WineXpert Tweaking White Fruit Wines: Lose Fruit Taste?

[SueMac]

Complex question:
Tweaked IM Kiwi Pear Sauvignon Blanc by adding 7.5 cups sugar to primary and adding f-pack to secondary per instructions. Ended with
10%ABV and a sweet wine but not tasting of kiwi or pear.
QUESTIONS:
1. This is my 1st IM wine. I've made 2 "untweaked"Orchard Breezin' wines and they've been sweet and fruity (OB Kiwi Melon Pinot Grigio and Cran-Apple Chardonnay). Is there a big difference in body or taste between IM and OB kits in general? Are OB wines more accepting of upping ABV?
2. Upping ABV in fruit wine kits: Are whites far more "fragile" than reds (and perhaps "upping" is not recommended?)? What successes have people had with which kits in particular?
3. I'm not sure how to ask this question...:I've heard thatsome Vintners Reserve kits (perhaps Vino del Vida do, too?) have f-packs. Is it possible to create one's own fruit-flavored "f-pack" to add to these "regular kits"and thus create one's own OB or IM type wine? These would also be at typical wine ABV, I assume?
While my next wines are recipes of a raisin wine and then an apple-pear wine, I'd like to keep trying the kits, with a fruit variety. IM and OB wines are very nice but I'd prefer them to be higher in alcohol...Thoughts? Suggestions? THANKS!

 

[grapeman]

The Kiwi Pear Sauv may just need a bit more time for the flavors to come out. I have done that one and gave almost all of it away since I didn't care for the strong kiwi flavor. I had upped the ABV on that one also. It may just need a bit of time.


Yes whites in general have a more delicateflavor although there are exceptions. That is why the ABV of whites tends to be just a bit lower.

 

[WhineMaker]

I just bottled my Green Apple Riesling and can say that even with the 7.5 cups of sugar added to primary, the apple flavor is alive and very well.. I am curious about adding sugar to a red "Mist" wine I have planned..

 

[Tom]

Yes.Some who do fruit wines make F-pac's. I make one for every fruit wineI make and backsweeten to taste.

 

[Wade E]

I too make a f-pack with either fruit or juice simmered down on stove top and yes whites are much more delicate and that is why O ferment them and fruit wines at much cooler temps so as to keep the fruity esters.

 

[SueMac]

Thanks for your responses!


appleman and Whinemaker: As I only tasted a bit at bottling, the sulfites may have wreaked havoc with my senses. I'll be more patient and open a bottle this week.


tepe and Wade (and anyone else!): I've gone back over my notes about f-packs. While I get the process, is there a ratio formula per gallon/6 gallons, etc? (How many cups, ounces, etc. is typically in a kit f-pack...is this a relative question?) So, you only make your own f-packs when you make fruit wines? Does this include ones such as IM and OB, too? Also, Wade: What temperature do you typically ferment white and fruit wines at?

Thanks to all for your help! I know that it's best to learn by doing. However, mistakes can get expensive! I've dumped 2 batches of hard lemonade and hard limeade...next batch will be a gallon until I get it right!

 

[Tom]

If I were making Strawberry I use at least 6+#'s for f-pac

For Blueberry I use around 10# for a f-pac

Now that may seam high to some but "it's to MY taste"

 

[Wade E]

I judge my ratio at the point of when its done fermenting to see how much flavor is still left, if weak then I use a ratio of about 1/3 the original amount, if decent then a little less then 1/4.

 

[SueMac]

Thanks again for your responses.
Tepe you phrased it well:
"It's to MY tastes". So there is no right amount per say - trial and error.
Aslong as I add pot sorbate so it doesn't referment, I'll be okay with whatever I do for a "f-pack".

 

[Tom]

SueMac,
Ain't winemaking great! Remember always start with a recipe. Once made then you can tweek it. Consider a food recipe I got. Well, I may add more or less "TO MY TASTE"

 

[Wade E]

Always add sulfite first and then sorbate and never sorbate without sulfite. The reason for this is if the wine has started a malolactic fermentation an the sorbate i added it will give of a vegetal taste and smell, sulfite will kill off a malolactic fermentation.

 

[grapeman]

Wade is right. Add the k-meta first to prevent a malo-lactic fermentation from beginning. The malo bacteria won't reproduce in adequate levels of S02 from the k-meta. That keeps the sorbate addition safe. If sorbate is present and MLF begins, it forms an off smell like very strong geraniums. If you want to smell what we mean, take a nice big healthy geranium plant and strip some leaves off it and squash them up. It is a very pungent off-putting smell.

 

[SueMac]

Thanks again for your advice. appleman: While I like geraniums, it's for their color not their smell. I'll take your word for it and I will use the k-meta! Thanks!

 

[BABRU]

Island Mist Kiwi Pear Tweak

Next time you want to experiment with an Island Mist Kiwi Pear Kit try adding (substituting for some of the water) one box of white grape wine juice concentrate and about 2 or 3 cups of sugar. Add this to the primary in the beginning and then follow the rest of the directions exactly as supplied with the kit. This should increase the alcohol about 3% and in my opinion makes a fantastic wine.