Mosti Mondiale Nero d'Avola

[Dominick]

Just an update, im still bulk aging. i degassed a little today and took a taste. It looks, smells, and tastes great. Nice buzz.

My last post was in July 08 so, I been bulk aging for 2 months now.

What's a good bulking age for this Nero, 1 year?

Edited by: Dominick

 

[Jack on Rainy]

Dominick,
There was a newsletter discussion earlier this year on bulk and bottle aging.
http://www.finevinewines.com/March_2008.htm#LETTER.BLOCK8


I don't think the timesare long enough myself, but I am a newbie at wine making. (Although I'm long on experience with cheap wine tasting and enjoyment

!)
I noticed you topped up with an Arancio. Do you think that is representative of this varietal? I just started this kit 10/15 and tasted the very same Arancio last week with the thought that I might use it to top up as well.

 

[Dominick]

Hey Jack:

Yes I was just thinking what can I do to make sure the wine comes out at its best. I spoke with other forum members and some say bottle or bulk it dont matter, but then some swear by bulk aging. Even the old italian guys here in my neighborhood yell at me and say WHAT IS YEAST? - there old school wine makers and do everything old world. I wanted to impress them with my Nero, to show them that new world wine making can taste if not better then old world wine making. - They don't use any additives like K-meta, sorbates, ect ect...nothing just age.

If your making Nero now and want to top off like I did, I find the Arancio is perfect as it does not change the flavor of the MM wine, the MM still tastes great and I think you would need to add alot more then 2 bottle to affect the flavors of the MM. I find it was a perfect addition to the MM.

I may bottle today, I really was thinking about bulk aging for 1 year, and keep racking to remove sediments through out the year to make the wine even better. But I guess thats going overboard.

I'm a newbie also and I'm going by the directions from MM, but I just wonder if you rack more, will the wine become a lot better - like "the more you rack the finer the wine"?? I have no idea. - I guess ill read a little more before I bottle. - Thanks for the link,
Edited by: Dominick

 

[grapeman]

Dominick more racking is not necessarily better. Two or three rackings if fine, but too many can expose it to too much oxygen and cause it to go bad. Rack it, add 1/4 tsp k-meta and let it bulk age a while, like 3-4 months. You could rack again at that point and then bottle or keep bulk aging. When you are ready to bottle, check the S02 level to make sure there is still enough sulfate in it to keep-if not add what is needed. Excessive rackings does no good.

 

[Dominick]

Well I bottled today. I understand racking wouldnt do better cause I saw there was no Sediment at the bottom of the carboy, so it looked really good. I crushed 4 camdem tablets and threw in the sorbate and degassed for 15 mins or so. Then transfered from the carboy to the fermenter and then bottled it up. I got 30 bottles total could of gotten 31 bottles.

I also started the Lambrusco today being that winter is coming, I figure it will start to get cold soon in the cellar so start the fermenting now with the Lambrusco and age the Nero in the bottles. I will probably let the lambrusco bulk age over the winter and bottle it late spring early summer.

Appleman how did you do with your natural grape vines?
It seems someone stole all my bunches. There all gone.
I dont know if it was deer, birds or human, I woke up one day and 85% of my vine was missing bunches. Not many dropped to the floor. Oh well I guess next year Ill have to keep an eye on them or get a video camera.



Edited by: Dominick

 

[grapeman]

I have picked some and am letting the rest ripen more. I have them covered with nets to protect them form wildlife. Last year I picked early to get some grapes and had the same results as you losing most of the clusters to wildlife. I bit the bullet this year and bought netting to cover a half acre of vines and will get more next year to cover the other half acre that will begin bearing in earnest then. They are a pain in the next to install and remove, but they help insure a crop.

 

[Dominick]

All the Nero is bottled and wrapped...waiting for custom labels to arrive.

Using the empty bottle boxes for a wine rack until my wine rack arrive from George. Not a bad idea

 

[Wade E]

Lets see a pic of those custom labels when they come in please!

 

[Dominick]

np wade, i should have them hopefully by the end of month.
I also got wine boxes and hanging tags for the bottles.

I'd like to send you a bottle wade if possible after I finish dressing them up.

Thanks again for all the guidance.

 

[Wade E]

Anything is possible as I have learned after all I learned how to make wine!

 

[Dominick]