RJ Spagnols Chard question?

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vabeachbear

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Usually just make big red wines from the high end kits.

Going to make a Chard this winter with a bit of a twist. I'm going to separate the 6 gals, and make two 3 gals.

First one, I'm going to leave the lees in and try the batonnage method, and the second one, I'm going to put through MLF.

Has anyone done this and if so, which kits did you use. I'm right now trying to decide between the RJS En Primeur Golden Heights Chard or the Eclipse Sonoma Chard.

Was wondering if either was better for both methods. Also if anyone thinks either is better for either method alone also.
 
I do not see a need to run an MLF on a kit wine, should be balanced to start with, that's what your paying for. Battonage is fine, I'm actually probably going to attempt that with my Eclipse Sonoma Dry Creek Chard that I hear bubbling away in the background. Used D47 yeast on it as it is recommended for such aging. I think if you could do it in a barrel that would be even better, I just don't have a barrel, yet.
 
Tim Vandergrift strongly advises against MLF for kits. Here is his take (emphasis added):

Our kits tend to have a softer, more complex flavour profile than you might expect. We achieve this partly by carefully choosing our oak styles and the protocols for using them. By including the oak in with the fermentation (instead of after) we get a much softer profile, which includes some butter and vanilla notes, as opposed to woody or smoky characters.
Now you can’t do malolactic on the kits. It will end in tears if you try. However, there is a technique called ‘battonage’ that will help fatten up the finish of the wine, and give it a rich, creamy mouth feel. Here’s the deal:
· Make you kit up as normal, and rack to the secondary carboy on day 5-7 as directed.
· After ten days, ignore the instructions about fining and stabilising. Instead, add one-quarter teaspoon of metabisulphite powder to the wine, and gently stir it up with a sanitised spoon.
· Get all of the yeast sediment in to suspension, make sure it’s nice and cloudy, but don’t splash or agitate.
· Top up with some decent Chardonnay wine (this is better than using water for this technique). At three or four day intervals, go back and stir the yeast up again.
· Repeat every three or four days for a month.
· Let the wine settle for two weeks, rack it into a clean, sanitised carboy, and follow all the remaining instructions on schedule, omitting no detail however slight.
By stirring the yeast into suspension repeatedly you get the benefits of the amino acids they carry, along with a host of compounds—principally mannoproteins, which give they creamy aroma and mouth feel.

Good luck, and I hope you enjoy your kit.

Cheers,
Tim Vandergrift
Technical Services Manager
 
Usually just make big red wines from the high end kits.

Going to make a Chard this winter with a bit of a twist. I'm going to separate the 6 gals, and make two 3 gals.

First one, I'm going to leave the lees in and try the batonnage method, and the second one, I'm going to put through MLF.

Has anyone done this and if so, which kits did you use. I'm right now trying to decide between the RJS En Primeur Golden Heights Chard or the Eclipse Sonoma Chard.

Was wondering if either was better for both methods. Also if anyone thinks either is better for either method alone also.

I wouldn't do it any other way. Here's a thread on that subject

http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=16088
 
I wouldn't do it any other way. Here's a thread on that subject

http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=16088

Thanks for that, read through it, think I've decided on the Sonoma Chard and battonage. Just started a Super Tuscan kit so I have a little time to change my mind. Big fan of sur lie produced Sonoma Chards that I can't afford to buy, (Kistler, Paul Hobbs, etc.) so if I can get something a quarter as good i'll be quite pleased.

I would have done the MLF, so thanks all for letting me know.
 

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