Just crushed my first grapes. How long after Kmeta to pitch yeast?

[heatherd]

It is now 5 days after my 3X splash racking. I gave it a smell and the sulphur smell seems to be dramatically improving... there might be hope for my first vintage from real grapes afterall? I believe I can attribute a lot of this to the adding of k-meta post fermentation and having the carboy under vacuum. I pump it once a day and can see very small bubbles coming out of the wine which I believe to be sulphur gasses (H2S, SO2?) rather than CO2.

I'm a bit lost at this point in the process. Having only done kits up until this point, I'm not sure if I am supposed to wait longer than I'm used to for bottling?

The sulphur smell is generally due to stressed yeast. Next batch, consider adding yeast nutrient at the midpoint of fermentation.

As for what to do next, your wine needs to clear and degass. If you can wait 6+ months, it will do both without chemicals or vacuuming. Add kmeta every three months, I use 1/4 teaspoon for six gallons.

If not, you can degas by vacuum and clear by adding superkleer KC. Note that some folks are sensitive to superkleer's shellfish-based ingredients, so you may want to label your wine with that info.

Once clear and degassed, you can bottle.

 

[v8rx7guy]

The sulphur smell is generally due to stressed yeast. Next batch, consider adding yeast nutrient at the midpoint of fermentation.

As for what to do next, your wine needs to clear and degass. If you can wait 6+ months, it will do both without chemicals or vacuuming. Add kmeta every three months, I use 1/4 teaspoon for six gallons.

If not, you can degas by vacuum and clear by adding superkleer KC. Note that some folks are sensitive to superkleer's shellfish-based ingredients, so you may want to label your wine with that info.

Once clear and degassed, you can bottle.

Thank you for your response. I believe I left this info out on accident, but I did add yeast nutrient after 1/3 sugar drop... as per the directions (fermaid K). I have been reading a bit and am also a bit susicious that a lack of oxygen during fermentation may also be the culprit.

Thanks for the advice on the next steps. I have only done kit wines up to this point so I was not sure if there was additinal time required or not so thanks for the input!

 

[derekjames100]

Thank you for your response. I believe I left this info out on accident, but I did add yeast nutrient after 1/3 sugar drop... as per the directions (fermaid K). I have been reading a bit and am also a bit susicious that a lack of oxygen during fermentation may also be the culprit.



Thanks for the advice on the next steps. I have only done kit wines up to this point so I was not sure if there was additinal time required or not so thanks for the input!

Looks like your fermentation was very fast...did the temp get real high...I bet the yeast got stressed and were in overdrive leading to H2s.

 

[v8rx7guy]

Well the good news is that it turned out to be some decent wine for my first try from grapes! I am sipping on about two ounces straight from the carboy tonight. Seems very high in acids which is funny because I actually added acid prior to fermentation because I thought 5.0 g/L would be too low! It is about 7.0 g/L right now which I really thought was in the sweet spot?

The french oak is quite noticeable and it compliments the regent quite well. My wife says she picks up a "rose" smell & taste. I taste cherry.

Color is a very very deep red almost purple.

Can you tell that I am a newbie when it comes to wine tasting? With time I suppose. Next year expecting 10-12 gallons so I am glad to make all of my mistakes this year! Definitely need a real pH meter to do this better next season.

 

[v8rx7guy]

I cracked open a bottle of this Regent wine for thanksgiving at my parents-in-law where the grapes are growing. It had aged for abut 2 months now, so pretty early to be tasting. we had a 10 person tasting and Everyone was very impressed, it is a halfway decent wine! Many picked up a citrus note. Will open another bottle at christmas.

 

[Stressbaby]

Seems very high in acids which is funny because I actually added acid prior to fermentation because I thought 5.0 g/L would be too low! It is about 7.0 g/L right now which I really thought was in the sweet spot?

You probably still have a lot of malic since you didn't MLF. Next year MLF your batch, I bet you will notice a big difference (for the better).

One thing, in retrospect, you could have added straight tartaric instead of the acid blend which is usually 40% malic.

 

[v8rx7guy]

You probably still have a lot of malic since you didn't MLF. Next year MLF your batch, I bet you will notice a big difference (for the better).

One thing, in retrospect, you could have added straight tartaric instead of the acid blend which is usually 40% malic.

Yes. Next year expecting a lot more fruit... hopefully 10 gallons of finished wine. This year 1 gallon, not worth the money to do MLF which seems to only come in large large batch quantities. I will make note of adding tartaric acid only next year.., I just used what was in my kit this year