2014 Luna Bianca (Chardonnay)
April 2014 – This kit was 20% off at American Brewmaster as they are eliminating the old label for WineXpert. Had to buy it! [It was one of several I purchased!]
Ingredients
| Kit | WineXpert Selection Original Luna Bianca Kit |
| Bentonite | yes |
| Yeast | Red Star Premier Cuvee yeast (included in kit) |
| Sugar | yes |
| Sulfite | yes |
| Sorbate | yes |
| Kieselsol | yes |
| Chitosan | yes |
Method
| Put 1/2 gallon hot water in 7 gallon fermenter, stirred in bentonite using powered stirring rod.
Added grape concentrate, rinsed bag with water and added to fermenter. Topped up to 6 gallons with water. Stirred with rod and checked SG. Added 4 packets toasted oak dust. Stirred again. Sprinkled yeast on top. |
04/30/2014 SG 1.092 |
| Racked the wine. | 05/06/2014 SG 1.008 |
| Stirred up sediment (as per kit instructions) and racked to a 7 gallon fermenter. | 05/26/2014 SG 0.996 |
| Using powered stirring rod, added the metabisuliphite & sorbate, then the chitosan. Added F-Pack. Racked back to carboy and bottle. | 05/26/2014 SG 1.007 |
| Racked the wine. | 06/21/2014 SG 1.007 |
| Bottled the wine. | 01/22/2016 SG 1.007 |
Notes
| Yield | 29 bottles |
| Alcohol | 13.0% |
| Residual Sugar | 1.8% |
| 01/22/2016 | As with the Tempranillo, I was concerned about oxidation. This wine was relatively dark in color for a chardonnay, mostly (IMO) because of the oak. It was darker yet, but there was no scent of oxidation. I used a half bottle for cooking in the evening and was surprised by the flavor. I’ll make this kit again. |
| 10/28/2018 | I have another one of these in production. The wine is currently clear but is significantly darker than a chardonnay normally is.
I also noted this one has 1.7% residual sugar. It did not taste like it. |