WineXpert First white, and getting back on the horse

[sour_grapes]

Well, I had not started a kit in a while, due to my all-consuming summer project. In fact, it had been 3 months to the day since I pitched yeast on anything. I've almost forgot what it is like! However, today I started a new kit.

In fact, this is my first white ever. I am making a WE Select California Viognier. This varietal is one of my favorites in commercial whites, so I hope the kit measures up. Moreover, I hope this batch is ready by next summer. I realize I am pushing it. I had meant to start it about, ohhh, 3 months ago , but life got in the way.

I decided to make it with no tweaks except yeast. I subbed in D47 yeast. I didn't even rehydrate it with energizer -- I figure any of the "big 5" yeasts they sell in my LHBS can take off with just sprinkling on top.

I don't have any real questions. Perhaps I will ask: Has anyone made this kit, and any impressions?

 

[Dhaynes]

We started. This kit in January of this year. I was amazed at how quick it cleared and at how clear and pretty it was in the carboy. We sampled it at about 3 months after we started it when we were doing the final racking for bulk aging. We were really disappointed by the taste and worried that we were going to have a batch of drain cleaner.

However when we bottled it a few weeks ago after bulk aging for another 4 months (7 months after starting it), we were amazed at how much the taste had improved. It is very drinkable now. In another 6 months or so it should be really good. I was really surprised by how much the flavor improved. Most of the other wines we've made tasted pretty decent after 3 months and you got a good indication of what it was likely to taste like after aging. However this wine didn't show much promise at all early on but then did an amazing turn around and is now tasting like it is going to be outstanding.


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[sour_grapes]

Thanks for the info. It sounds like I might be looking at Summer 2016, huh?

 

[Boatboy24]

Thanks for the info. It sounds like I might be looking at Summer 2016, huh?

Most whites are quite good at 1 year, in my experience.

 

[SouthernChemist]

This wine turns out to be very good after about 6 months of aging. Are you going to be controlling the fermentation tempearture? D47 can be finicky sometimes at higher temperatures.

 

[sour_grapes]

This wine turns out to be very good after about 6 months of aging. Are you going to be controlling the fermentation tempearture? D47 can be finicky sometimes at higher temperatures.

Thanks, I did not know that about D47. I started the must out slightly warm, 74F or so. I am keeping it in my basement, which is at about 68F right now. I did not intend to do any temperature control beyond that, but now I will at least monitor it.

The yeast showed signs of life this morning, 12 hours after pitching, with a little bit of bubbles upon stirring. That is a pretty quick lift off!

 

[JohnT]

For what it's worth, I ferment every single white I make with D47. Simply love that strain!

 

[francois_du_nord]

Paul,

I've got a couple of WE whites in the inventory, waiting for the temps to drop a bit more before I kick them off. I, a bit north of you, Twin Cities MN, and while my basement is at about your temp, I see my ferm temps go up by a couple of degrees.

John, I will grab some D47 given your strong recommendation. I just kicked off a Selection Italian Pinot Grigio with the included Cuvee yeast. My guess is WE picks a 'safe' yeast for the kit, since they don't have a uniform customer base and they need the kits to be idiot proof.

Proof: they have me as a customer. Nuff said.

Best, Fran

 

[SouthernChemist]

Thanks, I did not know that about D47. I started the must out slightly warm, 74F or so. I am keeping it in my basement, which is at about 68F right now. I did not intend to do any temperature control beyond that, but now I will at least monitor it.

The yeast showed signs of life this morning, 12 hours after pitching, with a little bit of bubbles upon stirring. That is a pretty quick lift off!

My experience with D47 has been that it is quick to get going. In general, I feel that the cooler you ferment a white the better it will turn out (compared to a red). For some white varietals, too hot of a fermentation will leave a relatively lifeless wine.

 

[sour_grapes]

Thanks for the info, gents (I assume.) I do have liftoff for sure -- bubbling and fizzing nicely. SG has not changed yet, but that is only a matter of time!

The temperature is presently at RT, like 68F. I was shocked to see the recommended temperature range of D47 was 59 to 68F. Like an idiot, I had just assumed the recommended range was higher, like other yeasts I was familiar with. Well, that'll learn me!

 

[SouthernChemist]

Thanks for the info, gents (I assume.) I do have liftoff for sure -- bubbling and fizzing nicely. SG has not changed yet, but that is only a matter of time!

The temperature is presently at RT, like 68F. I was shocked to see the recommended temperature range of D47 was 59 to 68F. Like an idiot, I had just assumed the recommended range was higher, like other yeasts I was familiar with. Well, that'll learn me!

Is that the air temperature or the temperature of the wine? There are a few wine yeast strains (not the common five) that prefer cooler fermentations. Wine makers are just lucky that they tend to use strains that are more forgiving of temperature than many yeast strains used in brewing beer.

 

[sour_grapes]

That was the temperature of the must. (It was the same as the air temp.) This morning, with fermentation kicking in, the must temp went up a few degrees to 71.

 

[JMK]

That was the temperature of the must. (It was the same as the air temp.) This morning, with fermentation kicking in, the must temp went up a few degrees to 71.

How did the fermentation end up? I'm getting ready to do the same thing, however I face a little higher room temp (72).

 

[sour_grapes]

Well, it seems to have gone fine, if a little quickly. I did once (and only once) hit it with an ice bomb, which only brought the temp from 76 to 73F. It galloped along, finishing in about 5 days at SG = 0.994. There were no off smells or tastes.

I would have preferred to have had this go more coolly, but I am not too worried about it. For one thing, this is a kit that was probably flash-pasteurized, so I am not overly concerned with "blowing off delicate aromas." I'd have preferred 10 degrees cooler, for sure, but what are you going to do, eh?

 

[sour_grapes]

I just came across this thread by accident, and so I figured I would report on this wine. I started it on 9/23/2014, and bottled it on 11/18/2014. I had my first bottle of it on 4/25/2015, so about 7 mos. after pitching yeast. It was quite nice. It was similar to a commercial Viognier, but lacking just a bit of body and grace in comparison. Typical Viognier flavors and aromas. Overall, I was pleased with it.

 

[horacegoeskiing]

Viognier is also one of my favourite commercial whites and I started at the high end with the Viognier Yakima Valley Washington - Cellar Craft Showcase back in December. Only this weekend have I just pitched the Vitners reserve Viognier. When the Cellar Craft arrived I did feel disappointed that it was only 16L kit which is the same size as the Kenridge Showcase I can get in the UK for nearly half the price. Just hoping the quality is way up there!

 

[ceeaton]

I just came across this thread by accident, and so I figured I would report on this wine. I started it on 9/23/2014, and bottled it on 11/18/2014. I had my first bottle of it on 4/25/2015, so about 7 mos. after pitching yeast. It was quite nice. It was similar to a commercial Viognier, but lacking just a bit of body and grace in comparison. Typical Viognier flavors and aromas. Overall, I was pleased with it.

Paul, thanks for the update. I'm about to bottle mine this weekend to make some carboy space for the recent Chilean additions. I've been impressed with the samples up to this point. This was my first kit (OB Green apple just bottled but started after this one). Only things that are different from what you did are that I used QA 23 yeast and fermented at ambient temps of around 62*F. Highest I saw the must temp was 66*F. I used Fermaid O (vs. K) and they say that can help control temp rise during active fermentation. Here's hoping mine turns out as well as yours has to this point. Viva Cline Viognier!