California Connoiseur Valpolicella

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Colonel Porter

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Folks,

Started one of these kits a month ago, it's had longer than expected first and second ferment but has been under air lock all the time.

Siphoned off last night to stabilise and de-gas and was quite impressed with how it's progressing, but I'm fraid it doesn't seem much like a Valpolicella. Not very dry and not much fire to it.

According to the intructions it should be ready for the bottle in a week, and I can't see its character changing so much in the short - medium term. Is it one for the back of the pantry?

Can anyone explain the outcome?

Despite its non-Valpolicella-ness it's very drinkable.

Cheers Col. P.
 
It's made by a Canadian company and, like their US cousins, they have a somewhat sweeter tooth than Europeans. I recently made some of their cabernet sauvignon and it has has similar characteristics to those you describe. There may be some undisclosed non-fermenting sweetening agent in it, because at 12% abv it should be much drier.
 
Does it give a gravity target on the instructions for where you are up to, I'm presuming yours has met that target ?

I've been caught out with a ferment that stuck near the end, made a mental note not to take anything for granted.
 
Folks,

Thanks Tony, that settles my mind a bit - as I say it's very drinkable just not quite what I was expecting.

I've brewed for 30 years and only once used a hydrometer - it just kept pointing North so I gave up! sorry Alan.

I know this is contrary to current thinking, but I'll promise to start using one again.

Can anyone tell me if the 30 bottle kits contain 5X6 bottle kits or is it one big bag of juice and big bags of auxillaries?

Thanks again

Col P.
 
Get a Youngs one from Wilko's for a few pounds, plop it in and post up how many marks from what colour and that should give you what you need to know. Of course it probably has brewed out, but it's always good to know for sure. :)
 
Cal Con Valpollicella should have an og of 1090 to produce 12% abv, final sg <0995, 4 out of 5 body, 0 out of 10 sweetness, American oak.
Hydrometer reading is correct at 15 c. If your final wine is 995 or above, then it contains residual sugar. Mine is 990 at 20 c, so actually 991, almost bone dry yet somehow tastes slightly sweet.
I don't usually bother with a hydrometer with these kits. The initial reading can be rather misleading if the added water is at a different temperature to the concentrate, as I recently discovered. Even after a good stir, significant variations in temperature and sugar concentrations remain.
The instructions are generic to the range of products and so is the originial target gravity 1080-1095, but the Cal Con red range are all designed at 12% abv (except the port), so 1090 is the right one. Since I add very warm water to aid mixing and get the yeast off to good start, the hydrometer reading needs to be corrected, by adding anything from 1 to 4, depending on the temperature. If you have made the correct mix (23 litres) and stirred very well, there should be no problem. However, level markings on the side of fermenting bins cannot always be trusted. I have found serious discrepancies between bins, buckets and measuring jugs. If the initial sugar concentration is significantly higher than intended, there is a greater risk of residual sugar, resulting in a medium or even sweet wine. Making a dry wine sweeter is dead easy, but the reverse is highly problematic! Having said that, I have made 3 lots of Cal Con kits, merlot, barolo and cabernet sauvignon and they were all good. In the case of merlot,for example, I have had many more inferior shop-bought bottles in comparison, and the better ones I can't afford on a regular basis!
Clearly there are limitations to grape concentrate. The best wine grape juice is used to make high quality wine, the next grade is used for vin ordinaire, brandy,vinegar, industrial alcohol, bio fuel and grape concentrate.
One solution is to buy a good bottle, decant it into smaller bottles and drink one first. Then drink the homebrew version. Your palate will be so compromised, you probably won't notice the difference!
 

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