WineXpert Sparkling Wine

[Wade E]

That bites the big one Coaster and Im so sorry to hear that. I guess I
wont be buying any for my next batch. Im running behind a few days as I
should have started riddling on Friday but have been down for the count
with Sinusitus, Bronchitus, and a touch of Pneumonia but am feeling
better today except for the worst sore throat Ive ever had in my life.
I could barely even talk yesterday. I hope the other bottles you have
survive this crisis. Did you put regular champagne corks on these or
just leave them be with the sparkle caps and prey?

 

[Coaster]

I left the sparkle tops on and am praying. I have them standing so that if the pressure gets too great it will escape without pushing out the wine (hopefully). So far I am disappointed, I have no idea how you would riddle and degorge if they are going to leak.

 

[Wade E]

Where did you get these Sparkle tops? I know I wouldnt be to happy with
this situation and I wonder if this is why George doesnt carry them! I
hope the rest are successful. You might just have to pour these
carefully when done! Is there a lot of sediment in the bottles?

 

[Joanie]

Get to riddling, Wade! Being sicker than a dog is no excuse!

Northern Winos was spot on about using one clear bottle! It has been especially helpful watching the sediment drop. I can see a perfect clearing line! The cleared part is beautiful!! Looks good enough to drink!

Northern Winos will I be able to degorge by myself or do I need a worker bee to help me?

Get feeling better immediately if not sooner, Wade!

 

[Coaster]

I didn't get these from George.


There is a fine layer of sediment in the bottles. I used a solution of bentonite in the cuvee before I bottles (with yeast, sugar and yeast nutrient) and they clear really fast after I shake them up.

 

[NorthernWinos]

Joan....You may need a helper.....Don't feel obligated to do it on the precise date...they can stay upside down for awhile after riddling...Last summer we had somestragglers sitfor 6 months before we dégorged them...they were fine as long as they stay upside down.


I had been dropping the bottles from about 2 inches onto their tops when I twisted during the riddling process...we had one stopper leak once....the bottle was only half full at riddling...[ flat..no bubbles] the stopper must have had a crack...I never saw liquid on the floor...so it must have been a slow leak and the newspapers under them soaked it up...Now I am not so aggressive at riddling.


Put a thermometer in your freezer...we like it to be 0 to -5*F......We have a chect type freezer....If it's warmer the bottle tops may not freeze at all.....Then put the bottles...[top always down] into the freezer...a few at a time as they greatly drop the temp of your freezer....do 6 or so ...just to get the hang of it...or 3....then you have more to taste after you refill the others...

keep a close eye on them!!!!!Ours take about 1 + 1/2 hours...depending on how many we do....sometimes some freeze quicker...depending on their placement in the freezer...I stick them around with the food holding them up....When there is about 3 inches of ice in the neck...YOU ARE READY TO GO...Do them as they freeze...keep the topping up bottle in the fridge.


*****I always want to try the ice with salt soulution...that is suppose to work too...guess the salt makes the ice colder..or something????


While you wait.....get some newstoppers cleaned, sanitized, rinsed... and in a bowl of hot water...also have new wires and your handy little tool...we also have a small funnel with about a 5 inch piece of hose to refill the bottles....[heat the hose to slip over the funnel...we just leave that funnel for this purpose] have everything ready to go....


We have a plastic milk crate with a stack of newspapers in the bottom and a cardboard bottle divider in it to hold the bottles...Take the bottles out of the freezer [still up side down]...take them outside....


Jim steps in at this point....Elevate the top of the bottle to a horizontal position...the ice plug kind of stays frozen to the stopper.....Elevate the top above the horizon...He uses a pliers to undo the wires....***** Then he uses a channel lock pliers to twist the plastic stopper off....***** it seems like its frozen on and it is very stiff from being so cold...Then it gets forced out of the bottle and the plug flies...QUICKLY...put your thumb [reasonably clean] over the top of the bottle and place it back in the crate...proceed with the next bottle...they will foam over a bit...[that's where the newspapers are handy] Take them into the house and put in a sink....proceed to refill the bottles with one of them...they say to pour the liquid slowly down the side of the bottles...the funnel/hose works good for us...They will foam...when you get them about filled right...wipe the top, place hot/warm stopper into the neck, wire closed.....Wipe the bottles off, let dry and once they return to room temp and quit sweating you can label....


Place upright on a shelf in your storage area and wait.....again...for a month or two....We have bottles that have been dégorged for a year and some from 3 months ago...they have equal bubbles....Once in a while we try them too soon and are disappointed.....THEN....START ANOTHER BATCH!!!!!

Edited by: Northern Winos

 

[Joanie]

I'm glad for this update, NW. I was thinking the bottles had to be fill immediately after degorging. I didn't realize I had time to dégorge several bottles before filling, capping, and wiring. Now I'm not so skert! Now I'm looking forward to it! Thank you!!!

I'm curious about your 5" hose. Is the end of the hose below the level of the bubbly? How much am I likely to lose with each bottle?

As for the salt and ice thing...if it didn't freeze the bubbly, you could always make ice cream!

 

[NorthernWinos]

Yes, the hose is below the liquid level....


The amount you loose varies a lot...depending on how fast your thumb is and maybe how cold the liquid is.
You have a bit of a time span....like as long as it takes for you to open 3 or 6 bottles.....we did more than 6 once and the last bottles took a long time to freeze...the temp of the freezer warmed up from us opening the lid so oftan...the last couple bottles we returned to the riddling box for the next time.....Then I remembered I have a 'Quick-Freeze' button on the freezer....so will try to remember that from now on...

 

[Joanie]

My wine's not quite clear so I am going to wait another week before dégorging.

 

[Wine-O]

Help Me please!!


I have also made a double batch of the Millenium Sparkling Wine and I'm not sure where I went wrong. I followed the directions that came with the kit but I'm not getting any fermentation in my bottles. I did sterilize my bottles before I put in the wine and corn sugar blend, did I kill off the yeast by doing this? There wasn't any extra yeast to add to the mix before bottling. The directions weren't too clear about bottling and I didn't want to put the wine in unsterilized bottles. Is there anything I can do now to bubble up my wine, it's kind of bland as a still wine?


Thanks,
Dave

 

[Wade E]

You know I was thinking the same thing and threw in an extra packet of
Champagne yeast before bottling. How long have they been bottled and
have you opened one cause its very hard to tell if and when they are
carbonating but let me tell you that I had a small leak in 1 so I went
to empty it out and Boom! When I say it was carbonatyed, it was! After
sanitizing the bottles did you rinse all the solution out of the bottle
cause that could stabilize whatever was left of the yeast. At this
point if they have been in there for at least a month and there is no
carb. then the only thing to do is empty them all out into a primary,
add some yeast and maybe a little more corn sugar and rebottle! Welcome
to the forum Wine-O. Feel free to ask any questions wether you think
they have been asked before!

 

[Coaster]

I'm not sure I'd add more sugar if I were to re-bottle these (maybe check the SG?); yeast, and maybe yeast energizer tho. Edited by: Coaster

 

[NorthernWinos]

Welcome Win-o....Sad to hear that your wine isn't carbonating....could be several reasons....


How long has the wine been in the bottle under secondary fermentation??? Maybe it just hasn't been long enough..???


When you sanitize everything before bottling be sure to rinse everything well with water.


DO NOTadd any Potassium Sorbet or any sulfite...campden tablets etc. before bottling...or during the last stages of clearing.
If you did stabilize.... it probably will never carbonate.


How much sugar did you add at bottling???? Maybe it just wasn't enough.


I have always added a package of rehydrated Lalvin EC-1118 Champange yeast and regular sugar [dissolved in water] at bottling....it has worked like a charm.


Hopefully we can all put our heads together and figure out a way to get your wine bubbly.











Edited by: Northern Winos

 

[Wine-O]

Thank you all for the advise. It was as I expected, I did not wash out my bottles after sanatizing them. I did not know I had to, I was just following the directions given. I am going to empty out my bottles and add some champagne yeast to the mix and try again. I am assuming that the sugar level should be good enough already. The bottles have been sitting for about 2 months now. I will let you know how I make out down the road. Thanks to all for your help!!
Dave

 

[Wade E]

Did you open 1 yet?

 

[Wine-O]

I have only opened a half full bottle that I was using as a test bottle. There is no sedimentin any of the full bottles and they are not straining against the wires.

 

[Joanie]

Ok..another update!

After months of fear, trpidation and procrastination, I finally dégorged three bottles! That is all that will fit in my fridge freezer at a time. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be but lets just say I'm glad I wasn't planning on taking a shower until after I tried this!

NW, you were absolutely right about it being messy! I now have champagne hair, hands, half my arms, and my t-shirt! (That stuff is c-c-cold!

)The first bottle was a little scary and I'm wearing it well but I smell great!

I decided to dégorge three more bottles.

Better yet, it tastes delicious!

Wade, if you haven't dégorged yet you need to!

 

[JWMINNESOTA]

I gotta try this someday.

 

[Joanie]

It's not hard, just a little tedious. When I explained the process to a friend, he told me it was way to much candy for a nickel. I told him I love candy!

I think it's about time to dégorge the next three bottles! There should be ice crystals in the necks of the bottles.

 

[Wade E]

Yes I know, I gotta get my as% into gear. Ive been so busy lately but will start doing it within the next week.