WineXpert Can I Skip This Step in Kit Instructions??

[KatyDinkle]

Making: Selection Original Viognier Kit

Step #1 - Completed

Step #2 - (I am about to begin this step...)Rack to carboy (do not top up, do not add anything), wait 10 days.

Step #3 - "After 10 days, check your SG. It should be .996 or less..." This is the stablizing and clearing step.

My SG is already at .992. Can I skip step #2? Do I really need to wait 10 days?

Thanks!

 

[BobF]

You can go ahead. SG is the real indicator. #s of days are guidelines.

 

[cpfan]

You can go ahead. SG is the real indicator. #s of days are guidelines.

Some of us think that waiting the 10 days is a good thing. Patience is a virtue in wine making, and there is no reason to rush a kit.

Steve

 

[BobF]

I agree with Steve. In the case of reds.

 

[tonyt]

I usually ferment to dry (.997 or less for me) in primary then rack to secondary, top up add air lick and give it another 10 days to two weeks before degass/stabilizing/clearing. It will often drop another couple SG points (.995 or 6) in that time.

 

[KatyDinkle]

Thanks for the feedback. (Is there EVER a definitive answer in wine making?! LOL)

 

[tonyt]

Thanks for the feedback. (Is there EVER a definitive answer in wine making?! LOL)

Sometimes!

 

[TryN2Brew]

One definitive answer is patience when it comes to red wines.

 

[cpfan]

One definitive answer is patience when it comes to red wines.

You can remove the word red from that comment.

Steve

 

[TomK-B]

Katy, I made this kit a year ago. It was my second. I followed all the steps even though mine went below SG 1.000 in primary. It turned out really well. By Christmas there was none left! Hope yours turns out just as well.

 

[Chateau Joe]

Patience Grasshopper!

 

[KatyDinkle]

Patience Grasshopper!

LOL...Got it!

 

[KatyDinkle]

Update...I did wait the recommended number of days before proceeding even though the SG was below where it needed to be.

Next question: Why does the kit include sorbate but does not include any sweetner? Will sorbate alone sweeten the wine? I thought this was a sweet wine but I'm moving into the stabalizing stage at .992.

 

[robie]

Update...I did wait the recommended number of days before proceeding even though the SG was below where it needed to be.

Next question: Why does the kit include sorbate but does not include any sweetner? Will sorbate alone sweeten the wine? I thought this was a sweet wine but I'm moving into the stabalizing stage at .992.

Viognier is normally a dry wine.

All kits, that I know of, come with sorbate, whether sweet wine kits or not.
The sorbate will help prevent the wine from continuing to ferment and also to not start fermenting again later on.

Most don't add sorbate except to wines that are to be sweetened. The problem is that many people can taste the sorbate, so they only use it when absolutely necessary (like for sweetened wines).

 

[TomK-B]

I'm aware that the Cellar Craft Showcase Viognier advertises the inclusion of an f-pack that turns it into an "off-dry" wine. But this Winexpert kit is completely dry, no sweetness at all -- although it is very fruity.

 

[KatyDinkle]

Would it be risky to slightly sweeten at least half of this wine?

If not, would you bother with the sorbate?

 

[robie]

Sure, you can divide the wine into multiple batches and sweeten as you please. IMO, don't add the sorbate to the unsweetened batch but be sure to add it to the sweetened batch. Just make sure the wine is completely finished fermenting and cleared before you bottle.

 

[cpfan]

If not, would you bother with the sorbate?

It is OK to skip the sorbate if you will not be sweetening the wine. Please do NOT get into the habit of automatically skipping the sorbate.

When I ran a store I had a couple of customers complain strongly about re-fermentation (even though at least one never bought kits from me) because they automatically threw out all the additive packs (and probably the instructions) except the yeast. They were thinking "it's not natural if you add those chemicals". They had made many kits without sweetening but of course the day came when they sweetened the wine. Fermentation was over and the yeast was done. Right?

Steve

 

[robie]

I have never had a problem leaving out the sorbate from an unsweetened wine.

Below - speaking strictly about unsweetened wines:
At the same time, I never bottle right away, as many kit instructions encourage us to do. If I did bottle per kit instructions, I would not leave out the sorbate.

In my case, since I never ever bottle before 12 months or more, I feel pretty confident. Regardless, I would rather risk re-fermentation than have to taste sorbate, which I can readily taste but don't like. So, if I do one day experience re-fermentation, I'll still not use sorbate in an unsweetened wine.

No real argument here, just my own personal methods of making wine, based on my own experiences. We all have done pretty much the same things but have had a myriad of different experiences.

For new, inexperienced wine makers, as always, follow the instructions to the Tee. Maybe you won't even be able to taste the sorbate.