Vineco Ken Ridge Legacy Pinot Noir Primary.

- J
- jim
  
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posted
17 years ago

Sun, Jan 7, 2007 1:03 AM

"To stir or not to stir that is the question."

The kit instructions don't mention regular stirring it in the primary (after initial ingredients mixing when I stirred well). I know, and believe (truly I do) that with kits it IS worth carrying out instructions to the letter. I am not used to refraining from stirring the primary though, so I am wondering if it is an assumption I am missing...

This kit has toasted oak and plain oak, bentonite, yeast and 16L juice to make

23L. The kit says "Leave the container in a warm spot (20-25 C / 70-77F) to ferment for 8/10 days".

I'm 3 days in and bubbling nicely. The smell from the primary is already beautiful, but I can't help but think that I should give it a whirl.

Would you guess that I am I right to trust the instructions on this? I have emailed Vineco but since it's the weekend I thought it might be more timely to ask the experts here!

Opinions gratefully received, Jim

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- Steve
  
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posted
17 years ago

Sun, Jan 7, 2007 3:10 AM

Jim:

I run a small Ferment on Premises, and make a lot of Vineco kits (although not that one). I do not stir while in the primary fermenter UNLESS one of two conditions.....

1) I take an sg reading and am not transferring to a carboy. This usually means that the wine has not reached around 1.000 by day 7. I stir then because ( IMHO), this a) wakes up the yeast, and b) replenishes the CO2 layer over the wine. [FYI, for me , many Vineco reds are .992 to .996 by day 7]

2) There is something big floating. Not likely unless you're doing one of their grape pack kits, or you wish to stir under the oak cubes that come with one or two kits.

Steve

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- jim
  
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posted
17 years ago

Sun, Jan 7, 2007 11:42 AM

Excellent Steve, that is a pretty much perfect answer - my mind is at ease. There is nothing big floating just a lot of oak chips in foam.

Many thanks, Jim

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- Nick
  
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posted
17 years ago

Sat, Jan 20, 2007 5:05 PM

initial ingredients mixing when I stirred

out instructions to the letter. I am not

an assumption I am missing...

23L. The kit says "Leave the container in

beautiful, but I can't help but think that I

emailed Vineco but since it's the weekend I

I recently bottled some of this and I did not follow the kit instructions, but rather I used the extended instructions found on Jack Kellers wine blog:

formatting link

Scroll down to December 18, 2003. It suggests light stirring of the must to help keep yeast in suspension. I followed suit and I don't know whether this aided the end result, but I'm very pleased regardless.