WineXpert Eclipse Marlborough NZ Sauvingon Blanc

[Boatboy24]

Figured I'd start a thread to track the progress on this, since these kits are so new. I pitched the yeast this weekend. It came with both EC-1118 and K1-V1116. You are to use both yeasts. Since the EC1118 is such a powerhouse, I gave the K1-V1116 about an hour head start. Don't know if that'll do anything at all, but it made sense in my feeble little brain.

This is the first white wine I've done. The juice smelled great, and a few days into fermentation, smells absolutely fantastic. This is probably the best smelling ferment I've done. It's nice to see such a "clean" ferment. I'm used to doing kits with grape packs and this one has no mess, no bag of fruit, etc.

This is an 18 liter kit and comes with labels and the other standard "stuff". Packets of KMeta and Sorbate, and Keiselsol and Chitosan for clearing. A bentonite packet was provided for primary, as it is for most kits.

That's all for now. I'll update as things progress.

Jim

 

[UglyJohn]

I think this is going to be my 3rd kit, I just need to wait until I bottle my Grand Cru Cab Sauvignon to free up a carboy. Per the instructions I can bottle in another week, but I may wait a week or two longer. I know I should wait even longer, but it's my starter cheapo kit, and I'm not looking for anything overly impressive with it. I'll bottle early and drink it quick to free up the bottles.

My 2nd is a Wine Expert California Zin-Syrah blend that I have much higher hopes for, but even it won't be in the carboy for too long. It's another early-ish drinker.

The Sauvignon Blanc will be my first REAL wine. I've become a big fan of the NZ wines, and it will be tough not to tear into this one before I should. I'm guessing it will be pretty good by Christmas.

I'm looking forward to how you progress on this. Are you following the instructions exactly? How long are you planning on bulk aging?

 

[ibglowin]

Sounds good Jim!

I am going to try using the V1116 yeast only when I do mine sometime this Spring. I also have the Eclipse Pinot Gris to do as well.

 

[Boatboy24]

I'm looking forward to how you progress on this. Are you following the instructions exactly? How long are you planning on bulk aging?

I plan to bulk age, but probably just for a few months. I'm thinking I'll have this one in bottles by my birthday (late May). Other than that, no tweaks expected. From what I understand, the white kits are good without much, if any tweaking, and I expect this will be good relatively early. At least I'm hoping so - it'd be nice to have this around during the warmer weather months.

 

[DoctorCAD]

Whites typically don't need to age as long as reds for best flavor. A couple of months to get over bottle shock and drink up!

 

[ibglowin]

Just remember that these higher end white kits (16-18L) like the Eclipse will continue to improve for up to two years before they have peaked as long as they have some relatively decent storage conditions. Don't quaff them all down in 8-10 mo time. Save some to age for 12-24 months at least. I have some CC Showcase Chardonnay that is 2 years old now and just freaking fantastic.

 

[Boatboy24]

This has been clearing for 10 days, so I racked tonight, as the instructions say to rack after 8 days. Going from an Italian carboy to a better bottle, I had a bottle and approximately one glass leftover. Guess where the glass went?

The wine was crystal clear and is actually outstanding already. Really. It was very melon-y when I stabilized a week ago, but is already becoming nice and crisp with subtle citrus. One more month of clearing called for before bottling. I had originaly planned to bulk age for a month or two, but considering where this wine is now and the fact that I need to make room for Chilean juice, i probably wont wait. If this kit is any indication of the quality of the Eclipse line, I'll be making many more.

I'll update again at bottling time.

 

[Wild Duk]

I've heard that the higher end Sauv Blancs are actually bottled as soon as they clear and drank soon after...

 

[ibglowin]

Sounding good. I started my Eclipse Pinot Gris last Friday!

 

[Boatboy24]

Sounding good. I started my Eclipse Pinot Gris last Friday!

Keep us posted. Like I said, I'm pretty impressed with these kits so far.

 

[SouthernChemist]

I've heard that the higher end Sauv Blancs are actually bottled as soon as they clear and drank soon after...

Usually it's an early drinking wine from what I understand. The exceptions tend to undergo oak aging of some sort.

 

[ibglowin]

There is a reason that Sauvignon Blanc is also sometimes called "Chateau Cash Flow".......

You make it fresh and can push it out the door as a baby making the ROI much faster than a big bold red that will need several years of aging and barreling.

I've heard that the higher end Sauv Blancs are actually bottled as soon as they clear and drank soon after...

 

[ibglowin]

Believe it or not, the Fume' Blanc (an oaked Sauvignon Blanc) created by Robert Mondavi is credited as being "the" wine that built Mondavi and not Cabernet Sauvignon.

Back in the 60's he pumped out millions of gallons of that stuff and sold it as fast as he could make it. It was easy to drink and had a French sounding name which people would buy without thinking about the fact that it was coming out of an obscure place back then called Napa Valley!

The exceptions tend to undergo oak aging of some sort.

 

[SouthernChemist]

Believe it or not, the Fume' Blanc (an oaked Sauvignon Blanc) created by Robert Mondavi is credited as being "the" wine that built Mondavi and not Cabernet Sauvignon.

Back in the 60's he pumped out millions of gallons of that stuff and sold it as fast as he could make it. It was easy to drink and had a French sounding name which people would buy without thinking about the fact that it was coming out of an obscure place back then called Napa Valley!

I have heard more than once that Sauvignon Blanc in parts of New Zealand is picked before the grapes are ripe (to get that herbal/grassy flavor) and then the winemakers shovel sugar into the must to boost the sugar content. Not sure how true it is, but it wouldn't surprise me.

The part about a French sounding name driving sales reminds me of the tasting experiment where oenology undergraduates were all given each a glass of red and white wine. They were asked to give their opinions in as much detail as possible. The trick was that both glasses were just white wine...one of them had red food coloring added to it! The interesting thing is that people described qualities one associates with bigger reds despite the fact it was just a white wine. No one supposedly noticed it was not a real red wine.

There was another experiment where they were given a cheap red and an expensive red...in reality, they were the same wine, just in different bottles. The one in the more expensive bottle was raved for its complexity, but the cheaper bottle received little love.

Funny where expectations will drive you...

 

[UglyJohn]

I just started my Eclipse SB last night. Can't wait to see how it turns out!

 

[Boatboy24]

I filtered this one tonight and stole a sip. It is probably the best SB I've had.

 

[ibglowin]

It should be. The pedigree is pretty darn good!

 

[Billy8998]

Just done my first racking of this. Gravity down at .990. Had a taste and now excited to get it finished. I must have made 7 or 8 NZ sauv blanc estate series but this eclipse version is clearly far improved, maybe the additional yeast. Doubt ill leave too much of this to age the year maybe 10 bottles, the rest is earmarked for BBQ season this year. The estate version was always really drinkable a month after bottling and the early indication is that this will 'eclipse' its predecessor. Pardon the pun couldn't help it!!

 

[ibglowin]

Good to hear, I have a the Eclipse Riesling on deck waiting for a carboy to open up in another month and then I will be working that one probably in the June timeframe. I have about 2 cases of EP Aussie Sauv Blanc to work through before I get the Eclipse Sauv Blanc going. The EP Sauv Blanc is pretty darn good so looking forward to comparing the two side by side. Hoping for more of the citrus/lemongrass notes that zing your tongue out of the Eclipse Kit.

 

[joshs]

Billy, how long are you planning before you bottle? I am starting the Eclipse Pinot Gris tonight or tomorrow night.

-Josh