Every Tweak I have went into this kit

[tonyt]

I started this Mosti Mondaile Renassance Roso D' Avola in January, 2013. Without planning it I wound up throwing every tweak I have at this kit over the past seven months. I bottled it today and when I tasted it I had to go back to my notes to see what I dod that set it apart from the other three MMR Rosa D' Avola that I have made. And let me say that the previous RDAs have been among our favorite wines. Looking back in my notes I found I had applied the following tweaks in addition to all provided ingredients.
In primary:
added one pound of organic Red Flame raisins
added 40gr untoasted American oak dust
added 8gr FT Rouge Tannin
In carboy Aging:
added 1 med plus french toast oak spiral
added 1 1/2 tsp TanCor Grand Cru tannin
In barrel aging:
spent four weeks in new Vidal Hungarian barrel
In final carboy aging:
added 4 ounces glycerin
added 4 ounces pure cane simple syrup

I know that that sounds like a lot but I didn't plan all of this ahead of time it just happened as time went and as I tasted along the way. I have seven kits going at all times and taste each of them at least once each month. When I taste if I think it needs something I just add it. On the other hand I have a WE Eclipse Lodi Cabernet going that it looks like I will be bottling without a single tweak.

 

[ibglowin]

Dang thats a lot o tweaks!

 

[vernsgal]

wow! and I thought I played with mine,lol

 

[Deezil]

Oak Dust + Tannin in Primary

Oak Spiral + Tannin in Bulk

Then a month in a new barrel?

'Atta Boy!!

 

[tonyt]

Dang thats a lot o tweaks!

I know but it really came out good.
Joeswine should be proud . . . out of the box.

 

[robie]

What did the 4 OZ of simple syrup do for it? That wouldn't have been enough to make it taste sweet. Did it just take the edge off all that tannin?

Make sure that sugar doesn't start fermentation back up.

 

[tonyt]

What did the 4 OZ of simple syrup do for it? That wouldn't have been enough to make it taste sweet. Did it just take the edge off all that tannin?

Make sure that sugar doesn't start fermentation back up.

Right, We like the extra tannins but the small amount of syrup makes it approachable before the tannins integrate. Truth be known we usually don't start drinking till a year in bottle and the tannins are likely integrated by then anyway. But at bottling they are still a bit sharp. Additionally, I think it brings the fruit forward earlier.

 

[robie]

Right, We like the extra tannins but the small amount of syrup makes it approachable before the tannins integrate. Truth be known we usually don't start drinking till a year in bottle and the tannins are likely integrated by then anyway. But at bottling they are still a bit sharp. Additionally, I think it brings the fruit forward earlier.

Nice!

Have you ever experimented with Biolees? It is great for taking that edge off. If too much is added, it can add a perception of sweetness. That's why I add it very, very slowly and in small doses, allowing it to integrate before I taste and maybe repeat. At least it won't cause fermentation to restart. Give it a try sometime.

 

[Bacci]

Right, We like the extra tannins but the small amount of syrup makes it approachable before the tannins integrate. Truth be known we usually don't start drinking till a year in bottle and the tannins are likely integrated by then anyway. But at bottling they are still a bit sharp. Additionally, I think it brings the fruit forward earlier.

do you add the K Sorbate to your kits, and is the simple cane syrup store-bought or just a made 1 to 1 ratio. Also, about the glycerin, which I've tried in 1 gal test batch of pinot noir, it really seemed to make a difference using just 1 oz. I'm going with a 4 oz bottle in a 5 gal Arg Malbec.

 

[robie]

do you add the K Sorbate to your kits, and is the simple cane syrup store-bought or just a made 1 to 1 ratio. Also, about the glycerin, which I've tried in 1 gal test batch of pinot noir, it really seemed to make a difference using just 1 oz. I'm going with a 4 oz bottle in a 5 gal Arg Malbec.

Each batch is different.
I recommend to add that 4 oz. bottle a little at a time, taste, and repeat, until you get experienced with what glycerin will do for you. Too much can cause a sickening sweet taste.

 

[tonyt]

Nice!

Have you ever experimented with Biolees? It is great for taking that edge off. If too much is added, it can add a perception of sweetness. That's why I add it very, very slowly and in small doses, allowing it to integrate before I taste and maybe repeat. At least it won't cause fermentation to restart. Give it a try sometime.

I have thought about it but after reading threads about it have avoided it. Might have to reconsider one time, thanks.

 

[tonyt]

do you add the K Sorbate to your kits, and is the simple cane syrup store-bought or just a made 1 to 1 ratio. Also, about the glycerin, which I've tried in 1 gal test batch of pinot noir, it really seemed to make a difference using just 1 oz. I'm going with a 4 oz bottle in a 5 gal Arg Malbec.

I am a distributor for Torani Syrups so I use Torani pure cane syrup rather than making my own. I always add sorbate to kits that I plan to add syrup, which is most big reds. After much experimentation I have settled on one four ounce bottle of glycerin per six gallon carboy. I only add the glycerin on Amarone, Brunello, Tuscan and NeroD'Avola if they seem thinner than I want. I have a Pinot Noir that I have decided to leave as is thinking that PN shouldn't be so thick and big. Just my opinion but admittedly I'n not that familiar with PNs.

 

[tonyt]

eblasmn9 aka Earl, just PM'd me about this thread so I guess it's time for an update. I decided to open a split this afternoon and update with early tasting notes.

Color is really pretty, a very dark burgundy and quite clear. Not tons of legs, but the alcohol came out to 13.5%. Aroma is nice with berries and very little KT or chemical smell at all, I had to really look hard to detect any. The barrel does a great job of eliminating KT and chemical smell IMO. First taste sensation is fruit then alcohol then nice tannin length. The alcohol taste will subside, this has only been in bottle about eight weeks. Mouthfeel is nice for the verital, on the thick side of moderate, not thin by any means but not lush. Nero D'Avola is one of my favorites and I am very pleased with this one. Perhaps late next spring I will do a compare and contrast tasting of the four Neros I have in bottle.

Again, I know this was a lot of tweaks to to to a single kit but each one was done over the course of the venting. Adequate time was given for me to taste the effect of each tweak. And I had used all of these tricks before.

 

[eblasmn9]

Thanks Tony for the update. I started my WE Nero D'avola on 9-2-13. After 24 hours it had a very nice 1.100 sg. On day 3 I am at 1.042. It came with 60 grams of medium toast french oak dust and 30 grams of medium french oak chips that I included in the primary. The grape pack was 1.6 liter and seems to be a lot of juice. I thought I had some American untoasted oak dust but seem to be out. Do you know a vendor where I can get more? I will run it 3 months through my year old Vadai.
I was unfamiliar with the varietal and knew that you made several kits and I wanted to know what tweaks you used on D'avola. Looks to be quite similar to what I used on the Cellar Craft amarone without the glycerin and syrup. I also included a pound of raisins in the primary. I do have Tancor that I will use in aging before running it through the barrel.
What a wonderful aroma it has fermenting!

 

[tonyt]

This is where I get the untoasted American Oak Dust, http://www.brewmasterswarehouse.com/
I wouldn't add the TanCor until after barrel aging, that way you know what effect the barrel had on tannins. That's why I often rack back to glass for a month or so after barrel aging. Usually tannin, glycerin and syrup are things that I tweak after barrel aging.

Thanks Tony for the update. I started my WE Nero D'avola on 9-2-13. After 24 hours it had a very nice 1.100 sg. On day 3 I am at 1.042. It came with 60 grams of medium toast french oak dust and 30 grams of medium french oak chips that I included in the primary. The grape pack was 1.6 liter and seems to be a lot of juice. I thought I had some American untoasted oak dust but seem to be out. Do you know a vendor where I can get more? I will run it 3 months through my year old Vadai.
I was unfamiliar with the varietal and knew that you made several kits and I wanted to know what tweaks you used on D'avola. Looks to be quite similar to what I used on the Cellar Craft amarone without the glycerin and syrup. I also included a pound of raisins in the primary. I do have Tancor that I will use in aging before running it through the barrel.
What a wonderful aroma it has fermenting!

 

[eblasmn9]

Thanks for the tip and the link, Tony. I will wait for the tannin addition until after the barrel.