RJ Spagnols Orchard Breezin Kiwi Melon Pinot Grigio

[mdktkd]

I am starting a kiwi melon pinot grigio kit this week. What are some of the thoughts on topping up for a kit like this? I see Arbor Mist has a Melon White Zin and an Island Pinot Grigio. Would anyone suggest using one of these to top up the carboy after racking, or just use a straight pinot grigio?
thanks

 

[Waldo]

You can use just plain water too as long as the kit is done correctly. If you would rather top off with a similiar wine then i THINK ANY OF THOSE YOU LISTED WOULD WORK FINE.

 

[vcasey]

I would top off with the plain Pinot Grigio. But like Waldo said any will do fine.

 

[mdktkd]

thanks so much;it does make a lot of sense to use water as well seeing as most of the kit is water to begin with. Is this kit super sweet? I am kicking it back and forth of doing 1/2 the f-pack up front when I pitch the yeast for a little more alcohol and less sweetness or simply follow the instructions and sweeten at the end; ending up with a 6%-6.5%.

 

[ASAI]

I had a glass with supper tonight. About 14 months in bottle. I made mine with half the f-pac in primary, other half after fining. Fruity nose, with Pinot Girgio taste. Nice kick with 10% Alc.

 

[Wade E]

You will not need to top off this wine as you will have plenty extra due to having the f-pack bag and also the 2 part fining agent which both will require you actually extracting some of your wine to fit all this stuff in. I always end up with at least a bottle extra that will never fit in even after 2 rackings.

 

[mdktkd]

So I am 3 days in to the primary fermentation, and things seem to be coming along well. A lot of bubbling action. The instructions aren't real clear, but I understood that the lid should be snapped on for the 14-day fermentation. Is that the correct procedure? I'm also wondering when I should start checking SG to verify it fermentation has stabilized. The instructions say it is aprox. day 14. Should I simply wait until day 14 and start checking to get .998 a couple of days in a row? I don't want to open the lid too often if it should be snapped.


BTW, I decided to stick with the instructions (for once) and not add 1/2 the f-pack at the beginning. SG was 1.06 with a must temp. of 73. After adjusting for the temp., I came up with an SG of 1.061 and a potential alcohol of 8%. I'm really excited about this one!

 

[cpfan]

Others will disagree...but I would leave it alone until day 14 and then expectthe sgto be about .995.


Regarding the lid...it depends on what your primary looks like. I snap the lid down on my primaries but they are designed not to seal air tight.


Steve

 

[mdktkd]

So I checked the SG a couple days before day 14 and it was 1.000. The agitation seemed toreinvigorate the yeast a little as it started bubbling a little. The bubbling had ended about day 6 or 7. I went away for the July 4th weekend, and racked from the primary to the carboy today which would be day 16. Before racking, I checked SG again expecting it to be plenty dry, and it was still at 1.000. I don't know if the fermentation got "stuck" or what, but I don't know how to fix that kind of thing.Temp. was regularly 72-74 during the 16 days. It smells like pinot grigio, looks like pinot grigio, but tastes quite wet. I attribute this to the lack of dryness as well as the fact that it is a mist wine that is mostly water. But what do I know By racking and moving forward, is it just thealcohol content that I sacrifice by not getting more alcohol from the yeast? The wine sample really wasn't bad, and I still have hope for the wine, but I'm not sure if there is something I should do knowing these variables.

 

[Waldo]

I would say she is finished and was finished when you checked her a couple of days before day 14 and the bubbling activity you saw afterwards was the wine naturally degassing itself.

 

[mdktkd]

Thanksforall of the help. I have read some of the other posts talking aboutracking again on day 28 instead of bottling, and then bottling on day 42. Do you recommend doing that if I didn't add sugar or 1/2 of the f-pack at the beginning? It is HOT and humid right now in the midwest, and I'm sure salivating over the thought of pouring a number of glasses in a little less than two weeks.