[smurfe]

I needed a six gallon carboy today so I decided to bottle my Wine Expert Estate SeriesWoodbridge Ranch II Cabernet Sauvignon. It has been bulk aging right at one year I believe. I had brought this kit home from Winestock 1 and made it right after.


I am blown away by the quality of this wine. There is absolutely no way you can tell this is a kit wine. It has a fantastic nose that is definitely those of a Cabwith strong fruit forward signs of the black currant and ripe cherries. A hint of vanilla is noted as well. The taste is unbelievable with a jammy, full mouthful taste experience that goes down so smooth. It is like a taste explosion on the taste buds.


I highly recommend this wine kit. All of the Estate Series kits I have done to date have been very good but I have to say this one exceeds all I have done to date. I can't stress enough to buy the best kits you can afford and then practice patience. It will pay off in the end. While this wine is ready to enjoy now, it has been stored away now for probably another year to reach it's full maturity.

[grapeman]

That really does sound great Smurfe. I opened a bottle of the 18 month old Crushendo Castellina Supertuscan Di Siena yesterday to top up the Mosti Frozen Must Amarone. I had to try some of it to make sure it wasn't bad and WOW. Just the last couple months have made a world of difference. The complexity and mouthfeel is astounding. I will have to try one of the Cab Sauv kits also. It is so hard staying out of it, but boy is it worth it in the end.

[PolishWineP]

It's amazing what some time can do for a wine.

[Wade E]

I know what you mean Appleman as Masta gave me a magnum of the Super Tuscan and must say that it was the best kit wine Ive ever had the pleasure of tasting. I split the magnum up and a few others that Masta gave me me and am having my Brother and Sister -In-Law over next weekend for a wine tasting as he had made a Alexander's Chianti and it was horrible and then he made another Alexander's red wine and again it is horrible. I am having im over to see what a good kit wine will taste like so he doesnt give up. For Christmas I bought him a Mosti All Juice Pinot Noir.

[grapeman]

Wade I am sure he will like the Mosti All Juice Pinot Noir. Funny you should mention it. I actually bottled mine today to free up a six gallon carboy so I could rack my reds off the oak. It is a very good Pinot Noir wine- one anybody would enjoy drinking. I ended up over oaking it just a bit. It has been bulk aging for six months and when I bottled it and got to the bottom I said"Oh my God I forgot to rack it off the oak after a month". That's what will happen when you get busy with things in the summer time. Despite the oak, it still is great and after it ages six months, I believe the oak will add to the typical earthy taste of the Pinot.






So what are you getting me for Christmas- Brother? My local Wineshop has a couple of the Chocolate Raspberry Ports I have been drooling over. She even gives you half price off for a 3 gallon carboy to make them in!Hint. Hint.Edited by: appleman

[Wade E]

If you arent going to get 1 I would like to send you 1(being a bottle, not a kit) !

[laneygirl]

Originally Posted by smurfe

I needed a six gallon carboy today so I decided to bottle my Wine Expert Estate SeriesWoodbridge Ranch II Cabernet Sauvignon. It has been bulk aging right at one year I believe. I had brought this kit home from Winestock 1 and made it right after.

Hi Smurfe,


That's great to hear...I made that one and bulk aged it for two months, then after bottling it in August had some tonight and really liked it.


Did you only do the oak packets at first or do more additional in the bulk aging carboy?


Mine doesn't have the nose that you mention...but am hoping it might come in time.

[smurfe]

Originally Posted by laneygirl

Hi Smurfe,


That's great to hear...I made that one and bulk aged it for two months, then after bottling it in August had some tonight and really liked it.


Did you only do the oak packets at first or do more additional in the bulk aging carboy?


Mine doesn't have the nose that you mention...but am hoping it might come in time.

I didn't add any extra oak. I made it per the directions. Only thing I added extra were some extra sulfites.

[Milwood]

I had always heard that when making a kit wine you should follow the instructions exactly but after reading some of these posts it looks like it's okay to bulk age for several months before bottling. I just started a World Vineyard Pinot Grigio the other day. Would it benefit from a few months of bulk aging in the carboy before bottling? I think I read a post from PeterZ saying that bulk aging will also help the degassing process. Is this correct?

[Wade E]

Time will always help a wine. It will aid in degassing as it gives it more time to get it out cause once you bottle it its in there for good. Bulk aging also helps by keeping the wine at a more stable temp as it takes alot to raise or lower the temp of 6 gallons then it does 750ml and temp fluctuations are not good for wine, especially if they are in a bottle with a cork.