Mosti Mondiale No raisins, Help

[PeterZ]

I agree with vcasey about chopping the raisins and adding to the secondary. They will add to the ABV (typically about 0.5% in my estimation), as well as adding flavor, complexity and mouthfeel to the finished wine. Adding them at the secondary will not hurt your wine. Just be sure to add them before stabilizing the wine, as you still need active yeast to ferment the sugars in the raisins.

 

[vcasey]

This was my response from Mosti;

Hi,

I believe we spoke on the phone yesterday afternoon, and like I told you on the phone I’m can ship you the raisins but will be to late to add it to the kit because you might end up with a high residual sugar.
Again like I explain you yesterday if you want to add raisins you can add the same quantity of dry concord raisins because it’s not the flavor you looking for but extract and sugar!
We will have a meeting with the entire team involved on packing, to ensure will not happen again, and like I told you on the phone I can offer you 10% on the purchased of the next kit and ship you a bag of raisins as soon is possible but I don’t see any other solution!</font>


Best Regards,

Matteo Meglioli.

They maybe thinking you are going to stop the fermentation and then add the raisins. Don't stop the fermentation, chop up the raisins when you get them and add to the carboy if you have already made it to that step. Just make sure you are ready for an explosion of activity once you add the raisins. Let the raisins sit in the carboy for a couple of weeks the proceed as normal. After you rack the carboy just dump the raisins in some cheese cloth, squeeze them dry and add that juice to your racked wine.
VC

 

[markg]

So you think I should remove a gallon (or so) so I have enough head space for fermentation? How about if I make my first rack into another primary bucket? Maybe a 7 gallon? Did you see the Mosti response a couple posts back?

 

[vcasey]

You can either just rack to another primary or rack to a carboy (leaving enough space in case it gets crazy and then once all is calm adding back together). I just suggested racking to a carboy because most folks feel comfortable getting the wine to glass (or a BB) ASAP, also not knowing how fast so slow the wine ferments in your area. Also I think you maybe more comfortable letting it sit in glass with the raisins for a couple of weeks rather then a primary for a couple of weeks.
Yes I saw Mosti's response, don't know that I would use concord raisins (no offense to anyone) in this wine.
VC

 

[admiral]

So you think I should remove a gallon (or so) so I have enough head space for fermentation? How about if I make my first rack into another primary bucket? Maybe a 7 gallon? Did you see the Mosti response a couple posts back?

I think this is the way I would go. I would feel more comfortable having this in glass.