Great place - Couple Q's

[Mike1973]

First I want to say that this is a great forum, I have learned a lot just reading the last couple weeks. Here is my story/question: I'm an occasional beer maker who enjoys wine from time to time. As I "grow up" I seem to like it more but I don't really know anything about it! Live in the Finger Lakes area of upstate NY so juices are plentiful. My uncle makes wine and the last couple years my brothers and I did a batch of Reisling with him. 2 years ago it was basicly carbonated and last years isn't too clear. He uses no fining agents or anything. Found a place in town that sells Wine Expert kits and you can make them there (what a business these folks do too, about 200 batches going now and you pay extra to do it there. No clean up, filters, auto corkers, bottle washer and the staff is great!). Bought a White Zin kit and did that at home and doing a French Merlot (both WE) at the shop now.
I think I'm going to try a Mosti Gewürztraminer all juice kit from this site(as long as I can figure out how to say it!). Question is how long can these wines (any of them really) sit with the K-Meta that comes with the kits. Yes, I'm paranoid about adding more but will add a touch more if needed. I would like to bulk age this and then be able to let it sit in the bottles for a while too.
Thanks for any input, I'll keep you all updated on the progress.

Edited by: Mike1973

 

[Mike1973]

Also, whats the difference between a camden tablet and powdered sulfite?

 

[Wade E]

Campden and powder are 1 in the same except the campden tablets use fillers when they are compressed to help hold them together which if not broken up sufficiently the fillers will float around at the top of carboy. A good(big kit like 15 liter or more) will last many years if cellared properly using good quality corks. I would say around 10 years in my opinion but have no evidence of that. If not cellared properly I would drink in 5 and that would probably be pushing it. If you have access to fresh juices like you said then thats where I would go but start with the whites like the Riesling. Could you tell us more of what happened with previous fresh juice wines you made. The batch that you did that isnt clear sounds like it needs some fining agent and the other carbonated batch sounds like you either had a stuck fermentation that restarted possibly when temps got warm enough again or just needs to be degassed.

 

[grapeman]

Howdy Mike. Welcome to the forum. It seems you are at an advantage living near a great source of fresh grapes and juice in season.


Doing the kits will give you some basic experience in making some wines. As you advance, you can move on to juices or fresh grapes. Walkers Fruit basket outyour way sells juices in 5 gallon buckets you can use to make a variety of wines.


As far as the k-meta and campden- the campdens is k-meta pressed into pre-measured tablets. The downside is that you then need to repowder them to add to the wine. I prefer the powdered. It is easy to add doses in 1/8 or 1/4 tsp k-meta per 5 or 6 gallon batch. If you make a standard kit- the k-meta that comes with it is meant for following their directions and using whites within a year or two and reds within a couple years. If you bulk age for a period of a few months, then most of the free S02 has been dispersed and you shoul add another dose(1/4) tsp before bottling.

 

[Mike1973]

Thanks for the quick replies guys! Thats kind of what I'm looking to do with the kits, learn more about the process. Plus the advantage of juices I can't get here or aren't limited to a 1 week window to pick up!
As for the 2 years of reislings, I think the 1st year was that it never finished fermenting as well as never being degassed. The last one seems to have just not settled right, I think we needed to use some kind of fining agents(I knew nothing about them at that point). My uncle is the one behind the batches and I'm actually trying to get him to do a kit so he sees other things that are done to the juices instead of just racking and adding sulfites!

Mike

 

[Wade E]

You can still add fining agents to that last batch if it is still in bulk. Try SuperKleer KC, it works very fast. just make sure it is degassed as that will prevent wine from clearing properly also. Welcome to this forum Mike, it is a great place to learn with all the experienced wine makers and share what youve learned so that others will not make the same mistakes as we all have when we started, um, or still do occasionally!

Edited by: wade

 

[whino-wino]

There are a lot of familiesin the area that I live that aredescended from German immigrants (including mine). I have been told that the proper pronunciation is:


Gu-voorts'-tru-mee-nur


I don't have one of those upside down "e"'s on my keyboard like they have in a dictionary so I used "u" instead.


Now say it ten times fast.......

 

[whino-wino]

Oh, almost forgot.....


Welcome to the forum!!

 

[Mike1973]

Thanks again guys and thanks for the phonetic spelling Whino!

 

[geocorn]

For your first kit, I would try a Renaissance, Vinifera Noble or Selection. The All Juice kits take 9-12 months to age and most new wine makers want something faster than that. Give me a call I will get you in the right kit.
BTW, I had some ladies in the store several years ago that referred to that wine as .... are you ready...? The "Girls Are Meaner".

 

[Joanie]

BTW, I had some ladies in the store several years ago that referred to that wine as .... are you ready...? The "Girls Are Meaner".

LOL Now THAT'S funny, George!! Love it!

 

[Joanie]

Welcome Mike!! I'm not too far from you...north and near Lake Ontario.

I'm curious...where is that in-house wine making place?

 

[Mike1973]

Hi Joan, thanks for the welcome! I'm actually in Fairport and so is the shop. Here is the link, if its a problem posting it here, someone let me know and I'll remove it.

www.casavinarte.com

 

[Mike1973]

For your first kit, I would try a Renaissance, Vinifera Noble or Selection. The All Juice kits take 9-12 months to age and most new wine makers want something faster than that. Give me a call I will get you in the right kit.
BTW, I had some ladies in the store several years ago that referred to that wine as .... are you ready...? The "Girls Are Meaner".

Thanks George, I'm still deciding I guess. I have done a couple Wine Expert kits already, but I might try one of the other concentrate brands before going all juice. Ahh decisions, decisions

 

[Jack on Rainy]

Mike,
Welcome to forum. Lots of help here so keep asking questions and we'll all learn with you.

 

[Joanie]

Hi Joan, thanks for the welcome! I'm actually in Fairport and so is the shop. Here is the link, if its a problem posting it here, someone let me know and I'll remove it.

www.casavinarte.com

I've been there!! I bought a couple of kits there early on. Nice place. I was thinking I would love to have their shelves to park carboys.

I'm east of you by about 25 miles.

 

[Mike1973]

Hi Joan, thanks for the welcome! I'm actually in Fairport and so is the shop. Here is the link, if its a problem posting it here, someone let me know and I'll remove it.

www.casavinarte.com

I've been there!! I bought a couple of kits there early on. Nice place. I was thinking I would love to have their shelves to park carboys.

I'm east of you by about 25 miles.

Cool, nice to have someone else in the area. It really is a nice place they have there. You end up paying about $90 extra for doing it there but its worth it (at least once in a while!) to have someone clean up after you and have access to all the cool toys they have there. But since I'm cheap, I'll get a kit or 2 here to do for now.

 

[Joanie]

Yes, it's nice to have someone clean up after you but I think it's much more satisfying to do all of the work yourself. Then it really is your wine! It also tastes better! =)

 

[Mike1973]

Yes, it's nice to have someone clean up after you but I think it's much more satisfying to do all of the work yourself. Then it really is your wine! It also tastes better! =)

I agree (But I still don't like cleaning carboys!)

 

[Joanie]

Hehe...me either! I like lifting the full ones less!