Suggestion for blends

I currently use kits to make my wines. (now on second kit at home - about a dozen formerly at brew shops).

I did make a sparkling wine at a brew shop - using a cornelius keg & CO2 cylinder.

I have just "Ebayed" a similar setup. I would like to undertake a repeat performance.

Bearing in mind I currently use kits. I was looking for some recomendations for possible combinations to make a passable drinking sparkling wine - I realise I could make a Blanc de Blanc with a Chardonnay base. I was looking for something a little more "complex"

Thanks

Reply to
John LaBella
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John, Most any white will do depending on what you want; the Germans use Riesling to make Sekt, it's great. I use Seyval for mine, it's a French Hybrid but I can't imagine it being available in kits. I don't care for forced carbonation in wine but that is just my preference.

Anyway, the things to consider are: higher than normal acid, usually around 8g/l for base wine. Lower than normal alcohol, usually 10 to 11 %. If you age it a neutral wine is fine, I sparkled generic Chenin Blanc and the butteriness of the yeast made it very good. If you use natural carbonation you get that complexity from the yeast exposure.

I have heard of sparkling Niagara and Welches white grape concentrate is Niagara, that is readily available and cheap. Download Lum Eisenman's book to read about making sparklers, it's not hard.

Joe

Reply to
Joe Sallustio

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