WineXpert Winexpert Moscato Aging Question

[Mekpdue]

Quick Question about aging the Moscato. I am going to make a few cases of WE Moscato for my nieces wedding in mid Sept. Question is: Start it now, let it age until July and then bottle....or should I wait another month and start the kit mid-March or April. I haven't made this kit before so I'm not really familiar with how this white grape ages and the best flavor profile timeline.

Oh yeah, I'm adding white raisins to the fermenter when I start it....any other tweaks?

Thank you.
Mike

 

[Ohio Bob]

Start immediately. Age can only help.

 

[Khristyjeff]

You might try reposting this on the "Tweaking Cheap Kits" thread to get additional suggestions. It gets a lot of traffic. Good luck!

 

[Mekpdue]

You might try reposting this on the "Tweaking Cheap Kits" thread to get additional suggestions. It gets a lot of traffic. Good luck!

Thank you.

 

[Mekpdue]

Start immediately. Age can only help.

Thanks.

 

[sour_grapes]

Sooner is almost always better than later.

 

[bstnh1]

It's an early drinker, but the sooner you start the better it will be. I just bottled one that topped out at 9.95% ABV. It's smooth drink, but pretty sweet.

 

[joeswine]

I have found it's good to bottle my wine within 1 to 2 months after completion simply do to the fact I like to taste as it is aging, got it?

 

[joeswine]

Phase 2

 

[joeswine]

this one is meant to be consumed easily//// 2 to 3 months when I make wine shortly after finish, ill bottle within a month that way I can sample as they age.

 

[Mekpdue]

Alright, here we go...With some help from everyone's advice, I went ahead and started a WE Moscato kit this evening (sooner rather than later). In keeping with a recommendation from @joeswine I added white raisins to the primary. I did boost up the sugar in the Moscato from 1.070 to 1.080 (before the raisins) and I expect perhaps with the raisins will raise the abv a little with the internal raisin sugar. EC118 was the yeast, and at present, I estimate final abv to be around 11.1%.

This is my first white wine batch outside two RJS Tropical Lime kits, so I classify this as my first 'truer' white. I do know whites, as compared to reds, are aged less, bottled sooner, and drank much sooner, maybe 1-2 years on average (mostly). With a kit, I wasn't sure of the aging curve (clearing/aging to bottle). The instructions say to wait 2 weeks or so after primary/secondary but longer is usually better. Add to that some bulk aging, and add to that the potential bottle shock waiting period (usually 1-2 months) and I wasn't sure of the optimum time to put on my winemaking cap and vint for max taste in Sept.

I noticed with WE, they combined the Sorbate and k-meta into one pack. Just an observation.

I'll vint another 6 gallons when my primary fermentation bucket is emptied and cleaned in 2 weeks. And then compare the two. (I'll wait as I don't want to use a 10 gallon fermenter for the 2 week step of primary and secondary with such a large amount of headspace).

I also like the idea of uncorking and trying a bottle each month to see how it ages. My only problem with that is I'm a dry red drinker! But alas, the things we do for our hobby/craft. Right?

 

[Ohio Bob]

Maybe twist your families arm into a tasting?

 

[cmason1957]

With white wines, add opposed to red wines, oxidation is a bigger concern. I always ferment my white under airlock at a lower temp and am nearly paranoid about topping up to avoid oxygen.

 

[winemaker81]

With a kit, I wasn't sure of the aging curve (clearing/aging to bottle).

For this wine, you can bottle at the 4 month mark. This ensures it's clear and a lot of the early chemical changes have probably completed. Many of the whites are drinkable at 6 months, even if they are not optimal.

I also like the idea of uncorking and trying a bottle each month to see how it ages.

This is an excellent idea. Record your impressions for each bottle, but do not look at previous notes. At the 1 year mark, read the notes from first to last.

 

[joeswine]

For this wine, you can bottle at the 4 month mark. This ensures it's clear and a lot of the early chemical changes have probably completed. Many of the whites are drinkable at 6 months, even if they are not optimal.


This is an excellent idea. Record your impressions for each bottle, but do not look at previous notes. At the 1 year mark, read the notes from first to last.

I like the idea of tasting notes the problem with that is your taste buds change with time and health , also the product changes from harvest to harvest, vendor to vendor. That being said it’s not a bad idea, just another tool I guess.

 

[jumby]

Phase 2

Joe, how many white raisins did you add?

 

[joeswine]

One cup sun maid or Thompson seedless grapes a nice bunch sautéed down.

 

[GaDawg]

I bottle 375’s for sampling

 

[joeswine]

Always need samplers for going down The way , yes?

 

[Bmd2k1]

Alright, here we go...With some help from everyone's advice, I went ahead and started a WE Moscato kit this evening (sooner rather than later). In keeping with a recommendation from @joeswine I added white raisins to the primary. I did boost up the sugar in the Moscato from 1.070 to 1.080 (before the raisins) and I expect perhaps with the raisins will raise the abv a little with the internal raisin sugar. EC118 was the yeast, and at present, I estimate final abv to be around 11.1%.

This is my first white wine batch outside two RJS Tropical Lime kits, so I classify this as my first 'truer' white. I do know whites, as compared to reds, are aged less, bottled sooner, and drank much sooner, maybe 1-2 years on average (mostly). With a kit, I wasn't sure of the aging curve (clearing/aging to bottle). The instructions say to wait 2 weeks or so after primary/secondary but longer is usually better. Add to that some bulk aging, and add to that the potential bottle shock waiting period (usually 1-2 months) and I wasn't sure of the optimum time to put on my winemaking cap and vint for max taste in Sept.

I noticed with WE, they combined the Sorbate and k-meta into one pack. Just an observation.

I'll vint another 6 gallons when my primary fermentation bucket is emptied and cleaned in 2 weeks. And then compare the two. (I'll wait as I don't want to use a 10 gallon fermenter for the 2 week step of primary and secondary with such a large amount of headspace).

I also like the idea of uncorking and trying a bottle each month to see how it ages. My only problem with that is I'm a dry red drinker! But alas, the things we do for our hobby/craft. Right?

How'd it end up for ya? Gonna fire up my 1st Moscato this fall . Plan to use D47.