I started a Seyval with pure juice last fall. This is my second attempt at wine
from pure juice (first involved a native variety that is just dreadful-tasing
- of course I'm aging it more! ;-). Racked the seyval a few times, but it
still seems to not be quite "there", and I can't put my finger on it. Anyone
have a successful experience with this variety? The place that I got the juice
from has also been having problems getting it to come out right - they've been
adding things to balance it, but I'm more of a "let it sit a while longer" type
of winemaker, barring any specific needs.

I'm still bulk aging mine, but I'm thinking it's about time to start letting it
bottle age ...

Opinions/experiences?

Woods

Is it from eastern NY or eastern PA? We had dreadful weather last
year and nothing ripened correctly as far as I was concerned. I have
made several Seyvals to good success, did not get any last year
though. I made Catawba among others and the acid was through the roof.

Can you give us any values for sugar, pH or TA? Mine were made
anywhere from 10 to 12% ABV and I try to keep the acid below 7g/l on
dry wines. If it's higher than that you might try a little sugar.

I would not bottle it until you were pretty sure it was close to what
you want.

Joe



(Woodswun) wrote in message >. ..
> I started a Seyval with pure juice last fall. This is my second attempt at wine
> from pure juice (first involved a native variety that is just dreadful-tasing
> - of course I'm aging it more! ;-). Racked the seyval a few times, but it
> still seems to not be quite "there", and I can't put my finger on it. Anyone
> have a successful experience with this variety? The place that I got the juice
> from has also been having problems getting it to come out right - they've been
> adding things to balance it, but I'm more of a "let it sit a while longer" type
> of winemaker, barring any specific needs.
>
> I'm still bulk aging mine, but I'm thinking it's about time to start letting it
> bottle age ...
>
> Opinions/experiences?
>
> Woods

Woodswun wrote
> I started a Seyval with pure juice last fall....Racked the seyval a few
times, but it
> still seems to not be quite "there", and I can't put my finger on it.
Opinions/experiences?

Woods - I wouldn't bottle the wine yet. You say "not quite there". Have
you tasted well made Seyval wine? I ask because even the best Seyval made
here in Kansas where I live is not as smooth as a well made white vinifera
wine. That said you can make a very good tasting Seyval. If the wine has a
rough nature to it you might try fining with some Gelatin/Kieselsol or
perhsps Polyclar VT. I've used both of these to smooth out my Vidal and I
suspect they would have the same effect on your Seyval. Our wine club has a
member that operates a commercial vineyard and winery. He uses Polyclar VT
in all his white wines (they are all hybrid grape wines).

If you decide to fine your wine report back and tell us the result.

Bill Frazier
Olathe, Kansas USA

Woodswun wrote
> I started a Seyval with pure juice last fall....Racked the seyval a few
times, but it
> still seems to not be quite "there", and I can't put my finger on it.
Opinions/experiences?

Woods - I wouldn't bottle the wine yet. You say "not quite there". Have
you tasted well made Seyval wine? I ask because even the best Seyval made
here in Kansas where I live is not as smooth as a well made white vinifera
wine. That said you can make a very good tasting Seyval. If the wine has a
rough nature to it you might try fining with some Gelatin/Kieselsol or
perhsps Polyclar VT. I've used both of these to smooth out my Vidal and I
suspect they would have the same effect on your Seyval. Our wine club has a
member that operates a commercial vineyard and winery. He uses Polyclar VT
in all his white wines (they are all hybrid grape wines).

If you decide to fine your wine report back and tell us the result.

Bill Frazier
Olathe, Kansas USA

Does this help in resolving or give you some insight,

((((((Making Seyval Blanc: Tips from the Pros

by Gene Spaziani



Bill Hopkins followed a path taken by many American winemakers. A dairy
farmer who saw his business fading in the 1970s - at the same time the wine
industry was taking off - he sold off the herd and replanted his pastures to
vineyards.
Twenty years later he is the proprietor of a small, award-winning family
winery esteemed for its craftsmanship and its classic French varietals such
as Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc.
But Hopkins Vineyard isn't in California, the Pacific Northwest, or even the
Finger Lakes region of New York. It's in the hills of western Connecticut,
one of just a handful of New England wineries. And while its better-known
varietals are more popular, Hopkins has won the top award at the Eastern
International wine competition three times for its Seyval Blanc.

Tips on Seyval Blanc

Bill Hopkins has been making Seyval Blanc wine for almost 20 years and
offers some positive instructions for home winemakers who have access to
this popular white variety and enjoy the fruitiness and flavors of the
finished wine.
"Balancing your Seyval Blanc before fermentation is extremely important,"
according to Hopkins. "Seyval usually is harvested with higher acids and
lower sugar counts, at least in the colder climates where the variety is
popular. You must try to get your acid numbers in the 0.75 percent to
0.9 percent range, and that can be done by adding water, but when you do,
you must also add sugar to raise the sugar counts as water alone will dilute
the must. You must bring the sugar or Brix count up to at least 20° and
maybe up to 22°.
"You may reach those counts by measuring your sugar with a hydrometer
(saccharometer) in a vial filled with the grape juice. If you have to raise
the Brix count, you may do so by adding two ounces of sugar per gallon
for each one degree you wish to raise it."
If you are using a five-gallon carboy so popular with home winemakers and
are making five gallons of wine, you can figure the amount of sugar required
by multiplying two ounces of sugar per 1° required per gallon. For example
if you wish to raise five gallons of must from 15° to 20° Brix, you have to
raise the sugar count up to 5° for five gallons. Add two ounces of sugar per
gallon times five (gallons) equals 10 ounces x 5(°) = 50 ounces of sugar
will bring the Brix count up to 20°.
When must is balanced you can inoculate with a commercial yeast and ferment
in a cool environment (garage or cool cellar). Cool fermentations (55° to
65° F) help to make the eventual wine more fruity and fresh tasting. It is
very important that you rack the wine as soon as the fermentation is
completed, as Seyval has a tendency to pick up off-odours if it is not
racked immediately after fermentation.
Keeping the wine in a cooler environment (55° to 65° F) after fermentation
will help clarify the eventual wine of tart rates, which are part of wine.
Two or three rackings, with 25 to 40 parts per million of potassium
metabisulfite powder added to the clean container each time will enable the
wine to remain sound and clean.
A recommended yeast strain to inoculate Seyval Blanc with is the Red Star
Cote des Blancs, formerly known as Epernay 2.
Seyval can be bottled in the spring and enjoyed a few months after bottling.

Seyval Blanc Tips
.. Don't allow the Seyval to go through malolactic fermentation.
.. Blend some (10 percent to
20 percent) of Seyval in your Chardonnay.
.. Blend some (10 percent to 20
percent) of Chardonnay in your Seyval.
.. Red Star Premier Cuvee yeast is an alternative yeast choice.))))))



Stephen SG

"Woodswun" > wrote in message
...
| I started a Seyval with pure juice last fall. This is my second attempt at
wine
| from pure juice (first involved a native variety that is just
dreadful-tasing
| - of course I'm aging it more! ;-). Racked the seyval a few times, but
it
| still seems to not be quite "there", and I can't put my finger on it.
Anyone
| have a successful experience with this variety? The place that I got the
juice
| from has also been having problems getting it to come out right - they've
been
| adding things to balance it, but I'm more of a "let it sit a while longer"
type
| of winemaker, barring any specific needs.
|
| I'm still bulk aging mine, but I'm thinking it's about time to start
letting it
| bottle age ...
|
| Opinions/experiences?
|
| Woods

Does this help in resolving or give you some insight,

((((((Making Seyval Blanc: Tips from the Pros

by Gene Spaziani



Bill Hopkins followed a path taken by many American winemakers. A dairy
farmer who saw his business fading in the 1970s - at the same time the wine
industry was taking off - he sold off the herd and replanted his pastures to
vineyards.
Twenty years later he is the proprietor of a small, award-winning family
winery esteemed for its craftsmanship and its classic French varietals such
as Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc.
But Hopkins Vineyard isn't in California, the Pacific Northwest, or even the
Finger Lakes region of New York. It's in the hills of western Connecticut,
one of just a handful of New England wineries. And while its better-known
varietals are more popular, Hopkins has won the top award at the Eastern
International wine competition three times for its Seyval Blanc.

Tips on Seyval Blanc

Bill Hopkins has been making Seyval Blanc wine for almost 20 years and
offers some positive instructions for home winemakers who have access to
this popular white variety and enjoy the fruitiness and flavors of the
finished wine.
"Balancing your Seyval Blanc before fermentation is extremely important,"
according to Hopkins. "Seyval usually is harvested with higher acids and
lower sugar counts, at least in the colder climates where the variety is
popular. You must try to get your acid numbers in the 0.75 percent to
0.9 percent range, and that can be done by adding water, but when you do,
you must also add sugar to raise the sugar counts as water alone will dilute
the must. You must bring the sugar or Brix count up to at least 20° and
maybe up to 22°.
"You may reach those counts by measuring your sugar with a hydrometer
(saccharometer) in a vial filled with the grape juice. If you have to raise
the Brix count, you may do so by adding two ounces of sugar per gallon
for each one degree you wish to raise it."
If you are using a five-gallon carboy so popular with home winemakers and
are making five gallons of wine, you can figure the amount of sugar required
by multiplying two ounces of sugar per 1° required per gallon. For example
if you wish to raise five gallons of must from 15° to 20° Brix, you have to
raise the sugar count up to 5° for five gallons. Add two ounces of sugar per
gallon times five (gallons) equals 10 ounces x 5(°) = 50 ounces of sugar
will bring the Brix count up to 20°.
When must is balanced you can inoculate with a commercial yeast and ferment
in a cool environment (garage or cool cellar). Cool fermentations (55° to
65° F) help to make the eventual wine more fruity and fresh tasting. It is
very important that you rack the wine as soon as the fermentation is
completed, as Seyval has a tendency to pick up off-odours if it is not
racked immediately after fermentation.
Keeping the wine in a cooler environment (55° to 65° F) after fermentation
will help clarify the eventual wine of tart rates, which are part of wine.
Two or three rackings, with 25 to 40 parts per million of potassium
metabisulfite powder added to the clean container each time will enable the
wine to remain sound and clean.
A recommended yeast strain to inoculate Seyval Blanc with is the Red Star
Cote des Blancs, formerly known as Epernay 2.
Seyval can be bottled in the spring and enjoyed a few months after bottling.

Seyval Blanc Tips
.. Don't allow the Seyval to go through malolactic fermentation.
.. Blend some (10 percent to
20 percent) of Seyval in your Chardonnay.
.. Blend some (10 percent to 20
percent) of Chardonnay in your Seyval.
.. Red Star Premier Cuvee yeast is an alternative yeast choice.))))))



Stephen SG

"Woodswun" > wrote in message
...
| I started a Seyval with pure juice last fall. This is my second attempt at
wine
| from pure juice (first involved a native variety that is just
dreadful-tasing
| - of course I'm aging it more! ;-). Racked the seyval a few times, but
it
| still seems to not be quite "there", and I can't put my finger on it.
Anyone
| have a successful experience with this variety? The place that I got the
juice
| from has also been having problems getting it to come out right - they've
been
| adding things to balance it, but I'm more of a "let it sit a while longer"
type
| of winemaker, barring any specific needs.
|
| I'm still bulk aging mine, but I'm thinking it's about time to start
letting it
| bottle age ...
|
| Opinions/experiences?
|
| Woods