Heron Bay Wildberry Chianti

[WhineMaker]

Love the new layout on this site.. Thankyou to involved person..(Wade?).. Anyways.. Got this kit on sale from grapestompers as a kit expiring soon.. It says best by 4/11/09 on the package, and am going to start this one along side my Old Vine Zin.. I was going to add 3.5 lbs sugar to this kit.. I did the same on the GA Riesling I just bottled and it came out fantastic.. Any problems adding that much to a red?? It's amazing how quick my wife and I became obsessed with winemaking! Not even a full 2 months since I started and already have 9 kits in the works!!

 

[rodo]

An out of date (about 1 month) Wildberry Chianti was my first attempt at wine making last November. I didn't have a Hydrometer when I started it but it finished at .099. I followed all the directions with the exception of time.

When it was bottled it was drinkable but had a slightly strange taste just about the moment I swallowed.

I was pleasantly surprised when I opened the first bottle after a month of ageing, a wonderful fruity bouquet and a sweet, (but not too sweet) berry taste and the strange taste was gone.

Everyone who has had this said they enjoyed it at the very least and most have raved.

I have just degassed another Wildberry and will clear tomorrow.

I know this didn't really answer your question, just thought I would share my experience.

Rod O

 

[Wade E]

Thanks Whinemaker, Im trying to make this place simpler to find the correct spot to place a post and easier to find it much later also as its much easier to search when you ca be more specific about what it was you are searching for. Adding that amount of sugar to a mist kit makes it better IMO. If you find 1 that is just way to sweet then next time use some of the f-pac up front and less sugar and add remainder later after fermentation. this will keep the flavor but cut down on the sweetness.

 

[WhineMaker]

I must have been reading your mind.. I started last night and added half the F-Pack and 3 cups sugar.. Figured I would still end up about 1.080.. Stirred it up real good after adding everything and I am at 1.090!! Little higher than I wanted, and will probably just mean more time in the bottle.. Should make for about 12.5% ABV though. Going to add the other half of F-Pack later.. By cutting down the F-Pack and final sugar, does this make a room temp drinking wine?? Or do you still pour over ice or serve chilled..

 

[WhineMaker]

Thankyou Rod O and welcome to the forum! It's good to hear encouraging reviews on wines I have never tried..

 

[WhineMaker]

7 days in on this kit, and fermentation still very active.. Current SG is 1.028 and am going to wait for 1.005 per directions. The extra primary ferment time was expected with the addition of the F-Pack and sugar. This wine smells fantastic, and a small sample tasted great, but obviously very sweet at this point..

 

[WhineMaker]

Just an update on my Chianti.. Finished at 0.992 on April 30th.. SG 1.000 after adding last half of F-Pack, and was still the same when bottled last night. According to the ABV calculator this is 13.1% ABV!! As far as taste goes, its very good. All the wildberry flavor is there, but not as sweet as the IM GA Riesling I made. It's a bit higher ABV than I wanted it to be, so will have to be very careful and try to sip this slowly.. or else..

 

[Tom]

Congrats !
Leave it in the bottle for at least 2 weks. This is when the wine gets used to a smaller place (bottle shock).
When is the next one ready?

 

[WhineMaker]

When is the next one ready?

Both CC's are in secondary, waiting for fermentation to end and clearing.. IM Zin should be close to bottle time, but is still very cloudy. I am most excited about the OVZ, can't wait for that one to be ready to bottle and age..

 

[St Allie]

Heron Bay GA Riesling

have picked up a kit off the local ebay all intact and dated 10 july 2010.

Whinemaker? you added 3.5 lbs of sugar to yours and it came out really well ..

Do you add the sugar initially and also did you split the f pac for that one?



Allie

 

[WhineMaker]

Allie.. I added 3.5 lbs sugar in the form of simple syrup to the primary, and 1/2 the F-Pack... Plan on it taking a few extra days to ferment because of the added sugar.. Added remainder of F-Pack at clearing step. Intial SG was 1.090. This came out just to our liking and is quite pontent I must add.. My wife and I enjoyed 1 bottle last night(2 glasses each) and were most definately feeling it!! This is a sipper although it tastes almost like a wine cooler, but not as sweet... My first sample of this was room temp and last night I had it chilled.. Just as good either way, although I think I prefer it room temp as it is not overly sweet. The reason it is not as sweet is because of splitting the F-Pack, therefore not adding as much sugar to the final product..

 

[St Allie]

Thanks for that Whinemaker,

Will do mine the way you have done yours, I have the GA kit and the carmenere kit waiting in the wings to do. Have run out of space at present, already planning to get two 23litre carboys for my xmas present, hehehhe patience is a virtue!

( is it xmas yet?)

Allie

 

[Boozehag]

Il buy you one Allie if you buy me one too!!!

 

[St Allie]

Il buy you one Allie if you buy me one too!!!

hehehe

I'm expecting to swap bottles of port for xmas. How's your blueberry port coming along?

Allie

 

[St Allie]

Allie.. I added 3.5 lbs sugar in the form of simple syrup to the primary, and 1/2 the F-Pack... Plan on it taking a few extra days to ferment because of the added sugar.. Added remainder of F-Pack at clearing step. Intial SG was 1.090. This came out just to our liking and is quite pontent I must add.. My wife and I enjoyed 1 bottle last night(2 glasses each) and were most definately feeling it!! This is a sipper although it tastes almost like a wine cooler, but not as sweet... My first sample of this was room temp and last night I had it chilled.. Just as good either way, although I think I prefer it room temp as it is not overly sweet. The reason it is not as sweet is because of splitting the F-Pack, therefore not adding as much sugar to the final product..

This was not added to the GA Riesling? Just to the chianti only?

Cheers

Allie

 

[WhineMaker]

This was not added to the GA Riesling? Just to the chianti only?

Cheers

Allie

The Pom Zin and WB Chianti both got 1/2 the f-pack and sugar in the primary.. The GA Riesling only got the added sugar in the primary and the full f-pack at final stage before bottling.. I wanted the white to be sweeter and the reds to be a little drier.. Worked good for me..

I didn't notice that your original question was reffering to the Heron Bay GA Riesling.. Thought you had gotten the Wildberry Chianti kit...