WineXpert Fourtitude with Grape Skins

[Johnd]

If you don't get to racking those two, just leave a key under the mat at the front door and we'll take care of it for you....when are you coming back?

I'm leaving on Saturday and coming back the following Saturday, key is under the mat, do you need directions?

When you have finished racking the Fourtitudes, there are two Meglioli's that need to be racked as well. Please put all four of them in the carboy racks in the wine room when you are finished, don't forget the airlocks please.

On the opposite side of the room, in the rack there are some bottles of a 2013 Mount Veeder Cab, help yourself as thanks for taking care of all of that for me. Don't touch the Aonair.

 

[ceeaton]

I'm leaving on Saturday and coming back the following Saturday, key is under the mat, do you need directions?

When you have finished racking the Fourtitudes, there are two Meglioli's that need to be racked as well. Please put all four of them in the carboy racks in the wine room when you are finished, don't forget the airlocks please.

On the opposite side of the room, in the rack there are some bottles of a 2013 Mount Veeder Cab, help yourself as thanks for taking care of all of that for me. Don't touch the Aonair.

I've told you before that New Orleans is on my wife and my short list for when the kids leave (therefore we have money to travel). Would love to come visit, in the WINTER! I think I'd melt down there at this time of the year. Plan on doing a restaurant tour, since there are so many great ones in New Orleans. I would personally love to attend a crawfish boil and eat some real gumbo, some jumbalaya, a po boy or two, some good fresh oysters etc, etc, etc. My wife is into the desert side of things. I'd also like to go "catfishin'" all day and guzzle some cold beer, or sit in a duck blind (don't give me a gun if you want to survive) and freeze my butt off. Simple pleasures are the best!

Hope you enjoy your vacation.

 

[Johnd]

I've told you before that New Orleans is on my wife and my short list for when the kids leave (therefore we have money to travel). Would love to come visit, in the WINTER! I think I'd melt down there at this time of the year. Plan on doing a restaurant tour, since there are so many great ones in New Orleans. I would personally love to attend a crawfish boil and eat some real gumbo, some jumbalaya, a po boy or two, some good fresh oysters etc, etc, etc. My wife is into the desert side of things. I'd also like to go "catfishin'" all day and guzzle some cold beer, or sit in a duck blind (don't give me a gun if you want to survive) and freeze my butt off. Simple pleasures are the best!

Hope you enjoy your vacation.

Well, I can accommodate you on everything but the catfishin, and crawfish can be a little hard to get during duck season, but winter is definitely the best time to eat oysters. All you have to do is plan the trip and I can hook you up with all of the good stuff to do, even some personally guided events!

 

[ceeaton]

Well, I can accommodate you on everything but the catfishin, and crawfish can be a little hard to get during duck season, but winter is definitely the best time to eat oysters. All you have to do is plan the trip and I can hook you up with all of the good stuff to do, even some personally guided events!

Well, I'd be willing to forgo Duck season (your busy hunting then anyway) if I can get the Oysters and Crawdads at the same time. I can catch the catfish up here, they are just larger down there. Guess I could go for some redfish...

 

[Johnd]

Back from the beach a day early, the double batch Fourtitude w Zin skins was still, .992 & .993. Racked + KMS + degassed and took a little taste. The wine, at this point, has substantial body and is quite fruity, still a bit tart yet. Could be a solid wine if I can get it oaked just right. It'll be chilling in the cellar til it's shot at a barrel early next year.

 

[jgmann67]

Red fruit and light tannins in this morning's taste. A little tart. I have some medium toast French chips. Maybe 30-45g might be nice.

 

[ceeaton]

Red fruit and light tannins in this morning's taste. A little tart. I have some medium toast French chips. Maybe 30-45g might be nice.

I have 56 grams of French Oak Cubes (Medium) from MoreWinemaking. They are yours for a bottle in a few years (which I know you'd give me anyway). I don't have them lined up for any particular wine at this point, they are just part of the usual inventory.

 

[jgmann67]

I have 56 grams of French Oak Cubes (Medium) from MoreWinemaking. They are yours for a bottle in a few years (which I know you'd give me anyway). I don't have them lined up for any particular wine at this point, they are just part of the usual inventory.

Deal. Looking forward to it.

 

[jgmann67]

So we racked the Fourtitude after bottling the Forza and the Cab. And, we dropped some really great smelling oak cubes and topped up with some left over Lodi cab.

 

[jgmann67]

It's only a month or so since we racked the Fourtitude. Small taste - Pretty tannic at this point.

 

[Johnd]

Back from the beach a day early, the double batch Fourtitude w Zin skins was still, .992 & .993. Racked + KMS + degassed and took a little taste. The wine, at this point, has substantial body and is quite fruity, still a bit tart yet. Could be a solid wine if I can get it oaked just right. It'll be chilling in the cellar til it's shot at a barrel early next year.

Playing off of my last Fourtitude post here. Double batch + Zinfandel skins, fermentation start to finish was over a month with RC-212. No additives other than KMS, vacuum degassed at initial racking. Been racked once since the 8/5/16 post.

Racked both carboys into a new 40l Vadai, with 8 bottles corked for topping, and a partial 375 to spare. Wine was clear as a bell and the fruity aroma filled the room as I was racking, REALLY nice nose. Cracked the 375 for dinner, poured a glass each for me and the Mrs. I thought, fruit forward, light in the middle, fair finish, but a little green, slightly more tannic than I'd like the final product, but really good. Mrs. JohnD said, "Why'd you open that little wimpy bottle of wine, that was really good, can we open a big bottle now?"

I didn't tell her I had 8 bottles in the wine room, instead, "babe, that wine is 4 months old, I just put it in a barrel today, it won't be bottled until summer of 2017". From the look on her face,you'd have thought I killed her dog. This response, I take as a very good sign.

 

[jgmann67]

Mrs. JohnD said, "Why'd you open that little wimpy bottle of wine, that was really good, can we open a big bottle now?"



I didn't tell her I had 8 bottles in the wine room, instead, "babe, that wine is 4 months old, I just put it in a barrel today, it won't be bottled until summer of 2017". From the look on her face,you'd have thought I killed her dog. This response, I take as a very good sign.

This is a regular struggle here... "now?"

"No, not yet... another 6 months."

"Awwwwww..."

 

[Johnd]

This is a regular struggle here... "now?"

"No, not yet... another 6 months."

"Awwwwww..."

Once I got her to wait over a year on a wine that she had tasted young, the appreciation of time has increased. My effort for the cause is not to do any young tasting once the wine is ready for and in bottles. We still do some barrel sampling though, sort of a monthly event for us.

 

[cmason1957]

I think this is a universal problem. I wonder if wineries have this as well?? At least with the staff. My solution for it, so far is to put at least a case and times two or three cases in a really, really hard to access location. For us, our basement steps have walls around them and a small access, it is where we keep carboys out of the way. So to get to the wine back there, you have to pull out sometimes 8-12 carboys and then crawl, almost under the stairs. We pulled out a few back a month or so ago and found a 2013 Elderberry, Oh my goodness gracious was that good. I just need to stash a few more or everything.

 

[jgmann67]

We're coming up bottling day in two weeks. The tannins have faded a bit and it's about as close to done as I think I want to go. It will be six months in the carboy. The last two weeks will be pretty chilly down there, I think. Definitely below 60*.

I suppose I could wait until Thanksgiving and see if I get any wine crystals to fall out. Hmmm...

Naming this one "Overkill."

 

[Rocky]

I am making a triple batch of this wine and I am totally underwhelmed by it. This is one of the worst kits I have ever made. I also have "Mosaic" and "Bravado" going and they are mediocre at the very best. Very disappointed in WinExpert and their "premium" wines.

 

[geek]

Wow, I trust your feedback Rocky.
Thank God I didn't buy any of those. [emoji4]

 

[jgmann67]

I am making a triple batch of this wine and I am totally underwhelmed by it. This is one of the worst kits I have ever made. I also have "Mosaic" and "Bravado" going and they are mediocre at the very best. Very disappointed in WinExpert and their "premium" wines.

I don't have the mosaic, but I do have the other two. I'm pretty pleased with them both at their current age. Time will tell how they might be in their prime. I'm interested to know why you think they're mediocre and underwhelming.

I did the LE14 Super Tuscan and that struck me as just kinda blah. And, I was disappointed in the LE15 Fourtitude because it lack a decent attempt at oak. But, I added oak and swapped the yeast. The bravado is way better than the LE14 entry in every aspect.

I am underwhelmed by the LE16 offerings and opted for an RJS RQ this year instead. So, generally I think I'm going to stay away from the WE LE's from now on (unless something makes me go "wow") and just stick to WE's Eclipse and Selection kits.

As a general rule, the Eclipse kits are the way I go.

 

[Boatboy24]

I did the LE14 Super Tuscan and that struck me as just kinda blah.

Agree. So far, the two RJS WS Super Tuscans I've done kick its *** by a long shot.

 

[geek]

I have some of that WE LE14 if someone wants to trade some bottles [emoji3][emoji3]