Other Finer Wine Kits & LabelPeelers

[Rembee]

I just received an email that my FWK Forte Pinot Noir from LabelPeelers shipped today. Just in time for cooler weather fermentation!

 

[Rembee]

Question, would a unpasteurized kit wine like FWK benefit from a finishing tannin like Tannin Riche?

 

[cmason1957]

Question, would a unpasteurized kit wine like FWK benefit from a finishing tannin like Tannin Riche?

That's probably a personal preference answer. I'm not sure how the pasteurization affects the finished product, with regard to the tannin levels. I haven't bottled either of my FWK kit wines yet and with the last tasting, I didn't think it was lacking in that zing, pucker, long finish experience that kit wines often are.

 

[Rembee]

That's a good point @cmason1957. It would be a personal preference.
I have been doing a lot of research on different complexities such as wine tannins and oak tannins. I was just pondering if more complexity in the bulk aging stage would lend more fruit flavor, stabilize the color better and have an overall better mouth feel in the mid range of the palate.

 

[winemaker81]

For color stabilization, look at fermentation first. Last year for red grapes, I used Scottzyme ColorPro and shredded medium toast fermentation oak. The result is seriously inky with already soft tannins and full mouth feel. I'm going to have a helluva time letting this wine age in the bottle -- barrel samples have been a bit on the excessive side.

I purchased the same for this year, before my plans for fresh grapes got scotched. I've ordered 6 Forte kits to fill the barrels, and intend to use the enzyme and shredded oak with the kits. Matt P & I discussed it, and while he couldn't provide a solid answer, he is of the opinion that the enzyme will work with the skinpacks.

So, since I've already got the enzyme and oak, I'm using it!

 

[Rembee]

Here is a thread on WMT that was started back in 2013 in regards to different tannins. It is an excellent read! Thought I would give it a lil bump here in case anyone wants to read it.

https://www.winemakingtalk.com/threads/tannins-know-when-and-why-to-add-them.42039/

 

[heatherd]

I just received an email that my FWK Forte Pinot Noir from LabelPeelers shipped today. Just in time for cooler weather fermentation!

Did your kit come with a packet of seeds? If so I'd just use that for tannins and see how it goes. Here's the quote from LP about Forte series:
Forte Series
Finer Wine Kits Forte Series are big bodied reds that ferment to 13.5-14% ABV! This wine kit is the closest you will get to commercial wine without using fresh grapes. Your reds automatically come with double skin packs and also include the innovative addition of seed packs for heavier tannins and a more complex phenolic profile. If you want even more subtlety and a higher alcohol content, the Forte Series is the wine kit for you. Must be aged for a minimum of 12 months.
https://labelpeelers.com/forte-series/

 

[Rembee]

Did your kit come with a packet of seeds? If so I'd just use that for tannins and see how it goes.

I have not received my Forte Pinot Noir kit yet. But your right, it is suppose to come with a seed pack as well as skins.
You do make a excellent point about using the seed pack for the tannins. Thanks for the reply!

 

[winemaker81]

I ordered the Forte kits -- if FedEx delivers tomorrow as promised, I'll get started!

 

[Rembee]

FedEx is suppose to deliver mine on Monday.

I ordered the Forte kits -- if FedEx delivers tomorrow as promised, I'll get started!

What temperature are you going to ferment at @winemaker81?

 

[globalnavigator]

I ordered the Forte kits -- if FedEx delivers tomorrow as promised, I'll get started!

Same here, looking forward to starting a Petit Syrah!

 

[Rembee]

Same here, looking forward to starting a Petit Syrah!

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!

 

[winemaker81]

What temperature are you going to ferment at @winemaker81?

65-66 F, my cellar temperature.

 

[Rembee]

My garage right now is at 68°. I've been monitoring the temperature in it for the past week. It has been varying from 66° to 72°. I was thinking about fermenting in the garage this time to see if I can get a longer ferment on the Pinot then I did with the Petit Syrah.
@winemaker81, do you know if the Forte kits will have the same yeast as the Tavola kits did, the RC212?

 

[winemaker81]

do you know if the Forte kits will have the same yeast as the Tavola kits did, the RC212?

Nope, no idea. I'll find out tomorrow.

The Tavola Chardonnay and Riesling have D47.

I'm doing something totally non-standard -- I'll be fermenting Syrah, Petite Sirah, and Merlot in one large batch. These are being blended anyway, to produce a Northern Rhone style blend. Besides, I don't have enough 7 gallon fermenters, but do have 32 gallon Brutes. Also, I won't be using the included yeast -- I'll be using Avante.

I purchased Avante and Scottzyme ColorPro before my grape plans got cancelled, so I'm going ahead and using them. Matt P thought the enzyme would work on the skinpacks, and since it's going to sit in my fridge for a year, I'm going to use it. I'll save the RC212 (or whatever is included) for another use.

 

[Rembee]

I'm doing something totally non-standard -- I'll be fermenting Syrah, Petite Sirah, and Merlot in one large batch.

Fermenting all 3 in one big batch as a blend sounds very interesting. I will look forward to hearing about your results on that Brian.

 

[jgmann67]

Nope, no idea. I'll find out tomorrow.

The Tavola Chardonnay and Riesling have D47.

I'm doing something totally non-standard -- I'll be fermenting Syrah, Petite Sirah, and Merlot in one large batch. These are being blended anyway, to produce a Northern Rhone style blend. Besides, I don't have enough 7 gallon fermenters, but do have 32 gallon Brutes. Also, I won't be using the included yeast -- I'll be using Avante.

I purchased Avante and Scottzyme ColorPro before my grape plans got cancelled, so I'm going ahead and using them. Matt P thought the enzyme would work on the skinpacks, and since it's going to sit in my fridge for a year, I'm going to use it. I'll save the RC212 (or whatever is included) for another use.

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.

 

[VinesnBines]

Nope, no idea. I'll find out tomorrow.

The Tavola Chardonnay and Riesling have D47.

I'm doing something totally non-standard -- I'll be fermenting Syrah, Petite Sirah, and Merlot in one large batch. These are being blended anyway, to produce a Northern Rhone style blend. Besides, I don't have enough 7 gallon fermenters, but do have 32 gallon Brutes. Also, I won't be using the included yeast -- I'll be using Avante.

I purchased Avante and Scottzyme ColorPro before my grape plans got cancelled, so I'm going ahead and using them. Matt P thought the enzyme would work on the skinpacks, and since it's going to sit in my fridge for a year, I'm going to use it. I'll save the RC212 (or whatever is included) for another use.

I tried to ferment three kits in a 32 gallon Brute with EC 1118. The room was 72 degrees but I couldn’t get them to start fermenting. I couldn’t find my brew belt so I had to drop down to buckets. That did the trick and they took off almost immediately. Let us know how you get along.

 

[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.

We are using 1 kit of each varietal.

We have a 54 liter barrel to fill, which requires 16-18 gallons of wine to fill/topup for a year. I'd have to make even more kits to ensure the barrel will be full if we tried to selectively blend.

Sure, we're rolling the dice on this one, but I'm of the opinion that any Vinifera reds can be blended with a good result. Some better than others, but still good.

The Syrah and Petite Sirah will make this a heavy duty wine, especially as it's Forte kits. The Merlot, although not a Rhone grape, will tone the robustness down a bit. From the available kits, this was the best choice we could make.

This will not taste like any Rhone made, but that's ok. Tastes in the family are wide open, and we're comfortable with field blends. If you haven't already, take a look a the list of blends in the Red Blend Ideas thread.

I tried to ferment three kits in a 32 gallon Brute with EC 1118. The room was 72 degrees but I couldn’t get them to start fermenting. I couldn’t find my brew belt so I had to drop down to buckets. That did the trick and they took off almost immediately. Let us know how you get along.

We used FWK's protocol for making starters -- the Chardonnay and Riesling were started Wednesday night (6-7 PM) and inoculated at 7:30 AM Thursday morning. By 2:30 PM I could smell fermentation near the cellar door, and even at 65 F, the fermentations are going strong.

IMO the FWK protocol for starters is solid, and I'll make 3 starters for the batch, pouring them carefully into the same location to establish a larger initial colony.

That appears to be the key point -- establishing a strong colony in the starter and then keeping it together in the must. Because of the larger volume it will take longer for the colony to spread.

If I'm wrong? I have most of a 500 g block of Avante left -- I'll make more starters!

 

[VinesnBines]

Keep me posted because I want to give a triple kit batch another go. Grapes did fine in the Brute but of course they had natural yeast as a booster.