Cellar Craft First CC Kit--w/skins

[PAwinedude]

Started 5 wk CC Pinot Noir kit with skins this past weekend....

Its fermenting away nicely, but I did have a couple questions...

I was considering leaving the skins in for 12 days....I am certain the must will be dry at this point. Does anyone foresee an issue with leaving the skins in this long?

I have spoon holding the grape bag on the bottom of the fermenter and I have been stirring it daily..

Any other advice in regards to these kits???

thanks

 

[robie]

Keep stirring as you are now.
12 days to completely dry is pretty fast, unless your temperature is close to 80 F. I would guess it would take longer than that.
Regardless, you can leave the wine on the skins easily for 12 days. Just make sure skin pack continues to stay below the surface. If it dries out, it can start to rot. I don't know how long your instructions say to keep in primary versus secondary. Once it is supposed to be in secondary, make sure you use an air lock and keep oxygen away from must (keep in carboy or in fermentor bucket with lid snapped down.)

You should really enjoy this kit. Give it some time to age beautifully.

 

[PAwinedude]

thanks for the advice/input
the instructions say the skins can stay in for 10-12 days....

i won't be able to stir it everyday due to travel for work....but i should be able to stir a bunch over the next couple days....

i have the lid on but no airlock currently....figured i would add the airlock on days 7-12

unfortunately, i will be out of town for days 7-11...

 

[RJMehr]

I have made 15 Cellar Craft grapeskin kits (both the 5 week and Showcase versions) and I always leave the grapeskins in my primary fermenter for 14 days. I do try to stir the must and grapeskin pack everyday during the 14 day period.

After 14 days, the must has turned to wine and it is always at SG 0.996 or below (usually 0.994 or less).

I then degas and add the clearing agents as per Cellar Craft instructions and transfer to a 6 gallon carboy. I then leave the wine alone for 21 days, rack off the sediments and bulk age for 6 months to a year. If my wine needs more oak, I add some during the bulk aging.

This has resulted in wonderful wines from Cellar Craft.

Robert

 

[robie]

If I were you and couldn't stir the skins down everyday, I'd get a couple pounds of marbles, put then in a bag, and tie that bag to my grape pack to keep the pack beneath the surface while gone.

I would snap the lid and add an air lock right before you leave.

I know wine makers who would leave this kit with skins in, lid snapped and air lock installed for 20 days or more. It's best if the grape pack is below the surface.

 

[Mharris335]

I just use a heavy cup to sink the skins. I just put in with the grapes inside the sack and it works good.