WineXpert Chardonnay Winery Series kit

[Rocky]

I am about the start a trial with the Chardonnay Winery Series kit that makes more than 12 gallons of wine. I will be working under the tutelage of Tweak Master Joe on this and my plan is to divide the wine into 3 each 4+ gallon batches and tweak each one a little differently.

Wine One: Add a nectarine (?) fruit pack to the primary. I wanted to use peaches, but my store did not have them. I stewed the nectarines in a store bought Chardonnay (Livingston Cellars) and added some sugar. The results look and taste promising.

Wine Two: Add the zest of one large grapefruit and some light oak in primary.

Wine Three: Add a fruit pack made from Granny Smith apples, cooked in Chardonnay and some light oak in primary.

With the cost of the kit and fruit, I will have about $130 in the project. If I get 60 or so bottles at the back end, my cost with be just over $2 per bottle. Nicht schlimm!

 

[Khristyjeff]

Great experiment @Rocky. I've had very good luck using @joeswine tweaks. I'll look forward to your updates.

 

[Rocky]

Everything is underway and going fine. I made the 12.2 gallon batch in a 20 gallon Brute. Added the Bentonite, juice and enough distilled water to make 12.2 gallons. I took an SG reading of 1.084, which, if I ferment to 0.992, should result in about 12% ABV, which would be nice for a Chardonnay. After reconstituting the wine in the 20 gallon Brute, I divided it equally between my three fermenters, which are actually former 6 gallon juice buckets. Today, fermentation was underway so I added the grapefruit zest, nectarines and green apples to the buckets.

I know it is early on, but it looks promising. Fingers crossed.

 

[joeswine]

Thats the spirit

 

[Rocky]

The wine continues to ferment albeit slowly. SG's are down to: Apple 1.030, Grapefruit zest 1.030 and Nectarine 1.034. Fermentation is slow but steady. Considering hitting wines with DAP.

I was always proud of the fact that I never dropped my hydrometer but I managed to break my first one today when I was punching down the apple fruit bag and trying to stir it in the wine. The thin glass snapped. Sometimes I wonder how I got this far.

 

[joeswine]

The wine continues to ferment albeit slowly. SG's are down to: Apple 1.030, Grapefruit zest 1.030 and Nectarine 1.034. Fermentation is slow by steady. Considering hitting wines with DAP.

I was always proud of the fact that I never dropped my hydrometer but I managed to break my first one today when I was punching down the apple fruit bag and trying to stir it in the wine. The thin glass snapped. Sometimes I wonder how I got this far.

Steady on Mate , steady on

 

[Rocky]

I racked the three wines from their fermenters to carboys and yielded about 3 gallons and 3 liters each. The wines are settling well and I have yet to hit them with Kieselsol and Chitosan, nor have I added K-meta. Looking good and the nectarine flavored wine is taking on the color of the flesh of the fruit. Seems promising.

 

[joeswine]

are you going to let them sit for a couple of weeks? give them a gentle but firm shake every day, to finish degassing.?
now the fun begins.

 

[Rocky]

are you going to let them sit for a couple of weeks? give them a gentle but firm shake every day, to finish degassing.?
now the fun begins.

Yes, Joe. They are still fermenting slowly and starting to drop sediment. The grapefruit is dropping the least, then the nectarine and the apple is dropping most. I am going to let them go for now and I am encouraged by the results thus far.

If this is successful, and I do it again, I will make two six gallon variations instead of three four gallon next time. This is mainly because of the array of carboys I have for secondary and aging. It would have been easier to work with 6 gallon batches, much like a standard kit. Live and learn!

Thanks, again, for all your help.

 

[joeswine]

Use pectin enzymes if you need to to help clearing

 

[Rocky]

Use pectin enzymes if you need to to help clearing

Willco! Thanks, Joe.

 

[joeswine]

That’s a lot to take on at once for me

 

[Rocky]

Update on the experiment and possible course correction.

I racked off gross lees into 5 gallon Better Bottles, degassed and added metabisulfite to the three wines. The final SGs were really low: Grapefruit 0.991, Nectarine 0.990 and apple 0.991. Tastes of all were encouraging, heaviest in the apple, then the nectarine and lastly the grapefruit, which is more a fresh taste than a citrus taste.

I am contemplating a mid-course correction in the experiment due to the size of the batches. It is very inconvenient to divide 11-12 gallons by three and have a good match of carboys or jugs. I may go to a 6 gallon batch of nectarine and a 5 gallon batch of apple (or vice versa) which would fit my existing carboys much better. I would blend the grapefruit with the nectarine and apple. Not fully decided at this point, about 80%.

 

[wineview]

Update on the experiment and possible course correction.

I racked off gross lees into 5 gallon Better Bottles, degassed and added metabisulfite to the three wines. The final SGs were really low: Grapefruit 0.991, Nectarine 0.990 and apple 0.991. Tastes of all were encouraging, heaviest in the apple, then the nectarine and lastly the grapefruit, which is more a fresh taste than a citrus taste.

I am contemplating a mid-course correction in the experiment due to the size of the batches. It is very inconvenient to divide 11-12 gallons by three and have a good match of carboys or jugs. I may go to a 6 gallon batch of nectarine and a 5 gallon batch of apple (or vice versa) which would fit my existing carboys much better. I would blend the grapefruit with the nectarine and apple. Not fully decided at this point, about 80%.

I’m curious why your carboys are not topped off. I’m a fanatic about getting the level within an in for the bung.

 

[Rocky]

I’m curious why your carboys are not topped off. I’m a fanatic about getting the level within an in for the bung.

Good question! This is what I was referencing in my posting. Those 5 gallon carboys have just under 4 or so gallons each. I could move the wine to 3 gallon carboys, but I have nothing for the residual 1/2 or so gallon after I rack the wine to the 3 gallon carboys. That is why I am considering moving the wine to a 6 and a 5 gallon carboy. They won't be like this for long.

An alternative is that I have a case of 6 each 1/2 gallon jugs that have shipped but not arrived as yet. If they get here in a day or so, I will go back to the 3 gallon carboys plus a 1/2 gallon jug of each.

UPDATE: I just got notification from FedEx that the jugs will be here tomorrow. Ergo, I will likely go to the 3 gallon carboy + 1/2 gallon jug to finish the wine.

 

[wineview]

In my opinion, one gallon jugs do not produce the same results as a five or six gallon. I believe larger is better for bulk aging.

 

[Rocky]

My mind is made up so don't confuse me with facts!

I am going back and forth on this and I am now leaning toward a 5 gallon and six gallon carboy with the grapefruit blended with the apple in one and nectarine in the other. May not be the optimal blend, but, so far, I am pleased with the experiment. I may do it again with 2 each 6 gallon batches of the Chardonnay, one flavored with pear and the other flavored with peach.

 

[joeswine]

Good question! This is what I was referencing in my posting. Those 5 gallon carboys have just under 4 or so gallons each. I could move the wine to 3 gallon carboys, but I have nothing for the residual 1/2 or so gallon after I rack the wine to the 3 gallon carboys. That is why I am considering moving the wine to a 6 and a 5 gallon carboy. They won't be like this for long.

An alternative is that I have a case of 6 each 1/2 gallon jugs that have shipped but not arrived as yet. If they get here in a day or so, I will go back to the 3 gallon carboys plus a 1/2 gallon jug of each.

UPDATE: I just got notification from FedEx that the jugs will be here tomorrow. Ergo, I will likely go to the 3 gallon carboy + 1/2 gallon jug to finish the wine.

As long as the bubble is in the right hand side your ok

 

[winemaker81]

I’m curious why your carboys are not topped off. I’m a fanatic about getting the level within an in for the bung.

I tried that, but temperature and pressure changes can overflow wine into the bung. I go with about 2" to 2-1/2". The amount of air is not significant.

 

[Rocky]

Here is where I am as of today. I racked into 3 gallon carboys plus a couple of 1/2 gallon jugs. I also had two bottles of Grapefruit which were clear enough to bottle in 750 ml bottles. One is shown in the pictures and one made its way to the QA lab (aka, our kitchen). I added Pectic Enzyme to the nectarine and the apple but not the grapefruit because it was clearing very nicely with gravity.

The wines in the long shot are (l to r) apple, nectarine and grapefruit. The close up shots are of the necks of the carboys showing all three wines clearing nicely.