RJ Spagnols RQ - Tjungu (Australia)

I preordered this kit, it's supposed to be shipped in December, so I'm hoping it's getting here soon.
Described as "Three of Australia’s most celebrated grapes, Australian Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon & Malbec are blended together to contribute their own unique characteristics to this full-bodied wine. Deep in color, it exudes aromas of berry with a hint of toasty oak and cedar, complemented by flavors of black fruit. The soft tannins pair well with full-flavored meat dishes including BBQ lamb kebobs, full-flavored stews and beef lasagna."
I don't know if it's a new RQ or if it's been done before, but couldn't find anything after searching the forum. Anybody have any experience with it or thoughts on it?
Assuming it comes with EC1118, I'm planning to swap to BM4x4 or RC212 and oak age with wine stix.

Well, not many responders, so I suppose there aren't too many of us doing this kit. It's a 16 liter Australian blend of Shiraz/Cab/Malbec.

At any rate, kicked it off today. 1/2 gallon water heated in a pot, dissolved bentonite, rehydrated the dried skin/stem/seed pack and oak in the hot water. Into the bucket + juice, OG at 1.112, great smell and super color. Tossed the EC 1118 aside and pitched BM 4x4, should go dry pretty easily, no sorbate addition on the menu, but it'll get a nice barrel ride once it's dry.

Hoping I have a winner, time will tell.

Cheers!

John,

The Tjundu sounds like an interesting blend. My preference with this blend would have been to have the cab be the predominant varietal. I'm not particularly fond of Shiraz. Fortunately, blended wines can sometimes come out to be something entirely different than their underlying components would suggest.

I'd like to hear your opinion of the Tjundu when it's finished.

rustbucket said:

John,

The Tjundu sounds like an interesting blend. My preference with this blend would have been to have the cab be the predominant varietal. I'm not particularly fond of Shiraz. Fortunately, blended wines can sometimes come out to be something entirely different than their underlying components would suggest.

I'd like to hear your opinion of the Tjundu when it's finished.

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As a Cab lover, I certainly feel the same. Unfortunately, RJS doesn't tell you what the blending percentages are (at least not that I can find). I would suspect that the Cab is the predominant component, but have no way of confirming that feeling.

Fermentation is just underway, so tasting notes are a long way off...........but I'll keep the thread updated as I go along.

Fermentation has been rolling along very nicely with the BM 4x4. When punching the cap down, I've noted a very fruity aromatic wine, it really has a nice aroma, with a little hint of the oak in primary. Although I prefer oak dust in primary, this wine came with oak splinters, I don't know what else to call them but splinters.

RJS instructions are to get down below .998 in primary, rack and stabilize. I've elected to rack to glass at 1.002. Dumped the wine through my mesh bag into the second bucket, squeezed the skins and splinters dry and transferred all of the juice and lees to glass, threw out the skins and oak. Beautiful dark purple color in the carboy, bubbling along towards completion of AF.

Johnd said:

Well, not many responders, so I suppose there aren't too many of us doing this kit. It's a 16 liter Australian blend of Shiraz/Cab/Malbec.

At any rate, kicked it off today. 1/2 gallon water heated in a pot, dissolved bentonite, rehydrated the dried skin/stem/seed pack and oak in the hot water. Into the bucket + juice, OG at 1.112, great smell and super color. Tossed the EC 1118 aside and pitched BM 4x4, should go dry pretty easily, no sorbate addition on the menu, but it'll get a nice barrel ride once it's dry.

Hoping I have a winner, time will tell.

Cheers!

Click to expand...

Hello,

My bet is,.. it will be awesome.

How long in barrel, and how long in bottle?

Tnuscan said:

Hello,

My bet is,.. it will be awesome.

How long in barrel, and how long in bottle?

Click to expand...

The plan for the Tjungu is pretty much the same as typically planned for full bodied reds. Once it's finished fermenting dry, it'll get racked, degassed and KMS addition, skip the sorbate assuming it's dry. Still kind of on the fence about clearing agents, feeling like skipping them since it'll be in bulk aging for a while.

At any rate, when it's clear, it will already be in the rotation for one of the barrels, by the time it gets in it will probably already be at 6 months. Once it's in the barrel, the time plan is kinda out the window, since the time length will really be determined by taste rather than time.

It'll go back into glass when it comes out, and the plan is to not bottle until it's at least a year old. Some spaced out bottle tasting over the following year or so will determine whether it needs to keep aging or go into the drinking cellar.

12 days after going to glass to finish AF (transferred at 1.002), 8 days after any indications of fermentation in the glass bubbler, this wine is still at 1.000, has been for a week. RJS wants it at .998, so I'm not far off. Temps been steady at 72.

It's up on the racking table, but I'm going to rack it again without adding KMS or degassing, hoping that a little oxygen and agitation will spark a tad of renewed activity. Once racked, I'll get an airlock on it quickly, it'll be letting off a good bit of co2 from the racking, want to trap it in there til I KMS it.

If it doesn't react by tomorrow evening, I'll just move on, it tastes dry and fruity.

Johnd said:

As a Cab lover, I certainly feel the same. Unfortunately, RJS doesn't tell you what the blending percentages are (at least not that I can find). I would suspect that the Cab is the predominant component, but have no way of confirming that feeling.

Fermentation is just underway, so tasting notes are a long way off...........but I'll keep the thread updated as I go along.

Click to expand...

50% Shiraz, 25% Cab and 25% Malbec

Cheers

Putterrr said:

50% Shiraz, 25% Cab and 25% Malbec

Cheers

Click to expand...

Putterrr:

Good info., where did you find it for future reference???

I cannot reveal my sources. All i can say is many a bottle gave their lives to bring this information to light.

cheers

Carrusel - 59% Chardonnay, 41% Viognier

La Batalla - 42% Tempranillo, 29% Grenache, 29% Cab

Carnevale - 71% Pinot Grigio, 29% Sauvignon Blanc

Was thinking that about the Carrusel earlier when I went down to check on it. The Viognier was certainly not an after thought or slight addition. And I'm very happy about that. It's such an aromatic wine - so good!

Putterrr said:

I cannot reveal my sources. All i can say is many a bottle gave their lives to bring this information to light.

cheers

Carrusel - 59% Chardonnay, 41% Viognier

La Batalla - 42% Tempranillo, 29% Grenache, 29% Cab

Carnevale - 71% Pinot Grigio, 29% Sauvignon Blanc

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Hmmmmm. I guess you'll have to be the source for this kind of information. Sounds like someone was plied with wine until they revealed the percentages. I'm in favor of this kind of activity.

Well, no go, stayed at 1.000 after racking, no activity at all. Added KMS, and as much as I hated to, sorbate. Just wasn't feeling like 1.000 was quite low enough to chance it. Hooked it up to the vacuum and had it degassed in a couple of minutes, topped up with a half bottle of cab and set it aside.

It'll be ready for racking in a few months, and if it's looking clear, maybe take a nice barrel ride.

Mine is currently in the primary. I usually rack to glass at around 1.000. Though I haven't check final SG in many years, I will do this one to see if I get different results. Will let you know in a couple weeks.

cheers

Putterrr said:

Mine is currently in the primary. I usually rack to glass at around 1.000. Though I haven't check final SG in many years, I will do this one to see if I get different results. Will let you know in a couple weeks.

cheers

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Would appreciate that Puterrr, my ferentations normally finish at or below .995, giving me no worries about adding sorbate. My ferm temps are always 72-75 F. The instructions are looking for a reading of .998 or lower, it may be that this one just doesn't get down into the low 90's. I'm fairly sensitive to sweetness, and I don't taste any.

Just racked and stabilized. The SG was .992 at 74 degrees. I ferment in the main part of our house and the temps go from 67-68 over night to 72-73 during the day. Wood heat is not constant but cozy.

cheers

Putterrr said:

Just racked and stabilized. The SG was .992 at 74 degrees. I ferment in the main part of our house and the temps go from 67-68 over night to 72-73 during the day. Wood heat is not constant but cozy.

cheers

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Glad yours got down that low, mine just wouldn't do it. Our temps are similar, I'm always in the 70-75 range.......

Just opened Tjungu only 3 months after bottling; very pleased. A crowd-pleaser for sure. And it didn't have that taste that may be what 's known as KT (kit taste?) that I've noticed in almost every kit I've made so far.

I bottled this wine on 4/23/16, but forgot to add the extra 1/4 tsp of meta. I've been drinking, sharing, and enjoying, the wine over the past few months.

If I'm down to a dozen or so bottles, should I:

1. continue drinking and sharing until they start turning?
2. open the bottles, add meta, and rebottle? or
3. open the bottles, mix with some commercial wine, and rebottle?

Or some other idea?