adding tanins

[Ebonheart]

Ok, We're under 1 SG on our 15 gallons, and the 3 carboys (Niagara, Baco Noir and DeChaunac), are about ready to bottle.

The Niagara is very dry and acidic, so I'll be backsweetening it with fresh Niagara juice. Of course, I'll be Potassium sorbating and potassium metabisulifting it.

The DeChaunac is ok, nothing special. It'll be an acceptable summer red, lite and unoaked.

The Baco Noir is intriguing. I oaked it for 6 weeks with medium American oak staves, so it has a nice nose and taste. I'm thinking of adding some tannins for mouthfeel. Do they sell tannins you can add, and if so, when should I add them?

 

[sour_grapes]

This sticky is a good place to start: Sticky on tannins
and the URL directly:
http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/f86/tannins-know-when-why-add-them-42039/

 

[Turock]

What is the age on these wines? Just because the SG is down doesn't necessarily mean that it's time to bottle.

You can buy packages of tannins. There are tannins made primarily from woods--different oaks included--and tannin made from grape skins only such as Uva Tan Uva Tan Soft. You can use these in the secondary, but you should allow them to sit for a minimum of 3 weeks before bottling so that it incorporates thruout the wine.

The best results come from using them early in the winemaking process. This means in the primary or at the crusher. Fermentation tannins not only add structure and mouthfeel but also stabilize color. So the next time you have a juice bucket or grapes, you might try using tannins early on and see what you think.

 

[Ebonheart]

The reds are from last week of September. Racked twice. The white is from end of October. I'm in no hurry to bottle, Just thinking about it. I think they're still producing some co2, as the airlocks are still pressed to the open side, but not bubbling. Just thinking about it.

 

[Turock]

Still too early to bottle. The earliest we've ever bottled is at the one year mark. Not only is CO2 an issue,but even fine sediment can still be falling from the wine. Most people don't have an appreciation of how bulk aging stabilizes wine.

 

[jethro]

Okay, so tannin should go into the fermenting vat. What kind of wine should tannin be added to? Any of the reds?

 

[sour_grapes]

Big, bold reds that you are willing to age for a while.

 

[Turock]

But you CAN add it in the secondary. Be sure to do some bench trials because you don't want to get the wine too astringent.

 

[Ebonheart]

I noticed that, after checking SG on the Baco Noir, it's really died down on CO2 production. I really, really like how it turned out, that strong Baco Acidity coupled with a 6 week soak with medium American oak staves. I may just bottle that this weekend, and let them sit in bottles until the fall. In retrospect, I don't think I needs any tannin added.

 

[Turock]

You need to bulk age them--you'll be sorry if you bottle them now.