Other Alexanders Pinot Noir

[dragonmaster42]

I got this originally to make a fruit blend, but decided to go ahead and make it up without the fruit. I've made the Alexanders Petite Syrah before and it came out pretty good (it was no MM Alljuice I'm sure but very drinkable after aging about 2 years total). But then I don't follow the instructions on the can either. This one went as follows:

2 cans Pinot Noir concentrate
4 gallons water (about the same as the 11 1/2 cans on the instructions)
7 cups sugar (dissolved in some of the water before adding)
3 tsp yeast nutrient
1 1/2 oz med american oak chips
2 lbs chopped golden raisins
VR65 wine yeast

TA measured 8.5 so no acid blend was added
Initial gravity was 1.092 (a tad higher than what I normally make, but I plan on aging this about 2 years - 6-9 months in a carboy then the rest in bottle)

Day 2 - Happy yeast, sg 1.071, very fruity smell

Day 3 (today) sg 1.065 , fruity smell almost gone and starting to smell like wine already

 

[grapeman]

Let us know how it turns out. I made a few batches when I began and it made a good drinkable wine. Wade's brother didn't have his turn out good, but then he hadn't ever made any before and very little since.

 

[dragonmaster42]

Day 7 and the sg is 1.013. It's slowed down from it's 0.02 drops per day through the week. Was 1.018 yesterday. I'm hoping to move it to a carboy tomorrow or the next day depending on the reading. Smells like a bucket of pinot noir, imagine that.