Sparkling Wine

[Wine-O]

How is everyone doing?
I am in the process of making a Kiwi Melon Pinot Grigio Sparkling wine from a still wine kit. Everything is going well so far and I am about to start degorging. Is it possible to freeze the neck of the bottle with dry ice instead of a freezer? I tried it once before in the freezer and all I got was broken bottles!! Any input would be greatly appreciated.
I have also started a Pinot Grigio that I just added Georges Malibu Rum Extract as well as some pineapple extract mixed with some sugar water syrup solution to make my version of a 'Pinot Colada'. I can't wait to give it a try!
Dave

 

[Wade E]

Wine-O I know nothing of the Dry Ice method but do know of using a regular freezer. You can only do about 4 at a time or it will take too long to only freeze the top of the bottle which should still be upside down and you must be using Champagne bottles with Champagne corks or the stoppers, both must have wire tie downs also. If you try to freeze many more then that then it will take longer and the whole bottle will freeze more evenly which is probably what happened to you.

 

[Wine-O]

Thanks for the reply Wade. I did use the proper bottles and closures but like you said maybe I tried to freeze too many at a time. I was thinking of getting dry ice and only inserting the top of the bottle in it upside down so it would only freeze the top. I'm not sure if that would work or not. How long does it take to freeze the tops in the freezer doing 4 at a time?

 

[Wade E]

About 1 1/2 hours. let me know if you try the dry ice and if it works.

 

[JWMINNESOTA]

I have seen the dry ice method used, it works very well, and very fast!

 

[Wine-O]

JW,
Any idea how fast is fast? Wondering if I do all at once or a few at a time.
Thanks,
Dave

 

[NorthernWinos]

Keep the bottle with the top down at all times to keep the yeast in the plastic stopper or on the cork.

We do about 5 at a time in a chest type freezer at a temperature of between +5*F to -5*F [Any freezer would work as long as it's that cold]. If it is not that cold, don't put so many in there. -5*F is best. The more bottles you put in the freezer the more it raises the temperature. It takes ours about 1 ½ hours to freeze just the neck. The more you check on them the more cold air you let out of the freezer....Set a timer for an hour and check...then set the timer again...you don't want any accidents.....

Some will freeze faster than others depending on how and where they are in the freezer, in corners, etc....Degorge the ones as they freeze.

If you put more in the freezer it seems they don't freeze, then all of a sudden they are too frozen.

Last winter we did a bunch on a really cold day outside....they froze pretty quickly....I forget the temp...thin it was near -20*F.

When you do about 5 bottles you use one to top off the others and re-cork and wire them. I use a funnel with a short piece of siphon tubing on it. That way you get the liquid down low in the bottle and it helps with not as much foam...pour slowly.

The when your done you have some left over in the doner bottle to enjoy!!!!

Here is a tutorial from a couple years ago....
http://www.finevinewines.com//Wiz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1222



Edited by: Northern Winos

 

[JWMINNESOTA]

If working alone I would do a few at a time, same as freezer method, which is what I did on my sparkling wine. When I watched the dry ice method being done there were three working on them, one dipping, one handing bottles to be dipped, and one degorging and recorking and topping up the degorged bottles. The plugs would freeze in a matter of minutes. It would be a fun and fast way.

 

[Wade E]

WOW, that fast! Thats very interesting. Thanks for that info JW!

 

[PeterZ]

Dry ice is about -70F. Wear heavy leather gloves, as it will burn you in a heartbeat.

 

[Wine-O]

Thanks for the info all. I think I'm going to try the dry ice method. I will let you know how I make out!!

 

[Wine-O]

Well I did it. I purchased 40 lbs. of pelletized dry ice this morning and degorged my sparkling wine. It was so quick and easy I would definitly recommend it to anyone looking for an easy way to do it. I was lucky to find the dry ice pelletized and that made it much easier to insert the bottles into the ice. It only took about 2 minutes to freeze the plug. The 2 wines I did today was a sparkling hard apple cider and a Kiwi Melon Pinot Grigio (RJ Spagnols Orchard Breezin). AHHHH.....

 

[Wade E]

Awesome news! How much did 40 lbs cost and how long did it last? Qw want to hear more of this method Wine-O!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Wine-O]

The cost for 40lbs of pelletized dry ice was $30. This was easier than trying to break up a block of the stuff. It took about 2 minutes for the plug to freeze. I was doing 6 bottles on a rotating schedule. I was working alone so as I took one bottle out I would replace it and by the time I got back to that bottle it would be frozen. This way I wasn't waiting too long for the next bottle and losing some precious bubbles!! I ordered the ice a couple of days before my scheduled day to do this and when yesterday came around it was 36 degrees outside and SNOWING...just my luck. But I did have fun and didn't lose any fingers!!

 

[Wine-O]

Sorry I forgot to answer your other question. I picked up the ice at 10 am and as of 7 am the next day there was still about half of the ice left!! I put it in a cooler and worked out of that. The ice is 110 below zero so you gotta be careful!!

 

[Wade E]

Very cool! Literally!

 

[Jwhelan939]

Very helpful as always guys! I just stole many ideas.