The Science of Winemaking:
Fifth Report:
By William E. Steinman:
January 23, 2005:

This is the procedure I used in my second batch of wine. It actually came in first because it was from a kit rather than fresh grapes. The kit I used was the Chianti style kit from the Vintners Reserve line offered by Midwest. On my Baco Noir wine I used tap water, but upon reading the instructions for this kit I decided to use distilled water. It is very inexpensive and removes one more possible problem from the game. I will use distilled water from now on.

As to this kit, there are more expensive kits, but I was quite happy with the product of this one. It cost me $48.95 plus the water and 5 Campden tablets. I ended up with very good Chianti at $2.43 per bottle. Here is how it went.

11/06/2005
I began wine making by following the kit instructions. There was a product called Bentonite in a package which I mixed into 1 gallon of boiling water. I put that in my primary fermenting bucket and stirred it for 1 minute. Then I added the bag of juice that came with the kit. Then I made my first and only exception. The exception is I filled the fermentor with water to five gallons instead of six. I did this on the advice of the folks from Midwest. After stirring for 1 minute the SG was 1.090.
I put a lid on the fermentor with avapor lock.
Now I wait for fermentation.

11/08/2005
Fermentation is under way.

11/14/2005
Racked kit into 5 gal. carboy. SG was 0.960.
Wine tasted as good at this point as some I have paid 7 or 8 bucks for. It can only get better. I must wait 10 days until 11/24/2005.

11/23/2005:
Tested SG at 0.990.

11/24/2005:
Tested again. SG is still 0.990. Stir like heck for 5 minutes. Add metabisulphite and sorbate dissolved in ½ cup distilled water. Stirred like heck for 3 minutes. Added clarifier. Stir like heck for 4 minutes. Toped with distilled water to two inches from bung. Add bung with vapor lock. Now I must wait 14 days.

12/07/2005
Tested wine for clarity. Looks good. Tastes as good as any commercial Chianti I have tried. Can only get better. Racked wine to a clean carboy with 5 Campden tablets dissolved in water. Bottled wine from clean rack. Yield = 24 bottles and a bit in a jug. That will go with dinner. Chicken Parmesan.

Putting in corks was an adventure. The corks must be softened by soaking them in hot water for half an hour. The corks went in easily after that. Now I must leave the bottles standing upright until 12/10/2005. The bottles can then be turned on their side to keep the corks moist. I will pull a sample bottle on 3/07/2006. Then, I f I can, I will wait three more months before drinking this stuff.

In the meantime I am making nice labels for the bottles using Adobe Photoshop and a color laser printer. The lower labels are Avery 5164, 3&1/3 X 4. The smaller labels are Avery 5197, 1&1/2 X 4. Take a look.