Chilean Pinot Grigio

[sdelli]

My wine making experience has been almost exclusively with reds from grapes and juice.... I have made a few kits of reds and a couple kits of whites... Not happy with the quality so stayed away from kits.... This year I added to my Chilean order a bucket of Pinot Grigio juice. I made this wine from a kit before and it turned out ok.... I am looking at using BA-11 yeast... Should I use Bentonite and superkleer as well? The kit did.... Should I put it through mlf? I know most whites don't. Any suggestions on people that have made this would be great!


Sam

 

[Runningwolf]

I would use bento and Superkleer only if needed. I made this several years ago and was not happy with it. Others have done well. To me Pinot Grigio is one of those wines that have to be spot on to be good. When they are good they're awesome otherwise I find it just to be a boring white that should have been blended. I also believe this wine to be a quick drinker. After 2-3 years it starts to get flabby.

Part of the secret to getting a good Pinot Grigio is getting the perfect sugar balance to retain some acid but yet enough to pull out some of the fruit flavors.

 

[salcoco]

I would use bentonite prefermentation. keep wine cool. use EC1118 yeast. follow good nutrient protocol. keep wine during ferment below 65 deg. if possible ferment in a carboy to reduce losing aromatics. rack into secondary add super clear then rack in three days then follow in three weeks.

 

[byathread]

I agree Pinot Grigios can be hit or miss. I have no experience with fresh juice, but I'm pretty pleased with a Pinot Grigio kit I made where I substituted BA11. No problems with fermentation, just rehydrate with GoFerm and give 1 or 2 additions of Fermaid K during early stages of ferment. BA11 is recommended for Pinot Grigio and has moderate nutrient demands.