WineXpert LE Nebbiolo Starting SG

[Putterrr]

The way I see it, WE has acknowledged the issue so if things don't turn out perfectly, they will have to make good

toss the yeast and see how it goes. keep us posted as i will be starting one of these in the next few weeks

cheers

 

[Victord]

Racked mine to the secondary today. SG was at .996. Keeping my fingers crossed! Tasted pretty good at this point.

 

[wineh]

Well, it was an unusually slow ferment, but it got done (.991) and is in a carboy. Looked and smelled normal.

 

[Javila]

Guys, I ran into the same thing and had my sg @ 1.070 so naturally I got real concerned.....where did i go wrong? I used the drill, pressed the grapes, doubted my hydrometer and ended up sending email to Winexpert and contacted my local distributor. Panic no more ! It is not a typo on the instructions just needed additional sentence or two. Here is response from winexpert. Also, click on the link, explains it all. Javila



Hello Joe,

Your batch is on target. The grape pack will increase the gravity over the next few days. Here is the link to Tim's blog explaining thelow gravity day 1:



http://www.timswineblog.com/2013/04/a-matter-of-some-gravity

Ha !, just noticed previous page, problem was already addressed.

 

[boatbums2]

I have same kit, started at 1.065. added grape skins. two days in a row at 1.080
Read the blog and printed it. Feel relieved.

 

[darrengallop]

I ended up with the same SG. Was using a different primary than usual (one that I borrowed) and when I saw this really low SG, I was convinced that the 23L mark had to be way off so I augmented the kit using red grape concentrate and sugar syrop to get to 1.090. Was 100% convinced that my mark was off and scrambled to save the kit. Seems I was misled by the instructions. Really bummed that WineExpert, aware of their error, did not do more to notify distributers and retailers to ensure their customers would not be misled by incorrect instructions. I am fairly new to winexpert. Is this sort of careless business activity common with this company? Has anyone else in the past seen this sort of stuff with their kits. Kinda bummed here. The juice in the kits thus, far from my experience seems really good, but if the instructions are wrong then the quality of the juice becomes less relevant. Feel like WineExpert has miss led me into screwing up a $130 wine kit. Still in Primary now, Not sure what I will get as a finished product. Assumably it will be in the 15 - 16% range if the yeast in the kit can tolerate that sort of concentration. Fingers crossed that it is not horrible. On that note, what do you guys think about adding a bit of water since I am not heavy in concentrate? I am in day 3 of primary. There is about 25.5 L of liquid in there. The original kit 23L plus 2 litters of concentrate and 1 cup of sugar syrup. I did not have acid tester but assumably the acid level would be high and everything is off balance. If I added a few liters of water would that not help? Thoughts?

 

[wineh]

Darren,
I feel your pain. I'm not much of a tinkerer, so I'm hoping for the best for you. As a Winexpert regular, when I have a problem, I send them an email [[email protected]], or give them a call (888-424-4888). They usually have the answers I need. You could even cut and paste your post into an email to them, and they will provide the support you need. Ask for Linda.

 

[darrengallop]

Thanks wineh, Spoke with my local wineexpert store and am being taken care of. Plus I spoke to the folks at Winexpert and they are being very helpful. Going to put down another Nebbiolo kit and this one is becoming my frankenwine experiment. I am sure something at least interesting will come of it.

Thanks,

D

 

[beggarsu]

I am currently at about day 10 in Grand Cru, RJ Spagnols Nebbiolo.


My starting SG was 1.079-1.080 but after reading this thread I realize maybe I should have waited with more stirring to take another SG reading . 1.080 is OK but I wanted 1.09.
At day 7 did a SG ---> was 1.002.


But I had problems with temperature control so I don't know the effect of that yet.

Will find out mid july

 

[wineh]

I have sampled more than a few of these since bottling in June. It has already developed into a tasty wine, with some of the attributes mentioned in the sell sheet:Chocolate, licorice and violets so far. I know I'm supposed to let this one get to 18 months, so when I saw one on sale recently, I picked up a second kit. When complete, it will allow me to leave a case of the first kit for an extra year to see what it's like.
Knowing now about what we faced with the initial SG on this one, I worked the heck out of the grapeskin bag by stirring and stirring and finally working the bag with my sanitized hands until it was no longer gooey, but just a bag of skins and seeds. The SG was 1.086 when I pitched the yeast today. Based on it getting to .991 like the first one, the ABV should be in the 12.5% range, still not the 13% advertised.

 

[Railbird]

I'm sorry I didn't discover this post a few day earlier. I too had a low SG of 1.064 that I found shockingly low when the kit called for 1.095-1.100. Juice temp was 72F so I knew that part was good. Sent off an email on 01/22/13 to [email protected], but I have still not received a reply. Not bashing their product as I luv WineXpert wines however, their customer service sucks. This is my second issue with untimely service I've had with them. I did the stirring bit over the past few days moving the SG range through the 1.070's to a final reading this morning of 1.080. Threw in the towel and added the packaged yeast and will hope for the best.

 

[wineh]

try this one:
[email protected]
I think you may have better luck, I ask for Linda.

 

[Railbird]

try this one:
[email protected]
I think you may have better luck, I ask for Linda.

Thank you for that information wineh I'll certainly file it for future reference. I've been keeping tabs on the juice since I added the yeast and 2 noticeable things have happened. It started fermenting within 18 hours and the grape skins sack that initially sank to the bottom of the fermentor pail is now floating on top. Hopefully those are good signs. This morning I pushed sack under the juice with a stirring spoon, squeezed it against the side of the pail a few times, and then stirred the juice slowly. I will continue that procedure for another 5 to 6 days and see where it's at.

 

[Putterrr]

Sounds like your kit is behaving just like it should and your procedure is spot on. (others have different procedures but nothing wrong with yours)

cheers

 

[wineh]

Delicious

Despite my initial concerns, this wine has turned out to be one of the best LEs I've ever made. I have several two year old examples left.