Chardonnay Wine
Immerse yourself in the art of winemaking with this exceptional Chardonnay recipe. Harvest fresh, juicy grapes, combined with the right balance of pectic enzyme and yeast, for a refreshing wine that dances on your palate. Infuse with oak for depth and character, unleashing a vibrant flavor profile that transcends the ordinary. Elevate your gatherings with this homemade 5-gallon batch of exquisite Chardonnay.
ingredients
- 60 to 75 lbs. Chardonnay grapes
- 2 tsp. pectic enzyme
- 17 Campden tablets
- 1 packet of Red Star Montrachet yeast
- 3 tsp. yeast nutrient
- 3 tsp. oak mar (flavor) or 2 cups oak chips or 3 oak staves
- 1 package of malolactic culture
steps
- 1.
Harvest ripe Chardonnay grapes, ensuring best quality for optimal flavor.
- 2.
Crush the grapes to release the juice, then separate the skins and solids.
- 3.
In a sanitized container, add the crushed grapes along with the pectic enzyme.
- 4.
Dilute 17 Campden tablets in water and add to the grape mixture to sulfurize.
- 5.
Allow for 24 hours before proceeding to the next step.
- 6.
Pitch the Red Star Montrachet yeast along with 3 tsp. of yeast nutrient.
- 7.
Stir gently to incorporate the yeast into the juice.
- 8.
Ferment in a primary fermenter with an airlock for 7-10 days or until fermentation slows.
- 9.
Transfer the wine into a secondary fermenter, adding oak mar or chosen oak elements for flavoring.
- 10.
Continue fermenting until the FG stabilizes around 1.014.
- 11.
Optional: Add a malolactic culture for smoother flavors if desired; follow package instructions.
- 12.
Rinse and assemble bottles while siphoning the wine from the fermenter, avoiding sediment.
- 13.
Age the bottled wine in a cool, dark space for at least 6 months before tasting.
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