WineXpert Aging WE Selection International French Cabernet Sauvignon

[FlavorSeeker]

Subject variety is in the secondary and the Vintners Harvest VR21 yeast I substituted is devouring the sugars like gangbusters (reflected in both the drop in gravity and the visible liquid/airlock activity).

I purchased this specific kit because the owner at my LHBS recommended it for my stated purposes:
1. medium to dry red, and
2. a wine that could benefit from extended (multi-year) aging.

Due to my upcoming work schedule, I was looking for a wine that survive sitting in the carboy until I can get back to it (3-6 months after fining). It would then be bottled and age an additional two and a half to three years before trying the first bottle.

What is the "life expectancy" for this particular kit? According to the winexpert.com, this is "An excellent candidate for short term aging due to its moderate tannins." However, I don't know how they define "short term aging". "Short", relative to what scale? Is this a wine that's likely to improve over the next five years (not that I have exhibited that kind of patience) or should it be consumed much sooner?

 

[robie]

I would ask the "short term" question directly to WineXpert (W.E.) then let us know what they say.

I suspect that short term for this cab is about 2 to 3 years. IMO, it will become drinkable in one year, stop improving and start to decline after about 2 years.

Tim V. had a great article in Winemaker magazine, concerning this subject. Sorry, I don't remember the month and year, but it is worth searching. The amount of tannins and total dissolved solids (TDS) play a major role as to when the wine is ready to drink, when the wine will peak, and start to decline.

Wine kits, which have grape packs, tend to become drinkable later, but last longer. If you like W.E, switch to one of their kits, which has a crushendo grape pack included.

 

[mmadmikes1]

Crushendo has been discontinued, Never saw a Cab Sauv that 3 years of aging wouldnt help. If you like how it taste at a year drink some. I consider LONG as 5+ years, medium as 2 to 5 and 0 to 2 short term when deciding on corks to bottle with

 

[robie]

Crushendo has been discontinued, Never saw a Cab Sauv that 3 years of aging wouldnt help. If you like how it taste at a year drink some. I consider LONG as 5+ years, medium as 2 to 5 and 0 to 2 short term when deciding on corks to bottle with

I think you can still buy crushendo kits, while the supply lasts. I know the LHBS in my area still had some two weeks ago.
Three years to get really good - is true of any cab/sav I have made. I have never made one that is referred to as "an early drinker". I think your "0 to 2" for short is likely right on, but you are right, it doesn't describe the typical cab/sav.

 

[FlavorSeeker]

Thanks for the replies. I have no control over the time-table, as this is my work commitment, so it nothing I can do about it, if it starts to decline before I can appreciate my labor (for what little is required of a kit). Below is the response I just received from Winexpert's knowledgeable and always helpful Linda...

"Try a bottle at 5 months then another a month or so later see how it develops. I myself would prefer a minimum 6 months aging as that is when the body and aroma really start to develop.

This one can be kept up to 3 years under good storage conditions and if you have added the extra 1/4 teaspoon of metabisulphite as mentioned in the instructions.

What is inside a bottle of wine has less to do with how well it may age than do the external conditions that the bottle will be stored in. Under ideal storage conditions we would expect our wines to age easily for 25 years under a good cork. The catch is, 'ideal': absence of electromagnetic radiation, including both visible and UV light, 100% relative humidity, 52 degrees F temperature that does not vary by more than 1/10th of a degree over the course of one year, and an absence of any sort of vibration. Any divergence from these conditions would reduce a wine's ageing potential.

In the nominal storage situation one finds in a suburban home, we see shorter ageing potential. In some climates, where consumers are obligated to use air conditioning, the humidity rapidly destroys corks and spoils wine. In northern climates, the heating/cooling cycle of the home lowers lifespan in the bottle, etc.

We keep our aging recommendations general. In this manner we are on an equal footing with commercial wineries, and any discussion of aging necessarily becomes a larger discussion of how you store the wine, and where.

If you'd like to do some research on the subject, I'd suggest 'How and Why to Build A Wine Cellar', By Richard, M. Gold, PhD.

Regards,

Linda"

 

[jdeere5220]

That was a very nice reply from W.E., thanks for posting it for us all.

 

[AquaCom]

W.E really do care about the "customer experience". Great reply from Linda.

 

[robie]

OK, so what is "short Term" aging?
.....depends......
My guess - "Take care of your quick drinker and it will age 3 to 5 years."