Why add raisins

[joeswine]

cocroach

how old is your amarone?and when you got the kit what was it's make-up?

 

[whackfol]

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[joeswine]

rasins in the wine

ALL these items are great unto themselves,and I do think we, at one time or the other,touched upon them,if you read (when good wines gone bad) you will fine all the above is and has been touch upon,not saying that the addition of rasins at the proper time isn't also a method that we as home wine makers can and also employ,and not a negative additive,there are many winemakers on this site who have employed this method and have been successfull with it ,this is a method used as far back as the roman times,not good for all occasions but it's still a tool in the boxto work with if and when desired.

 

[whackfol]

To each his own. I would never consider adding raisins.

 

[ibglowin]

To each his own. I would never consider adding raisins.

You have said your opinion here. Time to move on......

 

[derunner]

basically for big red wines,not for fruit,there a different animal all together.

What about adding raisins to a red table wine kit like WE Mezza Luna Red. would it improve such a kit? To me my first attemptat this kit is OK, but seems thin / watery when you swirl it around the glass.

My wine shop also mentioned adding a juice concentraite to improve the wine.

 

[novalou]

What about adding raisins to a red table wine kit like WE Mezza Luna Red. would it improve such a kit? To me my first attemptat this kit is OK, but seems thin / watery when you swirl it around the glass.

My wine shop also mentioned adding a juice concentraite to improve the wine.

Buy a wine kit that comes with either more concentrate or grape skins.

 

[tonyt]

I add raisins to most of my kit wine that does not come with grape pack or raisins. I believe after 30 kits that they add mouthfeel and new style fruit forward taste. It works for me without a doubt.

 

[joeswine]

Thinking outside the box

As an average home winemaker we sometimes do not have all the tools that we need and are subject to the product that were given to make a decent wine, that being said we can only use the tools in are toolbox that we have and a lot of winemakers out there do not have as many tools as a should . Whether it is due to financing or a place to do it , or any other number of things that can restrict your wine making abilities , not just what you know. So we tend to think outside the box ,at least I would hope most of use, purist or not . We try to think. What do I do if I did not have the tools my possession . How do I make it better with the least possible cost and still be effective and tasteful, and I think that most of us understand we do what we can,we experiment, we try, and we do, whether we lose or fail we never stop( thinking outside the box .)

 

[tonyt]

Very well said Joe. That sounds like me. We ask for help from each other and do the best we can with the tools we have.

 

[joeswine]

derunner

if I'm NOT MISTAKEN THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A BIG RED,BY ALL MEANS TRY THE RASINS IN THE SECONDARY,DOES THIS KIT COME WITH POWDERED OAK?IF NOT APPLY SOME AND IT WILL BE A BIG RED IN TIME.

 

[peaches9324]

to joeswine or anyone with an opinion on additions

I bought one of those thin cab kits Vino Italiano and I also bought 46 oz of sun country cab to thicken it up a bit, I have some oak to add and I was thinking bout adding the cacao nibs I just bought on closeout special to make it heavy more like a port, was thinking about adding raisons after reading what everybody adds .. I never made any additions to my kits before was to scared I would mess them up and be out of money any suggestions would be much appreciated!

thanks

 

[joeswine]

Peaches9324

Once you start to tweak you are never sure what the true outcome my be are you willing to lose it if it don't work out or are you willing to take a chance to make it better?

 

[kevinlfifer]

I am going to do a similar thing to that Cab.

I did this with a Red Zin

46 oz Alexander red zin conc.​

1 1/4 tsp peptic enzyme
1 cup boiled with water light toast American oak
8 lb recycled grape skin packs, 1- rjs, 2-paklab

There were more skins than I needed but it turned out very good.​

For this Cab I am using 2 lbs or so Marquette skins in primary, but no concentrate. Oak and enzyme to get as much from the skins as I can.​

In secondary a lb of raisins and 2-3 Tbs of tannin (per Joes method)​

I used the raisin/tannin method in a Paklab cab/shz and cab/merlot. Both are clearing now and my initial impression is that it really helped.

 

[kevinlfifer]

Changed the plan above for the Vino Italiano Cab:

1. Full 6 gal batch
2. 5 lb of maquette skins
3. 3 lb sugar to grt to sg 1.10
4. 1.5 tsp enzyme
5. 1 tbs nutrient
6. 3/4 cup light oak chips - boiled with that water added​
7. 71-B-1122 yeast (need the MLF it provides)​
8. Total ingredient cost $43.85 +/-​

I will add 3 Tbs tannin and 1 lb raisins in the secondary and keep eyeryone posted on the results.​

 

[jswordy]

Changed the plan above for the Vino Italiano Cab:

1. Full 6 gal batch
2. 5 lb of maquette skins
3. 3 lb sugar to grt to sg 1.10
4. 1.5 tsp enzyme
5. 1 tbs nutrient
6. 3/4 cup light oak chips - boiled with that water added​
7. 71-B-1122 yeast (need the MLF it provides)​
8. Total ingredient cost $43.85 +/-​

I will add 3 Tbs tannin and 1 lb raisins in the secondary and keep eyeryone posted on the results.​

Yes, please do! I'll be watching this.

 

[peaches9324]

Joe is there a particular kind of raison you use?

 

[tonyt]

I don't know what Joe does but I use Organic Red Flame Raisins from Whole Foods. Zack suggests dried Currants.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Wine Making mobile app

 

[joeswine]

raisins in the wine

I HAVE USED SUNMAID AND ZANTES BOTH HAVE WORKED OUT WELL FOR ME JUST REMEMBER WHEN YOU START TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX YOUR GOING WERE MOST CONVENTIONAL WINE MAKERS WON'T GO,ARE YOU PREPARED TO TRY?

 

[blueflint]

Two questions...

1.) has anyone tried blueberries, either frozen or dried in the secondary? I would not think for a big red but a middle road type?

2.) I have a 9 month old Cab from a kit in a glass carboy that really isn't good, very thin, not much flavor. What can I do at this point to help it? It was a Winexpert kit, I added 10 ounces of Zante Currants in the primary, it also had 2 ounces of med toast oak in primary. What to add at this point? Maybe a little oak chips? I don't want it like licking an oak board though. Any thoughts?

Thanks

-Tony