aryoung1980
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- Joined
- Apr 20, 2014
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I purchased the Reserve du Chateau Pinot Nero 55lb kit to try as my first varietal grape wine. I'd like to post what I've done and planning to do for feedback. I feel like the kit's instructions are written to get the wine finished quickly instead of making it the best it can be.
On day one I filled my fermentation bucket with the 23L of juice and mixed in the package of bentonite provided with the kit.
I swapped the kit's yeast out for two 5 gram packets of Lalvin Bourgovin RC212. I read on Northern Brewer that this yeast works well with Pinot Noir. I rehydrated the yeast per Lalvin's instructions and pitched it into my 1.084 must at 62F.
I have been stirring the must multiple times a day. I do not have any grape skins or fruit to punch down. I read it is good to aerate until I hit an SG around 1.020.
After more research today I decided to add 60 grams of French oak slivers. Too large to be called powder, too small to be chips.
48 hours later I'm at 1.066 fermenting at 75F.
Moving forward I plan to continue with one to two stirrings per day until the 1.020 mark. At this point I will seal my bucket's lid and add an airlock with StarSan in it. I will leave it alone until I am below 1.000
Once I'm below 1.000 I will rack the wine into a carboy. I may add 1/2 ounce of medium toast French Oak cubes at this point. All depends on the flavor at racking time.
I'll need to rack into a 5 gallon carboy. Not sure what to do with the other gallon of wine. I don't want to dump it. I brew beer once a month so I don't want to tie up my 6 gallon Better Bottle.
From here on I plan to bulk age the wine for a few months; maybe 6. How long would you recommend? My kit says 20-25 days in secondary. That seems too short.
I will also rack it off of the lees as I see it build up.
Any feedback will be greatly appreciated.
Sent from my iPhone using Wine Making
On day one I filled my fermentation bucket with the 23L of juice and mixed in the package of bentonite provided with the kit.
I swapped the kit's yeast out for two 5 gram packets of Lalvin Bourgovin RC212. I read on Northern Brewer that this yeast works well with Pinot Noir. I rehydrated the yeast per Lalvin's instructions and pitched it into my 1.084 must at 62F.
I have been stirring the must multiple times a day. I do not have any grape skins or fruit to punch down. I read it is good to aerate until I hit an SG around 1.020.
After more research today I decided to add 60 grams of French oak slivers. Too large to be called powder, too small to be chips.
48 hours later I'm at 1.066 fermenting at 75F.
Moving forward I plan to continue with one to two stirrings per day until the 1.020 mark. At this point I will seal my bucket's lid and add an airlock with StarSan in it. I will leave it alone until I am below 1.000
Once I'm below 1.000 I will rack the wine into a carboy. I may add 1/2 ounce of medium toast French Oak cubes at this point. All depends on the flavor at racking time.
I'll need to rack into a 5 gallon carboy. Not sure what to do with the other gallon of wine. I don't want to dump it. I brew beer once a month so I don't want to tie up my 6 gallon Better Bottle.
From here on I plan to bulk age the wine for a few months; maybe 6. How long would you recommend? My kit says 20-25 days in secondary. That seems too short.
I will also rack it off of the lees as I see it build up.
Any feedback will be greatly appreciated.
Sent from my iPhone using Wine Making