG was 1.010. This evening moved from bucket to 6 gal Better Bottle. And it was messy! Moved everything and will try an 4-6 week extended maceration (first time).


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## opus345 (May 19, 2021)

Almost a week later and SG is 0.995. Will update in a couple weeks.


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## joeswine (May 19, 2021)

This is an excellent kit.


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## opus345 (Jun 13, 2021)

@joeswine I agree. I'm getting dark cherry and plum after 3 weeks of EM. SG = 0.995. Gonna let it go another week.


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## joeswine (Jun 13, 2021)

Glad to hear it.


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## opus345 (Jun 26, 2021)

Quick update. SG=0.995. Racked off skins and squeezed the skins. Topped up with 2015 deLorimier Alexander Valley Primitivo. Added 2 x 30 gr French Oak cubes. Skipping Sorbate and Clearing agents. This is going to be very nice. Will update for next racking in 3 or 4 months.


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