Marty's Wine - Cru Select Valpola Italy Red - Wednesday, January 24, 2024

Yeast pitched at 8:30 am.

OG - 1.090

F.G. - 1.000

% -    12

I put in 4 marbles in the wine skins sack and they still floated to the top. Hope they sink later on as I don't want them plugging up the air lock. I think I have lots of room in the pails. Smelled great too. Wait 2 weeks to check the gravity and rack to a carboy. They say to do it daily, but I disagree. I will be able to tell by the air lock how it is doing. 

Marty's instructions say after day 14 when you rack the wine into a carboy and add all the stuff they say, let it sit an additional 28 days before you filter and bottle. That will put him around March 6.

                                                    Day 14 is February 7

12.5% - Could be higher though. Check the gravity for now on.

Next Day - Started, but slow as usual the next day. 70 F.

Day 2 - Getting too warm. Shut off heat. 

Day 3 - Going good. 68 F. Mine is 70 F. Side by side? Why the difference

                in temperature?

Day 4 - 72F. Active still. Leaving it at 72F until day 14.

Day 5 -  Same.

Day 11 - Slowing down a bit but still going good. Looking at it now I wonder if it will be done

               when it is time to rack? Nope, it is not ready.

              On day 14 I have to add everything I have which kills the yeast and clears it. I may   

              have to ask. Wait to rack. 

Day 16 - 1.005. Lid back on and heat on.

Day 19 - 1.000. Best I can do at the moment. Racking today.

                                           RACKED TO CARBOY FEB. 12

Leave this until March 13 when you can filter it. I will add a litre of pre-boiled RO water to the pail

when I rack it as I know I am too low on wine. I suck at syphoning. Go slow and tilt the pail just before you start the syphon. 

                                                      FILTER AND BOTTLE MARCH 13

Nope, don't like red wine. Got 25 bottles. Marty said it is too sweet. I tasted it and it was fine to me. But, yes, it may be for him and of course the FG was too high. Hope to fix that next time.

                                                    UPDATE ON DEC. 2024

I used some yeast nutrient with the same kit and it got down to .996. The range for this wine kit with grape skins is .994 to .996. I am in that range so the yeast nutrient did help.