WineXpert First wine making ever & some ?'s

[SteveH]

I'm currently making a Vintners Reserve Gewürztraminer, 6 gallon kit. Through reading everything I can, (and retaining some of it?) I do have some questions as bottling day approaches (per instructions). Our favorite wine is a local Vidal Blanc with around a 2-2.5% residual sugar. This kit was "the best fit" in stock at our local supplier. It says to try and wait at least a month before trying it, or even 3 months, or 6 months. I'm afraid to bottle it if we may want to tweak it. Next Thursday is 14 days after stabilizing and clearing. It does appear to be clearing nicely.

1. If we replace the air lock and bung with a solid bung and let it sit, is this bulk aging?
2. I'm assuming it should now be stored at a cooler temp some where dark?
3. When can we get a representative taste to see if we like it so we can bottle it?
4. Should we rack it into another carboy so as to leave the sediment behind? (and top up the other carboy with _____?)
5. Can it be back sweetened, and with what, and what are the sacrifices in doing that (we enjoy some grape flavor and aromas)?

I've read a lot on this forum but sometimes it makes me a bit more confused
Thanks, Steve

 

[britwinemaker]

1. If we replace the air lock and bung with a solid bung and let it sit, is this bulk aging?
Kind of - you don't need to rush anything right now and others with experience of this kit are bound to chime in. VR kits will happily sit on the fine lees (yukky stuff at the bottom) for 21 days before racking (siphoning) to a clean carboy. You can either leave an airlock filled with sanitizing solution or a solid bung in the top. But you should top up the carboy right up to the neck (2 inches or so below the top) with a similar wine.
2. I'm assuming it should now be stored at a cooler temp some where dark?
Yep.
3. When can we get a representative taste to see if we like it so we can bottle it?
You can do this when racking to another Carboy. It will give you an idea on sweetness but not its final taste. One tip - wines tend to taste sweeter the longer you keep them. So if it tastes fine now and you want to drink it within the next 6 months, bottle it and drink it now!
4. Should we rack it into another carboy so as to leave the sediment behind? (and top up the other carboy with _____?)
Answered in 1 and 3 above - rack to a clean carboy before deciding on topping up with a similar wine, bottling or back-sweetening.
5. Can it be back sweetened, and with what, and what are the sacrifices in doing that (we enjoy some grape flavor and aromas)?
That's one for someone else to answer as I've never found the need to do that.But I would imagine the kit would be quite sweet as brewed

I've read a lot on this forum but sometimes it makes me a bit more confused
Thanks, Steve

Hope I haven't confused you even more

 

[Julie]

I'm currently making a Vintners Reserve Gewürztraminer, 6 gallon kit. Through reading everything I can, (and retaining some of it?) I do have some questions as bottling day approaches (per instructions). Our favorite wine is a local Vidal Blanc with around a 2-2.5% residual sugar. This kit was "the best fit" in stock at our local supplier. It says to try and wait at least a month before trying it, or even 3 months, or 6 months. I'm afraid to bottle it if we may want to tweak it. Next Thursday is 14 days after stabilizing and clearing. It does appear to be clearing nicely.

1. If we replace the air lock and bung with a solid bung and let it sit, is this bulk aging?
2. I'm assuming it should now be stored at a cooler temp some where dark?
3. When can we get a representative taste to see if we like it so we can bottle it?
4. Should we rack it into another carboy so as to leave the sediment behind? (and top up the other carboy with _____?)
5. Can it be back sweetened, and with what, and what are the sacrifices in doing that (we enjoy some grape flavor and aromas)?

I've read a lot on this forum but sometimes it makes me a bit more confused
Thanks, Steve

You don't need to replace with a solid bung, you can continue to use and airlock.
Yes somewhere dark or throw something over to keep to light out.
Once it is clear, take a taste to see if you like it.
Yes rack it off the lees, I would do this even if you do decide to bottle, top up with a like wine or rack to a smaller carboy
Yes it can be backsweeten, add k-meta and sorbate, I normally take some wine out of the carboy, add sugar to that, heat it to melt the sugar and put that back into the wine and you won't lose and grape flavor. I would put some in a glass, take a hydrometer reading, add a little sugar to the amount in the glass, taste, add more until you have the flavor you are looking for, then take another hydrometer reading. One cup of sugar will sweeten your wine approx .018 per gallon

 

[SteveH]

Thank you soooooo much Adam & Julie!!! That's the information I was looking for! I feel better now.

 

[cpfan]

I'm currently making a Vintners Reserve Gewürztraminer, 6 gallon kit. Through reading everything I can, (and retaining some of it?) I do have some questions as bottling day approaches (per instructions). Our favorite wine is a local Vidal Blanc with around a 2-2.5% residual sugar. This kit was "the best fit" in stock at our local supplier. It says to try and wait at least a month before trying it, or even 3 months, or 6 months. I'm afraid to bottle it if we may want to tweak it. Next Thursday is 14 days after stabilizing and clearing. It does appear to be clearing nicely.

1. If we replace the air lock and bung with a solid bung and let it sit, is this bulk aging?
2. I'm assuming it should now be stored at a cooler temp some where dark?
3. When can we get a representative taste to see if we like it so we can bottle it?
4. Should we rack it into another carboy so as to leave the sediment behind? (and top up the other carboy with _____?)
5. Can it be back sweetened, and with what, and what are the sacrifices in doing that (we enjoy some grape flavor and aromas)?

I've read a lot on this forum but sometimes it makes me a bit more confused
Thanks, Steve

1. I don't like to use a solid bung.
2. Dark yes, Cooler only if properly degassed, which is a problem for many first time winemakers.
3. Taste? 3 months?? 1 month???
4. Yes rack before bottling. Topo up with Gewurztraminer or riesling or ...
5. It looks like this kit comes with an F-pack (http://noblegrape.ca/wine/gewurztraminer/). This is a sweetening pack that is added with the stabilizers & clearing agent. If so, you probably don't need to sweeten.

Steve

 

[BarBarrique]

please do not put anything in your fermentation lock that you would not want in your wine. changes in temperature, and, barometric pressure may draw the contents of the fermentation lock into the wine.

 

[SteveH]

5. It looks like this kit comes with an F-pack (http://noblegrape.ca/wine/gewurztraminer/). This is a sweetening pack that is added with the stabilizers & clearing agent. If so, you probably don't need to sweeten.
Steve

Thanks Steve . . . I was just thinking about that. I wondered if the F pack was a sort of "back sweetening." I also didn't realize our local winery's Gewürztraminer is a 7% residual sugar! Wow. I looked at WE site and the specific kit we bought, but no where does it tell you an approximate RS, just "one dot" out of ten for sweetness. I guess we'll find out in a week or so, but yes, I'm guessing it'll be fine as is.

 

[szap]

When bottling, I have ra ked to a gallon bottling bucket and that has worked really. well. Allows me to get almost every drop of wine and if careful when racking, no sediment.

 

[szap]

I meant to say I use a 6 gallon bottling bucket.