WineXpert Amarone!

jgmann67 said:

The skin pack is marked 1.6L (it's smaller than the one for the Eclipse Cab, btw). I plan to address whether it's "18 liters of juice, plus 1.6 liters of skins"; or, "16 liters of juice with 1.6 liters of skins," when I pour into the primary. The box and the video both say, "18 liters."

So, an objective test should answer this one:

Measure out 1.25 gallons of water. Use a half gallon for the bentonite. Pour the bag of juice and the remaining .75 gallons of water into the primary. Then I can see how much it really is. If it's at the line, then the answer is "18 liter bag." But, if I need another half gallon, then the answer is "16 liter bag."

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Let us know the results if you haven't started the kit yet.

The printing on the box is misleading, it may say 18L (I thought it'd say 16L) but the reality is that you get 16L of juice.

The only kits that I know have 18L of juice plus the skins pack is the RJS En Premier, if I remember correctly, and that is a maybe.

Answer from Tech Support at Global Vinters (WE)...

"Hi Bill,

Thank you for contacting me and I did get your phone message as well.
It sounds like all is good with your wine and it has finished fermenting. The second yeast is added on Day 1 to help with chaptalization if needed and you did not need it.
Your wine is not ruined.
Please let me know if you require further assistance.

Gail"

Still wish the instructions had read "yeast packages..." not "yeast package...". I'll know next time.

Oh! Apologies to the OP for stealing the thread. :: I'm done now.

geek said:

Just an insurance....
I've bought kits where 2 yeast packages were provided, but only used one.

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The Forza also came with two packs of yeast, too. The consensus was, use the RC 212 first, then use the EC 1118 if the first one doesn't get you home.

bkisel said:

Answer from Tech Support at Global Vinters (WE)...

"Hi Bill,

Thank you for contacting me and I did get your phone message as well.
It sounds like all is good with your wine and it has finished fermenting. The second yeast is added on Day 1 to help with chaptalization if needed and you did not need it.
Your wine is not ruined.
Please let me know if you require further assistance.

Gail"

Still wish the instructions had read "yeast packages..." not "yeast package...". I'll know next time.

Oh! Apologies to the OP for stealing the thread. :: I'm done now.

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This is good info. No need to apologize.

My concern with the customer service response above is that Chapitalization doesn't start until day 3 or 4, when the wine SG reaches about 1.02, I thought (I will go back to the instructions to verify). So, how would I know on day 1 whether I need help a few days later??

jgmann67 said:

This is good info. No need to apologize.

My concern with the customer service response above is that Chapitalization doesn't start until day 3 or 4, when the wine SG reaches about 1.02, I thought (I will go back to the instructions to verify). So, how would I know on day 1 whether I need help a few days later??

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I'm taking it to mean that it is used just in case it is needed and if not needed then no harm would have been done. Does that make sense?

BTW, If it came with two different yeast strains, EC-1118 and RC 212, I used the EC because I have the RC packet left over.

Bill, I need to try a bottle of that Amarone....in 2 years?

geek said:

Bill, I need to try a bottle of that Amarone....in 2 years?

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Well, I'm hoping you'll not wait 2 years to come visit PA.

Wish I didn't like the big bold reds so much ($ + time). Make just about any low-mid range kit, back sweeten with 2 cups of sugar and my wife and most others are very pleased with the results. I think homemade wine gets some points simply because it is homemade and not commercial. Also, I think that our custom wine labels magically add some flavor to our homemade wines.

bkisel said:

I'm taking it to mean that it is used just in case it is needed and if not needed then no harm would have been done. Does that make sense?

BTW, If it came with two different yeast strains, EC-1118 and RC 212, I used the EC because I have the RC packet left over.

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Bill, I checked my notes from when I made this kit. Mine came with two packs of RC212.

Honestly, I can think of no more minor "tweak" than using only one pack of the same kind of yeast, instead of two!

With work and family commitments, it's looking like I will be pitching yeast on this one at the end of month. May be on a Sunday during the month. But, it doesn't look good.

jgmann67 said:

With work and family commitments, it's looking like I will be pitching yeast on this one at the end of month. May be on a Sunday during the month. But, it doesn't look good.

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Hey Jim, I was supposed to be down your way today for the great outdoor show but had to cancel. Will try again this Friday. Won't go on a weekend, tried that once, just way to crowded.

bkisel said:

Hey Jim, I was supposed to be down your way today for the great outdoor show but had to cancel. Will try again this Friday. Won't go on a weekend, tried that once, just way to crowded.

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That's a good show. I did it last year and the year before. Won't be able to go this year, either.

We're getting snow tonight and tomorrow.

Idle hands are the work of the devil... Apparently, the devil makes wine, too.

I started the Selection Amarone today. A few things to share:

* there is no oak for the finish, just 90 gr of Hungarian chips (saw dust from heaven) for the primary. Unless there are better suggestions, I'm probably going with some French medium toast in the finish.

* the kit came with directions for the Speciale (dessert wine). Really?? Had to hit the Internet to get the right instructions. NBD.

* the OG prior to dropping grape skins is about 1.080. Not bad. Letting things soak a while before checking again and moving forward.

* there are indeed only 16 liters of juice in this kit (notwithstanding the box and the videos advertising is kit saying you get 18 liters of juice - it's a dirty lie).

* I added a cup of Sunmaid raisins and 6 gr of tannin to the primary.

* Brewbelt going on for primary fermentation.

After an hour with skins in juice, the SG is about 1.095. So, I dropped in the oak powder and both RC212 packets (blasting it with both barrels). We're off to a good start.

I just bottled these over the weekend after 6 months of bulk aging. I have 12 bottles left from my previous batch that are about 18 months old. They have matured quiet nicely. I make at least one of these kits every year.

jumby said:

I just bottled these over the weekend after 6 months of bulk aging. I have 12 bottles left from my previous batch that are about 18 months old. They have matured quiet nicely. I make at least one of these kits every year.

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So, about how long on average does your Amarone age before drinking? From the sounds of it, a year. Craig (ceeaton) opened my eyes to the idea of bottling a half dozen or more 375's to taste while the wine matures. So, I'm thinking of 6-9 months in bulk. At a year, and every couple of months thereafter, give it a taste. By the time I run out of 375's, it should be ready.

jgmann67 said:

So, about how long on average does your Amarone age before drinking? From the sounds of it, a year. Craig (ceeaton) opened my eyes to the idea of bottling a half dozen or more 375's to taste while the wine matures. So, I'm thinking of 6-9 months in bulk. At a year, and every couple of months thereafter, give it a taste. By the time I run out of 375's, it should be ready.

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I wait about a year before I start sampling. That goes for all my reds. For my own personal taste that's what works best for me.

jumby said:

I wait about a year before I start sampling. That goes for all my reds. For my own personal taste that's what works best for me.

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Interested, too, in your choice of bottle. Most times I see the Italians put their big reds in a burgundy style bottle and had planned to do so for both the Amarone and the Forza. I'm sure it's a personal choice - why choose the Bordeaux style bottle? It's probably a decision based on which bottle you had the most of at a given time. But, just thought I'd ask.

jgmann67 said:

Interested, too, in your choice of bottle. Most times I see the Italians put their big reds in a burgundy style bottle and had planned to do so for both the Amarone and the Forza. I'm sure it's a personal choice - why choose the Bordeaux style bottle? It's probably a decision based on which bottle you had the most of at a given time. But, just thought I'd ask.

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I have a restaurant that saves bottles for me. I use whatever I have on hand that's not clear for my reds. Fortunately for me they keep me well supplied. I usually collect about a 1,000+ bottles a year.

jumby said:

I have a restaurant that saves bottles for me. I use whatever I have on hand that's not clear for my reds. Fortunately for me they keep me well supplied. I usually collect about a 1,000+ bottles a year.

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Wow! Dat's a lotta bottles.

jumby said:

Fortunately for me they keep me well supplied. I usually collect about a 1,000+ bottles a year.

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Hmmm, and perhaps coincidentally, that's just at your legal limit for winemaking!

jgmann67 said:

Interested, too, in your choice of bottle. Most times I see the Italians put their big reds in a burgundy style bottle and had planned to do so for both the Amarone and the Forza. I'm sure it's a personal choice - why choose the Bordeaux style bottle? It's probably a decision based on which bottle you had the most of at a given time. But, just thought I'd ask.

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Yeah, I am planning to put my Amarone and Nebbiolo in Burgundy bottles, as those seem pretty close to the Italian shape. My Super Tuscans, on the other hand, I am planning to put them in Bordeaux bottles, because that is what I mostly see real Super Tuscans in.

OTOH, I will also use whatever I have on hand, in a pinch!

sour_grapes said:

Hmmm, and perhaps coincidentally, that's just at your legal limit for winemaking!




Yeah, I am planning to put my Amarone and Nebbiolo in Burgundy bottles, as those seem pretty close to the Italian shape. My Super Tuscans, on the other hand, I am planning to put them in Bordeaux bottles, because that is what I mostly see real Super Tuscans in.

OTOH, I will also use whatever I have on hand, in a pinch!

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I sort prepped (clean, de-labeled) bottles in four bins: Bordeaux brown; Bordeaux green; burgundy; and, specialty (odd colors, mostly burgundy shaped). The burgundy bottle bin is full right now. With 3 kits into the burgundy and only one kit in the green Bordeaux, I could use some more.

Need to pull more from my sources and get my bottle reserves back up.