This batch was made from a kit of Winexpert Selection International Series: French Cabernet Sauvignon ($124) and a $8 bag of French Oak Cubes with “Heavy Toast”.
| Status | Date | Specific Gravity | Fluid Temp. | Air Temp. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary Fermentation | 2010-11-27 | 1.094 | 70°F | 70°F |
| Secondary Fermentation | 2010-12-04 | 1.006 | ||
| Clearing | 2010-12-17 | |||
| Second Clearing | 2010-12-31 | |||
| Tertiary Clearing | 2011-01-22 | |||
| Bottling | 2011-02-21 |
Primary Fermentation
The usual process. Used a starter for the yeast, giving it a little less than a 24-hour head start.
Secondary Fermentation
Racked the wine into carboy, added oak cubes and kept overage in large vodka bottle to be used for topping up later.
Clearing/Second Clearing
On the second clearing I added 1/3 tsp of grape tannin per gallon of wine and topped-up the wine with my dry crabapple wine as well as reserves saved in the fridge from the primary fermentation.
Bottling
Not much to report, but I did start using a different cork on this set, which is a premium cork composite. I started with the cheapest cork composite corks, but they were leaking on long storage. I switched to a foam-rubber cork after that and have been pleased with the result except for the fact that they’re made out of foam rubber. Out of interest in using something more ecologically-friendly I am trying out these slightly higher-grade composite corks.