Advice on makings a white zin?

[NorCal]

I'm making 40 gallons of zin this year and want to make a few cases of white zin, mainly to have available for people that like the sweet stuff and keep them from drinking my good juice

The plan is to crush and pull a half gallon of juice out, SO2 and put it in the fridge. I'll then take 3 gallons of juice out and ferment dry. SO2 and let it clear for 3 months. Rack, SO2, add potasium Sorbate and add the un fermented juice back to taste. Let it sit another 3 months, then bottle.

Any advice?

 

[bchilders]

I'm making 40 gallons of zin this year and want to make a few cases of white zin, mainly to have available for people that like the sweet stuff and keep them from drinking my good juice

The plan is to crush and pull a half gallon of juice out, SO2 and put it in the fridge. I'll then take 3 gallons of juice out and ferment dry. SO2 and let it clear for 3 months. Rack, SO2, add potasium Sorbate and add the un fermented juice back to taste. Let it sit another 3 months, then bottle.

Any advice?

I like the idea. I would freeze the raw juice just to ensure the same day freshness as when it was crushed. Consider your desired ending ABV. If you ferment a 3 gallon batch to 12% ABV and add a 1/2 gallon with 0% ABV the end result will be an ABV of around 10% if I have done my math right. Also, if your raw juice has a Brix of 22 it looks like you will end up with about 4% residue sugar which may or may not be sweet enough. Please let us know how it turns out.

 

[JohnT]

As long as you strain al of the skins out, you should be fine. Zin is such a dark grape that even a "white" zin is a rose...

The method I have used (and it worked pretty well) is...

1) do not crush your grapes. Toss whole clusters of zin grapes into your press. Crushing only grinds the skins into the juice.

2) strain and cool down juice. Allow the sediment to settle for 24 hours.

3) rack the juice and then process as you would any other white wine.

To be honest, I only made 2 batches of white zin. It is really not my cup of tea, but have been told by others that it is quite good.

 

[salcoco]

consider bench trials for sweetening wine to the proper taste profile.

 

[NorCal]

Thank you for the advice. I'll be getting the Zin around 25 brix and it will spike to 27 (if it does what it did this year). I'll pull the juice, water and acidulate as necessary to get to 22-23 brix, 3.5 ph. I like the idea of freezing the juice. Thanks.