Table Wines from California Vinifera Grape Juice

While the wine can be fermented in the plastic bucket you receive the juice in we recommend fermenting in a 7.9 gal. Primary, otherwise you will have a mess on the floor. The following directions are for the 6 gallon pail of juice. Most white wines and fruity red wines should be fermented between 60° and 70° F.

 

Yeast: Prepare yeast starter several days in advance if not using Bacchus & Barleycorn pure liquid yeast starters

 

Method:

1. Prepare equipment: Sanitize all equipment by rinsing with a solution of 2 oz. Sulphite Crystals (sodium metabisulphite) and 1 tsp. Acid Blend to 1 gallon of water.

 

  1. Add 3 tsp. Pectic Enzyme to grape juice in the sanitized primary fermentor. Sprinkle 3 Tablespoons plus 1 tsp. Bentonite over the surface of the must taking care to avoid clump formation. Mix thoroughly. Acid and sugar levels may vary. Adjust acid and sugar levels if necessary. (Our experience is that adjustments are usually not necessary.) Bacchus & Barleycorn will provide Specific Gravity, Brix, pH and Titratable Acid reading taken on juice received on this order. There may be slight variation from pail to pail. If you wish, use your hydrometer and Acid Titration kit to determine exact levels of your pail. Remove enough juice to fill the sanatized hydrometer test jar and check the specific gravity. Specific gravity should be between 1.090 and 1.100. If sugar is low, add cane sugar (One cup of cane sugar raises 1 gallon of must .021). If Specific gravity is higher than desired you can dilute the juice with purified water. Using your Acid Titration Kit, check the titratable (total) acid level. Make adjustmenst as appropriate using the table below.

     

Dry White Wine

0.65 % - 0.75 %

Sweet White Wine

0.70 % - 0.85 %

Dry Red Wine

0.60 % - 0.70 %

Sweet Red Wine

0.65 % - 0.80 %

 

One tablespoon of acid blend will raise 6 gallons of juice .08%. Once the must temperature is below 80°F, add 3 Tablespoons of Yeast Nutrient and yeast starter. For white or rose wines add 5 15/32 – 10 7/8 tsp Opti-White and 1 1/8 – 1¾ tsp FT Blanc Soft to six gallons of juice. For red wines add 1 tbsp Opt Red to 6 gallons of juice. Stir well to make sure it is incorporated into the juice. Cover with lid and insert a fermentation lock half filled with sulphite solution.

 

For red wines add ½ – 2 3/8 tsp FT Rouge Berry 24-48 hours after yeast inoculation.

 

  1. Stir daily. When the specific gravity reaches 1.020 (usually 2 - 5 days), it is time to rack. Siphon the wine into a clean, sanitized carboy and attach a fermentation lock half filled with sulphite solution.

 

  1. Rack after three weeks (at this time the specific gravity should be 1.000 or below) leaving behind the heavy sediment. If there is more than a quart of must left in the carboy then you are discarding more of the lighter sediment than is really necessary. It is important to protect wines from browning or oxidizing as it comes in brief contact with oxygen. If you are not doing a Malo-Lactic fermentation, add 2 crushed Campden tablets per 5-6 gallons of wine and DualFine (formerly Super-Kleer KC) according to the directions on the package at this time. If you are doing a Malo-Lactic fermentation, see separate Malo-Lactic fermentation instructions!

 

  1. The addition of oak to simulate barrel aging is recommended for most red wines. 2 ½ - 3 ounces of StaVin Oak Beans per 5-6 gallons of wine are recommended. Rack off the oak when the desired level of oak flavor is attained. Maximum extraction is achieved in 8 weeks. Staves may also be used. Attach unflavored dental floss or fishing line to the hole in the end of the stave. Insert it into the carboy and hold in place with the airlock bung. Remove when the desired level of oaks is attained.

 

6. Rack again every 3 months, adding two crushed Campden tablets per 5-6 gallons, until the wine is clear and stable and you are ready to bottle.

 

  1. When you are ready to bottle, if a sweeter wine is desired, add ½ tsp. Potassium Sorbate per gallon 8-12 hours prior to sweetening. Sweeten to taste using Wine Conditioner, sugar syrup or grape concentrate.

 

NOTE: If you have done an ML do NOT add Potassium Sorbate. Therefore, back sweetening is not an option.

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