First kit started tonight!

[Boatboy24]

I think we win the proximity contest. I bet we are no further then 2 miles. Too bad our schedules don't let us get together more often.

Pretty sure I could easily jog to your house. But who would carry the wine?

 

[Scott Harbison]

Alright, the Merlot has settled in at .996 for 3 straight days, so I racked out of the 5 gallon carboy into a 6 gallon carboy. There was a good layer of light purple mud on the bottom, but nothing funky. I added the potassium sorbate and the metabisulphite to the racked wine. I know I didn't have to add the sorbate, but the kit called for it, so I went ahead and added that. I let the wine sit for a few hours, then used the pump I borrowed from JohnD to degas! WOW! Talk about a quick degassing. It took 5 minutes and I was done. Actually, I was probably done after about 3 minutes, but I wanted to make sure I degassed as much as I could.
I then re-racked back to a clean and sanitized 5 gallon carboy. Did a little tasting and not bad. Not great, but not bad.

I'll let the wine sit for 6-8 hours then I will add the Kieselsol. After that, I'll wait a few more hours and add the final clarifier. Then, I'm going to put this kit in the corner for about three months and let it do its thing. I'll do a tasting every 4 weeks or so to see where I am from a taste standpoint and try to determine when to bottle.

My first kit almost done! So far so good, Keeping my fingers crossed that I haven'r screwed anything up and it will be a drinkable Merlot at some point in the next 6-8 months.

 

[mainshipfred]

Alright, the Merlot has settled in at .996 for 3 straight days, so I racked out of the 5 gallon carboy into a 6 gallon carboy. There was a good layer of light purple mud on the bottom, but nothing funky. I added the potassium sorbate and the metabisulphite to the racked wine. I know I didn't have to add the sorbate, but the kit called for it, so I went ahead and added that. I let the wine sit for a few hours, then used the pump I borrowed from JohnD to degas! WOW! Talk about a quick degassing. It took 5 minutes and I was done. Actually, I was probably done after about 3 minutes, but I wanted to make sure I degassed as much as I could.
I then re-racked back to a clean and sanitized 5 gallon carboy. Did a little tasting and not bad. Not great, but not bad.

I'll let the wine sit for 6-8 hours then I will add the Kieselsol. After that, I'll wait a few more hours and add the final clarifier. Then, I'm going to put this kit in the corner for about three months and let it do its thing. I'll do a tasting every 4 weeks or so to see where I am from a taste standpoint and try to determine when to bottle.

My first kit almost done! So far so good, Keeping my fingers crossed that I haven'r screwed anything up and it will be a drinkable Merlot at some point in the next 6-8 months.

Sounding good! It appears you may have an empty fermenting vessel, what's the deal with that.

 

[Johnd]

Sounding good! It appears you may have an empty fermenting vessel, what's the deal with that.

Baby steps, baby steps........

 

[Johnd]

Alright, the Merlot has settled in at .996 for 3 straight days, so I racked out of the 5 gallon carboy into a 6 gallon carboy. There was a good layer of light purple mud on the bottom, but nothing funky. I added the potassium sorbate and the metabisulphite to the racked wine. I know I didn't have to add the sorbate, but the kit called for it, so I went ahead and added that. I let the wine sit for a few hours, then used the pump I borrowed from JohnD to degas! WOW! Talk about a quick degassing. It took 5 minutes and I was done. Actually, I was probably done after about 3 minutes, but I wanted to make sure I degassed as much as I could.
I then re-racked back to a clean and sanitized 5 gallon carboy. Did a little tasting and not bad. Not great, but not bad.

I'll let the wine sit for 6-8 hours then I will add the Kieselsol. After that, I'll wait a few more hours and add the final clarifier. Then, I'm going to put this kit in the corner for about three months and let it do its thing. I'll do a tasting every 4 weeks or so to see where I am from a taste standpoint and try to determine when to bottle.

My first kit almost done! So far so good, Keeping my fingers crossed that I haven'r screwed anything up and it will be a drinkable Merlot at some point in the next 6-8 months.

Surely you don’t mean that you degassed a wine in 3 minutes...... did you use some 4,000,000 rpm super degassing machine???

Seriously though, shoulda skipped the sorbate.....

 

[Scott Harbison]

John, that pump worked like a charm! I had enough room in the 6 gallon carboy that there was no concern at all for any back flow. Plus, the machine was far enough away from the carboy there was no concern regarding any oil getting to the wine. No doubt I will probably invest in something like that!

I know you said skip the sorbate......but I was nervous, so I mixed it in.

 

[Scott Harbison]

Sounding good! It appears you may have an empty fermenting vessel, what's the deal with that.

I do have my WE Lodi Cabernet going as well! So I'm moving along pretty good. Going to do some work on that one today too!

 

[Scott Harbison]

I added all of my kielesol and clarifiers this weekend and did another small tasting. Everything seems ok, but just ok. They body is a bit thin and I'd like to have a little more tannic bite to the wine. I did add oak chips in primary, but not in secondary. At this point is it too late to add a bit of tannin to my wine?

My research online seems to indicate I can add Tannin Riche or Tannin Riche Extra as long as its done at least 3-6 weeks prior to bottling. I'm planning on letting the wine age in the carboy for at least 3 months, maybe longer before bottling. Anyone had experience adding tannin post fermentation?

 

[mainshipfred]

You may want to consider spirals instead of chips and it's not too late. You can aslo add finishing or aging tannins if the oaking is not enough. I don't remember what kit you used so I can't comment on thin. Others may have thoughts.

 

[Scott Harbison]

You may want to consider spirals instead of chips and it's not too late. You can aslo add finishing or aging tannins if the oaking is not enough. I don't remember what kit you used so I can't comment on thin. Others may have thoughts.

Thanks @mainshipfred It's a Fontana Premium Merlot.

 

[mainshipfred]

Scott, when I google your kit I'm finding it is a 5.5 liter kit. If this is correct it will always be thin don't tink there is much you can do about it. It will make it a quick drinker though and for your first batch that's probably want you want. If you want a thicker full bodied wine take John up on his offer to walk you through the all grape wine process.

 

[Scott Harbison]

Scott, when I google your kit I'm finding it is a 5.5 liter kit. If this is correct it will always be thin don't tink there is much you can do about it. It will make it a quick drinker though and for your first batch that's probably want you want. If you want a thicker full bodied wine take John up on his offer to walk you through the all grape wine process.

You're probably right. I did drop my initial water amount hoping that would help some. I do have my second batch already in primary! I have a WE Eclipse Lodi Cabernet going, so I'm hoping that one will be nice. It'll be a while before I get that one done though. JohnD has even offered me a barrel to age that one in!

Reading more online, I may go with a cellaring tannin rather than the Tannin Riche which is a finishing tannin. I need something to bring it around.

I've already told JohnD, I'm willing to take a shot with grapes! He's aware of my lack of knowledge and says he's still willing to help, so I'm in!! he's helped me out a ton just on this first little kit. I'm lucky to have him so close.

 

[Johnd]

You're probably right. I did drop my initial water amount hoping that would help some. I do have my second batch already in primary! I have a WE Eclipse Lodi Cabernet going, so I'm hoping that one will be nice. It'll be a while before I get that one done though. JohnD has even offered me a barrel to age that one in!

Reading more online, I may go with a cellaring tannin rather than the Tannin Riche which is a finishing tannin. I need something to bring it around.

I've already told JohnD, I'm willing to take a shot with grapes! He's aware of my lack of knowledge and says he's still willing to help, so I'm in!! he's helped me out a ton just on this first little kit. I'm lucky to have him so close.

You’re in Scott, it’ll cost you a little manual labor, but it’s a labor of love. Once you taste the wine, you’ll understand why it’s worth the effort......

 

[Ajmassa]

Careful with the finishing tannin. A heavy hand is a really easy way to ruin your wine. Plus this wine is less than a month old- an infant. I suggest to not do anything aside from oak adjuncts, for at least 3-6 months. —another benefit of bulk aging.
Paul Mcartney knew the deal. In times of trouble- just Let it Be.

 

[Scott Harbison]

Careful with the finishing tannin. A heavy hand is a really easy way to ruin your wine. Plus this wine is less than a month old- an infant. I suggest to not do anything aside from oak adjuncts, for at least 3-6 months. —another benefit of bulk aging.
Paul Mcartney knew the deal. In times of trouble- just Let it Be.

I like McCartney. And as the Stones also noted..."Time is on my side".

 

[ceeaton]

I like McCartney. And as the Stones also noted..."Time is on my side".

Yeah, both of those songs were made after they drank a wine that needed some more age.

I agree with AJ, low end on the tannins if you add them. I did the low end of some tannin extra riche on an eight gallon batch of a bordeaux type blend I made. Even at three+ years old one of the comments back from the NE Great red wine tasting was that I had added too much oak. It gives a definite hint of vanilla. I'd prefer a spiral like Fred suggested or maybe even a few Xoakers. A new wine always seems to lack body, give it some time.

I find that I enjoy my home made wines much better with added age, much more than I though I would.

 

[mainshipfred]

Wait till you start doing MLF, you will be singing "Tiny Bubbles"

 

[Boatboy24]

Yeah, both of those songs were made after they drank a wine that needed some more age.

A little known fact.

 

[ceeaton]

A little known fact.

I like knowing little known things, makes up for knowing little.

That would make a great saying on a bumper sticker!

 

[Scott Harbison]

I did a little tasting of my very first kit, the Fontana Merlot this Labor Day and I was pleasantly surprised with the flavor and color. Still not much bouquet and while the flavor was ok, it was still thin. I did add the single oak spiral in hoped that will give the wine the little extra boost it needs. I stayed away from adding any additional tannins.
I'll taste again in three weeks and then decide if I should pull the spiral at that point or wait the full six weeks. I'm hopeful it's going to end up decent.