Riesling Taste prior to bottling

[chipdouglas415]

Riesling Taste prior to bottling

I am prepping to bottle my Riesling that has been aging since October. The flavor has a stronger boozie taste to it. My Hydrometer is reading 1.002 and the vat has some fiz to it. Any ideas on why the flavor and steps to possibly improve?

 

[winemaker81]

Couple of things -- first, you are not ready to bottle. The SG indicates the wine is not fully fermented and any fizz is too much. You'll blow corks unless you bottle in champagne or beer bottles and use t-tops or crown caps.

What temperature is the wine bulk aged at? I recommend stirring the wine and placing it in a location where the temperature is above 72 F (22 C), and give it more time.

Second -- what was the OG? If it was much above 1.100, you've got a higher ABV.

 

[chipdouglas415]

I aged the wine in my basement that was cooler obviously in the winter but now in the summer i would say 70's. Wine started at 1.098 started bulk aging when it got to 1.004.

How much longer should i age a few more monthgs?

 

[winemaker81]

Fermentation needs to complete. If the SG drops to 0.998 or less and remains stable for at least 3 days, it's probably done. Note: IME most time fermentation ends between 0.990 and 0.996.

Once fermentation is complete, more sediment will drop. I recommend aging at least 3 months, and it may take longer for the wine to clear.

For future reference, don't start bulk aging until fermentation is done.

On the plus side, your wine has more time to age so when you open the first bottle, it will be better!

 

[chipdouglas415]

A follow up to this post.. I tested the the obv and i am at .992. The flavor is still very alcohol tasting? Anything i can add to this prior to bottling or age longer? Any thoughts let me know thanks!

 

[winemaker81]

1.098 doesn't seem too high, but you may be more sensitive to the taste of alcohol than I am, although lighter bodied wines may exhibit an alcohol taste more readily than heavier bodied wine.

Adding glycerin (1/2 to 1 oz per gallon) might buffer it. If you have a low alcohol wine, you can blend it.

Or -- by the glass -- add 1/2 to 1 oz sparkling or mineral water to a 5 to 6 oz glass of wine to dilute it a bit.

 

[Jal5]

Would the fizz be due to gas still very much present? Have you tried to degas it by stirring or better yet a vacuum degassing?
Joe

 

[joeswine]

What kit was this?

 

[chipdouglas415]

Current obv is .992 it was quite gassy when I removed the plug after aging an extra 2 months. My issue is the flavor is very boozie tasting. This was not a kit just finger lakes Pinot grigio juice I bought last fall

 

[joeswine]

Chip,what kit or juice is this

 

[joeswine]

Ok so it was a Riesling was it a fwk

 

[chipdouglas415]

Fwk?

 

[chipdouglas415]

Reisling sorry got this confused with another batch. Should I just bottle and chill to see if it is better when cold? Not sure I have any other choices?

 

[joeswine]

What was the brand of the kit you used??

 

[joeswine]

That's exactly what happened to mine.

 

[chipdouglas415]

Was not a kit it was juice I purchased from a local vineyard in the finger lakes. Did you just go ahead and bottle?

 

[joeswine]

I tasted it before bottling it was lite. All the way around, I thought it would age out better,it didn't.
This was a label peelers juice kit .
Very disappointed.