Bottled a couple weeks ago. The wine is about 7 months old. Had a half glass left over from topping the merlot. Very good - needs time. But, will be a typical Zin (a good thing) when it's ready.
WineXpert Winexpert Eclipse Lodi Old Vine Zinfandel
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Bottled a couple weeks ago. The wine is about 7 months old. Had a half glass left over from topping the merlot. Very good - needs time. But, will be a typical Zin (a good thing) when it's ready.
I made this kit a year and a half ago. At the one year mark it showed good promise but the aftertaste was just slightly off, my Dad said "yup, this tastes like a homemade wine". Six months later and this has improved even more. Not quite as bold as some of the zins I normally enjoy but it's really smooth. My girlfriend who is not a wine person shared the bottle with me along with some salami and drunken goat cheese and she was in love with it. Can't wait to try it at the two year mark! I may kick off another batch soon.
This is kind of where I am with the Zin myself. It's fine but definitely tastes like a kit right now. The Fourtitude is about the same age (give or take) and is closer to being ready for prime time than the Zin.
A full month later and the wine is really good. It will age into something pretty great.
Hello,
I bought the kit and followed the instructions. After 6 months of aging I tried it and it still taste too much like grape juice (with alcohol). The oakiness is nice but its not as smooth as wines that you buy off the shelf. Will this get better with age or have i done something wrong?
Thanks a lot!
Paul
I bought the kit and followed the instructions. After 6 months of aging I tried it and it still taste too much like grape juice (with alcohol). The oakiness is nice but its not as smooth as wines that you buy off the shelf. Will this get better with age or have i done something wrong?
Thanks a lot!
Paul
Did it ferment dry? What was your final SG?
Go to the store, try to find a 6 month old Lodi OVZ on the shelf to compare it to, and let us know how that turns out.
OK, all you that have your Zin on, have any of you thought or tried adding a little Black Pepper Corns to you primary of first secondary fermentation? I thought I read in anothe post that you can add a suttle black pepper back ground.
Thoughts
Thoughts
roger80465
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I have done that during aging with a shiraz and a tempranillo on a couple occasions. I worked well. I find that black peppercorns work better than white and start with a teaspoon or 2. You can always add more. Like oak, pepper flavors will fade over time so 'over' peppering is OK within limits. I will certainly do it again.
Boatboy24
No longer a newbie, but still clueless.
Like @roger80465 , I've done it on Syrah. Liked it, but I over did it and it took quite a while for it to fade out/integrate. Go slowly. I used probably a teaspoon of Tellicherry pepper corns and it was overpowering.
dcbrown73
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Hmm. Black pepper you say? Everyone tells me I over pepper everything. Not sure I would do it to a Zin, but a Syrah, Petite Syrah, Grenache, Merlot or a Cab sounds like that might be really good.
Hmm. I just racked my cab. I may go back for a second taste and make that decision this evening.
How long do you leave it on the pepper corns? (2 teaspoons right?)
Hmm. I just racked my cab. I may go back for a second taste and make that decision this evening.
How long do you leave it on the pepper corns? (2 teaspoons right?)
Boatboy24
No longer a newbie, but still clueless.
Mine was on about 3 weeks. Upon further review, my notes say 'about 30 peppercorns'.
Wonder if you could make a peppercorn extract with Everclear and add as desired?
I made a Cellar Craft Red Mountain Cabernet that tasted like that. The owner of the wine making supply store who I bought the kit from told me that it was due to bottle shock. Sure enough, after a year of aging, it was a different wine; tasting like a Cabernet sauvignon should.
Boatboy24
No longer a newbie, but still clueless.
One way to find out...
My brother was after me to add stuff like coffee and pepper corns to a Super Tuscan we're doing. I told him no way in a premium kit and that we should rely on the added oak to impart the complexity that he wanted.
Did you crush them or leave them whole?
Boatboy24
No longer a newbie, but still clueless.
I left 'em whole.
roger80465
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Sorry for not getting back to you sooner. I had them in for 2-3 weeks but tasted after 1 week. At 2 weeks, I felt it was a bit over peppered so I racked off. It was peppery for 6-8 months then started to fade. Now, at about 2 years, it is perfect. Very worthwhile
I drank half a bottle I had left over from bottling Sunday...very young, not near finished, but still tasty.
Someone on this site once wrote that the big kits are better after a year or two in the bottle, but they are also pretty good young....I think I agree with that statement. First time bottling using the 375 ml bottles for "testing"...corked 8 of those....figure one every 3 months going forward.
Someone on this site once wrote that the big kits are better after a year or two in the bottle, but they are also pretty good young....I think I agree with that statement. First time bottling using the 375 ml bottles for "testing"...corked 8 of those....figure one every 3 months going forward.
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