Recent content by thunderhill

I have been bulk aging my wine for 2 years. Now that is a long long time, but I want to achieve a smoother, full bodied taste. I would like to swap a bottle of my soon to be bottled Eclipse OV Zinn for a 6 month old bottle to compare. Any one interested, please let me know. Merry...

Thanks for bringing the topic up. I recently tasted a really good commercial Zinn that was fermented in oak buckets. They then aged the wine in old whiskey barrels. Has anyone ever tried this method. (bucket only) I did a little web search and found a site that sells eastern European oak...

I just completed step #2 on the WE Eclipse OV Zinn. There was only one yeast packet I believe. (I'm writing from work and don't have my notes in front of me.) I was a little challenged with the temp requirement of 74 degrees. In my part of PA it has been around 20 degrees for the past week...

Have you considered DUCT TAPE ? I use it on my carboys; recording the date I began, wine type and batch number. The batch number matches the folder number I assign to each batch. After I bottle, I stick the duct tape on the wooden wine rack to easily identify the different bottles. I just...

7000 feet only affects you if you are debating. Thats the excuse most heard. I use a heat gun at middle range. I wrap a wire thru the top loop and hang it from a cabinet door handle. That way I can move the bottle around, in and out or up and down while holding the top of the foil in...

Just read your post on the Petit Verdot. I was inititally disapointed with my PV as well. However, after 26 months I am impressed. The wine is fantastic. My only disapointment is that I began using it to top off newer batches. What a waste. My wife was very impressed as well and could not...

Thanks for all of the responses. Your insight has been very helpful. I will probably go the 5 gal. carboy route. After reading about some of the experiences with marbles, plus the China factor, the smaller quantity seems to be the best solution. In response to EdwardLongShanks question: I...

I haven't lost them, I'm looking for them. Up until yesterday Sunday 7-10, I made only Winexpert kits. I went to a different retailer, one closer to home and would you believe it, they offered tastings. The wife and I tasted a RJ Spagnols Temoraro??, It was great, I was shocked when they...

Forgot to mention that, good catch. I did degass, I pulled out the old electric drill and stirred things up.

I checked it three days in a row, and the sg was 0.094 and 0.090 respectively. I moved into the third step by adding the clearing agents, stirred it in and topped them off. Now I will sit back and wait. I did take a taste; very good, a little thick, but the promise seems great. Once it...

Thanks for the info. I checked mine this morning and the "B" batch is just about done bubbling. I will take a reading (SG) tomorrow and if it is in range I will go to step #3. I am curious about a potential difference between the two batches. If I find much variation, I might just combine...

I checked both batches this morning; A is just sitting quietly doing nothing at all, B is still bubbling away. Its amazing I make both batches side by side, every move was identical, yet I see two different reactions. It will be interesting to see how they turn out. BTW; the inverted bung...

You are probably correct. The instruction sheet called for the racking at SG 1.010 so I decided to follow. The fermentation was still active so hopefully it will help reduce the damage if the bung blows again. Once I inserted the airlock it started bubbling like crazy. I guess the...

This morning the two batches of WE Italian Primitivo Kit I am making reached SG 1.010, so I decided to rack them into their respective carboys for secondary. Things were going well until I could not find the proper sized bung for the second vessel. I took a solid bung and inverted it and...

Barrels I just racked 6 gallons of WE SL Merlot into bottles. The wine sat in a carboy for 16 1/2 months, then in a 5 gallon barrel for 1 1/2 months. We tasted both the wine from the barrel and the remaining wine in the .375 bottles and could taste the difference. The barreled wine was...