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Fall Bright, The Winemakers Shoppe, 10110 Hyatt Hill, Dundee, NY 14837
HOURS: We are open all year round! We have always been closed on Mondays.
November to May 31: Tues-Fri: 10-5 Eastern Time Weekends (Saturday or Sunday) by appointment 607-292-3995
June to harvest Tues-Fri : 10-5 Saturday 10-4 Eastern Time
Harvest (Sept-Oct): Tuesday to Sunday 10-5 Eastern Time
Free catalog, mail order of supplies but not grapes and juices.
Yeast selection and wine finish
Continuing HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN WINE with Fall Bright: Yeast selection and wine finish, dry, semi-dry or sweet are tied together.
We like Red Star’s Cotes des Blancs yeast, which was previously known as Epernay 2, for fruit wines or “fruity” grape wines. Cotes des Blancs is a slower fermenting, weaker yeast and tends to get “stuck”, leaving a sweet wine. For a sweet finish a nice starting brix or sugar is 23-24 percent (expressed as degrees). Lalvin 71B-1122 may also be used for a sweet, fruity finish. We think it may be a bit stronger than Cotes des Blanc and may ferment out a bit dryer, so you may want to reduce the sugar adjustment to 23 brix.
If you don't want a sweet wine, adjust your sugar to around 21 or 22 percent and use Lalvin D-47 or 71B- 1112. They have a less violent foaming fermentation and will help retain more of the fruitiness than Red Star Champagne or Montrachet yeast. Lalvin EC 1118, KIV-1116 will ferment dry without excessive foaming. However, the fruit may not be as intense as with the other yeast (D-47, 71B-1122) mentioned. Most of the older “recipes” for fruit wine call for Red Star Champagne yeast as it was available. Dare to change and use some of Lalvin yeast or Red Star Cotes Des Blanc.
Once you have decided on the finish and have an idea of the starting sugar desired, calculate the sugar to add to your juice. Use our sugar chart (www.fallbright.com) to add the correct amount of sugar to adjust to 21-24 percent -- or calculate the amount needed by math. Compute the increase in brix desired (i.e. 15 to 21=6). Multiply the increase of brix desired (6) by the number of gallons to be adjusted (6x5 gallons=30 degrees). As 0.125 pounds of sugar raises 1 gallon 1 (one) brix or degree (or percent), multiply this (30) by .125 which will equal the pounds (3.75 #) of sugar to add to the entire batch of must or crushed fruit. Three (3) cups of corn sugar is approximately 1 pound and 2 1/4 cups of cane sugar is about 1 pound. Add the required sugar.
These simple (acid and sugar) tests with proper adjustments will save you some strange experiences. Keep notes! All of your recipes should recommend the use of pectic enzyme. This enzyme breaks down pectin, which in fruit wines can cause a haze, plus it aids in the release of juices during pressing. Cover any mashed fruits with clear plastic while sitting on pectic enzyme to reduce browning from air exposure (oxidation).
Use quality fruit! If your peaches have brown spots on them, your wine will taste oxidized from the start as the brown spots are oxidized! If you are not using premium fruit, you will not make premium wines!
We recommend the use of campden tablets (sodium or potassium metabisulfite) for small batches or potassium metabisulfite (in a pure powder form) for 5 gallon plus batches. These additives are antioxidant and antibacterial agents. Oxidation in wine results in browning and off flavor. As an antibacterial agent it prevents vinegar. Follow recommended rates and do not double dose. The powder “meta” is used at the rate of ¼ teaspoon per 5 gallons of white and 1/8 teaspoon per 5 gallons of red. Meta has bleaching properties, so we use the lesser rate for reds. It is added at every racking (4 times) and can be used as a rinse for bottles at bottling.
Yeast nutrient is necessary to balance the fruit nutrients for the use of wine yeast. For fruit wines we encourage the use of Enovit, which is a yeast nutrient with added vitamins, etc. Nutrient addition is recommended for grapes, also. We use DAP or diammonium phosphate, which is recommended for grapes rather than other fruits. Follow label instructions. Nutrients are like fertilizer and you could overdose and have a hot environment for the yeast.
