Easy Sparkling Wine

[NashChic]

When I looked the other day it said out of stock & gave an option to sign up to be emailed when it was available. I never received an email, but it looks like its available now. Thanks!

 

[wineman2013]

The price on encapsulated yeast has come down alot

The original thread also gives tips about aging the base wine on the fine lees and a high dose of biolees for more of a champagne character

The thread also compares this method with tank carbonating. Encapsulated yeast is less work.

 

[sdb8440]

Hey wineman, can you post the link you refer please and thanks!

Scott

 

[Pumpkinman]

Trust me when I tell you that I've made Spumante on a larger scale and this tastes fine without bioless. I'm not saying that it may not be needed for other examples, but be familiar with what bioless brings to the table and why you need or don't need to add it.
I made my Moscato wine from a juice bucket, fermented to dry and cold stabilized, after that, i made the "asti spumante" type sparkling wine that came out perfectly.
Test a few bottle before you start adding and adjusting.

Tom

 

[wineman2013]

I like the brioche character lees aging gives , it's what makes champagne taste like it does and not like Sekt.

Biolees also give a little sweetness without actually adding more sugar , this balances out the acid sharpness of the extra co2

 

[Pumpkinman]

Sparkling wines such as Spumante need the acidity to off set the natural sweetness.
I'm a fan of Bioless, I recently used it to mellow a very tart wine that just wouldn't mellow out, no matter what I tried.

 

[joeswine]

sparkling wine

OKAY,sparkling wine ran out of sparkle,give me a recap on what was your base and what type corks,and your finishing?????????????/would like to try again....thanks

 

[joeswine]

sparkling wine

okay,I went through the initial post but I would like to pm,you on some of it or call.......still have the pino in reserve..

 

[Pumpkinman]

Joe, Sorry for the delay, I've been super busy with my business and getting ready for a few meetings/seminars that I am speaking at.
Message me your number and a good time to call, Thursday I'll have about 10 hrs while driving to talk (yes, on my blue tooth of course!), I'd like to discuss this with you.

 

[joeswine]

pumpkinman

finishing up the pics,on sangiovese kit tonight,then I will pm you for next time frame.

thanks JP

 

[iVivid]

Do you just 'scrunch' the pipe screens in there, or do you put them across the bung indent, so that they form a flat screen?

 

[Pumpkinman]

I just use my finger to gently press it in the plastic stopper, just enough that it won't come out. It is real easy, it almost looks like a semi circle with the encapsulated yeast under it.

 

[altavino]

on the back sweetening , wouldn't you have to pull the yeast filled closures out first and then sweeten and recork?

otherwise there would be additional sugar for the yeast and you end up with too much pressure.

asti spumanti isn't bottle fermented , its charmat tanks .

 

[Pumpkinman]

Asti is made several ways, in theory yes (on back sweetening) but I've never had any over carbonated bottles.

 

[Fabiola]

Pumpkinman, I used this method but after 8 months I have no carbonation in my bottles, I made a Chardonnay kit from WinExpert, so I am thinking in doing 2 things: 1) rebottle in regular bottles and use it as any other white wine, but I am afraid they are going to explode later, or just opening every bottle and put yeast and sugar again, what would be the best solution in your experience?

 

[altavino]

in order to be labeled asti , it has to be made charmat and the main base grape is muscat bianco. The muscat grape even when dry gives a sweeter character than the typical champagne grapes.

but hey this is home winemaking there are no DOCG rules.

I've done the encapsulated yeast method ( I knew Larry Patterson who taught bzac) and was a bit heavy handed with sugar additions ( I didn't use the coopers drops) and the wine was too pressurized , open the closure and it came out in a fountain of foam .

the base yeast is uvaferm 43 in prorestart capsules , its used to adverse conditions so can't be 100% sure to stop if given more sugar. safest way if adding more sugar would be to pull the yeast filled closures , sweeten and recork with an empty closure.

be careful , even champagne bottles can become bombs . in my case it just foamed over leaving an inch of wine in the bottle! I'm glad we were on the patio and not in the living room.

3 coopers drops gives me the bubbles I like.

 

[altavino]

Pumpkinman, I used this method but after 8 months I have no carbonation in my bottles, I made a Chardonnay kit from WinExpert, so I am thinking in doing 2 things: 1) rebottle in regular bottles and use it as any other white wine, but I am afraid they are going to explode later, or just opening every bottle and put yeast and sugar again, what would be the best solution in your experience?

did you use the sorbate and sulfite from the kit? if so its unlikley you can make bubbly from the base wine.

did you prep the yeast?

did the encapsulated yeast get stored somewhere hot or in the freezer? if so the yeast was killed.

 

[Fabiola]

did you use the sorbate and sulfite from the kit? if so its unlikley you can make bubbly from the base wine.

did you prep the yeast?

did the encapsulated yeast get stored somewhere hot or in the freezer? if so the yeast was killed.

I did not use sorbate, and the yeast was stored at room temperature, I did not prep the yeast, because I didn't know that, I don't think is in the recipe, maybe that's why I didn't get any carbonation

 

[altavino]

that would be it , in pumpkinmans first post and bzac's orginal instructions it says to hydrate and prep the yeast in water and sugar as per the encapsulated yeast manufacturers instructions

otherwise hydrating the dry encapsulated yeast in wine kills the yeast

 

[Fabiola]

that would be it , in pumpkinmans first post and bzac's orginal instructions it says to hydrate and prep the yeast in water and sugar as per the encapsulated yeast manufacturers instructions

otherwise hydrating the dry encapsulated yeast in wine kills the yeast

Now I remember I soak it in sugar water, but maybe not long enough, do you think it would be wise to hydrate new yeast and replace it in every bottle? and what about adding more sugar to bottles also?