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I made a California Merlot about a year ago. Every bottle has been fine so far. Today I opened one and it seemed to smell like red wine vinegar. I've tasted it and it tastes a little like it too. Why have all the rest been fine but this one tastes strange? Any ideas? I only have 5 bottles left...

I just found out that my airlock fell off yesterday. Is my wine contaminated? What should I do? I was going to be bottling this weekend.

I bought the S/S Mix Stir, a metal rod with paddles. I have a drill. I'm not going top up but I'm going to add my clarifying chemicals and stir. I know that the WinExpert instructions so to give it approximately 14 days then be ready to bottle. It also states that if going to wait 6+ months...

I don't get the topping up thing. I'm trying to make my own wine, not add some other wine to it that will make it different. It's a Winexpert Seleection California Merlot and it's above the top line into the curved part of the carboy. I'd prefer not to add anything. The video I watched...

whew! all is well! i retook my hydrometer reading and i'm an idiot! it was 1.004, not 1.040. i know i'll be at or below .996 this evening. I am now ready to get to clarifying and de-gassing stage. i'm going to try 2 methods together. i bought a metal stirring stick w/wings that i'm going to...

ok, maybe not an idiot. i'm thinking how could I make a mistake like that? and I now believe that I didn't. I think I wrote it down wrong and it was 1.004, not 1.040, which would be right. That does not take away the fact that I do have some foam accumulated in the carboy right now. Not a...

Sometimes I'm not too swift. I'm making a Winexpert California Merlot. Went through primary and racked to carboy. Winexpert instructions say to wait until hydrometer says 1.010 or less......I just realized I'm an idiot and it was 1.040 when I racked it! I wondered why it was still foaming...

Degassing My downstairs stays about 65 degrees during the winter. I took a large storage bucket and I've attached an aquarium heater to the side. I put a mark on the side of the bucket so I know how much water to put in when I have my primary fermenter/carboy in. I then set the heater to...

The Cab you're doing wouldn't have any flavoring packs. You get the bentonite and oak powder for the primary fermenter. Then you're adding the metabisulphite, sorbate and chitosan in the stabilizing and clearing step. No flavors to this type of kit, unless you count the oak powder. :ib

I'm doing a Winexpert California Merlot and I just siphoned into carboy last night. I saw that about topping up and wondered why would I want to change what I'm making with some other wine. But that aside, I didn't need to, I had plenty to fill carboy. I took a bit more from the primary...

Degassing help! I'm starting my second kit. This is going to be a Winexpert Selection California Merlot. Did a Winexpert World Vineyard Chilean Merlot the first time and while after breathing awhile it tastes quite good, there is initially a noticeable effervescence to it. I'm assuming this...

Am I right that during the carboy stage, there will be less fermentation? I notice that the airlock is not bubbling like it was in the primary fermenter.

The kits make it sound like its 2 minutes of whipping, then add your finishing ingredients and then another 2 minutes of whipping and you're done. I have yet to see anything that tells me that there is a sign that you're completely degassed. Is there a sign that you're degassed? What do you...

I am at day 6 of my Winexpert Chilean Merlot. On day 1, prior to adding oaks and yeast to primary I was at 1.094. I clipped lid on tight and added airlock half filled with water. When I removed today, SG was 1.004. I racked it into my carboy and added bung with airlock half filled with...

You're correct. I thought I was following directions. So I should have no issue it sounds like. Just unsnap lid and take sample, hope its 1.010 and get it siphoned into carboy. If not there yet, simply loosely place lid back on and take daily sample until it is. Thanks!

I am using a Winexpert World Vineyard kit making a Chilean merlot. Instructions say to cover your primary for 5-7 days before proceeding to the next step. Says after 5-7 days to take a sample and make sure your SG is below 1.010 or less before siphoning. I secured the lid on 5 days ago with...

I started a Chilean Merlot yesterday. Here are some things that happened: 1-It's hard to get the top off the juice concentrate! A screw off top would be better, I sprayed a little bit in my kitchen as it finally just popped off. 2-How does one make hot water to dissolve the bentonite? And is...

Just looking for some thoughts and opinions. This is my first time trying this. If I am to follow the directions to the letter, should I end up with a decent wine? I am making traditional wine, the first one will be a Winexpert World Vineyard Chilean merlot. If one was to follow the directions...

are you making a traditional wine, ie, cabs, merlots, chardonnays or a fruit based wine?

I am new. I'm only gong to be making merlots, cabernets and chardonnays. I'm a little confused about this post because it appears a lot of people are making something other than a traditional wine. That does not have any bearing on how to read and interpret the hydrometer. Is that correct?