RJ Spagnols Cru Select Valpol. Ripassa

[dinolan]

I've had this bulk aging for about 7 mos now. I took a little taste today and WOW, is it oakey! It tasted like I was chewing on a hunk of oak from the mill. I sure hope it mellows with some more aging, otherwise I would consider it undrinkable its so strong a taste. I like oak, but I kinda feel like I have roots growing now.

 

[robie]

The longer it ages, the more the oakiness will diminish. However, if it is that oakie, it likely will not be what you desire for a long, long time.

Did you add extra oak or just what came with the kit?

Other than buying some commercial version of the wine and blending, if you really, really (Really!) like the wine, you can make another of the same kit, without adding oak, and blend the two.

That's about all you can do.

 

[cpfan]

My notes on this kit are probably from it's first release (March 2006), but the notes say that the kit contained 2 heavy toast oak teabags and 2 bags of oak shavings (60g). That's a fair amount, but not the most I've seen.

I'd like to make this kit at some point, but I doubt that I would use all of the included oak.

Steve

 

[dinolan]

Robie-Nope, I didn't add anything extra. It was the just the amounts of oak cpfan noted in his reply. Boy, this is gonna have to age a looooooong time to loose all that wood. I don't plan on making another valp. in the near future, so I'll let it sit.

 

[robie]

Robie-Nope, I didn't add anything extra. It was the just the amounts of oak cpfan noted in his reply. Boy, this is gonna have to age a looooooong time to loose all that wood. I don't plan on making another valp. in the near future, so I'll let it sit.

Found what I was looking for. There is hope for your wine. read this:

http://www.winemakermag.com/component/resource/article/993-egg-white-fining-overoaking-wine-wizard

Good luck!

 

[ibglowin]

Just throwing this one out (not to offend the OP), but are you sure that what you are tasting is in actuality oak (think vanilla) and not just harsh tannins from a young wine that needs more time to mellow?

I am just surprised that an italian varietal which is not normally an oak monster would end up with that flavor profile at 7 months.

 

[robie]

Oops! I was wrong, That article says there is nothing but blending that can be done. Sorry for the false hope!

 

[dinolan]

Just throwing this one out (not to offend the OP), but are you sure that what you are tasting is in actuality oak (think vanilla) and not just harsh tannins from a young wine that needs more time to mellow?

I am just surprised that an italian varietal which is not normally an oak monster would end up with that flavor profile at 7 months.

Well, it tastes strongly of wood. I suppose to could be the heavy, harsh tannins I taste. It is a ripassa, which traditionally has high tannin levels. I'm not gonna toss it, I'll bottle it soon and let it sit for awhile before testing it again.

 

[Wade E]

I made this kit before they added any grapeskins to it when it was a limited edition but Im pretty sure everything else was the same. Mine is approximately 4 years old now and is awesome IMO. I dont recall it being to oaky to me but I love the "Oak Monster" myself and tend to add extra oak to most of my red wines.

 

[dinolan]

I made this kit before they added any grapeskins to it when it was a limited edition but Im pretty sure everything else was the same. Mine is approximately 4 years old now and is awesome IMO. I dont recall it being to oaky to me but I love the "Oak Monster" myself and tend to add extra oak to most of my red wines.

You'd like this one. There's a bottle or 3 with your name on themt once its bottled that is. then

 

[Wade E]

It will mellow with time. I ferment mine to dry in bucket so mine probably even sat on the oak longer then yours did.

 

[ibglowin]

Ah ha!

I am thinking its not oak but harsh Tannins. You have heard of the term "green" wine. It comes from the herbaceous taste that wine has when young. Some of the kit wines have very little tannins, higher quality have much, much more.

I thought I had tasted green wine until I tasted my fresh grape cabernet sauvignon right after pressing. Talk about something that tasted like twigs and seeds! The only kit I have tasted that has come close to that taste is my La Bodega Port. Its a very BITTER taste that you can't ever forget.

I bet this guy will be great, just give him another 6 months to settle down. Perhaps bottle a couple of splits to test first before opening a full bottle.

Well, it tastes strongly of wood. I suppose to could be the heavy, harsh tannins I taste. It is a ripassa, which traditionally has high tannin levels. I'm not gonna toss it, I'll bottle it soon and let it sit for awhile before testing it again.

 

[Dugger]

I made a Valpolicella a little over a year ago and added extra oak to up it a bit but forgot about it and overoaked. I decided to use it as topping up wine and have used up about half of it that way, so this is an option for you.

 

[dinolan]

I'll keep my fingers crossed and hope it does mellow. Time will tell. I hope to avoid having to blend the oak taste out. We'll see.