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I did a watermelon/merlot and adder 5 lbs of table sugar in a simple syrup. It turned out great. The extra ABV took away from the sweetness and made it seem less sweet. Seems funny more sugar makes it less sweet.


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I made the raspberry peach sangria and added 6# sugar. It's so good I've had people offer to pay me to make them a batch.
I am going to start a new batch for myself this week as my 30 bottles from June are already down to 13.
 
We have made about a dozen IM kits. We always try to age them at least 3 months. Our oldest is a Strawberry White Merlot that was the 2nd kit we made when we started a little over a year and a half ago, so it's a little over 18 months old. The few bottles we have left still taste good but the color is starting to change from a pinkish color to more of an orange/pink color.

We always add 2 lbs of sugar to raise the ABV to about 7.5%. It seems to give a little more body as well. The instructions for the IM and Vintner's Reserve kits don't say anything about adding extra potassium metabisulfate before bottling, presumably because they are expecting you to drink them up quickly but all of the higher end WE kits say to add 1/4 tsp of potassium metabisulfate in 1/2 cup of water if storing more that 6 months. We do this now with every wine we make.

My take is that these kits will reach most of their potential in about 6 months but will continue to improve a little until about 12 months. We won a bronze at this years Wine Maker Magazines annual competition with a White Cranberry Pinot Gris that was about 14 months old at the time.

Our favorites are:
1) White Cranberry Pinot Gris
2) Exotic Fruit White Zin
3) Strawberry White Merlot
4) Pom Zin


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I bottled my watermelon / Merlot in June and it is almost gone :-( I have had several people want to buy it, make it for them or market it. Even had red wine drinkers like it. I had planed to make more around the 1st of the year, but I may have to move that up.


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Dhaynes

While I add a little more sugar than you. I have come to similar conclusions.
I add about 3-1/4 pounds of sugar as simple syrup. And add 1/4 tsp K-meta when I rack after clearing to bulk age for 2 months.
As you have found the wine seems to get good around 6 months and can improve to 1 year.

I have tried adding red or white grape concentrate to give a little more body.
The jury is still out on that. But it seems to increase the aging time needed somewhat.
The extra concentrate also seems to hide some of the fruit flavor.

I tried adding 23 ounces of Alexanders Pinot Nior and 2 ounces of Brewers Blueberry flavoring to a Blueberry Pinot Nior and it has potential. But is too new to say for sure yet.

When adding concentrate, I check the SG and add enough sugar to reach an SG of 1.075. Which is about where I am with 3-1/4 pounds of sugar and no extra concentrate. By next spring I should have an opinion on the results of adding concentrate. Of course this is judged by my particular taste. That's the great thing about making your own wine, you can make it to suit your taste.

Dave
 
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I do mine as directed. Good right away but do get better after a month or two. After that I don't think they really change much.
 
Just notice this thread. Of course being a newbie I have to ask (maybe you have answered it within thread) when one adds more sugar in increases alcohol by how much? In adding sugar does one heat sugar first to a syrup them measure the amount to add?
Very interesting.
 
Thanks for the comments. Wish I had come earlier before I started my Spiced Merlot as it's a nice taste but it's sorta like drinking Kool Aid. Now that I know ... I'll do it the next time.
 
I make a simple syrup with some of the added water. I usually add 4 lbs. the reason I add 4 lbs is that's what is in the bag.
 

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