WineXpert Pinot Noir - Kit 2 - Degassed!

[OilnH2O]

We degassed and added all the packets to the WE Selection Pinot Noir kit tonight -- my young Apprentice is below doing the heavy work -- well, I did the heavy lifting (of the carboy) while he did degassing.


Once again with this kit, the only foam was when we'd induce a vortex -- which we tried to reverse the mix-stir whenever that began to start so as not to introduce too much air (O2) into the wine.


Topped off with the settled out liquid from the lees left from racking from primary -- hope that's OKAY! It was a short two cups and added another 2 cups of cab. sauv. which was all I had on hand!


Thanks to you all -- we're having fun!

 

[earl]

Oilnh20


It is great to see you make it a family affair. My 2 boys are 7 and 5 and they both help out as much as they can when I make a wine. The other day I asked my 7 year old what he wanted to be when he grew up...he said a pilot (that's me) and a wine maker. It really doesn't matter what you share with your kids, as long as you share.


WOW...Oprah aint got nuttin on me.


earl

 

[PolishWineP]

Isn't it great to have a hobby that keeps you home! The kids always know where to find you and can interact and learn at the same time. Glad to see the next generation coming along!

 

[OilnH2O]

SOOOoooo..... Earl!


Does this mean my Young Protege's wine-making interest is derived from, perhaps, common experiences???

 

[earl]

OilnH20


That is fantastic. What is he flying?? I have yet to take my kids up but in a few years I sure will. I just want them to get a little older. Right now I am sitting in Alamosa CO waiting on my passengers. They say they will be here at 2100hrs. but I've been lied to before

.


earl

 

[OilnH2O]

BE 35 H -- V-tail; oldiebut goodie! He first went up at 3 weeks -- I looked for thatpicture (he was on the REAL co-pilot's lap, but just as big a grin!) but it must be tucked away. He flew a little earlier than his older sister -- she was 6 weeks old. Both did well in FAA-approved car seats in the back and bonnets with -- the PWP will love this -- nursing pads sewn in to provide hearing protection!

They quickly learned to ask before each trip: "Are we flying -- or driving?"


TAS at 188 (164K)12.4 gphat 10.5 to 12. A real time machine! (Notice how all that new military iron has thatV in back?)Should we bring a bottle of thefirst batchto OSHthis year to share? That's an experience I'm sure you know shouldn't be missed!


Be careful with that heavy iron you must be driving!

P.S. The First Officer says your kids are old enough to fly now! And that they'd love "KidVenture" at OSH!

Edited by: OilnH2O

 

[earl]

I've never flown a V tail before, it is certainly on my to do list. What a classic high performance single. Unfortunately I have not been to OSH but I will definately go with my kids, and you can bet I will have a few bottles of homeade "HOOTCH" with me.


earl

 

[PolishWineP]

I love the hearing protection! Whatever it takes? What's OHS? Is that Oshkosh? (It sounds like my High School!)

 

[OilnH2O]

PWP


OSH is the three letter identifier for the airport atOshkosh, Wisconsin, where for about 10 days in late July and early August is held the world's biggest and best airshow and gathering of members of the Experimental Aircraft Association. Officially, it is known as "Airventure" (see http://www.airventure.org/) but everyone just refers to it as "Oshkosh..."


So, I guess we'll see you there, it sounds like!

 

[PolishWineP]

I won't be there, but I'm fully familiar with the whole thing. A good friend of my lives over that way and is heavy into flying. Bert and I went to his wedding reception held in the museum there. The wedding had been held in the little chapel down the road from the museum. Just wish it hadn't been in the month of February!

 

[OilnH2O]

How about we get back ON TOPIC! (Even though this is a pinot noir-degas topic!)


We racked our first kit -- the bourgeron rouge, into another carboy tonight (yes, I went and bought a third!)after waiting more thanthe allotedtime for clearing and stabilizing. Tasted a 'theifed' bit and found the'boquet'smelled a little of the fermentation smell, but very clear.It looked like "wine!"

It had a little bite and kind of a harsh finish -- now, I'm sure a lot of that is because it is so 'young' so I'm not taking any of it negatively. (I realize we're early into this process and I don't expect it to taste like Duckhorn just yet!) Young Master thought it tasted "like wine" but then the only stuff he ever tastes is on Sunday at Communion! "All tastes the same..." he says,BUT his expression says: YECHH!


Anyway, in the racking from carboy to carboy it was our first experience with the auto-syphon, which we realized the cane with the 90 degree angle goes ON TOP and connects to the syphon tube -- and there is no real "racking cane" to keep the bottom off the sediment. So, we were only able to get about the same amount of wine into the second carboy as we had PRIOR to topping up -- just above the shoulder -- exposing quite a bit of surface area to the air.


Should I have set the black tip onto the lees? From the big flashlight in the rear, looking through the carboy toward the light, it appeared the lees were agitated the closer the black bottom of the auto-syphon got to them (it appears the liquid is entering just above that black plug).


I used a vacuvin and cinched the orange, two pronged carboy cap up tight, but it doesn't seem to be holding much of a vacuum. Our plan is to bottle tomorrow. I'm sure I got a little bit of sediment into the final racking so am going to let it settle overnight. And, there is a bit of a foam around the rim -- sort of like when we degassed, but I think that is from inducing the air in as it came out of the tube into the carboy.


The question is, first, did we do it correctly?


Is there a different way to rack to keep it off the sediment?


In other words, should I go the old fashioned way with a tube and racking cane?


Is there any way to get that last half gallon or so out of there without stirring up that sediment?


Sorry for the length of this. We're still newbies regardless of what that avatar says!

 

[PolishWineP]

You COULD cancel your plans to bottle today and let it go through another cycle of settle and rack. We usually do an extra racking or 3 on our kits, just to give it some more time and be sure it's ready to bottle. Better to wait than to rush.


I try to avoid setting the black tip into the lees when getting close to bottling time. It's hard to let go of what's in the bottom of the carboy, but you're trying to get a good product, so there will always be "byproduct" during the process. If there's not much sediment in what's left after we stop the suction I've been known to pour it through a nylon coffee fitler (I don't use this for coffee) set in a pitcher and then bottle it or drink it. Usually drink it.


As far as not using the auto siphon and going back to the cane, I think you'll end up with less sediment doing what you did. Otherwise it pulls directly below and it's almost like it's hunting for lees!


Keep us posted!

 

[geocorn]

Once again with this kit, the only foam was when we'd induce a vortex -- which we tried to reverse the mix-stir whenever that began to start so as not to introduce too much air (O2) into the wine.

There is no need to reverse the drill. Just stir the heck out of your wine. You can't over stir and you will not introduce too much oxygen.

Anyway, in the racking from carboy to carboy it was our first experience with the auto-syphon, which we realized the cane with the 90 degree angle goes ON TOP and connects to the syphon tube -- and there is no real "racking cane" to keep the bottom off the sediment. So, we were only able to get about the same amount of wine into the second carboy as we had PRIOR to topping up -- just above the shoulder -- exposing quite a bit of surface area to the air.


Should I have set the black tip onto the lees? From the big flashlight in the rear, looking through the carboy toward the light, it appeared the lees were agitated the closer the black bottom of the auto-syphon got to them (it appears the liquid is entering just above that black plug).

What I do is have a second small container to catch the sediment. I put the tubing clamp towards the end of the tubing and start my siphon with the wine going into the next vessel. I slowly lower the auto-siphon or racking cane to the bottom and watch the tubing. When the sediment starts flowing through the tubing, I use the clamp to stop the flow and move the tubing to the second vessel and open the clamp. When the line clears, I reverse the process and move the tubing back to the vessel with my clear wine. I put the wine with the sediment in the appropriate size bottle and put an airlock on it and use it later for topping off.


Edited by: geocorn

 

[OilnH2O]

This sounds great -- From what George says, that smell may indicate I still have some gas in there -- and it still hada few of those bubbles inseveral spotsaround the edge. And, I'm still getting a little of that "fermentation smell" when I use the vacuvin.


I believe we'll hold off on the bottling -- degas again, and wait til next weekend. As has been said elsewhere, it's aging in the carboy or aging in the bottle, and it can't hurt!


Thanks to all of you for the fine input!

 

[OilnH2O]

Re: Bourgeron Rouge


Just stirred "the snot out of it" as Tim V. says for 8 full minutes on a freshly charged drill battery. It had 3/4 inch of sediment in the bottom just since racking into that carboy (3rd racking) last night. It's been 20minutes since Istopped themix-stir. See the picture -- the light bubbles can be seen around the edge and the amoeba-like mass in the center is the bubbles remaining from the small amount of foam from the vortex. The bright reflection is the flash -- sorry!

I think I'll wait until next week and then bottle.


Now, back to the Pinot Noir question again -- any opinions as to whether I should go ahead an stir/de-gas that batch again? It was racked from primary to secondary on 2/19, degassed on 3/6 after two days of 0.992 sg readings. So it has sat for 5 days but was degassed in the same manner as the bourgeron rouge its FIRST time... Whaddaya think?

 

[Dean]

If that is all you are getting for foam after stirring that long, you can relax! You have still wine and is completely degassed. You cannot take *all* the CO2 out, but you have done a great job. Now, what I would do is let it sit for a couple of weeks now with a shot of Argon, or Nitrogen, or CO2 on top (wine saver can from wine store) so you don't need to top-up. The inert gas will protect the wine. After a couple of weeks, those fine lees will pack down nice and tight and you can rack to a clean carboy or primary fermenter to start bottling. Always rack to something clean before you bottle so you don't stir up sediment and get that in the bottles.

 

[OilnH2O]

Thanks, Dean -- I was thinking about the argon -- better than topping up once again -- We'll wait -- "patience" -- and I'll rack again before bottling!