Hello from Northern New Mexico!

My only hope is to "set it and forget it!"

ibglowin said:

What is the exact reason behind bulk aging over just bottle aging. Is it easier until the wine is more mature (stable, clarified, degassed etc)?

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Personal choice more then anything. I bulk age because it gives the wine (especially the grape skin kits) more time to drop sediment.
VC

Welcome aboard. You live in one of the most beautiful spots in this country. One of my retirement spot picks if I can afford to live there then. Look forward to reading your posts.

Merci' beaucoup!

The Red Mountain Cab is on the truck out for delivery this AM as I write this! 2 days from order to delivery. Can't beat that.

It helps to live close to the "vineyard" I guess!


Hmmm what to order for kit number 2!

Welcome to the forum ibglowin. I made two Vinifera Noble kits back in February. We are drinking them now and they are great. I made a Cabernet Sauvignonand a Zinfandel. I also made a VN Sauvignon Blanc in January.It is also very good.The VN kits are easy to do and they are ready for drinking in a relatively short time. (Short time really does not compute in wine speak.)


Bulk aging also helps if you are challenged by a lack of patience.You are less likely to get into the wine before its time. Another benefit is thatif you have temperature changes in your cellar, bulk aged wine takes longer to adjust to thechanges, thereby maintaining a more even temp.


Enjoy this great passion and the great people here on the forum.

Sounds like bulk aging may be in my future.... I live at ~7000 feet and we have some pretty wide temperature swings over the course of a normal day. Somedays as much as 40 degrees from morning low to afternoon high. I like the fact that I might not be tempted to drink my wine before its time to boot (hides wine thief)....

admiral said:

 
Bulk aging also helps if you are challenged by a lack of patience.  You are less likely to get into the wine before its time.  Another benefit is that if you have temperature changes in your cellar, bulk aged wine takes longer to adjust to the changes, thereby maintaining a more even temp.
 
Enjoy this great passion and the great people here on the forum.

  

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Things are progressing nicely!

The Red Mountain Cab kit arrived on Friday and on Saturday morning I opened it and went to work. This is a snap on Sunday morning less than 24 hours after pitching the yeast. It smells sooooo good!

"I will drink no wine until its time, I will drink no wine until its time....."

Looking good!

Uav, the RCM is 1and a half years right now and we haven't cracked one yet. I almost did last night, but a commercial wine was cracked instead. The thing is, I know it will be good now, but I know it will be even better if I wait a bit.

Welcome ibgloin. Speaking from experience as a newbie making mistakes and asking questions, this group of wine experts is a great resource. Let's have a blast learning.

Transfered from primary into secondary yesterday!

7 days start to finish, SG was 0.998. Temps have been warm here so the primary was usually around 76-77 degrees so it went fast even here at 7000 feet!

Had a few problems with the auto siphon, keep stopping every few minutes. Must have had a leak in the system or something. Got more sediment than I wanted to for sure but I suppose I can get rid of that when I clarify in 12 days.

Got a little taste off the top and was quite pleased.

Your hose to the auto siphon maybe leaking air...I use a small plastic clamp on mine, helps a lot....Good Luck...

I had to use a short stepdown piece of tubing to go from the auto siphon to the tube that was supplied with my kit. I will pick up a 5 foot piece of the correct size before the end of 2ndary fermentation. Hopefully a better seal.

The clamp maybe still needed...A lot of the hose we get does not always have a good fit....Good Luck

Just wanted to say hi from even a newer member than you.


I am also a former Texan, raised and educated in Seminole, Tx. and in Austin. One of my fondest memories is my high school graduation trip taken to Pecos, N. M., not far from you, to a cabin high in the mountains almost 50 years ago when I learned not to try to travel straight-line to where you see a forest tower.


I am now in Richland, Ga. where I was hired out of the Army for a pharmaceutical sales job in 1967. Actually, a choice was made between Columbus, Ga. and Baton Rouge, La. and the coin toss came up Columbus.

Thanks much!

Actually my very first job out of college was as a drug rep. I didn't last long, only 6 months! Went immediately into my degree field of analytical chemistry and been very happy ever since (almost 30 years)

Ok, we opened a bottle of the RMC, and ........... it was delicious! It's about 18 months old, still a little fruit forward, but a Cab undoubtly. I'm thinking it's going to keep improving for a least another year. I'll keepsampling just to make sure. ; )

Yum.....

How long did you let it decant for?

moto-girl said:

Ok, we opened a bottle of the RMC, and ........... it was delicious!  It's about 18 months old, still a little fruit forward, but a Cab undoubtly.  I'm thinking it's going to keep improving for a least another year.  I'll keep sampling just to make sure.  ; )

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