Greetings,

I have brewed beer for about a dozen years but it is the first time I
am making wine. I have 12 gallons of Lambrusco and 6 of Chardonnay,
from juice (I will start with whole grapes next year), which have
fermented nicely and have now cleared, also nicely. Both are intended
as sparkling wine, Champenois method (add sugar before bottling), to
be drunk in a year or two. The temperature in my basement is about 60F
but I can control it down if needed.

Would it be terrible to rack it and bottle it now, or maybe wait until
Christmas? I was instructed to rack and bottle it in March or April
and start drinking in June. What is the point of waiting that long? I
made beer 6 weeks after starting the wine, and it is already all in
bottles.

Wine makers need patience, beer makers do not.

Steve
** Posted from http://www.teranews.com **

simy1:

You're making it for whom? If it's for yourself, it's ready when you
say it is. So go ahead, bottle it and start popping corks!

But, I think most winemakers will assure you the last bottle will be
better than the first. Better enough that you will regret it's gone
when it all could've been that good.

Beer is like milk, it goes bad if it hangs around to long, gets flat
and spoils. Wine is like cheese, it develops, smooths, gains character
and interest as it ages.

Have you ever heard the saying "wine gets better with time". Sounds
like your about to learn if it's true or not. Hey, we've all been
there!

Steve
Oregon








On Sat, 22 Nov 2008 13:02:54 -0800 (PST), simy1 >
wrote:

>Greetings,
>
>I have brewed beer for about a dozen years but it is the first time I
>am making wine. I have 12 gallons of Lambrusco and 6 of Chardonnay,
>from juice (I will start with whole grapes next year), which have
>fermented nicely and have now cleared, also nicely. Both are intended
>as sparkling wine, Champenois method (add sugar before bottling), to
>be drunk in a year or two. The temperature in my basement is about 60F
>but I can control it down if needed.
>
>Would it be terrible to rack it and bottle it now, or maybe wait until
>Christmas? I was instructed to rack and bottle it in March or April
>and start drinking in June. What is the point of waiting that long? I
>made beer 6 weeks after starting the wine, and it is already all in
>bottles.

>
> Beer is like milk, it goes bad if it hangs around to long, gets flat
> and spoils.

I don't know about that Steve, for whatever reason home bottled beer
seems to follow wines, I have had them a year later and was suprised
how good they were. The bigger problem is finding a way for them to
sit that long...

Ok, on the Sparkling wines:

Use champagne bottles if going for standard pressures of 60 to 90
PSIG.

It's better if the base wine is higher in acid, typically you shoot
for 8g/l; yours probably are not that high.

The wine should be bone dry to start and clear. You can test sugars
with clintest tablets. If is has residual sugar over 0.2% you reduce
the added sugar accordingly.

The ratio of sugar to prime with is 4g/l per 15 psig pressure increase
(15 PSIG =1 'pressure'; never exceed 6 pressures for any reason).

That should get you started and I agree with Steve, if the wine is
clear and stable go ahead and get started. 60F is pretty cold for
secondary fermentation though; 70 Fwould be better.

Joe

On Nov 23, 7:14*am, Joe Sallustio > wrote:
> > Beer is like milk, it goes bad if it hangs around to long, gets flat
> > and spoils.
>
> I don't know about that Steve, for whatever reason home bottled beer
> seems to follow wines, I have had them a year later and was suprised
> how good they were. *The bigger problem is finding a way for them to
> sit that long...
>
> Ok, on the Sparkling wines:
>
> Use champagne bottles if going for standard pressures of 60 to 90
> PSIG.
>
> It's better if the base wine is higher in acid, typically you shoot
> for 8g/l; yours probably are not that high.
>
> The wine should be bone dry to start and clear. *You can test sugars
> with clintest tablets. If is has residual sugar over 0.2% you reduce
> the added sugar accordingly.
>
> The ratio of sugar to prime with is 4g/l per 15 psig pressure increase
> (15 PSIG =1 'pressure'; never exceed 6 pressures for any reason).
>
> That should get you started and I agree with Steve, if the wine is
> clear and stable go ahead and get started. *60F is pretty cold for
> secondary fermentation though; 70 Fwould be better.
>
> Joe

Thanks to all. I am going to try one of the four carboys by Xmas. The
rest will follow regular procedures. Thanks for the extra technical
tips, I need them. My wife is from Northern Italy and I have developed
a liking for the light, young, sparkling wines they drink there.
Specially Prosecco, Lambrusco and Bonarda (totally unlike the stuff
you find here).