Other Tweeking Cheap Kits

[sugar]

Thanks.

 

[jpwatkins9]

Will be bottling my Merlot today, been racked 3 times and has had lots of time to do whatever it needed. Now the hygrometer reads about 0.94 and the sweetness is mostly gone. Not a dry Merlot, but not sweet either. I think that the tongue is getting a fruity taste of currents and black cherry with a bit of vanilla. Wonder what it will be like after a year or two in the bottle? Now to get ready for the next adventure with some fresh Syrah crush. Main thing I learned from all this is that time is the winemakers friend.

 

[joeswine]

Good lesson to learn....and so is less is sometimes more.Have fun

 

[sugar]

Less grows more with, time.

 

[joeswine]

Yah this craft is like mushrooms it grows in the primary, one carboy to another.

 

[jpwatkins9]

Got the Merlot in the bottles, wound up with 27 bottles and 3 glasses. Ya gotta try it fresh from the vat right. As su specter, it is good. Definitely currents, Black Cherry and vanilla. Some other hints in there, but a bit too early to tell if ever. Very smooth, there is definitely still some tannin to age out, but this was a success and looking forward to trying another kit after the Syrah.

 

[joeswine]

Stay the course and always think outside the box.

 

[joeswine]

IT'S BEEN A FUN RIDE MAKING A DECENT WINE FOR A MODEST COST.....LETS FOLLOW THE FLOW

 

[joeswine]

STILL MORE TO COME ..REMEMBER THE DIFFERENCES IN THE PARTNERSHIPS OF ENHANCEMENTS IN THE PRIMARY AS APPOSED TO THE SECONDARY

 

[sugar]

STILL MORE TO COME ..REMEMBER THE DIFFERENCES IN THE PARTNERSHIPS OF ENHANCEMENTS IN THE PRIMARY AS APPOSED TO THE SECONDARY

Do I understand that the Primary is where we are to do most of the enhancements,as opposed to the secondary?

 

[joeswine]

all depends on what you want the final overall, taste, of your base and enhancement to balance out to be.....follow the below statement
HERE’S MY TAKE ON BLENDING, THE FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS IS TO ESTABLISH WHAT IT IS IN A TASTE PROFILE, YOUR TRING TO ACCOMPLISH AND WHAT TYPE OF FINISH YOU WANT YOU’RE PROFILE TO HAVE.

NOW THAT YOU HAVE ESTABLISHED THE PROFILE AND FINISH LOOK FOR BLENDS THAT REALLY GO WELL TOGETHER, THAT MAKES WINE BLENDING A WHOLE LOT EASIER.

EX: MAKING A CAB AND MERLOT BLEND IS EASY RIGHT! BUT IF YOU’RE A KIT PERSON NOT SO. A WINEMAKER WHO USES GRAPE AND OR FRESH JUICE HAS THE ADVANTAGE OVER US, WHAT TO DO? UNDERSTAND? SO WHAT DO WE NEED TO KNOW AND HOW DO WE GET THERE.

BLENDING CONSIST OF A TWO DIFFERENT WINES OR MORE HAVING SOME OF THE SAME CHARISTERICTS YET DIFFERENT ENOUGH IN THE BLEND TO STANDOUT ON ITS OWN IN RESPECT TO THE OTHERS ROLL IN THE MIX.USUALY THIS IS ALL DONE AFTER THE WINES ARE COMPLETED AND READY FOR BOTTLING.

KIT MAKERS CAN DO ALL THE SAME MOVES ONLY GOING DOWN A VERY DIFFERENT AVENUE, IF YOU THINK OF ALL THE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS WE HAVE TO WORK WITH THERE IS NO REAL DIFFERENCE. WE HAVE THE BASIC CONCENTRATES TO WORK WITH AND DEPENDING ON THE VALUE OF THE KIT A LARGER AMOUNT OF VERITAL JUICE THEN CONCENTRATE,ADDING FRESH MADE FPACS TO THE BASE OR ZEST TO THE SECONDARY ALONG WITH THE ADDED AMOUNTS OF OAK,OAK DUST AND TANNINS ADDED ALL ALONG THE WAY. OUR VOLUMNES ARE SMALL ENOUGH TO TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION AS LONG AS WE ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO THE BASIC WINE RULES AND SANATATION THAT’S REQUIRED,WE CAN CHANGE PERTTY MUCH ON A DIME AND DO WHAT IS NECESSARY TO OUR PRODUCT.

LET SAY I WAS GOING TO MAKE A BLACKBERRY PINO NIOR,THE FIRST QUESTION I ASK IS WHATS THE PRIMARY FLAVOR AND WHATS THE SECONDARY.DEPENDING ON WHAT PROFILE I WANT THE WINE TO HAVE (TASTE) WILL LET ME KNOW WHO IS THE LEADER IN THIS DANCE, THE PINO OR THE BLACKBERRY,IF I USE THE PINO AS THE BASE AND THE BLACKBERRY FPAC IN THE PRIMARY THEN THE BLEND SHOULD BE A PARTENERSHIP OF FLAVORS,IF I USE THE PINO AS MY BASE AND THE BERRIES IN THE SECONDARY THEN THE BERRIES BECOME THE BACKGROUND.

I want to make a pinot Gris, from California and wanted to create crispness and a better bite to the wines finish, I would finish out the wine making sure I first had good adv.. At the finish then either in the secondary or as a closing step a couple of weeks before bottling I would add the zest of 1 grapefruit or lemon to the wine and allow it two sit to infuse its acidity and freshness to the wine, then rack and bottle.

Making your own fpac from fresh grapes whenever and where ever you find them adds a better mouthfeel to the finish.

There are a lot of different ways kit winemakers can infuse, enhance and create our wines to have a touch of our own hand in the making but you must take the time to plan your work and work your plan, and always think outside the box.




most of mine are done in the primary some in the secondary....

 

[joeswine]

It all depends on how and what want .have I confused you?

 

[sugar]

It all depends on how and what want .have I confused you?

Not at all.
You have been at this a LOT longer than me. I started September 2017 when my new Muscadine vines came in.
It was a one time thing that turned into much more..... when I found the kits.
So, I am gleaning all I can from those who have gone before.
The Romans taught the French then the Spanish. We learn
I get some of it and put into practice.
The zest... good.
My wine pallet is also in school,so..schools in. I very much appreciate you taking the time to to answer me.

 

[sugar]

I have a pinot Gris in secondary now.
I'm going to try your thought with lemon,may do lime.?

 

[sugar]

Have you tried Oak dust in secondary?

 

[joeswine]

1. sugar, lime is not a normal additive for wine I wouldn't use it.
2. the secondary is where the oak really has an effect long term. Yes very much so.
3. grapefruit for the Pino Gris for sure.

any and all questions are always welcomed...knowing when, where an what to do, at what time is a learning process in wine making and then there's just fun time.

 

[sugar]

Joe,
The Pinot Gris kit .
Racked it.
Degassed it,Very carefully.
Stabilized it
Clearified it.
Taste was very good.
Decided to backsweeten.
Added 1/3 cup simple syrup
24 hrs later,
Sulphur smell!!!!
Very clean and disinfect all through the process.
But sulphur.
Wat'd I do?
Anybody!

 

[jpwatkins9]

Got my Cabernet Sauvignon last week, hauled home 6 gal+of juice and grapes from 20+ year old Texashill country Cabernet vines. Crushed up grapes, etc. and reserved about 3/4 gal of grapes, stems, a few leaves, etc. and froze them for later. Left a lot of skins, whole grapes, etc. in the juices and pitched pre-hydrated 1118 yeast. Measured at the vineyard 25.8 brix, 1.101 s g, and 3.6 Ph. Checked with my home instruments and close enough. Currently bubbling away after 1 week, will stir the solids off the bottom today and continue primary fermentation until no bubbling. Will clean up the solids (Lees), but leave some to preserve the yeast, and transfer to the secondary fermentation after re-measuring the s g. Will add the thawed reserved grapes and skins etc. and add to the mix. I may re-pitch some hydrated yeast due to adding the reserved grapes. Looking at racking a few times then popping into my 20 liter French Oak barrel for awhile. I will have too much wine, so will bottle the leftover. That I may be forced to taste while the rest is in the barrel. The trials we are forced to endure.

 

[joeswine]

Your on the wrong thread

 

[sugar]

Your on the wrong thread

Which thread?
Don't get it.