WineXpert "Fixing" MezzaLuna Red

[TemperanceOwl]

I started my very first kit last October (Mezza Luna Red), bottled it in December and at the first taste at Christmas thought it would be good. I suspected it was just young. I tried it again in the spring and in July, and it was not to my liking and is not getting better. I have opened individual bottles and back sweetened with 1-1/3 tablespoons of simple syrup, and like those bottles much better, both immediately, and after a week or so.

I'm considering trying to "fix" the remaining bottles all at once, by pouring 15 bottles into a 3 gallon carboy and adding the appropriate amount of simple syrup, and re-bottle a week or so later.

Will this work, or will I just be oxidizing my wine?
Should I add sorbate at that point to prevent restarting fermentation, or has that ship sailed since it's been bottled for 9 months already?
I guess I should put 1/8 teaspoon K-meta into the carboy that I'm racking into?
I have a spiral of American Oak - do you think it would help it at this point? The ML Red kit did not include any oak.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

 

[sour_grapes]

I also have a Mezza Luna that has not really improved with age. (It is now about 2 years old.)

This is just my humble opinion. I would add sorbate. The downside risk seems much larger than the upside.

I personally think oak would be a good move, but I suppose that depends on your affinity for oak!

 

[TemperanceOwl]

Thanks, Paul.
I'll add the sorbate.
As for oak, I've not had enough experience with oak yet to know whether or not I like it. The descriptions of "buttery" and "smooth" sound nice. On the other hand if it's more like biting into a wooden box I may not like it.

 

[heatherd]

I would unbottle and add tannins.

 

[kevinlfifer]

Is it "fizzy" in the bottles?

When that is the case it usually tastes pretty bad.

But if you dump them, add Kmeta, degas and re-bottle, or bulk age.

If your going for a sweet wine, I'd get it in a 3 gal carboy and evaluate from there.

I did a Mezza Luna in Jan, and its quite nice.

 

[TemperanceOwl]

I would unbottle and add tannins.

Thanks, Heather. What would adding tannins do? It seems unbalanced, and the best description right now is "hot". Adding sugar tones that down a bit, but not enough to make it very good.

 

[TemperanceOwl]

Is it "fizzy" in the bottles?

When that is the case it usually tastes pretty bad.

But if you dump them, add Kmeta, degas and re-bottle, or bulk age.

If your going for a sweet wine, I'd get it in a 3 gal carboy and evaluate from there.

I did a Mezza Luna in Jan, and its quite nice.

Yes, it's a little fizzy. It was my first wine and I didn't get it absolutely, completely degassed before bottling. But it's also harsh, and hot (tastes too alcoholic). I need to calm that down a bit if possible.
Thanks.

 

[heatherd]

Thanks, Heather. What would adding tannins do? It seems unbalanced, and the best description right now is "hot". Adding sugar tones that down a bit, but not enough to make it very good.

Tannins are what you taste in commercial reds, adding complexity and balance.

If your wine is "hot" though, is that gas? My Mezza Luna White was hot, but it was gas. Aging won't get rid of that.

 

[ceeaton]

Yes, it's a little fizzy. It was my first wine and I didn't get it absolutely, completely degassed before bottling. But it's also harsh, and hot (tastes too alcoholic). I need to calm that down a bit if possible.
Thanks.

Kinda strange how a kit got "hot", did you add extra sugar to bump up the SG when you started it? I'd think most kits would have the body balanced to match the finishing % ABV. Adding the sorbate and simple syrup seems like the best course of action (and degassing further). If you add tannins you are adding to the time you will need it to age to smooth out (IMHO).

 

[TemperanceOwl]

Kinda strange how a kit got "hot", did you add extra sugar to bump up the SG when you started it? I'd think most kits would have the body balanced to match the finishing % ABV. Adding the sorbate and simple syrup seems like the best course of action (and degassing further). If you add tannins you are adding to the time you will need it to age to smooth out (IMHO).

Hi, Craig. No, I didn't add any extra sugar on the front end. It was my first kit and I did it by the instructions. Since a couple of people have suggested fizz can make it seem hot, maybe that's what it is instead of unbalanced alcohol. This one was done before I got my All In One pump, and I had a heck of a time trying to degas it with my drill mounted degassing tool. It just kept fizzing and I finally gave up on it and bottled it. Maybe by dumping it into a 3 gallon carboy and pumping it from there into a second carboy with kmeta, sorbate, simple syrup and a stick of oak (and tannins maybe?) the fizz will be removed and it will become a bit more balanced. Maybe that's all it needs.
Nell

 

[TemperanceOwl]

Tannins are what you taste in commercial reds, adding complexity and balance.

If your wine is "hot" though, is that gas? My Mezza Luna White was hot, but it was gas. Aging won't get rid of that.

That's interesting that your ML white was hot. Did you ever get it fully degassed, and if so, did it get better?

 

[David219]

You might want to do things in steps, tasting as you go. Re-racking under vacuum, adding tannins, adding sugar...a lot of variables. I would be tempted to re-rack first. Make sure it's fully degassed, taste, then go from there. Good luck!

BTW, I love my AIO. I think it has helped me as much in degassing as it has in transferring wine from one container to another. Patience is another aid in achieving still wine.

 

[heatherd]

That's interesting that your ML white was hot. Did you ever get it fully degassed, and if so, did it get better?

Nope, never got better. But I didn't actually take any action. I should have unbottled, degassed, and rebottled.