2006 Fume Blanc (Sauvignon Blanc)
November 2006 – American Brewmaster discounted some of last year’s kits 15% — So I had to buy one! If this one is ok I’m going to go back Thursday — if either of the remaining discounted white wine kits are available I’ll buy another!
Yup, the obligatory joke label:
Ingredients
| Kit | Vino del Vida Wine Fume Blanc Kit |
| Bentonite | yes |
| Yeast | R J Spagnols generic yeast |
| Sulfite | yes |
| Sorbate | yes |
| Isinglass | yes |
Method
| Followed directions: Put 1 gallon warm water in primary; added bentonite and used drill mounted stirring rod to carefully mix it in.
Added juice concentrate and rinsed bag with hot water. Filled primary to 5-1/2 gallons (instead of the 6 the directions call for). I used the stirring rod to mix the must; the SG came out fine. I’m wondering if the low SG on the pinot noir resulted from improper mixing of the must. If so it’s going to come out hot. Stirred in the oak dust and sprinkled the yeast on top. Yeast is Spagnols generic. No clue what it is. |
11/01/2006 SG 1.084 |
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| Racked the wine and moved to a carboy. | 11/15/2006 SG 1.000 |
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| Racked the wine. Added package #2A (sulphite) and package #2B (potassium sorbate), stirring vigorously after each.
Added package #3 (liquid isinglass) and stirred vigorously. Instructions called for 5 minute stir, wait 15 minutes, stir again for 5 minutes. According to stirring rod directions I didn’t need to stir that much. Did about 30 to 45 seconds for each — LOT of gas emitted! |
12/11/2006 SG 0.998 |
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| Racked the wine. This one is darker than I expected, significantly darker than the Chenin Blanc. Smells clean, no oxidation detected. I’m wondering if this is due to the oak powder or because the kit is a year old. | 03/19/2007 SG 0.998 |
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| Bottled.
Note: The sink in the wine area has been a pain. Had great difficulties in seating the traps so they didn’t leak. Got that fixed this week so I’m bottling wine! |
05/18/2007 SG 0.998 |
Notes
| Yield | 25 bottles |
| Alcohol | 11.7% |
| 05/18/2007 | At bottling time this wine is too oaky for my taste. The oak overshadows the Sauvignon Blanc taste. We’ll see how it does in the bottle after a month or two. |
| 04/28/2008 | Ten months later the oak is still a bit stronger than I like. Next time I do a white with oak I’m going to pay strict attention to how long I let it set on the oak. Chips and powder can flavor a wine fast! |
| 10/25/2018 | In hindsight, I left this one on oak far too long, so the heavy oaking is my fault. During the second year it mellowed out, and before the last bottle was gone in Year 3 it was good. Time was its friend. |