Mosti Mondiale Meglioli Amarone

[gdaustin]

Hey folks, I still have my first kit (Vin. Noble White Zin) in the carboy and the wife is really jumping at the bit but that is my other post. For this one I started Sunday and followed directions. Yesterday added the raisins but cut them in half. I read somewhere that someone did this and it sounded like a good idea. Well today I stirred it and it sounds wonderful. Like someone shook a coke bottle. Fizz fizz. The one question I have is should I do the whole fermenting in the primary bucketthen rack to oak filled carboy when Primary fermenting is finished. I have heard so many people say they had issues putting the nutrient in then racking to the carboy then Mt. St. Helen's . I did the whole fermenting on my first kit in primary bucket also. Thanks again for all the help you folks are great.

 

[Wade E]

You can go either way. I prefer the whole ferment in the bucket especially when using a fining agent that doesnt require then rackingof all the sediment over. I just snap the lid down with airlock when it gets down to around 1.020. I find I have better results getting my reds to ferment out lower this way. I do still slosh it around some with the lid on to get the grape skins or raisins wet and also to stir up the sediment on the bottom to expose the still viable yeast.

 

[vcasey]

Ditto

 

[v1rotate]

Early this year I made a Renaissance Barolo. I racked to the carboy on day 5 at 1.011 SG with no volcano. Last November I racked a Renaissance Shiraz at 1.035 SG and got the volcano.

It is possible to rack with no eruption. Either wait for about 1.01 SG or rack about 3/4 into the carboy, wait a few minutes for the fizz to subside, then carefully finish.

Personally I am uncomfortable with significant departures from the instructions, such as fermenting to dry in the primary bucket, but that is just me. I know people have done this with no problems. It is your call.

 

[RickC]

My currentphilosophy is to take any red with skins or raisins to dry in the primary. Mainly for more exposure to the skins/raisins. Everything else I finish out in the secondary.

 

[gdaustin]

OK it has been a week and looks like I might be stuck at 1.000 in the primary. I opened it and stirred it today hoping to get it going the last little bit. I have the raisons in the primary but have not squeezed them yet. Should I rack to a carboy with the oak anyways and see if it finishes? If so I would imagine I would take the lees with the rack. If it finishes in the primary I am assuming I squeeze the raisens, rack without lees to carboy with oak. I guess then add the k-meta, degass and leave it for a while. Not really sure about this section since I tried to finish ferment in primary. Instructions have you racking around 1.4-1.5. Any help here is appreciated as I am a little confused on this one. Thanks.

 

[gdaustin]

I went ahead and racked from the primary to the carboy and squeezed the heck out of the raisens. I did not put any k-med in the carboy to try and get a little more fermenting and looks like I am getting a little as there are a few bubbles coming from the airlock. I also put the oak chips in the carboy and looks like the instructions say about 7 days. For those of you who have done this kit is that a good number or have you found longer is better? I will take a hydrometer reading tomorrow and see where I am at. Also The instructions state to stir dailey for better oak dispersal. Wouldn't that expose it to a lot of air at a time when there is little to no fermenting going on and no k-med at this point? Also One last question if I may, I was reading an article about racking before clearing. It summarized and said it is best to leave the sediment in and put the clearing gels in as opposed to racking off the sediment before hand. If one bulk ages in the carboy and racks periodically would you not run into the same issue as the article and have major issues clearing? Just curious. Thanks.

 

[AlFulchino]

question...AND i may have missed this....you said in part..."Yesterday added the raisins but cut them in half. I read somewhere that
someone did this and it sounded like a good idea..."

what did you do or will you do w the other half...and what is the good idea part about it?

 

[PeterZ]

gdaustin, I usually leave the wine in secondary with the lees for two or three weeks. I tend to procrastinate, and wine making is an ideal hobby for that.


Daily stirring at this point is not an issue, as the wine is supersaturated with CO2, which will keep O2 out.


Clarification involves adding chemicals that have a charge opposite to the charge on the particles you are trying to remove. After addition and stirring, the goal is to get the particels to bump into each other and stick together. The more particles, the more bumping and sticking. It is much easier to clear a cloudy wine than an almost clear wine.

 

[ibglowin]

Just remember your wine is not finished fermenting if its at 1.000. This could take another 10-12 days. Make sure its still warm (70-74 degrees). Transfer the lees to secondary and let it finish. You can give it a stir every few days or so (gentle) just to help things finish. You should be at 996-998 by then. Then its time for another good racking and then on to degas, fining and stabilization.

OK it has been a week and looks like I might be stuck at 1.000 in the primary.  I opened it and stirred it today hoping to get it going the last little bit.  I have the raisons in the primary but have not squeezed them yet.  Should I rack to a carboy with the oak anyways and see if it finishes? If so I would imagine I would take the lees with the rack.  If it finishes in the primary I am assuming I squeeze the raisens, rack without lees to carboy with oak.  I guess then add the k-meta, degass and leave it for a while.  Not really sure about this section since I tried to finish ferment in primary.  Instructions have you racking around 1.4-1.5.  Any help here is appreciated as I am a little confused on this one.  Thanks.

 

[gdaustin]

Ok I checked my amarone and still at 1.000. Should I be concerned or just let it sit for another week or two? I racked of the primary on May 25, squeezed the raisins, added oak to secondary and that is where I am. I am going to be going on a coast to coast motorcycle tour with my wife and brother starting June 24 and I was hoping this would be in the aging stage by then. Thanks.

 

[Wade E]

Keep the temp up around 75-78 and stir it up as that should get it down a little more.

 

[gdaustin]

Checked last night and maybe just under 1.000. Temp about 75F and in carboy with oak. Seems that I might not get much lower. Any suggestions to getting it lower or am I ok to rack into another carboy and add k-med and degass so aging may start. Not sure what to do here. Got about a week before I will be gone for 17 days.

 

[Wade E]

The only way I see of getting it any lower would be to rack it onto another yeast slurry if you had another wine fermenting. Trying to make a starter or anything at this point is not going to work. You are pretty low but I do usually like mine to get lower. This is one reason I like to ferment dry in primary as Ive never had this problem with it stopping early.

 

[tonyt]

On June 5, I started the MM Meglioli Amarone</span>
Primary fermentation went well added raisin pack according to instructions and by day7 SG only got to .998, minimum for kit. Racked with lees and added provided oak pack and nutrient. Day 20 SG only hits .996, racked off of lees, added silligel and liquigel and stirred (electric drill method) and added a hand full of clean Hungarian oak cubes. Checked a tiny sample last week and again tonight (day 17 of clarifying) and find it still a bit cloudy. Perhaps 90% clear but I am accustomed to extremely bright clear finishes. My plan was to not rack again for 15 more days, that will be over 30 days of clarifying. The instructions say "we strongly recommend filtering your wine" but I don't have a filter and some of y'all think filtering reduce some body and taste. Should I stir up the sediments? Do I really need to filter it. ALSO there are no "legs", what is that all about? It does taste OK, not great YET and I know this kit will take a couple years. I may bulk age another month or two or three after racking off oak in 15 days.

 

[ibglowin]

An SG of 0.996 is perfectly acceptable. Nothing wrong there.

What is the temp of the wine in the carboy? It should be kept warm (72-74) until it is degassed and clarified. I have never had a Mosti kit that didn't clear perfectly in a week but I have never done a Meglioli either. Time is your friend. Don't rush it. If worst goes to worse you can hit it with a pack of SuperKleer and that should do the trick. I would not rush this guy into the bottle, give it time to do its thing and all should be go well.

What do you mean it has no legs? If you put an ounce or two in a wine glass it should have legs if you swirl it around for a few seconds.

 

[tonyt]

Temp is 78. When I swirl an ounce in a glass no legs. The Montepulciano that I started at about the same time has lovely, sexy legs.

 

[ibglowin]

That's weird, lets see if someone else pops in and has an idea on that one.

If no one else has any idea's Give George a call and see what he has to say on that one.

 

[v1rotate]

Sounds to me like the Amarone has a little gas in it. Gassy wine won't clear very well. Do you have a means of putting a vacuum on the carboy? Also, you might want to go ahead and rack once more. High end WE kits call for an additional racking 8 days after stabilizing/degassing for wine clarity.

Don't know about the legs. They are supposed to be an indication of the alcohol level of the wine I believe, and the Amarone should be at the high end of the ABV range.

 

[tonyt]

How about if Sunday I rack, stir and vacuum with Vacuvin. In that order.