I usually make 3 or 4 summer wines each year. I like the RJ Spagnol - Orchard Breezin' brand mostly.
The summer wines are pretty much ready to drink as soon as they are bottled or bagged. I put the batch in three of the Wine-On-Tap bags and put the remainder in 1.5 liter bottles.
My last one I made is the Cranberry Chanti. I have made a new (to me) observation with this kit. When I finished bottling, I ended up with the last bottle being only half full. I sealed it with a stopper and put it in the frig. I didn't bother to vacuum the bottle before I sealed it.
I didn't get around to opening it for 2 days. Before I did, I was concerned it might have already started tasting oxidized. Not only was it not oxidized, it tasted much smoother than what comes right out of one of the bags.
So, I took an empty 1.5 liter bottle and from one of the bags I filled it half full, put it in the frig for two days, and tried it. Same results.
The summer wines seem to be loaded with sorbate and sort of a slight kit taste. This particular taste is common only to the sweet, summer kit wines. Letting the wine have exposure to the half bottle of air, while keeping it cool, really makes it a much nicer treat.
This is akin to what Mike (ibglowin) suggested to really open up a bottle of wine - open a bottle of regular wine, take out a glass, seal the bottle back up, and put the bottle in the frig for 24 hours.
So even if you bottle all your summer wines, try dumping a 750 ml bottle into a 1.5 liter bottle, leave it in the frig for a couple of days, then try it. I think you will pleasantly surprised.
The summer wines are pretty much ready to drink as soon as they are bottled or bagged. I put the batch in three of the Wine-On-Tap bags and put the remainder in 1.5 liter bottles.
My last one I made is the Cranberry Chanti. I have made a new (to me) observation with this kit. When I finished bottling, I ended up with the last bottle being only half full. I sealed it with a stopper and put it in the frig. I didn't bother to vacuum the bottle before I sealed it.
I didn't get around to opening it for 2 days. Before I did, I was concerned it might have already started tasting oxidized. Not only was it not oxidized, it tasted much smoother than what comes right out of one of the bags.
So, I took an empty 1.5 liter bottle and from one of the bags I filled it half full, put it in the frig for two days, and tried it. Same results.
The summer wines seem to be loaded with sorbate and sort of a slight kit taste. This particular taste is common only to the sweet, summer kit wines. Letting the wine have exposure to the half bottle of air, while keeping it cool, really makes it a much nicer treat.
This is akin to what Mike (ibglowin) suggested to really open up a bottle of wine - open a bottle of regular wine, take out a glass, seal the bottle back up, and put the bottle in the frig for 24 hours.
So even if you bottle all your summer wines, try dumping a 750 ml bottle into a 1.5 liter bottle, leave it in the frig for a couple of days, then try it. I think you will pleasantly surprised.
