Q cabonating for sparkling wine

[montveil]

I would like to carbonate some wine.
I would follow the beer priming method of adding 1118 yeast plus glucose/dextrose to the bottle and leaving the yeast to settle to the bottle bottom.
I'll be using champagne bottles and crown caps.

My question is how much dextrose to add to each 750 ml bottle?
Thanks for any suggestions

 

[JohnT]

I would go with 20 to 24 grams (assuming no residual sugar in the still wine).

BTW - it is totally acceptable to call it Champagne.

Some will argue that Champagne only comes from the Champagne region of France, but this is simply not true in my book.

In the early 20th century there was an international trade agreement signed in France. One of the concessions was made by all other nations represented was that "Champagne" would be a reserved title for the specific appellation. Unfortunately, the USA was in the middle of prohibition and was not part of the trade agreement.

This is why we have Korbel Champagne and not Korbel Sparkling Wine.

So go ahead, be patriotic! Call it champagne!

 

[Pumpkinman]

John,
I use 22 grams for my Spumante and the plastic stoppers are starting to push out, I don't think it is a stopper issue, I'd probably scale down to 19 grams, as you stated if there is any residual sugar, and I would bet that there will be, the pressure builds up fast!
Here is another way that is a little easier and works great, I got this from Bzac:

Buy encapsulated yeast, I believe I bought UVA Ferm 43, also known as Prorestart but ProElif® QA23 might even be better if you can find it. This is the QA23 baynus strain of yeast used for sparkling wines.
Here is what you need:
UVA Ferm 43, also known as Prorestart - found at M&M Juice Grape in small affordable quantities.
Normal plastic champagne stoppers
Stainless Pipe Screens
Coopers Carbonation Drops - 2 per 750 ml Champagne bottle.

I put one gram of Encapsulated yeast in the plastic stoppers, pushed the stainless screens in to secure the yeast.
I rehydrated it in solution of warm water & sugar ( the instructions will give you the specifics)
I filled the Champagne bottles adding 2 Coopers Carbonation Drops (sugar) per 750 ml bottle, making sure that wine level is an inch or so from the top, put in the cook with the yeast (do not remove the screen, yeast must stay in cork).
Secure cork with wire cage, store bottle on their side.
Every day shake the bottle once or twice.
In 2-4 weeks, you have perfect sparkling wine with little to no sediment!
I tested a few bottles and it works well, I'll be opening another on Friday.

 

[JohnT]

Pumpkinman,

NEAT!!!

I have experimented several ways on doing this.

I first used a cap/freezer method.
1) 24 grams priming sugar,
2) combine with chardonnay that has just fallen below 1.0 SG
3) fastened a beer cap and storred bottle upside down for about a year.
4) Placed botte in freezer until neck was frozen and then disgorged.

FIRST MISTAKE - over a year the yeast was so hard packed in the neck that the frozen "yeast plug" did not come out cleanly. I adjusted the above to store the bottles sideways and then riddled them for only a couple of weeks. Worked much better.

With a beer cap, much more pressure is held back. This is good as the pressure will drop once the CO2 goes into solution. With 24 grams, I did have 1 ot 2 explosions, but I beleieve that this is to be expected.

I also came across an article in winemaker mag that used micro-porous tubing. The idea is to add yeast starter into the tube and tie up both ends (to form a small packet). I made several attempts using EC-1118, but could never get the damn yeast to kick off. My guess is that this tubing was too restrictive.

I never heard of this screen method. I have to say that this sounds like it is worth trying! Could you please tell me where you got your screening?

Question: After only 2 or 3 weeks, do you find that the carbonation in your champagne is short lived (no staying power)? When you pour it, does it fizz way up only to go flat a short time later? I am just wondering if 2 or 3 weeks is long enough to allow the CO2 to go into solution. I have been told that "Staying Power" is achieved through long term aging after the priming fermentation is complete. Just wondering if you found this to be the case as well.