WineXpert Lodi Old Vine Zin - started primary today

[RCGoodin]

Started this because I keep reading great things about it. Boy that juice is sweet. I wish I had a flux capacitor to shoot into the future and taste it.

Anyone have any comments on their experience with this kit?

 

[Rocky]

I have made the Cellar Craft Showcase Collection version a number of times. I currently have 12 gallons in barrels and 18 gallons in carboys. In addition, I have made two batches that I blended with Muscat in a three (Zin) to one (Muscat) ratio. It is a great wine. Which of the WineExpert lines did you buy?

 

[saddlebronze]

Just started this one tonight. Smells very good. I only added half the oak for now to taste it at 4 weeks and decide whether to add the rest.

 

[RCGoodin]

Lodi Old Vines Zin

I have made the Cellar Craft Showcase Collection version a number of times. I currently have 12 gallons in barrels and 18 gallons in carboys. In addition, I have made two batches that I blended with Muscat in a three (Zin) to one (Muscat) ratio. It is a great wine. Which of the WineExpert lines did you buy?

Rocky,

The Zin I started yesterday is the WE Select Estates Lodi Old Vine Zinfandel. It looks great.

I also started yesterday the RJS Cellar Classic Johannisberg Riesling. I added oak chips to it. They did not come with the kit, but the sellers said if I like oak I can add it. Any comments?

January 22, I started a WE Select Estates Stag Leap District Merlot.

Not bad for a first timer, huh? I have a friend that's been doing this for years. He has 560 bottles going and wants to add more. I use him as a sounding board, however, I really like this forum.

Question: I keep reading that I can filter prior to bottling. Is that a good idea? Do you recommend it?

 

[RCGoodin]

Adding oak now and later

Just started this one tonight. Smells very good. I only added half the oak for now to taste it at 4 weeks and decide whether to add the rest.

Saddle,

You sound like you have some experience. I added all the oak as per the instructions. If I understand your thoughts. All oak up front may cause the wine to be too oaky. Yes? If you taste the wine in 4 weeks to decide to add the other half of the oak, what taste are you looking for to make the decision to add or not?

 

[Rocky]

Rocky,

The Zin I started yesterday is the WE Select Estates Lodi Old Vine Zinfandel. It looks great.

I also started yesterday the RJS Cellar Classic Johannisberg Riesling. I added oak chips to it. They did not come with the kit, but the sellers said if I like oak I can add it. Any comments?

January 22, I started a WE Select Estates Stag Leap District Merlot.

Not bad for a first timer, huh? I have a friend that's been doing this for years. He has 560 bottles going and wants to add more. I use him as a sounding board, however, I really like this forum.

Question: I keep reading that I can filter prior to bottling. Is that a good idea? Do you recommend it?

I will tell you this, RC, you are buying really good kits and that is a good thing. The better quality the kit, the better the wine can be.

I have only made one Riesling and it was a 23 liter All Juice bucket from Mosti Mondiale. I did not add oak (if you like oak, I see no problem in adding it) but I did juice in mechanical juicer and add a dozen, cored and seeded with skins on, Granny Smith Apples. I was stationed in Germany long ago and I recall that the Rieslings that we had then had a distictive "green apple" taste. It turned out great.

Filtering wines before bottling is largely misunderstood. It will "polish" the wine but it will not clear a cloudy wine. I normally do not filter (and I am not recommending one way or the other) and I let my wines clear for aboiut 4 to 6 months in a carboy before bottling. Are they as "crystal clear" as they could be? Probably not. You will get differing views on filtering, but mostly people say only filter if you plan to enter your wine in competition.

 

[saddlebronze]

RC, I am only going on my experience with a prior CabFranc and the advice I have gotten here. I that case, I added about 2 OZ of chips which is not much and when I tasted the wine at one month, it had just the right amount of Oak. I was glad I did not do more, I thought it would overpower it. The Lodi Zin kit has the saw dust and I just wanted to hold back half and see what it tastes like. I like oak, just not too much of it.

 

[gary1214]

Old Vines Zin

I too just started this kit in January after talking to one of the floor workers at Midwest Supply. He couldn't say enough about how good it is so am giving it a try. I also have the Stags Leap Merlot and the Lodi Cab aging right now as I have heard and read such good things about them as well. Hard to let them age long enough. I did do the Italian Amarone and have another batch going now. It is absolutely excellent. I acually think I am going to get another one going soon. We have given many bottles of it away as gifts and everybody loves it.