Mosti Mondiale Quick eg. Amarone question.

[gdaustin]

I just opened a Meg. Amarone kit I am going to start and it came with the grape pack and the raisins. The instructions say to use one or the other but not both. I am assumuting the grape pack is the way to go but when I look at the grape pack, it is identical to the one I received with my Merlot kit. Does it matter what grapes are used as I would think the generic grape pack would change the taste of the Amarone to whatever grapes were used to make the grape pack? I hope I got my concern across. Thanks.

 

[patc]

Being that Amarone is fermented ondried grapes i would use the raisens instead of the grape pack IMHO. I do not think you would be wrong either way but i would use the raisens.

 

[ibglowin]

Man I would be soooo tempted to use both. The raisins are used traditionally in most of the Amarone kits but the thought of tossing in some more grapes, solids and tannin would be pretty darn tempting. You can always use the grape pack on another kit down the road.

 

[vcasey]

Being that Amarone is fermented ondried grapes i would use the raisens instead of the grape pack IMHO. I do not think you would be wrong either way but i would use the raisens.

Agreed! Use the grape pack with another wine.

 

[Rocky]

This is an interesting "problem" that you have. I tend to agree with Mike and I would use both (contrary to the instructions) for a bigger, bolder wine. It depends on what you like and how your taste runs.

 

[Wade E]

The RJS EP Amarone comes with both and you use them both! I did on mine and its awesome.

 

[gdaustin]

The instructions specifically states to not use both. I would think if that were the case that they would have only included one. I would think do to costs that they wouldonly include one. Well, I was going to use my normal fermentor if I used just the raisins as it will fit. I guess I will put it in the 10 Gal. fermentor and let the Merlot with grape pack wait till this one gets racked. I will let you all know how it turns out using both. Of course that will be in a year or so.

 

[tonyt]

I used the grape pack. Saved the raisins for future kit. Hope you have a 10 gallon fermenter, really filled my 7.9 gal to the rim. Also, both MM Meglioli kits I did this year had trouble clearing. Both had to be cleared twice, once with provided supplies and once a month later with extra. Never had that happen before even with other Meglioli kits.

 

[Rocky]

Tony,
Which Meglioli varieties did you make that were difficult to clear? What did you use for a clearing agent on the second go-around? I assume the kits come with Kieselsol and Chitosan. Thanks.

 

[tonyt]

Rojo Intenso and Amarone. Used the provided Siligel and Liquigel then had to follow up 6 weeks later with another dose of same. The Amarone has cleared well and the RI is in it's first week of the second dose. I did the Amarone last year also and had no clearing issue. Must be the adition of the grape pack. I think it only came with raisins last year.

 

[gdaustin]

I think you are right about only raisins last year. I did this same kit and no grape pack. I am going to use both in my 10 gal. fermenter and see what happens. Also, I had no problems clearing the amarone last year. It did take two filter padsto filter it tho.

 

[Rocky]

It was probably from the grape pack but the wine should really be worth it. A double dose of kieselsol and chitosan should not hurt anything and the wine would really have body. I like a heavier, more body wine. I guess I drank too much homemade wine when I was younger.

 

[gdaustin]

I really hope this one turns out as I would love to submit it to the winmakers competition. I have made a few kits but have not had that "WOW" wine yet to submit. We will see and if the wife says "WOW" then I will try and hide a couple bottles from her for the competition.

 

[joeswine]

I think with the amarone simple racking should suffice,filtering my take out the very item amarone is know for intense taste and deep texture....just mop

 

[Wade E]

Amarone should really have a few years under its belt especially if your going to enter it into a comp.

 

[Otis Greg]

what if I don't use the raisins, can I put them in another kit down the road?

 

[tonyt]

what if I don't use the raisins, can I put them in another kit down the road?

Welcome to the forum.

Yes you can!
I did just that recently with a Spagnols Limited release Toro (Tempernillo Granache) and also a Misti Mondiale Renassance Australian Cab Shiraz. I had two raisin packs left over from two Megoili kits. I just dump the raisins in after fermentation has begun (about a day). I don't chop them nor do I put them in any kind of bag. At first racking I skim them out of the primary into cheesecloth and squeeze all the goodness out of them. In hindsight though, I really wish I would have used both raisins and grape pack in at least one of the kits just to see what it did. But at the time my thought was, should we really go contrary to directions on such high dollar kits?

 

[Otis Greg]

Thanks for the info. Would you add the raisins to a Pinot Noir?

 

[robie]

Thanks for the info. Would you add the raisins to a Pinot Noir?

This is just my own personal opinion, but raisins go much better with the Italian varietals. To me, they actually add a raisin taste to the wine, which works well with the Italians.

For a regular Pinot Noir, I personally would not add raisins. A Pinot can be much softer, so the influence of the raisins would be considerable. The raisin flavor could very easily over power the Pinot. I doubt it would even resemble a Pinot afterward the raisins. If you really like a Pinot, it is doubtful that is what your taste buds will believe you ended up with.

Save them for a cab or a Sangiovese.

 

[tonyt]

Thanks for the info. Would you add the raisins to a Pinot Noir?

I posted on another thread that looking back on the 15 or so kits I have done, the best by far IMO are the kits that either came with raisins or I added raisins to. So, yes I would add raisins to the Pinot. In fact I have a pinot in my wish list that I will order in October and I have a pound of organic Red Flame raisins in my freezer that say "add to Pinot". It may not turn out classically Pinot Noir but it will likely turn out classically how my wife and I like our finished wine to taste, and at the same time suggestive of PN. Others will disagree with my approach but that's why God made us all different.