Aging a Zin

[wolfman]

I just purchased my first kit from a local store, a cellar classics zin
and I have been reading all of the articles and posts I can on aging
and oaking. I am waiting for a few items from George, before I
start my path into home winemaking. I can't wait.



So....One question I am really uncertain about is how long can a kit
wine be aged either in bottle or carboy? I will add oaK, most
likely chips and I am leaning more to the american chips. I
will taste often, how could I not, and determine from taste when to
pull the oak. Here's another question, will the oak chips
enable me to age longer since they will add tannins to the wine?
I am fairly certain that I can be patient with the wine since I have a
very good selection to drink up anyway.



Oh I can't wait to try the creshendo syrah. My mouth waters
thinking about it so if anyone has completed and tasted this kit I
would love to hear an opinion.



WOOT!

 

[masta]

I would saya properly sulfited kit wine stored under the correct conditions can be aged up to 5 years safely. Adding oak to the wine does and tannins and flavors but the proper amount of S02 and storage conditions help protect your wine for long term aging.


As with most Winexpert kits you want to add an extra 1/4 tsp of K-meta to your completed wine for aging longer than 6 months.

 

[geocorn]

I have left mine in the carboy for 15 months before bottling. It took a lot of patience for a while, but then I finally forgot about it. I am still drinking it and it is my best cab, so far. It is a 2002 WE selection original with american medium oak. I still have 5 bottles left and drink them on special occassions.

 

[wolfman]

Did you at least taste from the carboy on occassion to see how it was
aging. I think I'm leaning towards the american oak for my zin
too.



I do believe it will be hard to let sit for so long but I am going to try.



Thanks for the replys.

 

[James]

Wolfman,


I have a Crushendo Syrah I've been bulk aging for about 3 months now. I added an American oak spiral for six weeksafter thelast racking as an experiment. Someone put up a link to a Feature Article in the FVW newsletterentitled "Can Adding Oak Improve the Quality of yourKit Wine". VERY interesting and why I decided to add a little more to my kit.


I plan to age in carboy for 6 months the bottle and, like you, I can't wait.

 

[wolfman]

James I really want to know how your syrah turns out. Looks like
it could be a very, very nice wine. I was leaning towards
starting the syrah or the lodi cab kit next. Although, I may have
to go with a chard to satisfy the better half, if you know what I mean.



so for aging with oak, can I add the oak at any stage after it's racked
from the primary? And if I plan to age for a year or more how
much k-meta do I add?



Thanks for the replys.......

 

[masta]

I age with oak when the batch is complete (stabilized and fined) since many oak products need an extended contact time of at least 8 weeks.
No need to add any extra K-meta to Crushendo kits since Winexpert does that for you but all other WE kits you need to add 1/4 tsp(1.5 grams) of K-meta in addition to what is supplied with the kit for extended aging past 6 months.

 

[geocorn]

Believe it or not, after the first several months, I just left it alone. The plan was to age it for 12 months, but I forgot about it which resulted in the 15 months. I will say that is it my best cab, so far.

 

[wolfman]

awesome I can't wait to try it.

 

[James]

Wolfman,
The article I referenced in my previous post was in George's news letter, March 2006. Try to look it up, I think you'll find it worthwhile.


I'm editing this post because I just noticed, while looking for my next kit, that the Crushendo kit bio said that it does not peak for 3 to 5 years. My Syrah is a Crushendoso it may be a while before I can report back to you on the finished product.


It's kind of fun to think that we'll all be right here in 5 years discussing our problems and successes.


JimEdited by: James

 

[wolfman]

Hey Jim,



3 to 5 years is pretty wild for a home kit. Somehow I think
we will all be here reviewing our crushendo
successes. If not at least we'll be enjoying or
crushendo successes.



I'm gonna look up the article now and do a little lite reading.



Thanks Jim and enjoy your wine.

 

[Jack on Rainy]

George,

Did you have oak in for 15 months? or did you just bulk age for that period?



James, I note the WE Amarone also has a 2 to 5 yr peak. Anyone try that yet?

 

[Lodi Wino]

If possible separate your kit into two 3gal Carboys and use american on one and French on the other. then blend at bottling time

 

[Wade E]

I would imagine George bulk aged that long but not on oak cubes that
long. That would most likely be way too much oaking using cubes.

 

[Carwen]

How do you decide the age of the wine? Is it by the year the fruit is picked or by the time you started turning it into wine? I make rasberry wine, one year we picked the berries and made the the wine, the other batches I froze the berriesthen made the wine 6 month to a year later. Is the aging based on whenthe fruit is picked or when the wine making process started?

 

[Wade E]

I go by when its done fermenting! I love raspberry wine!

 

[OldWino1]

yes good pretty good with grilled bbq rabbit

 

[PolishWineP]

With wines you make it's all up to you to decide that. I believe commercial wineries claim the year that the grapes were grown.

 

[Carwen]

Okay, since I am not commercial

I will go with Wade, after the fermentation.Thanksfor the input.Edited by: Carwen

 

[Lodi Wino]

French or American, depends on your taste - go buy some commercial wines and try to determine(before you buy-through tasting notes, website etc.) what %'s of French, American even Hungarian they used and what % was new, used or neutral. Taste several, tough chore, find out what you like....the biggest mistake is over oaking and using poor quality wood. Minimum time to leave on is 2 months