RJ Spagnols RJS International Merlot

[bcfryer]

The red wine rjs international kits come with dried grapes and an oak pack. The instructions say the grape skins can be added directly or put in the bag that is furnished. I elected to add directly. I have let the kit run its course allowing extra days for the primary and secondary ferment and then did the stabilize as instructed. Everything seemed well , bottled and put them away. Just opened the first bottle and found unexpected sediment in the bottles. The wine is still young , three months. Did adding the skins directly instead of using the bag result in more solids? I allowed 15 days for clearing. Should I have allowed more? Wine seemed clear at bottling.
Last , I am not satisfied with the sediment in the bottles. Could I uncork and dump back to a carboy for a few weeks and improve the sediment situation and not ruin things?

 

[uavwmn]

bcfryer, how long or did you bulk age your wine? Bulk aging (as I have found out) gets the sediment to settle at the bottom. I have had a couple of reds have a sediment in them from not bulk aging. I usually bottled by following the kit directions. As the sediment will not hurt anything it may just not be pleasing to the eye. I bought a wine strainer that fits over a wine glass for wines with a little sediment in them.

 

[v1rotate]

I don't know about higher end store-bought wines, but in kit wines sediment is present in several of the higher end kits. I think it is a result of a high amount of TDS which adds body and flavor.

If you decant the wine for an hour or so and then pour carefully into your glass you should leave the sediment behind.

 

[ibglowin]

Believe me it takes some practice to become efficient in racking!

If this was your first kit you more than likely didn't get a good clean rack. Also 15 days is probably not long enough for the wine to really settle.

You can use this one as a learning kit because thats exactly what it was! I would leave it and let it get some more bottle aging. This will allow for the sediment to drop more. Then be carful when you pour each time and or use a wine sediment filter like the ones that come with the Vinturi wine aerators.

Oh and welcome to the forums!

 

[Wade E]

This is exactly why we all bulk age our wines because even after using a fining agent it will drop fine sediment over the next few months. You can put all your wine back into a carboy but do so by racking or pouring very carefully down the side of the container so as not to introduce too much 02. I would also add another 1/4 tsp of kmeta to counter act what 02 you will be exposing your wine to and because youll be aging it longer.

 

[bcfryer]

It is all a learning thing. I think I will keep the Merlot in the bottles and tolerate the sediment this time.I also have a RJS International Cabernet Sauvignon in the bottle about 45 days. have not uncorked any of this one yet.Also I have a RJS International California Shiraz in the stabilization stagein a glass carboy. If I leave this alone fortwo additional months should I see a difference in solids? What else might I do different from the wine kit instructions if I bulk age.
My white wine kit a RJS International German Gewurtztraminer bottled up very clear after the standard15 days per kit instructions. I assume the red kits with the dried grape skins and the oak pack will have more solidsthus the need to age in the carboy prior to bottling to remove the solids.
I need more carboys.


Thanks for the help.

 

[Wade E]

The only thing different from the kit instructions is that every 3-4 months of aging you should add 1/4 tsp of kmeta. Even the whites tend to leave a fine dusting in the bottles if following the instructions but not as much as the reds do due to the higher solids amounts.

 

[bcfryer]

Thanks Wade. I see these rjs international kits are rated to drink after 4 months. Possibly I should leave it in the carboyfor the 4 months and add 1/4 tsp Kmeta and bottle. But then do I need more aging do to the Kmeta add at bottling?

 

[Wade E]

No more aging will be needed as after those four months, the meta level will have depleted some requiring more to keep the S02 levels correct.

 

[uavwmn]

bcfryer, I used to bottle right away as the directions on a kit stated. I have now started to bulk age my wines. More sediment drops with time bulk aging.

 

[Bartman]

While we are on this topic, any idea what the difference is in the sediments of reds and whites? My red wine sediment (even after bulk aging 6 months or so, and racking usually 3x) seems to be more of a sludge/mud material, while the white wines have a crystalline crust-like material.

Is that typical? is that an indication of something I should be doing differently? Neither is really a problem for me, but I am curious. I mark the corks of the last couple bottles if I think I picked up some of the sediment from the carboy, so I can be extra careful not to shake it up..

 

[Wade E]

Nothing to be concerned about and it is typical of a red as there is much more solids in a red then a white due to fermenting with the skins and seeds and even some stems while whites are crushed and pressed and dont have skin, seed, or stem contact while fermenting so much of the sediment is really yeast falling out. Its also much harder to see if a red wine is truly clear or not so longer bulk aging is the better way to try and avoid this sediment in any bottles.

 

[jeepbabe]

Does filtering help prevent some sediment with red wines?

 

[ibglowin]

It "polishes" a wine removing the last trace bits of fine particles that could possibly fall out over time. I have always filtered with a Vinbrite and have zero sediment or deposits on any of the wines, red or white.

 

[Wade E]

Filtering does prevent sediment in the bottles or carboy in both red and whites. Just make sure your wine is pretty clear already as trying to filter a cloudy wine can just make more of a mess with the filter clogging and you having to change filters during thus exposing the wine to much 02.

 

[rrussell]

When you bulk age for an extended time like nine months do you rack every so often or just add the k-meta every three months.

 

[Wade E]

If it drops lots of sediment Ill rack off otherwise if just a little I dont worry about it and will gently add more sulfite if needed without stirring the lees up.