Champagne-Sparkling Wine

[djrockinsteve]

I'm aging 5 gallons each of Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc. I plan to take probably 3 gallons of each and independently make american champagne from them. Has anyone made champagne from these and which did they think was better?

 

[Wade E]

Did you add sulfite already? I haven't not made sparkling wine from those but I did do a Riesling and before that I did the Millennium Sparkling wine kit. Now I just force carb all. You probably could get by with a lower sulfite level but the best way to make sparkling wine is to let it clear a by using a fining agent and then adding the corn sugar while there is till some yeast in there and adding another packet doesnt hurt none. Let sparkling wine age in the bottle! maybe do 2 gallons of sparkling and get a 3 gallon carboy for the remainder.

 

[djrockinsteve]

Yes there already is Pot. Meta. in them. Both were started from juice early Sept. 09. I have clarified them both with bentonite and racked them afterwards. Now they are just chillin' in the dark.

The problem with aging so long is you can get so many ideas while you're waiting. I have been considering doing both dry and sweeten a few. This would give me 2 variations of each. I also have a Riesling aging, thanks Wade, maybe I need to include it as well.

 

[Wade E]

Did you add sorbate???????????

 

[mmadmikes1]

Do you have a friend making beer who has a carb setup?

 

[djrockinsteve]

Did you add sorbate???????????

No sorbate yet.

 

[Wade E]

OK, good as that would be a no-no!