RJ Spagnols Need Help

[2001SE]

Started a RJ Spagnols Grand Cru International Collection Malbec red wine kit. As per the instruction I transfered from primary to a glass carboy after 6 days, my gravity reading was then 1.012. The instruction stated after 6 to 8 days and a gravity of 1.020 or lower. After that I had to wait at day 20 and a gravity ready oor 0.998 or lower for stabilizing and clearing. Around day 17 I took a gravity reading and was at 1.004. Now at day 20, the gravity should be 0.998 or lower, but i'm still at 1.004. Can someone give me some advice to what I could do? I've made several wine kits without any problems, this is the first time it happens to me, just not really sur what to do...
Thanks

 

[cpfan]

Welcome to WMT. Thank you for providing the exact kit name and the sg and process info. (I wish more people would do that.) Unfortunately I do not have any experience with the GCI kits with grape skins. I know that some of the Cellar Classic Winery Series kits were expected to finish at or above 1.000.

From your readings, it sure sounds like the ferment is finished. The only thing that comes to mind is temperature. What is the current temp of the wine and the area that the carboy is sitting in?

You may wish to call the 800 number on the instructions, they should know if this kit goes below 1.000. Also there are some good folk at the RJSpagnols forum (http://www.rjspagnols.com/forum/index.asp) who should be familiar with these kits.

Steve

 

[Wade E]

Check your hydrometer for accuracy. There should have been a sheet that came with it stating what it is calibrated to. Most are 60* but some are 66* If you dont have this sheet we'll assume its 60* so get a glass of 60* water and put the hydrometer in there and it should read 1.000, if not adjust to where it would be and do this with all your wines when you take a reading. Also, did you adjust for the temp?

 

[2001SE]

The temperature is 70 degrees, the hydrometer is calibrated for 68 degrees. From the paper I received with it at 70 it should stay the same.

 

[cpfan]

Besides the adjustment is going to be about .002.

Dan, I see you added the question at the RJS forum. Hopefully you`ll get an answer tonight. There`s a couple of west coast guys who usually check in every night.

70F might result in a slightly slower ferment, but not stopped.

Steve

 

[Wade E]

Just curious if you have calibrated the tool though as I have seen some that were shipped and got jarred pretty bad and were off by a lot. That is a crappy sg for a malbec. I guess I would try adding just a 1/2 tsp of nutrient, getting it up to around 77* and give it a good stir to try and revive things, after that I guess do a yeast starter and slowly introduce your wine into the starter until it is dble or triple the size of the starter to get the yeast slowly acclimated to te high abv(by the way use Red Star Premier Cuvee or Lalvin EC-1118) and then add back to wine.