WineXpert Question about clearing an Amarone kit per the instructions

[Chuck Rairdan]

I just received a WineExpert Private Select Amarone kit that includes grape skins. Really looking forward to enjoying this wine down the stretch and I'm willing to be patient with some decent ageing. The kit includes chitosan and kieselsol and instructions for clearing but I'm planning to bulk age about 9 month and let the tannins combine and settle out on their own and lay some of the bottles down for several years and therefore skip the clearing step. Any thoughts on whether or not I should deviate from the instructions in this regard or am I being naive about the ageing potential of this kit wine versus wine made from fresh grapes?

 

[Ohio Bob]

IMO you can skip the fining agents if you’re willing to long term bulk age.

 

[She’sgonnakillme]

If you ferment to dry and bulk age that long, you can also forego the Sorbate addition.

 

[Chuck Rairdan]

If you ferment to dry and bulk age that long, you can also forego the Sorbate addition.

Was wondering about that too. Thanks!

IMO you can skip the fining agents if you’re willing to long term bulk age.

Does seem that step is geared more toward early drinking, appreciate your thoughts

 

[Chuck Rairdan]

If you ferment to dry and bulk age that long, you can also forego the Sorbate addition.

Although was also wondering if MLF is not desired for Amarone, hence the sorbate, will do some more digging...

 

[She’sgonnakillme]

Although was also wondering if MLF is not desired for Amarone, hence the sorbate, will do some more digging...

Mlf on kits is not advisable,

 

[Chuck Rairdan]

Good to know, will stick with the sorbate on this one, recall hearing that before, that kits are pre-conditioned against MLF.

 

[winemaker81]

Heavy red kits from reputable vendors should be good for 3 to 5 years. As it's a Private Reserve with skins, I'd expect to get a longer lifespan.

Although it says "Amarone" on the label, it's not going to age like a real one. I have let wines go too long and dumped them, so I'd verify the wine periodically. Bulk age for a year, bottle age for another year, and then start sampling bottles every 3 or 4 months. You don't want to wait years, only to discover you have 2 cases of drain cleaner.

I agree with @She’sgonnakillme, sorbate is completely unnecessary in a dry wine, and kits are not designed for MLF.

Regarding clearing agents, I have an experiment that I need to check on. I made a pair of triple FWK Forte kits which bulk aged for a year, no fining agents. I reserved 19 liters of each, which I dosed with kieselsol & chitosan. I'm going to compare bottles of the fined and unfined to see if there is a difference.

 

[vinny]

The only thing I am adding to my kits in primary is the bentonite, juice, water, skins, oak and yeast. If I change the yeast I might add nutrient.

I add the oak cubes to secondary and k-meta. I do not use the included clearing packs, or the sorbate/sulphite pack. If you are worried about clarity down the road you can add them at any point, but 9 months is likely more time than you need for natural settling. It is also enough time for yeast to die out naturally if you were making a wine that you wanted to back sweeten.

 

[Chuck Rairdan]

Heavy red kits from reputable vendors should be good for 3 to 5 years. As it's a Private Reserve with skins, I'd expect to get a longer lifespan.

Although it says "Amarone" on the label, it's not going to age like a real one. I have let wines go too long and dumped them, so I'd verify the wine periodically. Bulk age for a year, bottle age for another year, and then start sampling bottles every 3 or 4 months. You don't want to wait years, only to discover you have 2 cases of drain cleaner.

I agree with @She’sgonnakillme, sorbate is completely unnecessary in a dry wine, and kits are not designed for MLF.

Regarding clearing agents, I have an experiment that I need to check on. I made a pair of triple FWK Forte kits which bulk aged for a year, no fining agents. I reserved 19 liters of each, which I dosed with kieselsol & chitosan. I'm going to compare bottles of the fined and unfined to see if there is a difference.

Good advice. Kits are generally made for early consumption and geared towards beginning winemakers with built in safety margins. Maybe some day I'll spring for a "real" Amarone, but this will have to do in the meantime lol

 

[Chuck Rairdan]

The only thing I am adding to my kits in primary is the bentonite, juice, water, skins, oak and yeast. If I change the yeast I might add nutrient.

I add the oak cubes to secondary and k-meta. I do not use the included clearing packs, or the sorbate/sulphite pack. If you are worried about clarity down the road you can add them at any point, but 9 months is likely more time than you need for natural settling. It is also enough time for yeast to die out naturally if you were making a wine that you wanted to back sweeten.

Sounds like we have similar approaches. I used Rock Pile 15 yeast instead of the RC 212 and 1118 yeast included. The latter is the backstop to make sure the primary starts and finishes. This kit has oak chips for primary and oak cubes for secondary. Love me heavy oak.

 

[vinny]

Sounds like we have similar approaches. I used Rock Pile 15 yeast instead of the RC 212 and 1118 yeast included. The latter is the backstop to make sure the primary starts and finishes. This kit has oak chips for primary and oak cubes for secondary. Love me heavy oak.

I have 3 Vineco kits (a sister company of WinExpert) that are the same quality as your Amarone. I am very excited for them. You can taste the difference right out of primary compared to lower end kits. I currently have 6 in secondary with a mid range and 2 WinExpert Classic kits. I have about 7 months to wait, but the high end kits are so much better tasting already that I can't see myself making anything else. At least until I get a side by side tasting.

 

[joeswine]

Follow bathe directions :
When you finally get into the secondary add another teaspoon of wine tannins let it set for two weeks the let it age in the bottles , this way you can sample as you age on.

 

[Chuck Rairdan]

I have 3 Vineco kits (a sister company of WinExpert) that are the same quality as your Amarone. I am very excited for them. You can taste the difference right out of primary compared to lower end kits. I currently have 6 in secondary with a mid range and 2 WinExpert Classic kits. I have about 7 months to wait, but the high end kits are so much better tasting already that I can't see myself making anything else. At least until I get a side by side tasting.

I know, right? If we're going through the effort of making a wine kit, why not spring for the not so much extra on the top shelf kits that translate into noticeably better wine at the moment of truth. The Amarone must is bubbling along nicely now and just pre-ordered 2 of the WineExpert Aglianco-Barbera FE22 kits that I will also lay down for a while.

 

[Chuck Rairdan]

Follow bathe directions :
When you finally get into the secondary add another teaspoon of wine tannins let it set for two weeks the let it age in the bottles , this way you can sample as you age on.

Added Lallzyme EX-V to the must for max extraction from the skins bag. From the ingredients list, tannins have also been added.

 

[Chuck Rairdan]

The only thing I am adding to my kits in primary is the bentonite, juice, water, skins, oak and yeast. If I change the yeast I might add nutrient.

I add the oak cubes to secondary and k-meta. I do not use the included clearing packs, or the sorbate/sulphite pack. If you are worried about clarity down the road you can add them at any point, but 9 months is likely more time than you need for natural settling. It is also enough time for yeast to die out naturally if you were making a wine that you wanted to back sweeten.

Went back and read the ingredients list. Malic acid has been added, so this may be a varietal where MLF is thwarted for a desired profile.