Kit recommendations for Mateus Rose wine?

[ringmany]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to Wine-making and my friend has requested a wine. She would like:

'Mateus Rose Wine' which from my research is a Portugal wine. I'm not a massive wine drinker myself and I haven't heard of this one before. The main description is:

"Young, fresh, fruity and versatile wine. Wine of Portugal".

I haven't been able to find a kit or recipe online for this particular wine. As I'm a bit inexcperienced, I'm uncertain what types of Rose wine would be similar to this. I've found a few recommendations when search such as:

https://www.the-home-brew-shop.co.uk/acatalog/Magnum_5_Gallon_Rose_Wine_Kit.html

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00BS7AFJK/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

https://www.balliihoo.co.uk/vinclasse-rose-23-litre-7-day-wine-p-681.html?products_id=681

Does anyone have any recommendations for a kit of recipe similar to the wine that my friend has recommended?

Thanks.

 

[Slappy]

I don't have a recipe for you but my recommendation is to make a kit rose and finish it on the slightly sweet side. I have memories of mateus rose from a couple of decades ago. It's not exactly a fancy or refined wine but more a simple every day at the table wine. My mum used to drink it as it was good value back when there weren't too many choices. If mateus is still the same as I remember then I'm pretty sure you can make something your friend will enjoy.
Winemaking isn't all that hard and kits are pretty decent these days. Keep everything very clean (I use starsan exclusively for winemaking and brewing to sterilise) and follow the instructions well and you can't do too much wrong. Rose isn't a wine to age so when it's clear bottle and enjoy.

 

[ringmany]

I don't have a recipe for you but my recommendation is to make a kit rose and finish it on the slightly sweet side. I have memories of mateus rose from a couple of decades ago. It's not exactly a fancy or refined wine but more a simple every day at the table wine. My mum used to drink it as it was good value back when there weren't too many choices. If mateus is still the same as I remember then I'm pretty sure you can make something your friend will enjoy.
Winemaking isn't all that hard and kits are pretty decent these days. Keep everything very clean (I use starsan exclusively for winemaking and brewing to sterilise) and follow the instructions well and you can't do too much wrong. Rose isn't a wine to age so when it's clear bottle and enjoy.

Hi,

Thanks for the reply,

I was also recommended this one: "CELLAR 7 PINOT GRIGIO BLUSH (ROSÉ)"

Do you have any experience with this one? Hoping I can make one as sweet as the one you tasted. Thanks.

 

[Slappy]

I had a look at the links you posted and I'd go with the Vinclasse one as it's pure grape concentrate and the info mentions Mateus rose. Best thing if starting with a kit is to just give it a go and not think too much.
I don't use kits anymore but when I did the wine wasn't too bad and it was as easy as it gets. Now I pick and crush grapes and spend dozens of hours on my wine. Kits take a couple hours of your time and that includes bottling.
Get one started and let us know how you go

 

[ringmany]

I was browsing online and one of the online store owners recommended the CELLAR 7 PINOT GRIGIO BLUSH (ROSÉ) stating:

"Mateus is a fairly sweet pink rosé style wine,
I think probably the closest would be the Cellar 7 Pinot Grigio Blush"

However having gotten it today my family said that Pinot ****** is a dry wine. I wanted a sweeter one. Do you know anything about this kit? Maybe the blush version is different. I can't find any reviews or descriptions to state otherwise.

 

[sour_grapes]

However having gotten it today my family said that Pinot ****** is a dry wine. I wanted a sweeter one. Do you know anything about this kit? Maybe the blush version is different. I can't find any reviews or descriptions to state otherwise.

Pinot Grigio is a grape. Therefore, it may be made into different styles of wine -- sweet or dry, white or blush, etc.

I just read the generic instructions for your kit. They do not mention sweetening, so if you do this kit as instructed, it will not be sweet. But you can change that!

For all homemade wines, you should let the fermentation proceed "to dry," that is, let the yeast eat ALL of the sugar. Your wine will not be sweet at this point. After racking after the end of your fermentation, you should "stabilize" the wine by adding potassium sorbate. This may or may not be included with your kit. This chemical serves to prevent any remaining yeast from reproducing. (Neither it nor potassium metabisulfite will actually kill your yeast.) After adding potassium sorbate, you can add sugar to your wine to make it sweet.

If you add sugar without having added potassium sorbate, the yeast can/will start fermenting the added sugar. ("Bottle bomb.")

 

[Donatelo]

I might add, be careful how much sugar you add, as, once it is in , it can't be taken out. When you are ready to back sweeten, make a syrup of your sugar and measure each addition to a given quantity of wine (quart?). Add the syrup in small doses to that quart, keeping track of how much you have added. When it tastes to your liking, figure out how much you will need for the rest of the kit. Use your math skills!
Sour grapes gives some solid advice. Listen to him. He has set me straight many times.

 

[ringmany]

Pinot Grigio is a grape. Therefore, it may be made into different styles of wine -- sweet or dry, white or blush, etc.

I just read the generic instructions for your kit. They do not mention sweetening, so if you do this kit as instructed, it will not be sweet. But you can change that!

For all homemade wines, you should let the fermentation proceed "to dry," that is, let the yeast eat ALL of the sugar. Your wine will not be sweet at this point. After racking after the end of your fermentation, you should "stabilize" the wine by adding potassium sorbate. This may or may not be included with your kit. This chemical serves to prevent any remaining yeast from reproducing. (Neither it nor potassium metabisulfite will actually kill your yeast.) After adding potassium sorbate, you can add sugar to your wine to make it sweet.

If you add sugar without having added potassium sorbate, the yeast can/will start fermenting the added sugar. ("Bottle bomb.")

Hi,

Thanks for the reply,

I do have some 'Youngs wine sweetener' and also spare brewing sugar. Which recommends "Add 1 teaspoon/5ml per bottle of finished wine" So if I'm making 30 bottles of wine, I should add my stabaliser to kill of the yeast. Then add around 150ml of sweetener, mix, give it a taste to see if it's sweet enough, then I'm good for bottling?

Do you believe it may be better to look for an alternative kit rather than sweeten a potentially dry wine? I'm having a lot of trouble finding a kit similar to the Mateus wine.

Thanks.

 

[mainshipfred]

Young's Wine Sweetener is a combination of Saccharin and Glycerol. I know Glycerol will not ferment and I'm 85% sure Sacchurin won't either. You may not need the K Sorbate if you ferment it dry.

 

[sour_grapes]

I should add my stabaliser to kill of the yeast.

Please re-read my first post more carefully.

Do you believe it may be better to look for an alternative kit rather than sweeten a potentially dry wine? I'm having a lot of trouble finding a kit similar to the Mateus wine.

AFAIK, kits that purport to make a sweet wine work basically the same way. After fermentation, they have you add a stabilizer containing potassium sorbate, then add a "flavor-pack" that contains a sweetener.

Young's Wine Sweetener is a combination of Saccharin and Glycerol. I know Glycerol will not ferment and I'm 85% sure Sacchurin won't either. You may not need the K Sorbate if you ferment it dry.

I see -- that makes sense. For taste reasons, I personally would not want to drink a wine that was sweetened with saccharin.

 

[meadmaker1]

Listen to sour grapes.
He posted solid advice, as he always does.
If you look for tips on less dry wine you will find similar advise over and over.
You can play with your sweetener on store bought wine . With sugar you can take an sg reading before starting and check again after you find the sweetness you like, im not sure how the sweetener will effect sg . Write that number down and make a note of where you wrote it down and good luck finding either when you need it, lol.
I prefer a less dry to sweet wine and always back sweeten. ALWAYS. And i flavor pack often .

 

[ringmany]

personally would not want to drink a wine that was sweetened with saccharin.

Sorry, accidentally misread the part about the yeast. What is saccharin in regards to wine? Reading online it adds sweetness. Does it make it taste synthetic? Or simply too sweet? In regards to sweetening via sugar instead of sweetener,

It appears the kit does come with a stabiliser:

"Add Pack C (Stabiliser) and mix thoroughly."

Is there a particular amount that I'm adding? Or do I simply keep adding and mixing brewing sugar, then sampling until sweetness is satisfactory, then it's ready for bottling? Will I need to mix with hot water to dissolve? I imagine after clearing the wine is going to be fairly cold, so it may not mix as easily. But hot water could potentially dilute.

Cheers.

 

[meadmaker1]

Make a simple syrup. Hot or cold, just be sure all the sugar is dissolved. And mix at room temperature.
Saccharin might give a diet pop after taste
I usually stop a bit shy of my target now. Sweetness seems to come forward after 6 months or so. Thats why bulk aging is recommended.
Make it
Stabilize
Sweeten some, and whatch it it shouldnt start bubbling again if it is stableized.
3 months later tast it.
Sweeten more if needed. Follow bulk aging protocols and taste again in 3 months.
If there is sediment on the bottom, taste rack repete.

 

[meadmaker1]

@ringmany
Welcome to the forum
You are in the UK .?

 

[mainshipfred]

I see -- that makes sense. For taste reasons, I personally would not want to drink a wine that was sweetened with saccharin. [/QUOTE]

Probably would have never thought about using sacchrin or any other artifical sweetener especially now since you brought it up. I have never had one that appealed to me. I have used glycerol in moderation with good success. It's my understanding glycerol doesn't sweeten the wine but simply gives the perception of sweetness, whatever that means.

 

[ringmany]

Hi,

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. Appreciate. Just to confirm when I should work on the sweetness. The instructions show:

6. Add Pack C (Stabiliser) and mix thoroughly.
7. After 3 hours add Pack E (Finings 1) mix well and leave for 1 hour.
8. After 1 hour add Pack F (Finings 2) and mix well. Leave the wine to clear.

Should I be adding my simply syrup immediately after I've added my stabiliser, then once sweet enough, proceed to steps 7 and 8. Or should I complete 7 and 8 first, then add my sweetener and leave to clear. Do I have to wait a little while after adding my stabiliser for it to kick in before adding my sugar, or should I do it immediately?

Cheers.

 

[meadmaker1]

Ive added sweetener with stableizer
Fyi it usually seems sweeter after a month or so. I cant explain the magic but sweeten carefully you can always add more. Be sure to take sg after. You may be able to zero in on a lvl you like, making sweetening easyer to dial in on future batches
I use honey add there is some clearing associated with it. Flavor packs will require clearing too.

 

[ringmany]

Ive added sweetener with stableizer
Fyi it usually seems sweeter after a month or so. I cant explain the magic but sweeten carefully you can always add more. Be sure to take sg after. You may be able to zero in on a lvl you like, making sweetening easyer to dial in on future batches
I use honey add there is some clearing associated with it. Flavor packs will require clearing too.

I've been browsing online for techniques. I've seen some videos where they take around 10 small samples of wine, each with different gravity readings. However, they don't explain the process. I've been researching online but I'm uncertain what the exact technique is called.

So if I were to do this, would I for example take 10 samples, 100ml of wine. Then add for example 1 drop of sweetener / syrup in each sample, adding 1 extra drop in each glass. Then I can somehow calculate the gravity reading to determine how much is needed in the 5 gallon batch?

Is there a specific calculation to use. Or would I do something like:

100ml of wine = 0.995 gravity
100ml of wine with 1 drop of sweetener (0.05ml) = 1.000

5 gallon = 22.7 litres (22700ml)

22700 divided by 100 = 227

227 drops x 0.05ml = 11.35ml of sweetener

5 gallon of wine with 11.35ml of sweetener = gravity 1.000 (Desired sweetness)

 

[meadmaker1]

Some thing like that, im not the guy to check your math. Most of my stuff comes in around 1.010 sg
I add a predetermined amount of honey, diluted in some wine so it will blend easyer.
Give it a light stir or mix by racking, check sg after a week or so and taste.
Then check again in a month or three.
It seems to take time for the flavors to blend.
Might be a mead thing?
Then I never bottle untill a batch sits a month with no sediment, after adjusting or racking.

 

[Jal5]

I have only done the sweetening operation once so take this instruction for what it's worth. We knew we liked a store bought red wine that checked a SG of 1.010 so we aimed for that level of sweetening with our wine. Taking small samples, less than a glass each sample we back sweetened our wine using a simple syrup solution of our wine plus sugar 50/50 till we got approximately to that 1.010 SG. Since we liked that level of sweetening I then a little at a time with constant SG checking sweetened our entire 5 gallons to 1.010 SG using the same simple syrup. I think it came out ok but it is a somewhat slow process. I didn't want it too sweet immediately with the idea that the wine would tend to get sweeter as it ages.