WineXpert Meadmaker questions on wine kit techniques

wjwid said:

I'm about to start my first kits and had a few questions about techniques. I'm not one who likes to follow directions without understanding why, which is why I moved very quickly away from beer kit homebrewing and have been all-grain brewing for several years. I also have been making mead for a couple of years. I understand that mead can be more difficult to ferment than grape wine because of the lack of naturally occurring nutrient in honey must. I'm curious whether following any of the extra fussy mead-making techniques are warranted or not with these kits.

My first kits are the WE Yakima Valley Pinot Gris and Crushendo Sonoma Cab.

First, on yeast: The GotMead site, where I get mead advice, hammers home the need, with mead, to be scrupulous about yeast nutrition. So to get the best results with mead making, I would usually hydrate the dry yeast with Go Ferm, following what I think are protocols that were developed for wine making. So I was disturbed when I got my WE Crushendo kit and the instructions say to just sprinkle the yeast on top of the must. I assume there would be no harm in doing the same kind of yeast hydration using the GoFerm - am I right? Do any of you do this?
No need to rehydrate. The yeast works well without it. You can add something like Go-Ferm, but that also isn't necessary. The kits have been properly balanced before you got them.


Next question: again, if I were making mead, and specifically a melomel with a fruit cap, I would punch it down consistently several times a day if I were around to do it. In the kit I have, it says to "push the grapes under the surface of the liquid once every day for the next 7 days, stirring gently" using a sterilized spoon.

Will I throw the kit off or somehow negatively affect the wine if I do this more often? Or is there a consensus that this is unnecessary? Once a day is plenty. You can do it more often in the beginning, but certainly not needed.

Is there an advantage to stirring up the lees and getting all the yeast back into suspension like I do with mead during the primary, being careful not to oxidize too much after the 1/3 sugar break? No. You are making wine not mead. The juice ferments easier than all the honey does.

Third question: after a 10-day secondary fermentation, the instructions for the Crushendo kit say to stabilize and add the chitosan clarifiers in what is more or less a single step. The instructions for this step are a little confusing regarding degassing. I think they are saying to degas in the process of stirring it up when adding these additives. But my sense from reading many of the posts in this forum is that you generally degas before you add the stabilizers and fining agents. Correct?
Yes, degas first. Then add the clarifiers and stir in well.

It also seems like there is a lot of variation out there as to when to add fining agents. I'm guessing at this point that I should degas first, and then stabilize and add finings per the instructions, and not try to deviate from the instructions until I have a better feel for how this whole process works; but I'd like some advice from the veterans on whether there is some gain from waiting on the clearing step.
For the Crushendo kit, follow the instructions. They come out great so no deviation is needed and may actually detract from the finished product if you do.

I expect to bulk age for at least 3-6 months before bottling. With mead, I have found that bulk aging in carboy for at least a year makes for a much better result. Assuming I have the patience, would you say that I can expect better results by doing this with this wine (especially this big red)?
Nothing wrong with bulk aging. It does make a nice product and helps ensure that the finished wine is vry clear. Be sure to add extra k-meta every couple months.

Sorry to be so long and have so many questions ... thanks in advance for any stabs at any of the above.

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