WineXpert Private Reserve Fiero Kit Started

[Mike Parisi]

Just started this kit today. Added water up to 23L, grape skins, 2 packets of oak chips. Stirred and let it sit for about 5 hours. When I checked the SG, it was only 1.08 (I checked my hydrometer first, using distilled water and it was right at 1.000). I pitched the yeast (2 kinds). But now I am wondering if I should do more. With a starting SG of 1.08 the wine alcohol level will be only about 11% or so. WE says it should be 14%.

Did I just not leave enough time after adding the grape skins for the sugar to get into solution? Should I do something more? Add raisins or something? Not much room left, with 23L of juice, plus the skins. Or should I just leave it as is?

 

[sour_grapes]

IME, a skins pack will raise the SG by ~0.015.

 

[Mike Parisi]

So, did I just not leave enough time for the sugar in the skins to be released?

 

[ras2018]

I would add some corn sugar or simple syrup to get yourself to 1.10, but that’a just personal opinion. sometimes you just get a kit with a low SG.

 

[Mike Parisi]

Well, it has already started fermenting, so it is probably too late.

 

[sour_grapes]

So, did I just not leave enough time for the sugar in the skins to be released?

Yes, I think so. Generally takes ~24 hours or so.

 

[Hypno]

I heard you should check the SG before it has had time to settle.

 

[joeswine]

Adding the simple syrup creates a better balance, that's just the way I do it and you can track that on my threads, the instructions are there for you to follow that's all then you as the winemaker has to take over .
you need to adjust the ABV. on all these kits, that's what we do. Think out side the box it came in.

 

[Mike Parisi]

I expect the skins probably did add about .015 SG, which would bring it to about 1.095 to start. When I checked the following afternoon, the fermentation was going gangbusters and the SG was 1.086. Down to 1.062 yesterday. Will check this afternoon again but, when I punched it down this morning it was still fermenting hard.

 

[cmason1957]

My wife brought me up a taste of our Fiero the other day. It is about 4 months old, still in carboys, I am very impressed with it already, I added just a touch more sugar at the start and some extra tannin. I think it's going to be one of the best kids I have made. Glad I bought and started two of them at the same time.

 

[WinoDave]

My wife brought me up a taste of our Fiero the other day. It is about 4 months old, still in carboys, I am very impressed with it already, I added just a touch more sugar at the start and some extra tannin. I think it's going to be one of the best kids I have made. Glad I bought and started two of them at the same time.

Agree, I tasted mine last week, it’s around 4 months old also, very good flavors already, should be great around the year Mark. I just made my per kit Instructions.

 

[Mike Parisi]

I am too new to winemaking (1 year, 4 kits) to attempt any tweaking.

 

[WinoDave]

I am too new to winemaking (1 year, 4 kits) to attempt any tweaking.

You really don’t need to “Tweak” any of the wine kits you buy especially the more expensive ones. They’ll all make good wine. The wine kits with lots of wood and grape skins make the best wines. With that being said though I made a $80 Cabernet Sauvignon wine kit one time, entered it into the fair and it took 2nd place.

 

[Mike Parisi]

Of the kits I have made, my favorite is the Mosti Nero D'Avola. Wood chips only during fermentation, and no skins. Doesn't have much nose, but really tasty. My BIL, who has been winemaking for a long time, tasted one that I had bottled less than 6 months earlier and said it tasted like a $15-$20 wine.

 

[Boatboy24]

I was not familiar with this kit and looked it up, thanks you your post. This one looked interesting, and I haven't done a red kit in a long time. I grabbed one from Label Peelers and plan to do an extended maceration on it.

 

[Boatboy24]

Just mixed this one up and my SG was a disappointing 1.076. I always let the skins sit several hours or overnight before I pitch the yeast, just so I can get a better SG measurement. Will see where this one ends up. I added some tannin and am toying with changing the yeast. It came with RC-212 and EC-1118. I know I'm not doing using the EC. May swap out the RC for something else. I have some BM4X4 and RP15 on hand as well.

 

[robert81650]

I started the Fiero kit about a month ago and letting in age for about 8 months to a year.

 

[StreetGlide]

Just placed an order for this. Might have to buy another Spiedel instead of waiting for one to open up...lol

 

[cmason1957]

My wife and I bottles our double batch of Fiero last weekend. It was at about the six month mark since yeast pitch at that point. We won't be touching it for at least another six months, but we did have a bonus 3/4 bottle and one bottle that for some reason didn't cork well. They have been consumed and I must say we were quite surprised by it. I don't have my notes, but I probably used the rc212 only (I might have swapped out for BM4X4). I seem to remember that I was disappointed with the sg after a 24 hour cold soak and added a bit of extra sugar to it. I think it will age quite well.

 

[Boatboy24]

I ended up pitching the RC212 on mine this morning. After a 24 hour soak, it was reading 1.092. Not great, but certainly within range. I decided not to mess with the SG. I did add a tablespoon of Tancor Grand Cru though. I've almost always added a teaspoon to red kits and end up feeling I should've done more in the end. So I just went for it. I also plan to do an extended maceration, though haven't decided how long yet.