Mosti Mondiale Adding chocolate??
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Bartman
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That depends on how 'chocolatey' you want the final product. I haven't made an Amarone, but I have tasted a few - not sure chocolate would be the complement I would go for, but there's nothing wrong with trying. You could add chocolate shavings now - racking the next time could be challenging. I would stick with dark chocolate - as high a percentage of cacao as you can find for the most intense flavor; you don't need the sweetness of the added sugar since it won't integrate into your wine anyway (unless you added chocolate syrup - yech!).
In my experience, adding flavorings that don't dissolve into the wine after fermentation doesn't yield much flavor in the final product. If you want a strong chocolate flavor, my advice wouls be to add chocolate powder when you pitch the yeast. Also, it's easier to rack off with the cocoa sludge at the bottom with the yeast at that first transfer. I did that with a regular port kit about October 2010, bottled it in April 2011, and the chocolate is still subtly merging into the sweeter wine flavors. We just opened a bottle last night and were really pleased with it.
In my experience, adding flavorings that don't dissolve into the wine after fermentation doesn't yield much flavor in the final product. If you want a strong chocolate flavor, my advice wouls be to add chocolate powder when you pitch the yeast. Also, it's easier to rack off with the cocoa sludge at the bottom with the yeast at that first transfer. I did that with a regular port kit about October 2010, bottled it in April 2011, and the chocolate is still subtly merging into the sweeter wine flavors. We just opened a bottle last night and were really pleased with it.
saramc
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If your wine is still fermenting and under airlock, and if you are adding chocolate in solid form try to find a dark semisweet or bittersweet chocolate with a high percentage of cacao...Scharffen Berger Chocolate Bar, Extra Dark (82% Cacao) is just one example. You can buy it by the bar and just break it up and drop it into your carboy. Or you can find "pastilles" which are chocolate drops. I have added 3 oz per gallon over a period of 2 months or longer.
If you are bulk aging and want to add chocolate impact, then you should probably try a quality chocolate extract, like Star Kay White brand (Amazon, eBay, OliveNation). Bench trial to find what you like---fabulous stuff!!
Of course if you know you want to go chocolate when you start your wine, I would add a quality Dutch processed unsweetened cocoa powder, 4 oz by weight, per gallon. It will create thick fudgy lees and likely take 2+ rackings before the gross lees settle out...but boy does it add a kiss of chocolate to your wine. Not like the nasty chocolate wines in liquor stores.
If you are bulk aging and want to add chocolate impact, then you should probably try a quality chocolate extract, like Star Kay White brand (Amazon, eBay, OliveNation). Bench trial to find what you like---fabulous stuff!!
Of course if you know you want to go chocolate when you start your wine, I would add a quality Dutch processed unsweetened cocoa powder, 4 oz by weight, per gallon. It will create thick fudgy lees and likely take 2+ rackings before the gross lees settle out...but boy does it add a kiss of chocolate to your wine. Not like the nasty chocolate wines in liquor stores.
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Julie
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I have added chocolate to some of my wines. And like what has been said a high cacao, is best. Lindt makes one that is 85% that you can buy in your local grocery store. I have used this and I have bought cacao from Germany that cost me an arm and a leg and they both did the same job with the same level of chocolate. Add this after fermentation and leave it in for a couple of months.
If you use powder you need to understand that you have added another ingredient that can cause your wine not to clear. With the powder you may have to take more steps and or let it age longer to get it to clear. Using the chocolate chunks does not cause this.
If you use powder you need to understand that you have added another ingredient that can cause your wine not to clear. With the powder you may have to take more steps and or let it age longer to get it to clear. Using the chocolate chunks does not cause this.
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