Started this kit 9 months ago. It is still bulk aging but I couldn't resist the urge to taste it so I used my wine thief to extract a small sample. Oh my was it good! It's still a little green but it was amazingly good at 9 months. We could easily drink it all now but we're going to let it age another 9 to 15 months. Can't wait to see what it becomes. We have a Vintners Reserve Merlot that we started a week after the Eclipse. We sampled it as well. It seemed harsher and less mature than the Eclipse which surprised me. I would have expected the less expensive kit to mature faster.
WineXpert Eclipse Stags Leap Merlot
- Thread starter jgmann67
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Ok, so I broke down.....again. Got this kit aging in bottles, bad mistake because I'm drinking it, and just ordered another to start this weekend. When this ones done, it's staying in big glass (or a barrel if Santa's on his game) for a good long time before bottling.
barbiek
barbiek
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Well I racked mine and put into long term storage. It had a dryer taste to it than I previously announced can't wait to give it another try in 3 mos before adding a lil kmeta! I intend to bulk age for a year hoping I can keep my nose out of it till it gets bottled!
Boatboy24
No longer a newbie, but still clueless.
Mine is just shy of 18 months now. I had a bottle a week or two ago. It's quite good, but not ready for prime time. Two years ago, I'd have probably drank half of it by now. But knowing what some of these higher end kits are like at the 2+ year mark, I try to have a little restraint. It ain't easy though. 
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Mine is just shy of 18 months now. I had a bottle a week or two ago. It's quite good, but not ready for prime time. Two years ago, I'd have probably drank half of it by now. But knowing what some of these higher end kits are like at the 2+ year mark, I try to have a little restraint. It ain't easy though.
I don't know that I can wait that long. [emoji51]
I made 6 of the tasters (bottles of 375ml). Three are gone. That means I'll be fighting the urge to open a 750 ml bottle within a year (@ about 18 months old).
I think mine's about the same age, maybe a tad younger (don't have notes at work), although I bottled it in about three months. I've had a few bottles and found it to be coming along quite nicely, but wish I'd left it in bulk for a lot longer. It's not dropping sediment or having any issues being in the bottle, other than my urges to "taste" it monthly. Last tasting, the up front fruit had begun to mellow, but for me, not enough oak in my process is showing through. I'll do better on the next batch, supposed to be delivered tomorrow.
Had a 750ml with dinner tonight. It continues to please... Mellowing and integrating nicely. According to my wife - "wow, this is good."
The SLD Merlot is 9 months old, now. It's still a long while till it hits "prime time," I think. I am so afraid of plowing through it because it's to tasty right now. Need to resolve not to tap another .375 until the one year mark. Give me strength...
If you are enjoying it that much already my advice to you is simple: make more immediately. And make a lot -- a 3 year supply. That way you won't have to resist it and you will be drinking even better bottles 3 years from now.
My problem is the opposite. 2 years have passed on a number of my early kits and still have no problem resisting them.
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Boatboy24
No longer a newbie, but still clueless.
Mine is almost 18 months. While it's come a long way, I think it still has 6-12 more.
6-12 and more. Ours is approaching three years and is still improving. Unfortunately there's not much left
I promise I'll open and enjoy the 375 ml bottle you gave me this weekend. I'll post that it is terrible and that will help you wait a bit longer.
Now if you believe that (that I'd tell you it's terrible), I've got some really hot swamp land down in central Florida for you to take a look at...
This is just terrible. jg, just give it up. Take the two cases of that to work and put in my brothers trunk. It would hurt you too much to have to throw it out, I'll do it for you. In a few years I'll return the bottles, enough said.
Cellar temp is 59.2*F, liking it better as it warms up. I think this is still too young in that the oak is still strong in this one. I think as the oak intensity dies down with aging more of the complexity will shine though.
Don't get me wrong, it is very good. I would love to sample some more in a year or two. I'm getting a little young wine sour note (reminds me of my Merlot blend) with the dark fruit flavors. It is very fruit forward but getting hidden by the oak a bit. As it warms in my hand I think it is balancing out more. I really like the mouth feel on this one. Well done. Very enjoyable for being so young. Cheers!
Edit: second glass is better than the first. I think the Chianti I have been drinking is a little low in the oak category, took some internal taste bud realignments.
Cellar temp is 59.2*F, liking it better as it warms up. I think this is still too young in that the oak is still strong in this one. I think as the oak intensity dies down with aging more of the complexity will shine though.
Don't get me wrong, it is very good. I would love to sample some more in a year or two. I'm getting a little young wine sour note (reminds me of my Merlot blend) with the dark fruit flavors. It is very fruit forward but getting hidden by the oak a bit. As it warms in my hand I think it is balancing out more. I really like the mouth feel on this one. Well done. Very enjoyable for being so young. Cheers!
Edit: second glass is better than the first. I think the Chianti I have been drinking is a little low in the oak category, took some internal taste bud realignments.
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I agree and thank you. I'll be aerating and letting it sit a bit in the glass before tasting the next one.
It's definitely the decanting that helped. That mixed up "teenager" flavor profile fell in line with a little aeration. The oak and sour cherry with plum flavors are much better matched now, plus like I said before, I haven't had any oaky wines in the past week or so, took some getting used to, but now it is perfect, intensity wise. This is really enjoyable. You have to take it to a neighbors house who doesn't enjoy wine or else you'll be in it every week or so.
FYI, that bottle is history.
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scram
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So, this wine of mine is about 1 year old. I opened up a bottle to top off a carboy that is currently bulk aging. I like smokey and oaky wine but this oak is just overpowering. I hope another 6 months to a year more of age will calm the oak and let it fall back... I have a larger concern that I have not encountered yet until now. The wine was quite cloudy. I can only assume that every bottle is suffering this cloudy disaster. I am thinking I will open all bottles, dump them into a carboy, add some kmeta & sparkolloid and allowed time to clear. Anybody agree? Have any better ideas? Thanks in advance! Cheers!
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