WineXpert Crossing the Rubicon

[francois_du_nord]

Not sure if this is good or bad, but I had a glass of my wine for the first time tonight, so at least I will report.

I was racking a 3 different kits, two reds and a white. The reds were going from stabilization/clarification into bulk, and the white from the fermenter into glass. My VR Sangiovese was going into a 19 L carboy, so I filled 4 bottles and had a glass left over.

This wine is about 5 weeks from going into the fermenter, so it is very young. The taste was good, obviously a bit rough, and not a ton of finish. I am encouraged by the good start, and expect it to be much improved 6 - 12 months hence.

But I figure after 4+ months of work, and 6 kits in various stages of production, a glass of wine was a well earned treat!

Best, Fran

 

[sour_grapes]

Good going, Fran. In fact, I think you delayed gratification a lot longer than I did!

I, too, am very anxious to see how my wines turn out. My oldest are about a year, but most of the "good ones" are only 6-9 months. I am planning to start drinking them at 18 months.

 

[Brian55]

Not sure if this is good or bad, but I had a glass of my wine for the first time tonight, so at least I will report.

I was racking a 3 different kits, two reds and a white. The reds were going from stabilization/clarification into bulk, and the white from the fermenter into glass. My VR Sangiovese was going into a 19 L carboy, so I filled 4 bottles and had a glass left over.

This wine is about 5 weeks from going into the fermenter, so it is very young. The taste was good, obviously a bit rough, and not a ton of finish. I am encouraged by the good start, and expect it to be much improved 6 - 12 months hence.

But I figure after 4+ months of work, and 6 kits in various stages of production, a glass of wine was a well earned treat!

Best, Fran

You've done better than most of us, regarding early sampling. If I'm not mistaken, your avatar is a Holy Grail reference?

 

[Putterrr]

Silly English. I fart in your general direction

 

[francois_du_nord]

You've done better than most of us, regarding early sampling. If I'm not mistaken, your avatar is a Holy Grail reference?

"I told them we already had one!" Snicker Snicker

"I don't wanna talk to you no more you ~fermenting~trough wiper!"

"Your mother was a hamster, and your father smelt of elderberries."

Holy Grail what???

It was actually that last quote that got me. In discussion with a co-worker, she mentioned that it meant he was a drunk. And then I saw that multiple kits included elderberry flowers. And an avatar was born....

 

[francois_du_nord]

Good going, Fran. In fact, I think you delayed gratification a lot longer than I did!

I, too, am very anxious to see how my wines turn out. My oldest are about a year, but most of the "good ones" are only 6-9 months. I am planning to start drinking them at 18 months.

SG, are you on hold too? I'm trying soooo hard to be good. Last weekend, I pulled out a 375 of the only thing I've bottled thus far, a Trinity White, and thought about opening it, but set it back. I've set a personal date of T-Giving as my opening date for that as my first batch, fermented 1st week of Jun

My Trinity Red (2nd) has been in bulk since 8/04, and am going to bottle Nov 1, with a Christmas open.

But I struggle with the "how does it taste" and I don't know if I can make it to my scheduled opens or not.

 

[sour_grapes]

SG, are you on hold too?

Yes, sort of. I have a number of kits that are on hold, waiting for the 18-month mark. However, I have two kits that I have sampled. One is a medium-level kit that I made for an early drinker, viz., Mezza Luna Red. It is over a year old now, so I am "allowed" to drink it. I also have a Sterling Merlot that I am nominally holding for a little while more, but I have been using that for making port, and cooking, and a bit of drinking. They are both coming around.

I also have a good deal of commercial wine on hand. I find that helps me resist opening my own!

 

[calvin]

I just bottled my trinity white last week and already drank a bottle. So far so good! I'm sure it will improve in the months to come. I finally have enough wine on hand that it is getting easier and easier to age. Now my only problem is I don't have any dragons blood left. I better get to work!

 

[francois_du_nord]

I also have a good deal of commercial wine on hand. I find that helps me resist opening my own!

I don't have a 'good deal', but I am finding that it is much easier to buy a case of wine at a time, my justification being that I'm going to use 3 or 4 bottles to top up my carboys.