First timer aiming for moscato from grapes

[mrdman]

Hi everyone!
This year I finally decided to do something with my grapes and make some wine!
I picked 33kg and decided to do 2 batches. A sparkling rose and a red is what I have in mind.
I crushed & pressed the rose and have just taken a reading after a day sat with 5g campden. It's showing as 1.082.
Now I'm considering what to do with that information!
I am right in thinking I can just leave it as is? This would give me an 11% potential according to the hydrometer I believe? That sounds ok to me.

Or is it better to aim for something more specific? For example my girlfriend really like pink mocato https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/276938810 which states 9%.
As a first timer, do you think I should try and get the 9% to replicate the mocato? Or is the flavour going to be reliant on other factors anyway, so 11% or 9% won't make a difference?

Many thanks!

 

[ShadesManna]

In my humble experience, trying to replicate a wine is a fool's errand. There are so many variations that are in play, especially in wine making. If you like a wine, buy it. Trying to duplicate a product without a recipe is really, really tricky. Even with the recipe, it will not be the same. Kind of like how when you finally get grandma's secret recipe for [insert loved food here] and make it, it never quite tastes the same.

However, definitely do make your own muscato! It will be sweet and unique to you. It might even turn out better than the brand your girlfriend likes.

 

[passedpawn]

Hi everyone!
This year I finally decided to do something with my grapes and make some wine!
I picked 33kg and decided to do 2 batches. A sparkling rose and a red is what I have in mind.
I crushed & pressed the rose and have just taken a reading after a day sat with 5g campden. It's showing as 1.082.
Now I'm considering what to do with that information!
I am right in thinking I can just leave it as is? This would give me an 11% potential according to the hydrometer I believe? That sounds ok to me.

Or is it better to aim for something more specific? For example my girlfriend really like pink mocato https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/276938810 which states 9%.
As a first timer, do you think I should try and get the 9% to replicate the mocato? Or is the flavour going to be reliant on other factors anyway, so 11% or 9% won't make a difference?

Many thanks!

Note that if you want that moscato to remain sweet (for your sweety) you'll need to either stop fermentation before it's finished, or add more juice once you've killed the yeast. I've got a moscato on tap at my house that I did like this. It's very tasty and sweet. Mine is carbonated.

 

[mrdman]

Awesome. I think you're right. I won't try and obsess over getting same alcohol levels or anything than an existing wine. I will go with what I have and see how it goes.

Passedpawn, chess fan? I recently got really into the game.
Yes, I've been debating which of the two options to get the sweetness is best. When you say add more juice, do I need to add juice or is water & sugar ok to add back in?
Was also considering natural or forced carbonation. Is getting set up for forced carbonation quite a big initial investment?

 

[passedpawn]

Awesome. I think you're right. I won't try and obsess over getting same alcohol levels or anything than an existing wine. I will go with what I have and see how it goes.

Passedpawn, chess fan? I recently got really into the game.
Yes, I've been debating which of the two options to get the sweetness is best. When you say add more juice, do I need to add juice or is water & sugar ok to add back in?
Was also considering natural or forced carbonation. Is getting set up for forced carbonation quite a big initial investment?

Yes, I cannot get enough of the game. Been playing all my life. I'm am not a grandmaster

I have no idea if sugar could be added back in, but I doubt it. You'd want that sweetness to taste like grapes. Without this additional juice, the wine will not be sweet. You might be able to just add some store bought white grape juice - I'd do that before I added sugar.

Yes, forced carbonation is a pretty big investment. You need kegs, CO2, a regulator, and a way to keep the keg cold while it is carbonating. I already had it for beer and soda. I also filter the heck out of this wine, and that is pretty easy to do if you've got the CO2 system. I like it very sparkly.

I just posted these images a couple of weeks ago, but here they are again. It's been on tap almost a year now! Nobody ever drinks it, but it's perfect right now.

 

[mrdman]

That is awesome!! Living the dream! One day I'd love to get there, but I guess baby steps at the moment. The only time I've ever brewed anything was a simple 5l lager kit I got for my birthday. So this is already a big step up. But definitely got the bug now.