SG question

Making my first wine. Winexpert Selection Series- Australian Chardonnay kit.

Temperature during primary fermentation was approximately 72 degrees (instructions called for 72 - 75)

Specific gravity when it went into the primary was 1.090. I racked it to the secondary on day 8. Instructions said that SG should be 1.010 or less. Mine was 0.994. Is this normal?

As I read the follow-on instructions, this wine is ready for stabilising and clearing (instructions says 0.996 or less) now, although the instructions say to let it sit in the carboy for 10 days prior to starting this phase. Regardless of SG, I plan on leaving it in the carboy for the entire 10 days prior to clearing.

I want to make this kit! Let me know how you like it! The description says it is buttery, which is the kind of Chard I like. Good lick!

That sounds perfect! It's just about done fermenting, and it can sit according to the directions and finish up and start to clear before you proceed to the next step. It could finish as low as .990 by the time it's done.

bandg72 said:

I want to make this kit! Let me know how you like it! The description says it is buttery, which is the kind of Chard I like. Good lick!

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Australian Chardonnay tend to have higher levels of Malic acid, when the right yeast (or special bacteria) are used (probably the ones provided with the kit) a lot of that Malic acid is converted to Lactic acid, which gives the wine that nice buttery taste.

As for Yooper, according to your description, things seem to be great. Let us know what happens

Many thanks for the replies! I'll let all know how it comes out.

Sampled first bottle last night and it was great! Still a little sharp, but with a little more aging this is going to be a great one. For info, it was bottled on 5/14/13 and first was opened on 6/15. Starting gravity was 1.090 and finishing gravity was 0.989 resulting in a 13.4% ABV. Cheers, Bob

Bottled mine on June 11th. Looks stunning in the bottle! Can't wait to try it!

This wine turned out really great! Why does it taste so different - I opened a bottle at one month and it was ok. At 6 weeks it was great. 7 weeks so so again...

bandg72 said:

This wine turned out really great! Why does it taste so different - I opened a bottle at one month and it was ok. At 6 weeks it was great. 7 weeks so so again...

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That's the secret ingredient...TIME.