WineXpert How would you time this WV Chard?

[v1rotate]

Wife: I want you to make a white wine to serve at Allison's college graduation party!

Me: Huh?

Wife: How about a chardonnay?

Me: Okaay...

That was a week ago. Now I have a WV Aussie Chardonnay in primary, as of yesterday. The party is on May 23rd and we need to drive out to San Jose for it on Saturday, May 16th with the wine.

To make it more interesting, I can't do anything with the batch from April 11th to April 19th, out of town.

My thinking is 5 days in primary, then with sg less than 1.01 into the carboy for secondary until I get back to the house on the 19th. Stabilize then and bottle after 2 weeks on May 3rd if the wine is clear. That way I will have about 3 weeks to get past bottle shock.

Another approach would be to let it sit an extra week in the carboy after stabilization and leave 2 weeks to recover from bottle shock.

Am I dreaming? Any other ideas?

Apologies to any who saw this posted on another forum...

 

[Wade E]

Boy, thats a tough 1 but if you think that these are all going to be emptied at the party then I would go with the longer bottle aging to rid it of shock but if youre going to keep some then I would watch those to make sure they dont ferment in the bottle. If you are leaving some at your house then I would recommend not bottling the amount to be left home and rack that amount to 1 gallon jugs with airlocks or bottle them and put them in your wine fridge to help prevent fermentation just in case. There is always a very small possibility of re fermentation in the bottle even after using both sulfite and sorbate.

 

[v1rotate]

Boy, thats a tough 1 but if you think that these are all going to be emptied at the party then I would go with the longer bottle aging to rid it of shock but if youre going to keep some then I would watch those to make sure they dont ferment in the bottle. If you are leaving some at your house then I would recommend not bottling the amount to be left home and rack that amount to 1 gallon jugs with airlocks or bottle them and put them in your wine fridge to help prevent fermentation just in case. There is always a very small possibility of re fermentation in the bottle even after using both sulfite and sorbate.

Wow, I hadn't even thought about re fermentation. I do have a small wine fridge that stays at 52'. I'll put the extra bottles in there. I hope I don't blow any corks out on the trip. We plan to take a case of chard and a case of 6 month old Mezza Luna Red with us. I'm sure the bottles won't be completely finished. The leftovers will go up to Tahoe for storage unless the guests insist on keeping some. You never know!

 

[jake77]

Sounds like you are going to be busy with that one, Jim. Are you by chance a pilot? Just wondering because of your screen name.

 

[v1rotate]

Sounds like you are going to be busy with that one, Jim. Are you by chance a pilot? Just wondering because of your screen name.

Guilty. I retired from Continental in September 08. If you caught the meaning of the screen name, does that make you a pilot also?

 

[jake77]

Sure am, but not career. Do you by chance know a Harry Chandler that flew with continental?

 

[unaFORDable]

and here I am worried about having a white merlot ready for my daughter's wedding in the spring of 2010 !!!


Did you use a small kit or one of the big kits?? reason I ask is because the timing for the smaller kits go faster than the big one's. You could also look into some of those sweet summer wine kits that are ready to drink the minute you put it into the bottle. Personally, I would bottle that chardonnay as soon as the wine is ready and then open a bottle just before transporting it to this party. Then if the wine is tasting harsh (you know, needing more time to age) I would not take it to the party. I would rather serve a little good wine than a lot of bad wine.
that's just my own personal feelings, TinaLouise

 

[v1rotate]

Sure am, but not career. Do you by chance know a Harry Chandler that flew with continental?

Afraid not. Does he make wine?

 

[v1rotate]

and here I am worried about having a white merlot ready for my daughter's wedding in the spring of 2010 !!!


Did you use a small kit or one of the big kits?? reason I ask is because the timing for the smaller kits go faster than the big one's. You could also look into some of those sweet summer wine kits that are ready to drink the minute you put it into the bottle. Personally, I would bottle that chardonnay as soon as the wine is ready and then open a bottle just before transporting it to this party. Then if the wine is tasting harsh (you know, needing more time to age) I would not take it to the party. I would rather serve a little good wine than a lot of bad wine.
that's just my own personal feelings, TinaLouise

I went with a 4-week kit to have the best chance of it being ready. This is my first white kit, so I am not sure what to expect. You did give me an idea though. I'll bottle a couple of splits to sample before making the final decision. If it isn't ready, so be it.

What made you decide on a white merlot, TinaLouise? Why would it need so long to age? Oaky?

 

[unaFORDable]

White merlot because my daughter wanted a "certain LOOK" to the wine, blush color in a clear 375 size wine bottles for wedding favors to guests to take home. The timing so longbecause I'm using an All Juice MM and dearist daughter is in the Navy and just got sent to Cuba so wedding date is "again" up in the air.
tinalouise

 

[PeterZ]

tinalouise, if your daughter ever gets posted to NSA Mid-South in Millington, TN let me know. I workthere.


What's her rate and rating, or rank?

 

[v1rotate]

White merlot because my daughter wanted a "certain LOOK" to the wine, blush color in a clear 375 size wine bottles for wedding favors to guests to take home. The timing so longbecause I'm using an All Juice MM and dearist daughter is in the Navy and just got sent to Cuba so wedding date is "again" up in the air.
tinalouise

Too bad about the postponement, but I suppose the MM will keep improving for quite awhile. Is 60 splits going to be enough for all the guests or are you maybe making 2 batches? I can see why you would want to go with the very high-end kit if they are going to be wedding favors. That's quite a responsibility!! Good luck.

 

[v1rotate]

I ended up with 6 days in primary, 12 in secondary and 14 in
clarification. Today is bottling day. I think it is clear enough. Here
is a photo:

 

[v1rotate]

The project worked out great! I bottled the Aussie Chard on May 3rd, which was day 32. I planned to take a case to San Jose for the party, so I gave those 12 bottles a little squirt of Private Preserve inert gas as added insurance against bottle shock. We drove 2 days to San Jose on the 16th and the party was on the 23rd. The chardonnay was very well received. Thanks to all who gave me advice on this kit.

It might be interesting to note that the other wines I served at the party drew praise also. Only 1 was over 7 months old, the WE VR Zin. The other 2 reds were Luna Rossa at 7 months and Mezza Luna Red at 6 months. I opened the bottles 4 hours before the party to decant and ended up giving unopened bottles to 5 people who requested them. Both of the "Lunas" improved dramatically between 4 1/2 months and 6 months. The Zin took an extra month and a half.

I will be sure to save some of the VR bottles I have made until the 15 month age and the 15 and 16L kits will still be around at the 30 month point. We have over 350 bottles right now and 2 kits aging. Plus the 5 kits at home waiting their turn and 4 more on the way. What obsession?

 

[vcasey]

Glad everything turned out so well. You pick the red wines well as I have heard so many good things about the Luna reds and I've made the VR Zin its a nice wine.
VPC