Couple more really basic questions

[P2000]

As I learn from first batch, and started my second a few things occurred to me that I haven't looked at yet. I'll search here but thought I'd ask in the mean time.
My kit reads to keep the temp between 65-75. It's a moscato that has been consistently 68-70 and noticeabley behind the kit suggested times. Does that few degrees really make that much of a difference?
Secondly, bottling and ageing. I know this is a pretty basic, inexpensive kit. When I started it I figured I'd make it, bottle it and in 4-5 weeks drink it. Any thoughts on when to bottle and/or when to drink would be greatly appreciated.

 

[brewbush]

My 2 cents.

My basement is a steady 65-70 all year long. I have not noticed any significant change in the normal fermentation kinetics with wine. It seems to finish on time, yours sounds fine. I am sure there may be different yeasts that require different temp ranges, but the vast majority would be fine at that temp.

I have not bottled a wine in 4-5 weeks. With my kits they usually sit in a carboy topped up for 6-18 months depending on what I am doing. Some of this is because I like to rack every 3 months to make sure it is clear and to help it degas. The ones I rush are the ones that may have a bit more sediment or CO2 in them. I do this even with island mist kits and other cheapo kits. It might also be because bottling day can be time consuming and I like pushing it off =)

I usually sample a bottle 2-3 months after bottling. I am right now drinking my Eclipse Stags Leap Merlot which I made 4 years ago. It has only gotten better with time and I personally think it STILL needs time to breath a little when opening to fully open up. This half bottle with get Vacuvin top and tomorrow it usually is better still.

 

[heatherd]

@P2000 I used to bottle my first kits that quickly but found that they ended up still gassy and having a lot of sediment.

That prompted me to extend to 3 months bulk-aging, but that still yielded gas and sediment.

So now I ferment, and then bulk-age for 6 months. So far so good. I still taste for gas before I bottle, just to be sure.

 

[StBlGT]

Those temps are fine. The mid 60's is perfect for a white. Yes, fermentation can take an extra day or two because the temps are lower.

Don't bottle at the kit time. Wait at LEAST 3 or 4 months. If you don't, you will have some sediment and co2.....no doubt about it. Been there, done that. I bought an AIO and wait around 6-9 months before bottling.

As far as aging goes, try to find a dark, cool place with little to disturb it. Preferably in 50-60 degree temps. If you have that same 65 or 70 degree temp, that is fine, but will speed the aging process. Just make sure there isn't any extreme temp fluctuations. Wine DOES NOT like that.

 

[ShaunDanz]

I agree with StBIGT, 60's are good for whites. I like to cold ferment my whites, which leads to longer fermenting times. Often times it will take my whites four weeks to ferment depending on the temperature and the yeast I use.

My wine cellar holds 832 bottles and 144 gallons of bulk storage, so I generally bulk age my whites for six months and my reds for a year. This way I end up with very little sediment in the bottles.

 

[DoctorCAD]

Yeast can't read a calander. They are done when they are done.

 

[P2000]

In simple terms, when it hits .098 or lower, rack into glass, add the last 3 chemicals in my kit, degas and let it sit indefinatly?

 

[Scooter68]

Some kits are designed to be bottle and consumed quickly - the only issue with those might be that they won't keep well (beyond 18 months) Beginning wine makers are (Including myself in this)notoriously impatient and want things ready right away. Kit makers do what they can to make their wines drinkable faster but that does not necessarily mean they are better that way.

Nonetheless - those suggesting to wait (Age) the wine at least 6 months are giving you advice from experience.

After you have a few kits or from scratch batches experience you start to understand the meaning and value of patience.

I would suggest that you save at least one bottle of each batch a minimum of 18 months from bottling. (I have a section of my shelf for my "Reserve" Those won't get touched for at least 18 months or longer. If you get into larger batches you will probably start saving more than that. Read the threads on here and you will find a large number of folks wait at least 12-18 months for bulk aging and store bottles at longer after that as well.

 

[Amanda660]

Agree 100%. I have a rack for possible competition wines and a rack for taste me later. If we didn't do that we'd drink them or give them away! Just keeping it real!

 

[jgmann67]

In simple terms, when it hits .098 or lower, rack into glass, add the last 3 chemicals in my kit, degas and let it sit indefinatly?

Not exactly. Typical wine schedule for me - At around 1.000, rack to glass. Let it go another week or so to get your wine to the end of fermentation (0.990-ish) Depending on your instructions, rack or don't... and add kmeta and clarifiers. I leave out the sorbate (no need in a dry wine and I don't like the taste). Let it sit and clear about 10 days. Rack off the finer lees and let it sit 3 months. Rack, dose with kmeta and bottle... or rack, dose let it sit another 3 months.

Now, this is a moscato, so maybe you don't ferment to dry. Or, you go dry and backsweeten to taste. If you're anywhere near 1.000 FG, add the sorbate. But, you can't leave it indefinitely - rack and dose on a 3 month schedule. You'll want to make sure that fermentation is completely stopped; and your wine is fully cleared and degassed before hitting the bottle.

 

[P2000]

Not exactly. Typical wine schedule for me - At around 1.000, rack to glass. Let it go another week or so to get your wine to the end of fermentation (0.990-ish) Depending on your instructions, rack or don't... and add kmeta and clarifiers. I leave out the sorbate (no need in a dry wine and I don't like the taste). Let it sit and clear about 10 days. Rack off the finer lees and let it sit 3 months. Rack, dose with kmeta and bottle... or rack, dose let it sit another 3 months.

Now, this is a moscato, so maybe you don't ferment to dry. Or, you go dry and backsweeten to taste. If you're anywhere near 1.000 FG, add the sorbate. But, you can't leave it indefinitely - rack and dose on a 3 month schedule. You'll want to make sure that fermentation is completely stopped; and your wine is fully cleared and degassed before hitting the bottle.

Thank you. I'll search backsweeten, but any other thoughts this would be great.