Other Cornucopia Fruit Wine Kits

[JoyofWine]

Rickswine~I started mine on Friday night, we'll have to start a new thread and compare notes I'm excited about this one because Muscato is my favorite type of wine.

 

[rickswine]

Joyofwine - Racked my Moscato and it's in the secondary fermentor now. Did you add the whole f-pack to yours when it was ready and any comments on it yet?

I didn't add any of the f-pack to the primary. wanted to see how this will turn out by following the instructions Hate to tweak a kit that nobody has tried yet.

 

[JoyofWine]

Rickswine~I'm due to stabilize & clear on Sunday. I racked to the primary on the 18th. The bubbling in the airlock just slowed about a day ago. It was bubbling like crazy when I first moved it to the secondary, so I'm worried already about degassing it fully..I will add the entire f-pack because I like sweet.

I didn't add any extra sugar or any of the f-pack to the primary because I didn't want to mess with it either.

 

[JoyofWine]

The color is really nice & bright too, and it already seems to be settling nicely, so I hope it clears easily when the time comes.

~Joy

 

[rickswine]

Let me know how it comes out. My airlock is about done, not much activity. But, I got about 10 more days before I can think about stabilizing and adding the f-pack.

I've kept it about 72 to 74 degrees. When I racked it (after 6 days) the SG was already down to 1.002. I think it's going to ferment out pretty dry so I don't think adding the entire f-pack will make it too sweet.

I'm normally a medium body dry red guy but I do like something different, like a Moscato, once in a while.

Again, let me know how yours turns out.

 

[IronKnight]

On my 3rd one now. Love them. Have not as of yet bumped up the alcohol content but this next one I am starting I'll add part of the F pack at the first stage.

I just tried adding the F pack first and primary fermentation won't start. I've tried a couple things to correct this but my guess is there is additional sorbate in it and I'll have to toss the batch. Something to strongly consider if your trying this. Also if you do have luck with it please send me some advice.

 

[dralarms]

Before you toss it stir in a tablespoon or 2 of baking soda. My have too much kmeta in it.

 

[franki1926]

I just started their Coconut Frascati kit on Saturday, I will let you know how I make out, for $43 it's worth a try.

 

[joeswine]

fruit for thought

THESE KITS ARE SUPER CONCENTRATED,DON'T TRY TO DO TO MUCH WITH THEM,FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS IN THE END IT WILL MAKE A SWEET WINE WITH A GREAT PACKAGE,UNLESS YOU ARE EXPERIENCED WITH TWEAKING THESE KITS, THERE JUST BEST LEFT ALONE.

FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS....

 

[Loxalibations]

Black cherry merlot is my 2st attempt at a kit. Does anyone know if the flavor pack has perservatives? I mixed the merlot must with mixed berries (ala Dave's Dragon Blood) and would rather ferment out the sweetness of the black cherry instead making a sweet wine; I will keep the grape in carboy a few months before doing anything with cherry.

 

[KimA]

My last Coconut Frascati was great after it sat about 6 months.

We still add half the FPack up front. I've made about 10 of these kits and we have not had a problem yet adding the half of the fpack up front. Going to make the Tropical Reisling this weekend and may add the entire thing up front. We keep ours in a room temp of about 70 degrees.

 

[GaDawg]

Just curious, but why do you guys want to buy a sweet wine kit and make it less sweet? Why not just make a less sweet wine to begin with? If you want a Merlot, why not buy a Merlot kit?


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[cpfan]

Just curious, but why do you guys want to buy a sweet wine kit and make it less sweet? Why not just make a less sweet wine to begin with? If you want a Merlot, why not buy a Merlot kit?


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Even though it may be called a "Blackberry Merlot" it is not really a Merlot and more a "Blackberry flavoured Red Wine". Any varietal flavours from the base red wine are over powered by the fruit flavouring.

Why do people want to do it? Maybe just because it customizes the wine to their own tastes. Like when I make a white wine kit that comes with elderflowers, I always leave them out. Or when I make a red wine kit that comes with a tonne of oak, I leave a lot of it out. Those decisions reflect the tastes of my wife and I. Or the fact that I've never made a Viognier (that decision reflects my wife's opinion, not mine).

Steve

 

[GaDawg]

Steve, everybody likes what they like and we all do what ever we want to our kits. I have made a couple of these fruit flavored kits. I did add the F-pack to the primary on one and it did not turn out well. IMHO the wine is to poor to stand on its own and needs the sweetness. Just my opinion, but if I want a "hanging out on the back deck summer wine" I would rather have a Riesling or Gewürztraminer. But alas, I am starting a watermelon Merlot (with 5 lbs of sugar), the ladies sure do like them

 

[Loxalibations]

Just curious, but why...

I am new to wine making. My 1st batch was Dragon Blood recipe using mixed berries and Carambola (about 1/3 - 2/3 blend) w/sugar and frozen concord juice to sweeten prior to adding yeast. Then I spiced it (cinnmon & nutmeg) and back sweetened to 1.005. Cornucopa 1st first kit andI did not know it was a sweeter wine. I'l graduate to more expensive 'big-boy' kits as I gain confidence.

Do you have advice on more concentrated vs. add less water kits?
The spiced wine, by the way, was a pleasant first attempt. I am hoping for at least equally pleasant result from my 2nd attempt/1st kit. Thenon to real cab or merlot.

 

[Loxalibations]

Ps: GaDawg...thanks for the help. My wife likes sweeter wine (blush, muscdine, wht zin) so I'll stick to directions. I did soak/squeeze 3# mixed berries in the primary in an attempt to increase body (I cannot follow a recipe without tinkering with it when cooking either).

 

[GaDawg]

Do you have advice on more concentrated vs. add less water kits?

If I want more ABV I add sugar (simple syrup) wine does not age well if it is less than 10% ABV and most of the wine + fruit kits are sold as a wine cooler kit.

P.S. Do not boil the water! Boiling drives the O2 out of the water and the yest needs the O2.
My simple syrup is two part sugar and one part water, but it really does not mater as long as you end up with 6 gal. of must.

P.P.S. Wine yest like Lalvin EC-1118 will not go above 18% ABV so a SG of about 1.100 is a good safe start.

 

[KimA]

I like the flavors of the wine but just don't want it as sweet.

As for a tip for getting it started adding the F pack up front, we've up to now only done the half as I said. This time I may try adding the whole thing up front. That said, to get it started we did have to wrap it with an electric blanket. It seems to like the temperature higher to get the fermentation process started when adding the F pack up front than when we don't.

 

[KimA]

Well when Hubby made the kit this time, he added almost the entire bag up front instead of the half we usually do. It started fermenting then stopped. Did not move from 1.08 it started at. Day 7 he added a tablespoon of baking soda and it started fermenting again but today on day 10 in primary it still has not moved. I think we need to dump it and start over at this point. Thoughts? Should have stopped while we were ahead. LOL.

 

[Loner]

The SG isn't too high so that's not your problem. Make sure your temp is around. 75* Give it a good stir and give it another yeast pack. The only other thing that comes to mind is that you might have added the sorbate to it by mistake. !!


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