when good wines gone bad

[JohnT]

Would I need to add Fermaid K to help the yeast?

NEED is a strong word...

Technically, the answer is no. Without it, yeast will ferment sugar.

That being said, I would (in the strangest way possible) recommend that you add your Fermaid K in the prescribed dosages.

This is a matter of yeast nutrients. Much like flowers and vegetables needing fertilizer, so does yeast need nutrients.

Think of a garden. Without any fertilizer, you can grow vegetables. They might end up small, unproducing, and not very robust and flavorful, but you can grow them just the same.

When yeast is starved for nutrients, bad things can happen. Yeast breakdown and H2S issues are very likely. Believe me, you want to avoid these issues.

 

[sour_grapes]

Would I need to add Fermaid K to help the yeast?

I have completed that Super Tuscan kit using BM45 and no additional yeast nutrients, and had no problems or off flavors. (As you likely know, BM45 is one of the two components of BM4x4.) So I would wager you do not need to add nutrients (although it wouldn't hurt anything if you did).

 

[joeswine]

Super tuscan in review

THIS kit with my tweaks for me is all it needs to be, sometimes to fancy isn't going to cut it. If you add the heater strip you'll have all the interaction you need to have accrued. The addition of simple syrup and oak as well as tannins and 1/2 cup of raisins is all that is needed yet alone a huge fpac ( imo) the higher end kits you need to be careful of their balance.

 

[chefken]

Thank you all for your guidance

 

[joeswine]

Super tuscan in review

OKAY it's been about 8 weeks since I started this kit and it's ready to move forward, before that lets go back and review the flow and then will bottle, okay.

 

[joeswine]

Super tuscan continued

lets continue the flow...

 

[joeswine]

Super tuscan continued

there's a lot to this flow this is a lot of kit ..

 

[joeswine]

Super tuscan continued

not sure when but we may go onto the next page
SUPER TUSCAN Super Tuscans
just a little history
Tignanello one of the early Super Tuscans.
Super Tuscans are an unofficial category of Tuscan wines, not recognized within the Italian wine classification system. The origin of Super Tuscans is rooted in the restrictive DOC practices of the Chianti zone prior to the 1990s. During this time Chianti could be composed of no more than 70% Sangiovese and had to include at least 10% of one of the local white wine grapes. Producers who deviated from these regulations could not use the Chianti name on their wine labels and would be classified as vino da tavola - Italy's lowest wine designation. By the 1970s, the consumer market for Chianti wines was suffering and the wines were widely perceived to be lacking quality. Many Tuscan wine producers thought they could produce a better quality wine if they were not hindered by the DOC regulations.[6]
The marchese Piero Antinori was one of the first to create a "Chianti-style" wine that ignored the DOC regulations, releasing a 1971 Sangiovese-Cabernet Sauvignon blend known as Tignanello in 1978. Other producers followed suit and soon the prices for these Super Tuscans were consistently beating the prices of some of most well known Chianti. Rather than rely on name recognition of the Chianti region, the Super Tuscan producers sought to create a wine brand that would be recognizable on its own merits by consumers. By the late 1980s, the trend of creating high quality non-DOC wines had spread to other regions of Tuscany, as well as Piedmont and Veneto. Modification to the Chianti DOC regulation attempted to "correct" the issues of Super Tuscans, so that many of the original Super Tuscans would now qualify as standard DOC/G Chianti. Most producers have brought their Super Tuscans back under legal regulations, notably since the creation of the less restrictive IGT Toscana designation in 1992 and the DOC Bolgheri Sassicaia designation in 1994.[6]
In addition to wines based on the Sangiovese grape, many well known Super Tuscans are based on a "Bordeaux-blend", meaning a combination of grapes typical for Bordeaux (esp. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot). These grapes are not originally from the region, but imported and planted later. The climate in Tuscany has proven to be very good for these grapes. One of the first successful Super Tuscan based "Bordeaux-blend" was Sassicaia, by Tenuta San Guido, now classified as DOC Bolgheri.

, follow the flow,,,not much more left.

 

[richmke]

@joeswine, as an LE kit, this is your first time making it. How can you tell you need to add raisins?

 

[LoneStarLori]

Looking good Joe! I should have ordered that kit. I can smell it from here.

 

[joeswine]

Super tuscan in review

richmke:this style wine like a AMARONE depth can always be added to it and there wasn't that much of a raisins content ,but enough to add some small amount of depth, how do I know because I've learned how to think outside the box, and I can make a good sauce.
Lori ,where have you been ???mist your winemaking skills on this forum and yes this one will turn out just fine....
were over 110,000 views,thanks to you all.

 

[chefken]

Puffy Juice Bag

So I'm getting ready to make my second LE Super Tuscan kit and plan on following Joe's tweaks and the box was bulging. Carefully opening the box the juice bag has lots of air and is very puffy. Does anyone think this is safe to open and/or even make. I've emailed Winepert and waiting a reply. The first kit was made following the enclosed instructions so it will be interesting to compare when they are both done.

 

[Boatboy24]

Sounds like you've got a fermentation going already.

 

[joeswine]

super tuscanl

I would not use that base wine seeywhat WwwE states first

 

[chefken]

This is the response from Winexpert. "The kit has begun to ferment. Make the wine kit today and all should be fine."

 

[joeswine]

Super tucan

what do you want to do??it shouldn't have started fermentations in my view I would ask them to send me a new kit or base wine bag, do you want to start the kit ?if so start it now.

 

[chefken]

I decided to start the kit. The juice bag did not have a bad odor or any other negatives that I could see. Before the tweaks as you suggest the sg was 1.068 and after 1.092. Pitched yeast a few minutes ago. Thanks for your help.

 

[sour_grapes]

I decided to start the kit. The juice bag did not have a bad odor or any other negatives that I could see. Before the tweaks as you suggest the sg was 1.068 and after 1.092. Pitched yeast a few minutes ago. Thanks for your help.

Gee, mine was 1.078 (before adding grape pack). Maybe yours WAS fermenting?

 

[joeswine]

Super tuscan in review

I took my time and planned my work then worked my plan, yield was 24 bottles and the taste so far is spot on, good fruit ,depth of flavor and acidity for balance. NOTE; the PH level was correct AT 4.0 and if I liked my wine a with a little more acidity I would have allowed it to sit longer with the added oak inside or if I had a barrel I WOULD HAVE LET THIS SET ONE MORE MONTH .
Here are some of the high lites to the finish. TIME TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ONE?

DO NOT CUT YOUR ACHOLO LEVEL SHORT SHOOT FOR 14% THIS WINE AND THE AMARONE YOU NEED TO HAVE BALANCE AND GOOD ABV. VERSES WOOD,GOT IT!

 

[sour_grapes]

yield was 24 bottles

But earlier:

Joe, just curious: Why do you think your yield was so low? It looks like you have lost well over a gallon. (Unless, of course, the "wine gremlins" got to it during quality control sessions!)