WineXpert vitners reserve Pinot noir 10L kit

[chitownwine]

little background, I started making kits last Jan. total have made vitners reserve chianti and pinot grigio, both were made to 6g and ended up tasting great, to point all gone now. Have tried several kits from amazon, the vino italiano all were were made to 5g and turned out good as well.

Now i just started a vintners reserve pinot noir and made it to 6g as the kit stated and the initial SG was 1.074. That seems to be way at the low end, I know the pinot grigio from vintners was 1.084, can't remember what the chianti started at. also All my vino kits made to 5g were around 1.090.

Is that kit doomed to be watery and low in Alc given the starting SG?? Just wondering if I should have made it to lower total volume, although peeps say not to mess with most kits suggested volumes aside from maybe the low end amazon vino kits. also kit came with no oak, i know pinot noir usually not much oak but any thoughts on adding some french cubes during bulk aging??

any input appreciated.

thanks

rob

 

[Rocky]

Hi Rob, If you do nothing, it appears that the wine will end up something below 10% ABV. A couple of suggestions for you:

1. Make a simple syrup with 2 parts sugar dissolved in 1 part water and increase the SG. to an appropriate level for the ABV you would prefer, perhaps 12.5% (SG to start at 1.095).

2. Get a couple boxes of red raisins, rough chop them or pulse them in a food processor and add them to the wine in the primary.

3. Using the oak as you suggested will give you an additional level of taste.

4. Later, if you feel the taste is weak, you could always add an F-pack.

Good luck and let us know what you decide to do. That is how we all learn.

 

[robie]

That is a pretty low SG, even for a Pinot. Are you sure you had the must and water mixed very well when you took the measurement? I started a kit last night and was again surprised how the water didn't mix well with the wine until I stirred it really well. After "dumping" in the water, the top portion of the bucket was almost clear until I stirred it.

I like to take me measurements when I first pitch the yeast, then again the next morning.

The hope is that the wine kit is made to be balanced, so adding sugar for more alcohol can affect that balance. Just be sure you take that into consideration. Having said that, I have added sugar to some of my kits.

 

[chitownwine]

good point about the stirring, I did stir a bit but might not have been quite as much since I didnt use the drill stir. Will recheck later.

 

[chitownwine]

Hmm so still at 1.075. Was thinking about adding simple syrup but already at 6land that probably dilute to much think and be even more watery. just wierd how there other kits always at 6 l. Were at or above like1.085

 

[robie]

Hmm so still at 1.075. Was thinking about adding simple syrup but already at 6land that probably dilute to much think and be even more watery. just wierd how there other kits always at 6 l. Were at or above like1.085

The formula I used to calculate ABV from starting SG:
ABV = ((start SG) -(ending sg)) * 131

ABV = (1.075 - approx .998) * 131

10.087 = 1.075 - .998 * 131

10% is a little low. Why don't you call the LHBS you bought kit from and ask if they think the ABV could be bumped up to about 12% without messing up the kit? You might ask if that % is typical for that kit.

I don't typically make those smaller kits, except for mist kits. I save up my bucks until I can purchase the higher end kits. However, if I were making your kit, I'd seriously consider bumping the ABV up to about 12%, but no higher for a Pinot.

 

[MN-winer]

I did this kit as my first 2 years ago. It is not 10%, or should not be. It is lower alcohol than any other kit I've done - I can get the records on my SG and respond again when I'm home. My wine finished at 12.5%. Its a thin wine. I would assume you did not mix it well and continue. I'd suggest you add some oak cuz this kit had no oak as I recall and Pinot's are nice with some oak.

 

[Karey]

just adding sugar

Does sugar need to be added as a diluted syrup? Couldn't you just keep stirring the sugar in the wine till diluted, thus no more added water? I've not done this in my wines other than Skeeter Pee. I've got some wines that are close to being bottled (chokecherry, crabapple, peach, rhubarb, and raspberry) that I'm going to need to sweeten some and was just planning on stirring in sugar - first tho to an extracted gallon to get a figured out ratio of what I like and then add to rest of carboy.

 

[MN-winer]

Does sugar need to be added as a diluted syrup? .

I've generally added simple syrup. I prefer that the sugar is broken down to liquid. In this case I think we are assuming it was not mixed well to begin with so adding sugar may increase the alcohol higher than the wine is intended to be at. Correct measurements at the beginning are critical so you know what you will end up with at the end. I can't imagine that the wine will be 10%. That type of quality control probably doesn't happen in kits. Now if you pick your own grapes, then its possible.

 

[Chateau Joe]

That is a pretty low SG, even for a Pinot. Are you sure you had the must and water mixed very well when you took the measurement? I started a kit last night and was again surprised how the water didn't mix well with the wine until I stirred it really well. After "dumping" in the water, the top portion of the bucket was almost clear until I stirred it.

I like to take me measurements when I first pitch the yeast, then again the next morning.

The hope is that the wine kit is made to be balanced, so adding sugar for more alcohol can affect that balance. Just be sure you take that into consideration. Having said that, I have added sugar to some of my kits.

I saw Tim Vandergrift a few years ago. One thing he mentioned was that most people do not stir their kits enough before they pitch their yeast. Tim recommended at least 2 minutes with an electric drill.

 

[chupalt]

I just bottled this kit in early August. Initial SG was 1.084. Final SG was 0.990. 12.3% ABV.

 

[robie]

I saw Tim Vandergrift a few years ago. One thing he mentioned was that most people do not stir their kits enough before they pitch their yeast. Tim recommended at least 2 minutes with an electric drill.

All that initial stirring will add a lot of oxygen to the must. That is exactly what the yeast need.

 

[ferymark]

The hope is that the wine kit is made to be balanced, so adding sugar for more alcohol can affect that balance. Just be sure you take that into consideration. Having said that, I have added sugar to some of my kits. I don't typically make those smaller kits, except for mist kits. I save up my bucks until I can purchase the higher end kits. However, if I were making your kit, I'd seriously consider bumping the ABV up to about 12%, but no higher for a Pinot.