WineXpert Amarone with skins

[rezod11]

So, I started my first ever Amarone last week. Starting SG 1.087 (upon first reading). 24 hours later the SG went up to 1.093...not bad after the skins had time to release their sugars. Pitched the yeast and bubbling took of in a couple of hours...NICE!

I have stirred the bucket and squeezed the skins everyday...except the last two as I had so much work I simply forgot. So this morning I went back down to check it, stir and see where it was and make sure all was right with the world...yay! SG was down to 1.020, so I took it to the next step and added the chap. packs and the SG went up to 1.030. Bubbling and fizzing like those yeasties were just waiting for that extra sugar! I wish I had had a camera it was so pretty!

My plans for this one are to get it into secondary and add 3 oz. of med toast Hungarian Oak, dried cherries and vanilla beans.

My question are as follows:

1. How many lbs of dried cherries would be in order to add some flavor but not take over?
2. What type of vanilla bean would you use and how many?
3. When should I add these? During secondary? After racking off of gross lees?
4. Should I add the extra oak to secondary of after racking off of gross lees?

I plan to bulk age this one for a year and then bottle.

Also, I have been wondering about micro oxidation...is there any way to accomplish this without a barrel? I have this idea in my head that it's possible to do, just not sure how I would go about it.

I thank you for your thoughts wise ones, and thank you for them.

 

[Rocky]

Rezod11, sounds like you have a great wine going there. I am not familiar with this kit and you mentioned adding "the chap. pack" which in the context seems to be a chaptalization pack, right? Which of the WE series is this kit?

My response to your questions would be:

1. I think 1 pound of dried cherries in a 6 gallon batch would give you a subtle background flavor.
2. I would suggest not adding vanilla beans. Rather I would add a few drops of vanilla extract (usually just pure vanilla and alcohol) just before bottling. I have used a number of extracts (orange, lemon, almond and vanilla) in this way and it works fine. Bench test the additions with about a gallon of wine and start with two drops, stir well and taste. A little goes a long way.
3. I would add the cherries in secondary and the vanilla at bottling.
4. Adding more oak is a personal taste thing. I like oak and I add cubes in bulk aging. How long I leave them in is determined by tasting along the way.

Lastly, and sorry, I know of no other way for micro-oxygenation than using a barrel.

Good luck. Sounds like you are making something really nice.

 

[ShawnDTurner]

I would add a 1/1/2 pound of raisins(it is an Amarone which is made from Raisned grapes) now and forgo the cherries and vanilla. If you have powder oak I would add it as well. Wait until you are in the bulk aging stage before you add the Hung Oak. Leave the raisins in for 3 weeks and squeeze the crap out of them before you remove them.

 

[rezod11]

Rocky, this is the Selection International series Amarone with grape skins. Yes, I was referring to the chaptilization pack. I am looking for the background flavor with the cherries, not foreground so that sounds like a good idea at one pound. Thanks for your input, I appreciate it.

ShawnD...I was thinking of adding raisins and cherries actually. The kit did come with three packs of Hung. shavings and I have added them all. I'm planning on aging this for at least two years as it is my understanding that this one definitely improves with age. I will most likely wait to add the oak, thanks for your thoughts.