Making small batch pinot noir from juice

[DansWinemaking]

Hi All,
If this inquiry has been answered in the past, please direct me to the thread. I'm new to the site.

I bought a quart of bottled pinot noir and plan to start a ferment as soon as one of my fermenters frees up.

It is small batch, 1 gallon, the juice is 1 quart plus water. Other than Bentonite, oak and yeast, should I be adding anything else, seeds , nutrients, sugar?

This is a first non kit effort. Thanks! Dan

 

[winemaker81]

Don't dilute the juice. Grapes are the poster child for winemaking because the juice is the closest thing to perfect for winemaking, having the right sugar, acid, etc. If you dilute the juice that much, you're going to make alcoholic Kool-Aid.

Another tip -- if you want a gallon batch, start with 5 quarts as you'll lose volume to solids and at each racking.

Making wine from juice, which is what is typically done for white wine? Check the SG -- that will let you know if you need to add sugar, and how much.

Bentonite strips color from reds, although my understanding is that if added pre-fermentation, it does less and helps the wine clear faster.

Yeast nutrient is a good idea, as it helps ensure a rapid and healthy ferment, especially necessary for yeast strains that produce H2S.

 

[Hazelemere]

leave out the bentonite

 

[DansWinemaking]

Thanks for all the feedback. I don't want to break any rules regarding naming brand names so here's just the spec. Apparently made to be diluted.

" Our Pinot Noir 68 brix grape concentrate is not an extract, but pure juice concentrate, made from 100% pure Pinot Noir grape juice. The color of the concentrate is a rich purple. Only the water is evaporated, leaving pure juice. It is all natural, no sugar added. The average single strength juice is about 22 to 24 brix. This product is very low in sulphur, <100 ppm. The approximate dilution rate is 1:2.8, yielding roughly 3.8 quarts of single strength juice per quart. This concentrate is available in quarts, 1.5 gallon, 3 gallon, 4 gallon or 54 gallon drums. "

 

[winemaker81]

There are no rules regarding naming brands. We share brand feedback on a normal basis.

There is a huge difference between concentrate and juice, and so far it appeared you had juice.

For batch planning, 3.8 quarts is a problem, as after fermentation you'll probably have 3.5 quarts. You'll need to topup with a commercial Pinot Noir to fill a 1 US gallon or 4 liter jug for bulk aging. Do not dilute to a larger volume, as it will make a thin, disappointing wine.

Batch planning is one of the biggest problems beginners have. Initial volume is easy, just get a fermenter that is large enough (fill no more then 3/4 full). During fermentation O2 is not a problem as yeast needs O2 for reproduction, and it's outgassing a lot of CO2.

Post-fermentation? O2 may be yeast's friend, but it's wine's enemy, as exposure to O2 over time will produce oxidation. Secondary containers need to be full within a few inches of the stopper.

What are you planning to use for secondary storage, e.g., bulk aging?

 

[DansWinemaking]

There are no rules regarding naming brands. We share brand feedback on a normal basis.

There is a huge difference between concentrate and juice, and so far it appeared you had juice.

For batch planning, 3.8 quarts is a problem, as after fermentation you'll probably have 3.5 quarts. You'll need to topup with a commercial Pinot Noir to fill a 1 US gallon or 4 liter jug for bulk aging. Do not dilute to a larger volume, as it will make a thin, disappointing wine.

Batch planning is one of the biggest problems beginners have. Initial volume is easy, just get a fermenter that is large enough (fill no more then 3/4 full). During fermentation O2 is not a problem as yeast needs O2 for reproduction, and it's outgassing a lot of CO2.

Post-fermentation? O2 may be yeast's friend, but it's wine's enemy, as exposure to O2 over time will produce oxidation. Secondary containers need to be full within a few inches of the stopper.

What are you planning to use for secondary storage, e.g., bulk aging?

Thanks for that info Winemaker81, very informative. I already made my first rookie error, fermenting a 2 gallon batch of Cab Sauv in a 2 gallon plastic pail. There's only about 10% head space in there. I've been popping the lid every few days to let air in and the ferment is going pretty well based on the airlock activity. Hopefully I'll get through that one successfully. Lesson learned! I need to find a 3 gallon bucket if I'm going to make 2 gallon batches!
As to the secondary storage, I have 5 one gallon glass carboys with bungs and airlocks. The plan is to rack my one gallon batch (Merlot) straight to the carboy and split the 2 gallon batch to 2 carboys.
The Pinot Noir project will begin after I get through the stabilization / clearing of these initial batches, but to address your question, this will be 1 gallon in the 2 gallon plastic bucket and then into a 1 gallon glass carboy after fermentation is complete.

 

[DansWinemaking]

Thanks for that info Winemaker81, very informative. I already made my first rookie error, fermenting a 2 gallon batch of Cab Sauv in a 2 gallon plastic pail. There's only about 10% head space in there. I've been popping the lid every few days to let air in and the ferment is going pretty well based on the airlock activity. Hopefully I'll get through that one successfully. Lesson learned! I need to find a 3 gallon bucket if I'm going to make 2 gallon batches!
As to the secondary storage, I have 5 one gallon glass carboys with bungs and airlocks. The plan is to rack my one gallon batch (Merlot) straight to the carboy and split the 2 gallon batch to 2 carboys.
The Pinot Noir project will begin after I get through the stabilization / clearing of these initial batches, but to address your question, this will be 1 gallon in the 2 gallon plastic bucket and then into a 1 gallon glass carboy after fermentation is complete.

Oh, and to add some Pinot to the glass carboy to top it off for aging. I suspect the top off doesn't happen until the wine is clarified and stable, or should the top off happen right away?

 

[winemaker81]

Something to consider is a Rubbermaid Brute -- the smallest I know of is 10 gallons, which is overkill, but it's good for any batch up to 30 liters. I use 20 and 32 gallon Brutes for large batches.

Don't put a lid on the fermenter, just a towel. You want O2 during fermentation, and a towel lets air in while keeping "stuff" out. Stir the must 1 to 3 times per day.

Kits instructions state topup is not necessary, and our members have reported this is fine for kit timelines, which is 4 to 8 weeks from start to bottling. While it's proven to be ok, I'm not comfortable with long timelines with no topup. Typically I rack 1 to 3 weeks after the end of fermentation, when the gross lees (fruit solids) has dropped. After that I top up.

Note that sediment that falls after this is fine lees (yeast hulls) and it's fine to leave it. Look up "sur lie" and "battonage" for information on using the fine lees to improve the wine.