Grape wine from concentrate

[byathread]

Howdy folks,
I've never made wine before and I'd like some advice on my proposed recipe. I enjoy wine, but am not ready to spend much money on making my own. So despite the fact that it probably won't be stellar, I plan on making a wine using Alexander's concentrate. I'm planning on a few steps to increase complexity and hopefully produce an enjoyable wine. I decided to start with a Chardonnay. While it may be the current white wine of the masses, it has lots of potential and I've tasted some really stellar Chards.

<u>3 gallon Chardonnay from concentrate</u>
2+ 46 oz cans - Alexander's Pinot Chardonnay (I just can't see myself adding sugar, so I'm using just concentrate and water to 1.090-1.095 or pabv 12-13%)
~2.5 gal - water
1.5 t - Tannin galalcool
3.0 t - Fermaid k
2.5 t - Pectic enzyme
-3+ t - Acid blend
?? oz - Oak cubes (secondary)
5 g - CY3079 yeast

I've slightly lowered the recommended acid blend and tannin from the recipes on the can due to using more concentrate and no sugar (I prefer more body, don't mind longer aging). I haven't used CY3079 before, but I think it will be perfect for a Chardonnay and is also good for lees aging (which I'll do in secondary). I also think I'd like to add an MF culture (Bacchus or WYeast) as I'd like to experiment and think the buttery roundness it should contribute will be entirely appropriate to the style. Also want to oak this, but not quite sure what amount, type and toast level would be best.

I'd love an overall critique of the recipe as well as advice on acid and tannin quantities, oak and MLF.


Thanks in advance!
Kirk

 

[byathread]

And here's the recipes provided on the cans (which I used as a base before creating my own above).

http://www.eckraus.com/wine-making-alexander-directions.html

 

[Mu]

You might enjoy reading this website if you haven’t already had a look.

http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/

If you live near a wine region you can buy grapes pretty cheap. Even cheaper at the end of a season, and if your friends with a vineyard owner, you might be able to get some free!

Mu.

[edit]

This is a recipe made from grapes, but it might help anywho
http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/request142.asp

 

[Oskaar]

Hey BAT,

I just had a moment to take a look at your recipe below. Just out of curiosity why don't you want to add the sugar? I generally get white grapes (chard, vignonier, sauv blanc, etc) at about 23 - 24 brix. I've found over the years that I like the body of the whites I make better when the juice is at that brix. I'd suggest you consider adding sugar, or maybe honey to bring the brix up from . . . where are you 22 or so? . . . to about 24. That's just me and while I'm pretty much into the close management of my musts (both honey and grape) I still let taste be my determining factor which is why I start with big batches because I do a lot of tasting to dial the stuff in to where I want it.

When coupled with CY3079, chardonnay really benefits from oak in the primary. I'd suggest a light toast French or American Oak, or a mixture of both. 2 oz of cubes should be about right. Also, rather than standard tannin I suggest getting some Tannin Galalcool from B3. BIG mid palate difference on French style whites. If you are going to add a partial can of concentrate it might be fun to go with some vignonier, or muscadet.

For your first batch of chardonnay I'd suggest holding off on MF if you want to do some lees aging on the CY3079. I only say that because I personally don't run them both concurrently. Here's a response from Lallamand about running parallel MF and primary fermentations.

Thanks for your inquiry and we're very happy to see someone actually reads these booklets!
The topic of the timing of ML inoculation is controversial and experts differ on what to recommend. Many winemaking regions, especially old world regions like France, generally recommend to add the ML culture only after the primary alcohol fermentation has finished. This recommendation is soundly based on experience that has led to occasional problems with high acetic acid (VA) production and stuck primary fermentations. Part of the problem is that ML bacteria, having finished with the malic and citric acids, look for another food source such as glucose. They then can convert this glucose to VA.
The controversy comes from new world winemaking experience, where more winemakers practice simultaneous primary and malolactic fermentations. It all boils down to a risk management decision. Many winemakers are willing to accept potential VA problems in hopes that by performing simultaneous ferments, they will have better success getting the ML to complete before the alcohol content or cellar temperature make it extremely difficult to manage the ML fermentation.

As more information about yeast/ML interactions and ways to better control fermentations becomes available, winemakers will have more confidence to decide the best timing for ML culture inoculation. Recent studies have shown that the risks involved with simultaneous ferments can be minimized when the primary fermentation is well managed. This includes using the right nutrients and adding them at the right time, making sure that the pH is below 3.5, and using the ‘right’ combination of yeast and ML bacteria.
Cheers!
Gordon

Now, again this points clearly to a separate primary and then initiating your MF in secondary once the primary ferment is finished. I'm sure you're familiar with "creeper" yeast strains that keep going after the first racking (D47 being one that leaps to mind) so I bear that in mind when thinking about MF. From my perspective, I'd just rack onto an ounce of some medium toast oak cubes (Fr or US) and let your secondary go a couple of months, then rack again, taste and make a decision as to whether you really need to MF it.

Does that cover what you wanted to know? Hope so,

Lemme know,

Oskaar

 

[byathread]

Mu,
I frequent Jack Keller's site, but didn't even think to look there for a traditional grape wine. The link was helpful. My thanks.

Oskaar,
I thought the choice of tannin galalcool and CY3079 would go over well. I appreciate your tips on oak and MLF. I think I'll follow your tip, evaluate it after 3+ months lees aging in secondary and decide whether to continue or move on to MLF if desired.
It just seems like sacrilege to add sugar to a wine. I believe the manufacturer recommends doing so because they assume home winemakers are unwilling to wait 1+ years for a quality product and their lighter "wine cooler" recipe matures sooner. I'd rather wait. So, I'll continue with my I plan to rehydrate enough concentrate to hit my target brix of 22-24 (which should have been the approximate brix of the grapes at harvest). This way I'm not diluting or losing any (more) of the grape essence by diluting with sugar water.

Thanks for the help. Further tips still appreciated. Also, I frequently use the BJCP's website for checking beer style guidlines. Is there a similar site for wine? I would just love to read overviews of different styles like the red and white Burgundies, German whites, Italian wines, etc (including info about grape blends, oak levels, etc).


Thanks,
Kirk