Cellar Craft 2012 CC LR Red Mountain Trio (the Frankenkit Tweak Thread)

[ibglowin]

Well I decided to start my 2012 Cellar Craft Limited Release "Red Mountain Trio" today. I have had this guy since last April. I have decided its time to pick up another 23L Vadai (#4). This will serve as the "break in" wine for this barrel. All the other barrels have been exposed to MLB so its a good time to get a fresh barrel and break it in while my 8 carboys of California fresh grapes from this years crush are finishing MLB.

To that end I decided to go a little crazy with the tweaks. Why not, this should be fun to see how it turns out.

First tweak, will not be using EC-1118 yeast. Looked in the tool box and decided to go with (2) packs of RC-212 yeast. RC-212 has been used in some of the high end kits from other kit manufacturers so this should hopefully give it a little more robust flavor profile especially with the other tweaks.

Second tweak, after adding the 2L grape pack and waiting for it to dissolve for 4 hours with stirring, the initial SG was a very disappointing 1.090. This is pretty much in line with what other posters who had started this kit back in April were seeing. That would only make a wine with 12.3%ABV and I wanted something more in line with current "fruit bombs" coming out of Napa and WA State. I had purchased several of the last grape packs from George at FVW about a year ago and I had one of the 1.5L Syrah packs left still and I just thought, what the heck, this will raise the SG to what I want plus give me an extra dose of skins (solids) for even more mouthfeel. After adding the 1.5L Syrah grape pack in on top of the 2.0L grape pack (combined 3.5L SUPER GRAPE PACK!) the initial SG was a text book perfect 1.102 which will yield a nice 14.1% ABV wine, much more inline with what it should have been actually.

Third tweak, added ~8.0 grams Tannin FT Rouge. This is a (pre or post) fermentation tannin that will help with color stabilization, increased mouthfeel and lengthen the finish considerably.

Fourth tweak, not using any of the supplied oak, will spend 4 weeks in a brand new 23L Vadai followed by ~8 months of bulk aging in a carboy. If the oak falls back I will layer with an ounce of Med toast French oak beans at some point down the road.

So thats about it for now. The must is inky black with the addition of the extra grape pack and the Tannin FT Rouge.

Heating pad is being used as the winery is ~60 degrees these days.

Should be a fun kit!

 

[Boatboy24]

I'm looking forward to following your progress, Mike.

Mine is bulk aging now - started the first week of August. I used the kit oak and also added 2 oz of medium French oak for about 3 weeks. Following your guidance, I gave it 4 grams of Tancor Grand Cru about two weeks ago.

 

[ibglowin]

I had to laugh when I saw the picture on the provided labels!!!! Although the label is pretty that is NOT Red Mountain AVA in Eastern WA. Here is a picture, not a single tree!

I wouldn't even call it a mountain, more like a hill of sorts LOL Wine is AWESOME though either way!

 

[Geronimo]

I wish I had one of those kits

This year's LRs are kinda blah-sey.

 

[ibglowin]

I should have bought 2 but I didn't need another, I did pick up the 2012 CC LR Sauv Blanc-Semillon-Chardonnay blend as well. That should be a knock out white blend as well. That will be on deck after this one.

 

[eblasmn9]

I should have bought 2 but I didn't need another, I did pick up the 2012 CC LR Sauv Blanc-Semillon-Chardonnay blend as well. That should be a knock out white blend as well. That will be on deck after this one.

I made the LR Red Mountain Trio in May. I think I will add Tancor Grand Cru to this wine also. I started the CC LR Sauv Blanc-semillon-Chardonnay in September and am getting ready to bottle around thanksgiving. Are you going to add the chenin blanc reserve and the oak dust? I decided to split the batch into two 3 gallon carboys. I did not use the oak during fermentation but added a half stave of american untoasted oak in the carboy for a few weeks and the chenin blanc to one carboy. The other I made straight. The chenin blanc brings the wine to the slightest off-dry. They are both really good but I like the untweaked dry wine better. This is quickest clearing white wine I have made. It cleared in about 4 days. The winexpert white wines I am used to making take several weeks to clear.
I am curious about the difference if any to using Tannin FT Rouge pre fermentation as apposed to post fermentation.

 

[Boatboy24]

BTW: just checked my notes and my SG was 1.102. Interesting how there can be such a difference. It fermented down to 0.994.

 

[ibglowin]

I will probably make this kit (the 2012 LR White Blend) per directions. I have not even opened it yet, had no idea it had any oak in it!

Here is some of the verbage from the FT Rouge info page:

FT Rouge is composed of exotic wood and chestnut tannins. These highly reactive tannins bind with anthocyanins (color compounds) in the first 3-4 days of fermentation.

If sufficient natural tannins are not present in must, anthocyanins may precipitate, resulting in a loss of color. Using an enzyme like Lallzyme EX in conjunction with FT Rouge can enhance this binding of color.

The continual bonding going on throughout the ferment will also improve the mid palate structure and help either significantly reduce or eliminate vegetal/herbaceous characters. Tannin additions at this early stage prove to be most efficient and are better integrated into the wine.

Important!: If being used in conjunction with one another, tannins should be added 6-8 hours after the addition of the enzymes or you run the risk of having the tannins reacting with and removing the enzymes before they have had a chance to do their job!.

To Use
Sprinkle directly onto must and either mix well with your punch down tool or pump over to ensure thorough mixing.

If adding to the wine post-fermentation we recommend allowing 3-6 weeks for full integration before racking, fining, filtering or bottling.

I started the CC LR Sauv Blanc-semillon-Chardonnay in September and am getting ready to bottle around thanksgiving. Are you going to add the chenin blanc reserve and the oak dust? I decided to split the batch into two 3 gallon carboys. I did not use the oak during fermentation but added a half stave of american untoasted oak in the carboy for a few weeks and the chenin blanc to one carboy. The other I made straight. The chenin blanc brings the wine to the slightest off-dry. They are both really good but I like the untweaked dry wine better. This is quickest clearing white wine I have made. It cleared in about 4 days. The winexpert white wines I am used to making take several weeks to clear.
I am curious about the difference if any to using Tannin FT Rouge pre fermentation as apposed to post fermentation.

 

[ibglowin]

That is pretty weird for sure. I have never seen a CC Kit that low with the grape pack added. Like I said I mixed it up and let it sit for 4+ hours or so with several stirs and punch downs with my giant potato masher punch down tool, swirling and mixing and then rechecking the SG. Each time it came right back to 1.090. Some how they seem to have messed up on the amount of sugar added to the grape pack or something.

I rechecked late last night after the 1.5L Syrah pack was added and stirred well. The SG was sitting at 1.108 after full dissolution which makes for a potential ABV of 14.8%. Now were talking!

BTW: just checked my notes and my SG was 1.102. Interesting how there can be such a difference. It fermented down to 0.994.

 

[ibglowin]

Checked the must this AM. Left the heating pad on low over night. Must temp was 74 degrees and we have a nice cap forming. Yeast is happy!

BTW the yeast I used had an expiration date of 2/2012 and it was obviously still very viable. It was in the sealed packs and had been kept cool in the winery the whole time. Its always good to rehydrate your yeast with something like Go-Ferm beforehand especially if your not using EC1118. You will know within minutes if your yeast is good once you add an ounce or so of must to the yeast slurry.

 

[Bacci]

I'm bulk aging my RM TRio for 2 months now, Starting SG was 1.092 after 12 hrs/grapepack, I thought low as well but after secondary ferm/vac racking for bulk ageing the color/mouthfeel was the best I've seen yet in any kit I've made. I did add the bentenite, but not the finings, just letting clear by gravity. I skipped the Hungruian Oak and went with Med Plus French, I'm kinda burnt out on the Med Hung. Oak profile, making all these kits taste/smell the same. The Med Plus French is definitely a smoother compliment and nice change. Mine came with pre-ferm French oak shavings.

 

[MonkeyK]

I did this kit by the book (except for 2 months bulk aging) and it is the best of the 4 kits I have done so far. Wish that I had heard your advice to skip the Sorbate at the time though (or that I had a second one to try without the Sorbate).
As I said, the kit tastes great, but there is a fake sweet smell to it. My wife says she doesn't smell it, but it really bugs me.

 

[ibglowin]

Pretty sure that is the Sorbate talking. It will fade but it could take up to 12 months.

 

[tonyt]

Mike you are in fot a treat! Started mine on June 3rd. SG 1.092. Used proveded oak and one ounce of untoasted American oak dust. Went to dry in primary in 10 days, racked to secondary and added enzime blend. Added the provided Hungarian cubes. Cleared and has been in carboy for 4 months. Tasted tonight and my wife and I can't believe how good it is. Little to no KT and tons of fruit. Very new world. No barrel time, going to bottle in Jan or Feb.

 

[ibglowin]

Good to hear Tony! This one is cranking happily away now. I wish all kits were of this high quality!

 

[tonyt]

After tasting and sharing my comments with y'all I decided to track down another one of these LE kits. Found some at Blue Stem Winery in Tulsa. Very reasonable shipping fixed at under $10.00. I called them to verify if they REALLY still had some and they assured me that they did. So I placed an order on line yesterday and it shipped out today. I paid $9.00 more than my pre-order from FVW last year. But as good as it seems to be turning out, what's another 30 cents per bottle?

 

[Boatboy24]

Thanks Tony.

I just ordered one from a Blue Stem Winery in Iowa. 8.95 shipping.

Jim

 

[ibglowin]

Stop it I don't need any more kits.........

But dang I want to pick up the phone! LOL

 

[tonyt]

Stop it I don't need any more kits.........

But dang I want to pick up the phone! LOL

And you LOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE Red Mountain wine so much!

 

[roger80465]

Stop it I don't need any more kits.........

But dang I want to pick up the phone! LOL

Define 'need'.........