WineXpert First Timer

[funjoh]

Started with WE VR Chardonnay, it is in secondary fermentation carboy. OG 1.095, current SG .988, approaching the 2 week mark total time. I am stirring the lees (correct term?) daily in the secondary. Taste is surprisingly good for such an immature wine. I am using the 5-20-40-90 kit process.

Five days in on WE VR Cabernet Sauvignon which is still in the plastic primary. OG 1.097 and is currently 1.005. The cab primary is not as active (as measured by bubbles) than the chard. Might be normal, however, I am watching it close to learn.

Wine cellar is a constant 73 degrees, 70% humidity.

I welcome any feedback.

John
Make Me Wine

 

[sour_grapes]

Welcome to WMT, John!

Little to give feedback on -- you seem to be doing quite well. I see nothing in your post to even adumbrate any problems.

 

[funjoh]

Thanks Paul...it helps to hear since I have so much to learn!

 

[DoctorCAD]

One thing...Never, Never, Never use "bubbles" to measure a fermentation. Even two identical wines sitting side by side can "look" different. Trust your hydrometer!

 

[bkisel]

Welcome to the forum!

Why are you stirring the lees in secondary? Personally I would follow the WE directions which for secondary just has you airlock and let sit for 10 days.

 

[SouthernChemist]

The cab primary is not as active (as measured by bubbles) than the chard. Might be normal, however, I am watching it close to learn.

Just to reiterate: airlock activity is not an indication of anything except gas evolution. In hydrometers we trust.

 

[funjoh]

Great feedback on the bubbles...I will trust the hydrometer!

I am stirring the lees as a form of batonnage per this article I read... https://winemakermag.com/8-10-winemaking-techniques-you-should-know

Thanks for the great replies!

John

 

[bkisel]

Great feedback on the bubbles...I will trust the hydrometer!

I am stirring the lees as a form of batonnage per this article I read... https://winemakermag.com/8-10-winemaking-techniques-you-should-know

Thanks for the great replies!

John

Gotcha. I've read about the technique but didn't think it would be something a "first timer" would know about or try. I'm guessing now you read and studied a bunch before getting started making wine and if that's the case I think that's great.

 

[Simpsini]

Funjon -- Welcome to the forum. I did that kit last year and did the Sur Lie/Batonnage on it for a month. Others say do it longer. I stirred every 3 days for that month. It turned out very well. Good luck!

Dave

 

[funjoh]

Dave, thanks for the feedback!

The Cabernet Sauvignon went to secondary fermentation this morning with SG of .994. I added Tuscany oak (not part of kit) placed in brewers yeast bag to the carboy. Taste test sure gave me hope!

 

[funjoh]

Bill, thanks for the follow up. My wife says I research too much on things we do! To me is just a part of life long learning. This new hobby is very interesting. It seems to mix science with art, discipline with creativity. NOTE TO SELF: remember that when you "bomb" your first batch!

 

[olusteebus]

Welcome to WMT, John!

Little to give feedback on -- you seem to be doing quite well. I see nothing in your post to even adumbrate any problems.

Anybody else had to lookup adumbrate?

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adumbrate

 

[bkisel]

Anybody else had to lookup adumbrate?

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adumbrate

Missed that one or read right over the word else I would have looked it up myself. Thanks...

 

[sour_grapes]

Anybody else had to lookup adumbrate?

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adumbrate

Hey, it's from the same root as umbrella and penumbra. I figured everyone knew that!

 

[bkisel]

Hey, it's from the same root as umbrella and penumbra. I figured everyone knew that!

THANKS! Big help you are, now I've got to look up PENUMBRA!

 

[LoneStarLori]

THANKS! Big help you are, now I've got to look up PENUMBRA!

This is me hitting the 'like" button. Doesn't seem to be one on the iPad app. Bridle, you crack me up. ( that does not imply I knew the meaning of either word myself, I didn't. )


Sent from my iPad Air using Wine Making

 

[TheWhino]

I am stirring the lees (correct term?) daily in the secondary. Taste is surprisingly good for such an immature wine.

If the SG is under 1.0, should you be stirring? By now I think you'd want to let everything settle to the bottom for a while and then rack to another carboy (or a temp bucket and then re-rack to this one after it's cleaned) so that you can stabilize and let the remaining critters drop to the bottom for clarifying before bottling.

 

[funjoh]

If the SG is under 1.0, should you be stirring? By now I think you'd want to let everything settle to the bottom for a while and then rack to another carboy (or a temp bucket and then re-rack to this one after it's cleaned) so that you can stabilize and let the remaining critters drop to the bottom for clarifying before bottling.

I had read about battonage, where the wine makers stir chardonnay that is aging in barrels to move the lees throughout the wine. It is said that can help create the buttery flavor. My wife is a chardonnay fan and she is very excited about the flavor after 4 weeks. Time will tell!

The cabernet is also coming along well. I added extra oak in the secondary. Today I stabilized and added the fine....including several rounds of vigorous stirring. The taste is good, however, there is a definite taste that we cannot pinpoint...might be the oak. Only 3 weeks in so hard to expect a solid taste test yet...right?

 

[tanddc]

Could be oak but it could also be CO2. It has a unique mouth feel and taste to it. You will know once you degas it.

Tim

 

[funjoh]

Thanks Tim. After we tasted I did spend 30 minutes degassing.