Mosti Nero D'Avola -- Clarification stage

[Mike Parisi]

I have read numerous posts about how to tell if wine is clarified enough. This is my first attempt abd am making a Mosti All Juice Nero D'Avola. It went through primary and secondary fermentation just fine. I degassed and put in the Potassium Metabisulphite, Kieselsol, Chitosan and Potassium Sorbate as instructed.

It has now been 11 days (instructions say this stage should take 7-12 days). In many posts I have seen that a good way to tell if it has clarified enough is to shine a flashlight through the carboy. I did that, but I can't even see ANY light from the flashlight, much less a clear, non-fuzzy light.

How can it be that no light at all comes through? Need some help here. Should I rack it out into the bucket, clean and sterilize the carboy, then rack it back? Add something else to clarify it? Or just wait. I know this shouldn't be rushed and that it should eventually clarify anyway, so just wondering if there is any consensus on what the problem may be, if any, and what the solution is, if any action is actually needed.

Thanks for all the advice on this board.

 

[salcoco]

try using just one glass and put it up to the light. if it has not cleared make sure you are in a 70deg F environment.

 

[Mike Parisi]

It has been in the garage. Even for Tucson, Arizona, it has been pretty warm and the garage temperature has ranged from around 70 up to 80. But mostly in the mid-70's.

Will try your suggestion, but was wondering why no light getting through the carboy at all.

 

[mainshipfred]

Red wines are tough to know if they have cleared. To add to Salcoco's response when you hold it up to the light tilt the glass. You should not see any particulates. However the 7-12 days is just the kit manufacturer's way of having you bottle it and buy another kit. It normally take longer than that.

 

[Mike Parisi]

LOL. At 30 bottles per kit, I shouldn't need another kit for a few months at least.

 

[crabjoe]

I'm having the same issue.. I tried using a flashlight to see through my Cabernet Sauvignon and it's like shining a light at a wall, nothing comes through.. I'm currently on the 3 week wait, so when its time to rack, I'm going to run mine through a 1 micron filter.

 

[Mike Parisi]

From my very limited understanding, filtering when there are a lot of suspended particles can cause the filter to clog. Besides, "everyone" says that wine will clear eventually, even without using clearing agents. Again, from my very limited understanding -- not from experience, but from reading this board.

 

[Rocky]

The way I determine if a red has cleared sufficiently is to pour about 1/4 cup in a wine glass and tilt it over a white napkin. Looking down through the wine shows me how clear the wine is. I have never tried shining a light through the wine.

 

[Mike Parisi]

Thanks, will trry that.

 

[Johnd]

White wines are very easy to see through to determine clarity. With my reds, I pour a small amount into a wine glass and take it outside in the sunlight, tilt it sideways and look through it. You can see very easily whether or not it is clear.

 

[Mike Parisi]

Checked clarity today. I did it Rocky's way. But I tilted the glass over a whie paper with writing on it. I could see the writing through the wine. It really tasted good, for a new wine, so I got it all bottled. Instructions say it is ready in 8 weeks and they recommend minimum ageing of 8 months.

 

[Mike Parisi]

Yesterday I opened the first bottle. My daughter, my son, and I all tasted it and thought it was already quite good, and very smooth. Will wait another month before cracking the second bottle. The instructions had said it would be "ready" in 6-8 weeks and would be aged by 8 months. They must know how anxious people would be to try it, because the instructions also said, after bottling wait two weeks for the wine to get over bottle shock.

Assuming it will only get better with ageing, this is going to be a REALLY good wine.

 

[Mike Parisi]

I want to try another Nero D'Avola kit. Does anyone other than Mosti make a Nero D'Avola kit? I have looked around some but haven't found any others.

 

[Rocky]

I want to try another Nero D'Avola kit. Does anyone other than Mosti make a Nero D'Avola kit? I have looked around some but haven't found any others.

I have been looking also, Mike. I have not found one but I did make Nero D'Avola from Italian juice and added Syrah grape skins. It came out a little too thin for my taste and I have had it aging for about 6 months. I plan to add raisins, currents and tannin and bulk age it for a year.

 

[Mike Parisi]

Thanks, was hoping I had just missed something, because shipping to AZ is really high.

Mine already tastes good to me, even at about 8 weeks since bottling (and no pre-aging). My son and daughter also really like it. But I need to get some other opinions to make sure my perception isn't colored by my desire for it to be great. In March, I will visit my brother-in-law, who has been making wine for several years, both kits and drapes, so he should be able to give me an unbiased assessment.

Mosti doesn't include skins with this kit, just all 23 liters of juice. If I were to add raisins to my next batch, how much should I use? And how does their addition affect the wine?

 

[Mike Parisi]

LOL. At 30 bottles per kit, I shouldn't need another kit for a few months at least.

Wow! How very newbie of me. My second kit is aging in the carboy and I have ordered my third kit. I will probably start that one in about a month. By the time I bottle it, the garage will probably be too warm for keeping it there. After bottling, I guess I will have to put the 3 cases (one from each kit) into the refrigerator in the garage. Looks like a wine fridge is in my future.

 

[Rocky]

Mosti doesn't include skins with this kit, just all 23 liters of juice. If I were to add raisins to my next batch, how much should I use? And how does their addition affect the wine?

Mike, it is a matter of personal taste. I have two six gallon carboys of Carmenere plus a 3 liter bottle. I plan to do the additions into a demijohn and let it bulk age for a year. I will put the wine into the empty demijohn, add 16 oz. of raisins, 20 oz. of black currants and two tablespoons of tannin powder. I like a very heavy and bold red and that is what I am shooting for. I do not have enough to fill the demijohn completely so I will top off with a gallon or so of Malbec, which I also have going.

 

[Johnd]

Mosti doesn't include skins with this kit, just all 23 liters of juice. If I were to add raisins to my next batch, how much should I use? And how does their addition affect the wine?

No mention having been made yet regarding the second part of your question regarding how their addition affects the wine, I’ll share my opinion. It will help add body to the wine, it will also make it taste like raisins, which are dried, oxidized grapes. Raisiny flavors have a wonderful place in Amarone, and it’s a wine that I love, and if you were adding them to an Amarone style wine, I’d say go for it. My advice would be to order a MM Grape Pack to go along with your ferment.

 

[Cellar Vader]

No mention having been made yet regarding the second part of your question regarding how their addition affects the wine, I’ll share my opinion. It will help add body to the wine, it will also make it taste like raisins, which are dried, oxidized grapes. Raisiny flavors have a wonderful place in Amarone, and it’s a wine that I love, and if you were adding them to an Amarone style wine, I’d say go for it. My advice would be to order a MM Grape Pack to go along with your ferment.

On this note, John, there was a Zinfandel that was my ultimate favorite about 15 years or so ago produced by Rosenblum Cellars. These Zins were crafted from obviously VERY ripe grapes, and had that raisiny aroma to them which I have not found in any Zinfandel since the winery was sold (around that time.)
Now I have read in numerous posts regarding adding raisins to primary and/or secondary but have not yet heard of aging wine on fruit (raisins.) Perhaps I haven't done enough reading (but "thought" I've done plenty) but if I could duplicate or at least accomplish some semblance of this style in my Zin I would be ecstatic! My instincts would tell me to be cautious of spoilage organisms, or even the fermentation restarting from the sugar contained in the fruit.
Anyway, I didn't plan to hijack here. I am following this post because I REALLY enjoy Nero D'Avola, and think it would be great to find this in a 18L kit as opposed to 23L bucket.
@Mike Parisi Please continue to keep us posted as to how your wine evolves, and good luck!

 

[Mike Parisi]

Another question -- say I add 16oz. of raisins to my next Nero D'Avola (or to the Nebbiolo) at the start of primary fermentation. Should I stir, then wait a few hours before taking the initial SG reading? With the sugar in the raisins, I would assume that would increase the initial reading and, by default, the final alcohol level. Would that be correct, and should I do it that way?

I'm not sure I will do it, because I think I need a lot more experience doing this. So just wondering for now.