Italian juice questions, what should I do next?

[dillybar]

My total wine experience to date is less than ten batches mostly kits. This fall I picked up three juice buckets from the LHBS, (Amarone, Barbera, Sangiovese). I have completed primary and secondary on all three and have stabilized them and they are currently clarifying with super-kleer.

My first question relates to ABV and overall dryness. Based on SG readings these are all up around 14% as they all finished at about .990. Initial taste tests show a definite dryness that I have not tasted in previous kits nor did I expect. Is this "normal" and or is there a recommended way to modify this flavor as it bulk ages.

Also what other additions or enhancements, i.e. oak, tannin etc. do you recommend for these varieties? I have pretty much followed the recipes on previous batches with the exception of oak and I am ready to try other techniques to these wines.

Also, please remember to speak slowly I am a relative rookie.

Mike

 

[wjdonahue]

I'm surprised that your Amarone came out at only 14%, very close to the Barbera and the Sangiovese. Because Amarone should be made with a percentage of dried and concentrated grapes, they usually are well over 15%.
Because of the drying process, Amarone is normally higher in tannins, which will necessitate additional ageing before it is ready to drink....the longer the ageing the better. As for OAK, it depends on your taste for oak. I would use at least 2-4 oz of either American or Hungarian oak beads....a light toaste would be ok.
The Sangiovese should have a good amount of tannins also. For the oak, again it is a matter of taste. I'd start with 2 oz of american or french oak, then taste it, and add more during ageing if needed.
The Barbera will have considerably more fruit forewardness and acidity, which really brings out the fruit. Although Barbera can be aged for quite some time, most like it fruit forward and start drinking it at about 1 1/2 to 2 years. Again, I would use 2 oz of American.
The trick with using the beads is to continually taste the wine as it ages, and take the oak out when it tastes like you want it to. For some people a couple of weeks is all it needs, for others longer. When it tastes the way you want it, rack it off of the oak and then continue ageing.
A lot of places like to sell oak shavings or sawdust, DO not ever use these on wine that have already been fermented. The huge surface area causes very quick extraction which may quickly get beyone what you like. If you are going to use the sawdust, then only use it during primary.

Hope this helps

 

[dillybar]

Yes it helps a lot, thanks. I probably gave the averages for all three, now that I looked at the notes the Amarone is the higher of the three at about 14.5%. I have American and Hungarian oak cubes both medium toast but will be near the LHBS this weekend so getting the light toast would not be a problem. I tend to like a heavy oak to my wine but my Italian experience is limited so your guidance is helpful. Thanks again.

 

[wjdonahue]

Sorry..forgot to comment on the "dryness". With your readings, everything seems to be in the ball park.....these wines are no dryer than the ones you made from the kits. What you are possibly identifying is actually an astringency from the tannins and solids that are in the juice. Remember, you are using the whole pressed grape, not concentrates like most kits (except Mosti). Using the pressed and unprocessed juice, you have all of the solids and tannins present. This will make a much more flavorable and complex wine, but will require a lot more ageing. Even the mosti All Juice kits require at least a year. As your wines age, a lot of the astringency will lay down. For reds I usually bulk age them for at least a year to a year and a a half before I start tasting and even considering bottling. I usually bottle at about the 2 year point, and then age at least another year before release. For whites you can cut up to a year off of this.
With kit wines, you get a much quicker drinkability, with free run juice you get a much better wine, but you have to pay for it with time.
At this point, don't worry about the astringent taste...it is almost expected with a free run juice. If after a year, you can't see it laying down, then there might be a problem.

 

[djrockinsteve]

You could add some oak to your wines along with a pinch of sulfite. Age them a year. I added 8 ounces by weight of american medium oak toast chips to my merlots and cabs. For the others I added 6 ounces or less. It's all in what you want.

Add tannin only if you feel it needs more "bite".

 

[dillybar]

Ah yes the patience part of the process... That is by far the hardest ingredient to come by especially for a new wine maker with a bunch of young wine and an inpatient co-wine drinker who is wondering when I am going to release some of these wines.