New to winemaking
 

Hello,

I have been homebrewing for over a year now. I started with extract and now doing All Grain. Over the year, I learned a lot on how to make my beer better. I will have my first Vintners Reserve Wine Kit tomorrow. Does anyone have any tips or advise to help make my first batch a success?

Thanks!

Follow the directions exactly, and it'll turn out just fine! It's so unlike beer kits in that way. I always start in an "ale pail" and then rack to the 6 gallon carboy when instructed. Just follow the directions about degassing and topping up when needed, and you'll be golden.

One thing I've learned after doing a few kits, don't rush it. The time in days are guidelines, if it lists a specific gravity, it's ok to wait a few days to get there.

Just because it says you can bottle in 6 weeks, you don't have to. It is beneficial to wait a few months prior to bottling. It will age in the bottle as well, don't get me wrong.

Good luck and keep us posted with your progress.

And just because it says it is a six week kit...it typically does not mean it is ideal for consumption at that time. Unless making a Mist-style, wine cooler like, kit.

Read thru the directions a few times and make sure you have everything you need....and all should go just fine.

Thanks for the advise! Would I be fine using filtered tap water like I do for my beer? I figure it it works great for beer should be OK for wine?

Filtered tap should be fine. I use warm tap to dissolve the bentonite and then top off with spring water, but all tap will be fine. Best thing about wine is you don't have to be nearly as anal with the sanitizing!

Is it important to transfer to secondary when it reaches 1.010 like the intructions say? Or is it OK to keep in primary until fermentation is complete? I'm just curious, Thanks!

I leave mine in the primary for five weeks so it won't harm the wine to go longer.

Transfer when it says, but I didn't think it said 1.010. They want you to transfer to get ready for degassing, so it's not topped up at this point.

Instructions also say to do the following..

"NOTES:
1. Do NOT rack the wine before stabilising and clearing. Winexpert kits require the sediment to be stirred back into suspension. Racking the wine off the sediment prior to fining will permanently prevent clearing. Please be sure to stir all of the sediment up from the bottom.
2. Vigorous stirring is required during this stage. Without vigorous stirring, gas in the wine will prevent clearing.
At each stirring, whip the wine until it stops foaming. Drill-mounted stirring devices (see your retailer) can save labour."

I saw a video where they racked a 2nd time before degassing and adding the rest of the ingredients. They said to do this to leave the sediment behind before degassing. The instructions are actually saying do NOT. Which one do I do?