2009 Barolo (Nebbiolo)
November 2009 – This one caught my fancy … and that was all the decision there was! Of course, this isn’t a real Barolo, but I believe it is Nebbiolo, which is a less recognizable name the “Barolo”.
I was in a very playful mood when I created the joke label, which I used on 6 bottles.
November 2018 – I learned long after the fact that this wine was actually Nebbiolo. In recent years it appears that the kit vendors are moving away from proprietary names. I suspect they’ve been receiving legal challenges and changed their naming to avoid problems.
Ingredients
| Kit | Winexpert Selection Original Series Barolo Kit |
| Bentonite | yes |
| Sugar | 4 cups |
| Yeast | Lalvin EC-1118 (included in kit) |
| Sulfite | yes |
| Sorbate | yes |
| Kieselsol | yes |
| Chitosan | yes |
Method
| Purchased 5 gallons of spring water as home water is very hard. Dissolved bentonite in 1 gallon water in fermenter, using powered stirring rod to mix.
Added juice/concentrate and topped up to 6 gallons, again mixing well. SG was a bit low so added 4 cups white sugar to increase it. Added the oak dust. Rehydrated the yeast and added it. |
12/21/2009 SG 1.090 |
| Racked wine and transferred to carboy. | 12/31/2009 SG 1.010 |
| Racked wine. Added sulfite & sorbate, stirring vigorously with drilled mounted stirring rod.
Added chitosan and stirred again. Added 1/4 tsp potassium metabisulfite. |
02/06/2010 SG 0.994 |
| Ignored wine for far too long. Finally bottled it, putting 12 bottles in corked bottles and 13 in 750 ml screwcaps. | 03/06/2011 SG 0.994 |
Notes
| Yield | 25 bottles |
| Alcohol | 13.0% |
| 03/06/2011 | Tasted a bit earthy at bottling time, probably from all that time spent on the lees. Kits don’t benefit from aging on the lees, nor do they seem to benefit from bulk aging. Next kits should be done roughly within the timeframe specified in the directions. |
| 03/18/2011 | Opened a bottle for making spaghetti sauce. The off flavors I noticed at bottling are there, but seem to be lessening. Six months in the bottle may smooth this one out nicely. However, future kits I will bottle on a more timely basis! |
| 11/13/2011 | The off flavors previously noted have not lessened significantly. The wine is fine for cooking, and ok with food, but not for casual sipping. |