Bartman
Senior Member
For the Super Bowl, we opened a double bottle of my MM Alljuice Chianti, and I had high hopes for it to have really blossomed. It was started in Nov. 2008, and bottled in May 2009, so it was a little over 2 years old. I made it per directions, fermenting to dry in the carboy, only adding the supplied oak. Decanted for ~20 minutes before pouring glasses
The verdict: Pretty Good but not great. Tastes like Chianti should taste, but like a $10 Chianti. Pretty thin mouthfeel. I had hoped it would come along from the 1-year mark, but it really hasn't changed much. If anything, it's a little "flatter".
So, what should I do to make a better Chianti (apart from Master's Edition/Meglioli)?
1) Add grape pack or raisins at fermentation - which one?
2) Add some extra light toast oak spiral(s)
3) Bulk age another 3-6 months
Any other suggestions? Thanks for your input.
The verdict: Pretty Good but not great. Tastes like Chianti should taste, but like a $10 Chianti. Pretty thin mouthfeel. I had hoped it would come along from the 1-year mark, but it really hasn't changed much. If anything, it's a little "flatter".
So, what should I do to make a better Chianti (apart from Master's Edition/Meglioli)?
1) Add grape pack or raisins at fermentation - which one?
2) Add some extra light toast oak spiral(s)
3) Bulk age another 3-6 months
Any other suggestions? Thanks for your input.