Mosti Mondiale My first-Vinifera Chianti-Am I doing okay?

[augryphon]

I am a week into this thing and need your support. See if this all seems right.

I started this wine last week with a SG of 1.09 at a temp of 72. I had a nice fermentation for a couple of days, and by the end of day 4 had an SG of 1.02. Per the instructions I added yeast nutrient and racked to a carboy with oak. This released a ton of co2, more than I was ready for, and I lost about a half pint of wine, but otherwise everything sent well. I had good bubbling for the first day in the carboy.

It is now the end of day 7, and not much seems to be going on. It is at SG=.998 and bubbles only occasionally. I have been stirring daily to mix the oak.

Am I on track? I expected the wine to be more active at this point.

Thanks!

 

[Tom]

Looks good so far. Remember temp makes a difference. So, follow your kit directions and compare the readings to yours. The kit directions are for a controled fermentation. Each of us may have different conditions. (temps).

 

[Wade E]

You are basically done with fermentation so there will be little to no action now. It might just be giving ff C02 at this point. Let it stand in carboy until directions tell you otherwise as time is on your side now.

 

[grapeman]

The quick part of making wine is the fermentation process. It is often done in one to two weeks. The rest of the process is what takes time. It needs time to clear, degas and then finally age. Follow the directions, have patience and you will be drinking a fine wine before you know it.

 

[Bert]

The vinifera noble seem to move along very quickly, but I would leave it on the oak for the number of days called for....or maybe more if you like a bit of oak taste to your wine, it won't be a lot of taste coming from just chips, but some...Good Luck and enjoy, I really like these VN wines..

 

[augryphon]

After a week and a half, it is very cloudy, and very harsh tasting.

What should it taste like at this point? When will it begin to taste more like wine should?

 

[PeterZ]

It should be cloudy and very harsh tasting. Sounds like you are right on track.


Over the next several weeks, as the wine clears, it will start to taste more like wine, but it will taste better and better as it ages. You can simulate aging by taking a little (an ounce or so) and put it in a wine glass and leave it on the counter for a couple of hours. It will taste a lot more like wine then. This trick works best, however, with clear wine. The sediment always adds an off taste.

 

[augryphon]

Okay, I am on day 23 of my first wine! I have de-gassed and added the siligel and liquigel. The wine is now very clear and has a beautiful color. It tastes much better but still has a harsh taste that i really can't describe, although much less than before. Still, though, harsh enough that I wouldn't drink a whole glass now.

Next step is bottling in 7-10 days.

Am I still on track?

 

[PeterZ]

Yes. At this point you can rack off the sediment and let it age in a topped up carboy for several months. Every three months or so remove a quarter cup of wine and dissolve a quarter teaspoon of K-meta in it and stir this back into the wine.


Before bottling I would rack off the sediment for at least a week to minimize the potential for accidentally stirring the sediment while bottling and getting some in the bottles.

 

[Tom]

Okay, I am on day 23 of my first wine! I have de-gassed and added the siligel and liquigel. The wine is now very clear and has a beautiful color. It tastes much better but still has a harsh taste that i really can't describe, although much less than before. Still, though, harsh enough that I wouldn't drink a whole glass now.

Next step is bottling in 7-10 days.

Am I still on track?

I would not bottle as you say in 7-10 days. I doubt your wine is ready as per your tastings.


Follow what PeterZ said. Let it age. You can't rush wine into a bottle. Some wines just take longer than others. This seem like one of them.


It's not unusual to leave (age) it in a carboy for a year. I do for my big reds like Amarone and Brunello.

 

[augryphon]

Thanks PeterZ and Tepe! I will follow your sage council. Without you guys, Imight already be drinking this swill. Thanks again.