Finer Wine Kit Finer Wine Kits

[GretchenR]

You can backsweeten any time after the wine is clear, and can do it in stages.

Math is a starting point. When anyone says, "backsweeten to taste", it's a literal statement. No one can reliably tell you how much sugar to add, as your liking is different from everyone else's.

Add sugar, stir well, and taste. Repeat until you are satisfied.

Wines meant to backsweetened are typically higher in acid, and require sugar to balance the acid. When tasting, consider how sharp the acid is on your tongue. More sugar will reduce that perception.

If you are unsure if the wine needs more? Let it rest a week or two, and taste again.

Don't worry about running the wine. Take your time, add sugar in small increments, and stir well.

Good advice. Thanks. That's what I'll do -- and maybe I'll bring in a taster or two. But I'm glad to know that I can take my time and do it in steps.

 

[ChuckD]

maybe I'll bring in a taster or two.

 

[winemaker81]

Good advice. Thanks. That's what I'll do -- and maybe I'll bring in a taster or two. But I'm glad to know that I can take my time and do it in steps.

Yes -- get a helper. I never backsweeten by myself if I can help it.

I have 2 FWK Frutta kits in production -- Strawberry & Blackberry. Each comes with 2 conditioning packs, which (for me) is a lot of sugar. Listening to other folks, I added a full pack to each wine, and surprisingly enough, neither wine tastes sweet.

Right now I'm bulk aging both for 3 months, and at the end of that time I'll add more sugar to each before bottling. I didn't expect to need 2 full packs for each wine, but it's entirely possible I will. Other folks have commented that 2 packs is not enough.

This illustrates at least 3 points:

1. everyone's taste is different.

2. fruit wines typically need sugar (I don't know of any fruit wine not improved with at least a bit of sugar).

3. acid needs sugar to balance.

 

[silverbullet07]

Being new to wine kits, I had some Questions about this upcoming finer wine kits. I saw a video with Matteo Lahm and Matt Pruszynski from 6 months ago talking about the upcoming kits. I assume they are talking about the upcoming kits in August. They mentioned about 2021 harvest and how Sangiovese is not available. So I am just wondering about the harvest times and when kits roll out.

Are the kits that are on preorder from the 2021 harvest. If so it seems it takes a year to get the kits out, doesn’t that seems like a long time to roll out?

I was just thinking about the timing and all and thought I would ask.

 

[Jovimaple]

Has anyone made a FWK cab sav with no skins?

I'm not a fan of hugely tannic dry red wines, but at Christmas one of my nieces brought a cab sav that seemed to be a bit smoother and not as tannic. I'm wondering if a FWK cab sav without skins will put me in the ballpark of what she brought.

I really like the FWK Barbera I made with no skins.

 

[winemaker81]

Has anyone made a FWK cab sav with no skins?

I'm not a fan of hugely tannic dry red wines, but at Christmas one of my nieces brought a cab sav that seemed to be a bit smoother and not as tannic. I'm wondering if a FWK cab sav without skins will put me in the ballpark of what she brought.

I really like the FWK Barbera I made with no skins.

If you're happy with the Barbera, I expect you'll be happy with the Cabernet Sauvignon. I made the Tavola Barbera w/o skins and it came out great for the style. Given the quality of the FWK, the CS should be equivalent.

 

[Bmd2k1]

Has anyone made a FWK cab sav with no skins?

I'm not a fan of hugely tannic dry red wines, but at Christmas one of my nieces brought a cab sav that seemed to be a bit smoother and not as tannic. I'm wondering if a FWK cab sav without skins will put me in the ballpark of what she brought.

I really like the FWK Barbera I made with no skins.

Haven't done the Cab (yet) -- but early returns on the Zin w/no skins is Awesome!

Cheers!

 

[Jovimaple]

Thank you both! I took the plunge and pre-ordered the Tavola CS.

 

[winemaker81]

Thank you both! I took the plunge and pre-ordered the Tavola CS.

I forgot to mention I have the Pinot Noir bulk aging, and it's looking good as well.

You may recall I have a triple batch of Forte Super Tuscan and a mixed Forte Syrah, Petite Sirah, & Merlot in barrel. I'm very happy with both, although they are the far side of the spectrum from a no-skins Tavola.

 

[Matt_Pruszynski]

Being new to wine kits, I had some Questions about this upcoming finer wine kits. I saw a video with Matteo Lahm and Matt Pruszynski from 6 months ago talking about the upcoming kits. I assume they are talking about the upcoming kits in August. They mentioned about 2021 harvest and how Sangiovese is not available. So I am just wondering about the harvest times and when kits roll out.

Are the kits that are on preorder from the 2021 harvest. If so it seems it takes a year to get the kits out, doesn’t that seems like a long time to roll out?

I was just thinking about the timing and all and thought I would ask.

These are Pre-orders because we ran out of the last shipment of FWK Fresh Grape Concentrate and are from the 2021 Harvest. We have a full Truckload of Fresh Grape Concentrate coming in at the end of July and will ship Pre-orders out the first couple of weeks of August. 2022 Harvest will be available in November.

 

[Jovimaple]

I forgot to mention I have the Pinot Noir bulk aging, and it's looking good as well.

You may recall I have a triple batch of Forte Super Tuscan and a mixed Forte Syrah, Petite Sirah, & Merlot in barrel. I'm very happy with both, although they are the far side of the spectrum from a no-skins Tavola.

I did some virtual wine tastings last year, where an IT security company paid for the wine to be shipped to participants' homes, and after we watched a short presentation about the IT security product, a sommelier would walk us through the wine tasting and we could ask questions about the wines. (This was all on Zoom calls.)

I learned I am not a fan of pinot noir or petite syrah. All the wines they sent were dry and the reds were very tannic. So I stopped signing up for those tastings, although most sent corked bottles so I got a few extra bottles out of the deal. Not bad for free stuff!

Is super tuscan a style that I would be able to buy in a liquor store and try? I decided I should probably do some taste testing before ordering other red kits!

Edit: never mind about super tuscan - I googled it and found the answer is yes!

 

[Old Corker]

So I stopped signing up for those tastings,

All I can say is
kidding…
My wife doesn’t like the full body reds either. The Bordeaux without skins might be to your liking as well. I did one with one skin pack and it is tasty and not super tannic. I do not recall if it’s available for pre-order. I have the Petit Syrah and CS aging but both got the full Forte treatment. My Sangiovese with double skins was bottled a month ago after 14 months aging. I may taste it tonight just cus It was so good at bottling.

 

[silverbullet07]

I love full body and the more tannins the better. Sign me up!

 

[silverbullet07]

These are Pre-orders because we ran out of the last shipment of FWK Fresh Grape Concentrate and are from the 2021 Harvest. We have a full Truckload of Fresh Grape Concentrate coming in at the end of July and will ship Pre-orders out the first couple of weeks of August. 2022 Harvest will be available in November.

Cool is the Sangiovese variety in the super Tuscan this year?

 

[Matt_Pruszynski]

Cool is the Sangiovese variety in the super Tuscan this year?

Unfortunately, the Sangiovese will not be available for this FWK Fresh Juice Concentrate Truckload. However, the FWK Staff is trying to secure more Sangiovese this Fall.

 

[jgmann67]

@Matteo_Lahm and @Matt_Pruszynski

I really enjoyed the year in review video from 2021. Wondering if you’ll do something similar to introduce this weekend year’s new products.

 

[3dB]

Instructions for both the FWK Forte kits and Winexpert Private Reserve (which also come with skins) tell you to put the skins in a muslin bag and "punch down" the bag daily for the first ~2 weeks of fermentation. Problem: that oxidizes your wine. In the first week or so, with very vigorous fermentation, it's probably OK, as the volume of CO2 generation will quickly dilute the O2 concentration. But much after a week, opening the bucket to punch down the skins is harming the wine. There is no such thing as a "protective blanket" of CO2 -- gases mix. Even if ongoing CO2 production dilutes the concentration of O2 to, say, 50%, that's still half a headspace of O2 oxidizing the wine.

In searching for something to weight down the skin bag, I fortuitously found "fermentation weights" -- the perfect, if accidental, name! Made for keeping, e.g., cabbage submerged when making sauerkraut, these are glass weights -- easily sanitized, inert, heavy, and easy to clean. I run them through the dishwasher before and after use, and dunk in StarSan prior to adding to the skins bag. They sink the skins below the surface immediately. While I can't actually see what's happening during fermentation, when I pop the lid to rack and degas, the skins are still submerged. I'm pretty sure they stay that way throughout fermentation.

I add any oak chips to the skins in the bag(s), so they're easy to remove. I put grape seeds in a separate muslin bag, to facilitate optional separate removal after ~a week (yes, exposing the wine, but only once, and at a point of still-healthy CO2 production). I'm still not convinced that's necessary; I've lately been leaving the seeds in longer and haven't noticed any bitterness.

https://www.amazon.com/TOPZEA-Ferme...d/dp/B08SM8R3K1/ref=sr_1_5?crid=3TEJTGOCHKDS9

 

[winemaker81]

Problem: that oxidizes your wine.

Nope. Punching down has been practiced for centuries, and it's fine. Numerous members of this forum have wines that have been aging 10+ years with no signs of oxidation. Additions of K-meta protect the wine from O2.

If you pump an insert gas into a tank, it quickly mixes. However, during fermentation and degassing the wine emits CO2 continuously, pushing the air out from the bottom, which is a different situation.

 

[X45011]

Labelpeelers will soon market FWK grape skin paks separately from FWK kits. Announement will be made to those on the mailing list.

 

[wineview]

Labelpeelers will soon market FWK grape skin paks separately from FWK kits. Announement will be made to those on the mailing list.

How do I get on the list