Other Finer Wine Kits & LabelPeelers

[winemaker81]

IMHO Bentonite is useless. I haven't used it in over 2 years and have noticed no differences, except less lees. I used to only make Mosti kits and they stopped using Bentonite 2 or 3 years ago, so there was my justification to stop. George, at Fine Vine Wines, agreed. Bentonite comes in a kit? I throw it away. YMMV

It was mentioned in another thread that kits sometimes had a protein haze, so early addition of bentonite fixed that. Supposedly it's not a current problem.

Looking at this from the POV of kit vendors, the early addition of bentonite helps with clearing the wine on kit wine schedule -- if the customer is trying to bottle in 28 days, it's insurance that the wine will clear. The process has to work on the first try, else there will be no repeat business.

Everything in kits from reputable vendors makes perfect sense, if viewed from their POV.

 

[Mekpdue]

I have a FWK Tavola Petit Syrah bulk aging right now. I started it this past Aug and did a 4 week EM on the double skin pack. It is coming along excellent! The depth of flavor already on this wine is amazing!

Rembee, I've got a Forte Bordeaux coming off primary fermentation this weekend, and your comment intrigued me and got me to thinking. I'm assuming your extended maceration was done in the same fermenter, and if yes, you must have left the seeds in the wine also. Have you done this in the past? Did the seeds give a higher tannin taste? Just curious, as on one hand this should impart more flavors, on the other hand, it seems like a long time for a kit wine to be sitting in the primary for a month (bitterness from the seeds an additional thought).

The Petit Syrah is on my short list, after a Merlot (drinking and top off batch).

 

[Rembee]

@Mekpdue, The Tavola FWK's do not come with seed packs.
I did not EM in the same fermenter. My primary was done in a 10 gal. white brute container. When the SG was down to a 1.010 I racked into a 30L Speidel. Then I placed the brew bag of skins in it and closed it up. At the 4 week mark I could see that the bag of skins had started to sink down inside the Speidel. I then racked into a 6 gal. carboy leaving the skins behind.
I do have a FWK Forte Pinot Noir with double skin pack and a seed pack waiting to be fermented. When I do the EM on it I will once again rack into the 30L Speidel and place the brew bag of skins into it also. I will not transfer the seeds over. As you mentioned, I don't want to chance any bitterness from the seeds while under a 4 week EM.
Hope this is helpful!

 

[Old Corker]

Rembee, I've got a Forte Bordeaux coming off primary fermentation this weekend, and your comment intrigued me and got me to thinking. I'm assuming your extended maceration was done in the same fermenter, and if yes, you must have left the seeds in the wine also. Have you done this in the past? Did the seeds give a higher tannin taste? Just curious, as on one hand this should impart more flavors, on the other hand, it seems like a long time for a kit wine to be sitting in the primary for a month (bitterness from the seeds an additional thought).

The Petit Syrah is on my short list, after a Merlot (drinking and top off batch).

I don't think FWCo started providing the seeds pack until they came out with the Forte line of kits. When I mixed my Forte Bordeaux I put the skins in the muslin bags and sprinkled the seeds and wood chips on top of the must. I then racked mine into Big Mouth Bubbler at SG1.010 along with the skins bags but left the seeds and oak chips behind. That is slightly different than the instructions but only slightly. My batch was only on the seeds for 5 days.

 

[Rembee]

Also to give an update, my FWK Tavola Petit Syrah has been bulk aging in the 6 gal. carboy since September 26th. I pulled a sample of it this past weekend. The wife and I both agree, even as a young wine, it rivals any store bought bottle of Petit Syrah that we have bought!
The depth of flavor and the aromatics are outstanding. I am very pleased with the results so far.

 

[Rembee]

I finally got around to starting my FWK Pinot Noir Forte yesterday. It's already lightly fermenting and smelling terrific. I'm stirring it 3 times daily at a temp of 65°. Hopefully the cooler temperature will take longer to ferment out. Time will tell lol.

 

[jgmann67]

I finally got around to starting my FWK Pinot Noir Forte yesterday. It's already lightly fermenting and smelling terrific. I'm stirring it 3 times daily at a temp of 65°. Hopefully the cooler temperature will take longer to ferment out. Time will tell lol.

I’m very interested in the Pinot. I haven’t made one in a few years. Keep the updates coming.

 

[Sailor323]

I have made many kits of Pinot Noir, Wine Expert, RJS, etc. I recently tasted the FW pinot that I bottled at the end of July--the best Pinot ever!

 

[Rembee]

3 days into the fermentation of the FWK Pinot Noir Forte and tonight its already at a 1.020. The OSG was a 1.108. The RC212 are chewing right through it. I will rack tomorrow into my Speidel 30L with the skin packs and leave the seeds and oak chips behind. Then start a 4 week EM. The smell of the wine already is amazing!

 

[Rembee]

Well yesterday evening I racked the FWK Pinot Noir Forte into the 30L Speidel and put the 2 muslin bags of skins in with it for a 4 week EM. The smell of the wine is intoxicating. The remainder, which was not very much, maybe 2oz, I letf it to settle out in the frig. Today I took it out and placed a kitchen towel over the glass to come up to room temperature. Man O man, it did not even taste like a newly green wine. My taste buds went crazy! The wine also has tremendous nose and legs. Needless to say I'm a very happy camper, or should I say wino .
Hats off to the Finer Wine folks and LabelPeelers for a very superb wine kit!

 

[winemaker81]

Are Rhône’s blended in equal parts of each varietal? I worry that once you pour them together you can’t undo it and that might not be the flavor profile you want. If you were closer, I’d run some fermentation buckets over to you to borrow.

I was not concerned. Both Syrah and Merlot are good blending grapes, both as a main and as an adjunct. Petite Sirah is the wildcard, but I was confident enough to try it.

We tasted the blend the other day. It's fruiter than I expected and very tasty. I expect barrel time will reduce fruitiness and increase complexity. We are very pleased.

Keep in mind that this blend was not formulated blindly. I reviewed the individual grape characteristics and how they are blended commercially. While there is an element of risk, I judged it acceptable -- for me, anyway. My son and niece trust my judgement, and we went forward.

 

[Rembee]

I agree with @winemaker81. The FWK Petit Syrah does have a very fruit forward taste with a full body. The wine also has lots of complexity from the front of the palette to the back.
Mine has been bulk aging since I finished the EM on it for 3 months now. In Feb. I will add another does of kmeta to it and I'm looking forward to sampling it.

 

[heatherd]

I’m very interested in the Pinot. I haven’t made one in a few years. Keep the updates coming.

Same - I'm debating doing Pinot or Merlot.

 

[Rembee]

Today I racked my FWK Pinot Noir Forte from the 30L Speidel into a 6 gallon carboy. It has been right at 5 weeks of EM for this wine. Both skin packs had sunken to the bottom of the Speidel. I added a 1/4 tsp of kmeta and 1 tsp of grape tannin to it then degased it some. It's now under an airlock. I will top it up tomorrow with 2 bottles of a Pinot Noir that my wife and I enjoy drinking.
The aroma of it was very delightful. I took a small sample for my wife and I to taste and although it's still very green with a nice bite, it has a wonderful mouth feel and a very fruit forward taste of blackcherry and grape notes to it. Also a slightly earthy taste. Very nice full bodied wine with good legs. I will definitely make another FWK Pinot Noir Forte later this year.

 

[She’sgonnakillme]

The Bordeaux so far is showing me a lot of promise as well, can’t wait to get some age under it.