RJ Spagnols Kit Taste?

[Pumpkinman]

I finally tasted the German Gewurztraminer, Cru Select.
It has a "canned, or metallic" taste, I can compare it to the difference between eating fresh and canned veggies, you can taste the difference.
Is this the so called Kit taste that a lot have tried to describe?
I am not a big fan of it, based on this, I don't know if i'd purchase a kit in the future.
A bit disappointed....

Tom

 

[wookey]

Hello Tom,

First thing, white wines usually do not have "kit taste". What you describe looks more like oxidation. When ethanol is exposed to oxygen it first converts to Acetaldehyde which gives the wine a bit metallic taste, if it is exposed further it will convert into acetic acid which will give the wine a vinegary taste. However, if you are sure that your wine was not exposed to oxygen much and it is rather young, it can be that it has not finished fermentation. Acetaldehyde also can be a sign of bacteria infection you should be able to tell it if you see the whitish film on the surface.

Wookey

 

[derunner]

Would too much k-meta give a taste that might seem metallic? I added an extra 1/4 tsp/6gal k-meta and I believe I taste that now while aging.

 

[wookey]

Derunner,

Well, excessive sulfur usually gives a burnt rubber or matchsticks taste, can it be what you have?
There is dimethyl sulfid which gives taste of canned corn, but it appears from infection.
In any case it is better to wait a little and see before dumping it. It can go in couple months.

Wookey

 

[Boatboy24]

How far along is this kit? I've noticed that earlier in the process, there can be a very astringent taste that I could see described as metallic.

 

[eblasmn9]

Sometimes when I don't get my kits degassed enough, it gives it a bit of a metalic - chemcal taste. I have that in several of my early kits. After using a vacuum vin and decanting they get much better.

 

[ColdClimateWines]

Try putting a length of clean copper wire in the wine for a few days. Keep it securely bunged. Pull out after 2-4 days and taste.

 

[ldmack3]

When I first started making kits I always added extra Kmeta with the plan of cellaring over 2 years. It always gave it a metallic or chemical taste. After I started measuring the SO2 I added much less and that taste is gone.

 

[Pumpkinman]

ok, so first off, thanks for the advice.
It absolutely isn't too much meta, nor do I think it is oxidation, the kit is young, but to be honest, I've tasted 13 different wines, and ciders that I've made, and none had this metallic taste.
I'm not too worried, it was free, so it wont bother me a bit to toss it down the drain in 6 months or so if it still tastes like this.

 

[ColdClimateWines]

Throw wine down the drain. At least make vinegar from it. The copper wire pulls the excess sulfite out of the wine as the copper binds it to a form of copper sulfate. It will not harm the wine. Too much sulfite addition can also be whisked out or aerated out on racking. Copper wire is easier and safer from an oxidation standpoint.

 

[Pumpkinman]

I do understand about the sulfite, I've only added what was provided by the kit, nothing more. Furthermore, if it were a sulfur issue, I would splash rack a few times before I tried copper.
It's all good, no worries, it's a young kit, I'll rack it and look a it again in a few months.

 

[wookey]

As a general note about the "Kit Taste". There is no definition of that, few people say they can taste it in every wine made from kit even after 2-3 years of aging, some other people say they cannot taste it at all. Most, myself included, taste it only in red kit wines and it tends to dissipate with time. Apparently WinExpert no-skin kits are the worst. It is most commonly described as a bit sweet taste in the completely dry wine. That is why many here believe, that it has something to do with the concentration process. It causes the sugar molecules to polymerize and these long molecules are hard to break for yeast. I do not think it is the case. There is not dependency on the kit concentration and the kit taste. In fact I have a Merlot made from 10-liter kit which does not have it at all and high end 18-liter kit which has it. I think it is the acid balance in the kit which is responsible. See, kits are made to be easily fermented at home in the fewest possible steps and with the least possible number of things which can go wrong. The producers have to pre-balance the acids in the juice so you do not test pH and do MLF at home. While this is seriously simplifies the process, it leaves the taste correction to the kit producer. And they make it to their palate. Apparently, WE likes their wines to be drunk young and adjust the acids in the juice to leave this sweet taste which helps to drink the wine young. Some time ago, WE had Crushendo series, it did not have the kit taste, but it was not drinkable until 18 months old. It became very good after that, but many people could not wait and complained. I think it is one of the reason it was discontinued despite huge popularity among forum members.
This Kit Taste, can be partially corrected by using tannin. At least I noticed that wines hit with a bit of tannin taste more mature and professional.

Wookey

 

[Pumpkinman]

Wookey, thanks for the in depth answer. This kit, German Gewurztraminer Cru Select, could be fine, it just could be my personal taste. Unfortunately for me, I've had very sensitive taste buds, and nose for that matter, as a Chef (in a former life) I had to make sure every smell and taste was perfect, maybe I'm tasting the with Suss Reserve Pack, or the elderflowers.
I was thinking about adding an ounce or two of untoasted oak, but since I've never had this particular wine, I don't know what to expect.
It is young, so I expect it to have some level of tart to it, plus, from what I have read it is supposed to be

intense fruity characteristics and inviting spicy tones which complete the experience. Delicately bitter

The metallic or canned taste is what perplexes me.

Thanks again.