Cellar Craft CC Instructions - 10 days in primary???

[richmke]

I am making the Cellar Craft Showcase Italy Barbera. The kit has skins. The instructions say to keep it in the primary for 10-12 days, submerging the grapes at least once per day.

After 4 days, the kit is down to 1.01 from an original 1.08 (prior to adding skins). I am use to the Winexpert kits which would have you racking now, and let it finish in a carboy with less air space.

Any comments on staying with the CC instructions (10 days in primary), or using WE type instructions.

Note: In the CC instructions, after the first 10 days, you rack, and then wait another 10 days for the wine to fully finish.

 

[ibglowin]

Remember those are averages and ferments can go slower or faster depending on many different things like temperature. CC wants you to get the most bang for the buck out of those skins. Thus the instruction to keep them on the skins for 10 days. You are free to rack whenever you want but I would keep them on as long as possible. Take it to 0.998. Just keep the lid snapped and an airlock on. Plenty of CO2 in the wine to protect it. Open it only once a day to punch down the grape pack and then snap the lid towards the end.

 

[sour_grapes]

I have done more CC than WE, and your description of their instructions seemed unfamiliar to me. That is because, FWIW, it appears that they have changed their instructions recently: http://www.vinecowine.com/pdfs/CC_Instructions_final_rev2.pdf

My recollection (but not honestly sure) is that the old instructions referenced a time or SG target for racking to secondary. I will check some older instructions tonight.

 

[cpfan]

I just looked at some Winexpert instructions online. The Eclipse/grape skins and Selection/grape skins instructions say to test the sg after 7 days. If the sg is less than 1.010 then proceed.

The Cellar Craft instructions linked above say to test the sg on Day 10-12, and look for an sg at 1.000 or less before proceeding. BTW this sheet is dated 8/14.

I had some Cellar Craft instructions saved to my hard drive from 2013. Looking at the sheet for Showcase Red Wines, there is a section titled "Day 10-12", and the sg should be 1.000 or less. I did not find a date on these instructions.

So the instructions have been reformatted, partly to merge the reds & whites onto one sheet, but the triggers for moving to a secondary fermenter seem to be the same. IE, day 10-12 and sg 1.000 or less. This is different from the Winexpert instructions, namely Day 7 and 1.010 or less.

Steve

 

[sour_grapes]

Thanks for clearing that up, Steve!

 

[cpfan]

Thanks for clearing that up, Steve!

You're welcome Paul. I wanted to add some more to that post this morning, but I was rushed, and having trouble with the wording, and had to head out for an appointment.

First, some people think Winexpert and Vineco/Cellar Craft are the same company. Perhaps this difference in the instructions will point out that they are different companies with the same owner. Kinda like Chevrolet and Buick.

Second, a very common question is "my sg is already below the target what should I do?" My personal approach is to wait until the time has passed, and then test the sg. In other words, I wouldn't know that it was already below the sg. (Although I might have guessed based on visuals, assuming I even looked.) I know that some people rack as soon as the sg is low enough. That's not my approach, and it would appear to not be what the instructions say. However, neither method is wrong, EXCEPT...

Third, as Ibglowin pointed out, you probably want to extract as much goodness as possible from the grape skins in this kit.

Finally, a comment to richmke, as I read the instructions, Winexpert wants you to leave the wine on the skins for 7 days and then check the sg to see if it is below 1.010.

Steve

 

[richmke]

Thanks. I was thinking of WE's 5-7 days for Step 2. Looking back, that is for kits without skins. When they have skins, it says 7 days.

I'll wait the 10 days.