Other Finer Wine Kits new process white wines

[winemaker81]

Yeah, I think we got what we got. I’m going to rack mine this weekend. I want to see what the lees look like (how much carbon) and see what it looks like in a glass. Get a taste.

If the lees looks like mine did, you will see BLACK. The lees didn't look like normal lees. A plus is it compacted very tightly -- as near as I can tell I sucked up no sediment on the racking after fining. If there are no dude effects, carbon is useful for that alone.

 

[Matteo_Lahm]

If it looks like mine did, you will see BLACK. The lees didn't look like normal lees. A plus is it compacted very tightly -- as near as I can tell I sucked up no sediment on the racking after fining. If there are no dude effects, carbon is useful for that alone.

Remember that rosé wines are much darker than blushes. It looks darker in the carboy because of the volume but when you get in in the glass, it will be the right color.

 

[winemaker81]

@Matteo_Lahm, I was talking about the lees, although my reply doesn't indicate that. I updated my response to clarify.

 

[Old Corker]

@Old Corker here's my Rose which had no carbon addition. I didn't have a flashlight handy to backlight it, but as you can see it's quite dark.

View attachment 88798

I racked my Grenache Rosé off the lees today. The color is actually quite nice and it is delicious. I’m going to let it age a couple more months before bottling.

 

[bstnh1]

FWK Tavola Sauvignon Blanc just 48 hours after adding fining agents. The carbon cleared amazingly fast. Since Matteo said he was going to change the timing for adding the Kieselol and Chitosan to what the manufacturer says, I added the Chitosan 24 hours after the Kieselol. I noticed no clearing after adding the Kieselol. But within a few hours after adding the Chitosan the carbon was noticeably much lighter.

 

[iagowasframed]

FWK Tavola Sauvignon Blanc just 48 hours after adding fining agents. The carbon cleared amazingly fast. Since Matteo said he was going to change the timing for adding the Kieselol and Chitosan to what the manufacturer says, I added the Chitosan 24 hours after the Kieselol. I noticed no clearing after adding the Kieselol. But within a few hours after adding the Chitosan the carbon was noticeably much lighter.

View attachment 89585

yes my FW SB cleared faster than any other FW kit and is lighter than the others by far...for taste I'll have to see I'm just about to rack after 2 weeks clearing

 

[winemaker81]

@bstnh1, @iagowasframed, did your kits include bentonite? I have a theory that K&C work faster if bentonite is present.

 

[bstnh1]

@bstnh1, @iagowasframed, did your kits include bentonite? I have a theory that K&C work faster if bentonite is present.

My Sauv Blanc kit did not contain bentonite. But after learning that the newer kits did have it, I added a tablespoon of my own bentonite when I started it. The Chardonnay kit I just started did have the bentonite packet included.

 

[ratflinger]

Chunked the bentonite & the charcoal - I don't really care about the color. I will say that the Riesling & Muscato I made from the original white kits, which started out darker, are now (6 mo out) the correct color.

 

[iagowasframed]

@bstnh1, @iagowasframed, did your kits include bentonite? I have a theory that K&C work faster if bentonite is present.

Yes mine had bentonite and the charcoal

 

[heatherd]

We tasted the Sauvignon Blanc kits today and they are beautiful, clear, and fruity-smelling. We'll be bottling today.

 

[heatherd]

Here's a picture of our bottled Sauvignon Blanc.

 

[Mcjeff]

For those that have done the Moscato. Did you Add the “wine conditioner” to make it sweet? I made the WE Moscato and my mother in law really likes it. I’m wondering if anyone has a comparison yet and if the base kit is dry and you need to backsweeten ( if that is what the conditioner is).

 

[winemaker81]

For those that have done the Moscato. Did you Add the “wine conditioner” to make it sweet? I made the WE Moscato and my mother in law really likes it. I’m wondering if anyone has a comparison yet and if the base kit is dry and you need to backsweeten ( if that is what the conditioner is).

I haven't made the Moscato, but based upon general experience and my son's FWK Riesling -- the wine is intended to be sweetened, so it's likely the acid level is high to balance added sugar. If you bottle it bone dry, it's likely you'll find the wine is unpleasantly sharp later on.

You do not need to add the entire sweetening pack -- how much you use is up to you.

In my son's case, we added 4 oz, stirred well, and tasted. He prefers dry Riesling and thought it was good at 4 oz. I suggested he taste again and focus on the acid. He agreed the wine was just a bit too sharp. So we added 2 oz more, plus 4 oz glycerin, stirred well, and tasted again. That extra bit of sugar muted the acid to a pleasant bite and balanced the wine nicely. The final result is off-dry and fits my son's tastes.

OTOH, someone else might add the entire pack and be pleased. Individual tastes matter greatly.

I have a few bottles of Vignoles from a Finger Lakes NY winery. I purchased it over the net, and when I read the label it said it was sweet. Oops! I like dessert wines, but for a table wine I much prefer dry to off-dry. This wine has a VERY high acid, and the sugar is required to balance that acid. I can tell it has sugar in it, but it tastes off-dry to my palate, as the sugar is balancing the acid.

Let the wine tell you how much sugar it needs, and keep in mind that your taste is the final arbiter.

 

[Old Corker]

Filtered and bottler the Grenache Rosé this weekend. Along with a WE Chenin Blanc and my very first FWK, Sangiovese that has been bulk aging for 14 months.
The Rosé came out great although still kind of dark. Not an unpleasant color just darker than a typical commercial rosé. I will try to post a picture tomorrow.

 

[Old Corker]

We broke out all of our fancy white wine bottles for the Rosé

 

[ratflinger]

Thought I'd add this. Two Sav. Blanc - the left is a WE Aussy S. Blanc and the right is a FWK. The FWK DID NOT get the bentonite nor the charcoal. Both got the K and then stirred for a min, then 5 - 10 min rest & the C was added & stirred. These were made on 6/8 and are still in kill carboys. Lees fell out within a few hours. When FWK 1st came out with the whites I bought a couple. They have lightened over time, so I assume this kit will also, but either way I'm fine. Personally I see no reason to use the charcoal, but this is all for personal consumption and you may feel differently about your wine.

 

[user 35751]

I bottled the FWK Sauv Blanc this week. It is fantastic on the nose and smooth as butter on the palate, by the taste, it is the best I’ve made. Looking forward into its development in the bottle.

 

[GretchenR]

A few months ago I made the FWK Riesling with carbon and it cleared beautifully. Within a couple of days after adding the kieselsol and chitosan there was an obvious gradation as the carbon was precipitating out. Now I'm making a FWK Zinfandel Blush which also includes carbon. I racked and degassed and added the kieselsol on July 13 and the chitosan on the 14th. It's been ten days now and the entire six gallons is as black as it was the day I started the kit. Has anyone else had that experience, and does anyone have any suggestions beyond just waiting patiently until it does clear?

 

[winemaker81]

Has anyone else had that experience, and does anyone have any suggestions beyond just waiting patiently until it does clear?

I noticed that FWK don't clear as fast as other uses of K&C -- my normal experience is that sediment starts dropping within a few hours. The FWK have taken 10+ days to clear, but they cleared.

Have you drawn a sample to see what it looks like in the glass? The FWK whites I've made are a bit darker than typical, and the view through the thickness of the carboy is deceiving.

I'd give it another week to see what happens. After that, I'd try bentonite. Another dose of K&C is my second thought.