WineXpert Eclipse vs Selection California Chardonnays?

[lilvixen]

As I was perusing LabelPeelers wine kit sale, I saw a review on the WE Selection California Chardonnay that a customer preferred it over the Eclipse. I haven't done any of WE's high-end kits yet, so I'm curious - has anyone else tried both these and do you have a preference? I like oaked chardonnays, so I'll be oaking the Eclipse if I get it. With the sale, the Selection looks pretty enticing.

 

[jgmann67]

As I was perusing LabelPeelers wine kit sale, I saw a review on the WE Selection California Chardonnay that a customer preferred it over the Eclipse. I haven't done any of WE's high-end kits yet, so I'm curious - has anyone else tried both these and do you have a preference? I like oaked chardonnays, so I'll be oaking the Eclipse if I get it. With the sale, the Selection looks pretty enticing.

I did the SE Australian Chard and oaked it. Very good. If it's me, and I'm oaking it, I'd give the SE Cali Chard a chance.

 

[wineh]

As I was perusing LabelPeelers wine kit sale, I saw a review on the WE Selection California Chardonnay that a customer preferred it over the Eclipse. I haven't done any of WE's high-end kits yet, so I'm curious - has anyone else tried both these and do you have a preference? I like oaked chardonnays, so I'll be oaking the Eclipse if I get it. With the sale, the Selection looks pretty enticing.

While I do like a buttery oaky chardonnay, the Eclipse dry creek Chardonnay is unoaked on purpose, so I made it that way, and its delicious. I just picked up my second one yesterday and will make it unoaked again. Try the Luna Bianca if you like buttery (off dry) chardonnay

 

[jgmann67]

While I do like a buttery oaky chardonnay, the Eclipse dry creek Chardonnay is unoaked on purpose, so I made it that way, and its delicious. I just picked up my second one yesterday and will make it unoaked again. Try the Luna Bianca if you like buttery (off dry) chardonnay

I agree here. The Luna is currently in rotation. I dropped half the Fpac in the primary, the other half in the finish. After about 9 months in the bottle, it is an exceptional wine for the price.

 

[lilvixen]

The Luna Blanca looks good; I think I may prefer that too. @wineh and @jgmann67, what were your final SGs with the half or full f-pac?

 

[jgmann67]

The Luna Blanca looks good; I think I may prefer that too. @wineh and @jgmann67, what were your final SGs with the half or full f-pac?

IIRC - I poured half the fpac in the primary. Fermented to dry (0.990) and backsweetened with the remaining amount to about 0.999. Now, I had a problem with my fpac (in that my wife threw it away thinking that it was turkey gravy goon bad). So, I got another from the retailer and backsweetened with more like 2/3 of the container to get to 0.998.

I would be okay with it at 0.996 or better.

 

[wineh]

The Luna Blanca looks good; I think I may prefer that too. @wineh and @jgmann67, what were your final SGs with the half or full f-pac?

Made it twice so far and both got to .991, even though the instructions say it won't get below .998. I think that WE has changed the formula, and while they encourage us to always read the instructions, they don't read their own. It was however around .998 after I added the F-pac.

 

[geek]

I also made the Luna Bianca twice and is very good.

 

[lilvixen]

Thanks for all the advice. I just ordered a Luna Bianca during FineVineWines weekly sale. I'm looking forward to this one.

 

[dcbrown73]

I made the Eclipse Chardonnay. I oaked half of it and left the other half unoaked.

It's about 7 months old right now and I tasted both versions. Early on the unoaked was very rough and the oaked tasted like it was going to be a lot better.

After the recent tasting (7 months in) The unoaked has come roaring back and they are very comparable now in how good they are. I happen to prefer oaked chardonnays for the most part, but with how quickly the unoaked is coming back. I'm not sure the unoaked version won't end up better than my oaked portion.

Needless to say, I'm very happy with the results thus far at 7 months.

Oaked on the left.

 

[ceeaton]

.

Needless to say, I'm very happy with the results thus far at 7 months.

My family and I have noticed that the kit made as is was very good early on. The wonderful fruitiness in the young wine was noticeably less after 7 months (my older brother made the same kit last January, we tested his first bottle against mine that I had made earlier (October 2015) in about mid-April of this year). I haven't had a bottle for some time since I gave a case to my Mom for her 82nd b-day at the end of June. With the last tasting, I noticed it got extremely dry (ie. the fruit went South for the Summer) as it aged. Still a very nice wine but there was a nice drink-ability early on.

 

[dcbrown73]

My family and I have noticed that the kit made as is was very good early on. The wonderful fruitiness in the young wine was noticeably less after 7 months (my older brother made the same kit last January, we tested his first bottle against mine that I had made earlier (October 2015) in about mid-April of this year). I haven't had a bottle for some time since I gave a case to my Mom for her 82nd b-day at the end of June. With the last tasting, I noticed it got extremely dry (ie. the fruit went South for the Summer) as it aged. Still a very nice wine but there was a nice drink-ability early on.

I want to like this post, but I can't.

 

[ceeaton]

I want to like this post, but I can't.

I'm not saying the wine degraded, unless you were looking for that fruitiness to remain. It just really changed more than I expected. I'll try and open a bottle since my wife has off this weekend and we'll try and compare and contrast it to what we remember from this Spring (going into the wine sanctuary now, said all the prayers, and removed the bottle without being struck by lightning).

 

[dcbrown73]

I'm not saying the wine degraded, unless you were looking for that fruitiness to remain. It just really changed more than I expected. I'll try and open a bottle since my wife has off this weekend and we'll try and compare and contrast it to what we remember from this Spring (going into the wine sanctuary now, said all the prayers, and removed the bottle without being struck by lightning).

Well, I wish you the best of luck because your good luck will be mine too.

If it is falling flat. Maybe I should just start drinking it now! hah

 

[ceeaton]

Well, I wish you the best of luck because your good luck will be mine too.

If it is falling flat. Maybe I should just start drinking it now! hah

It's not that I remember it being "flat", but the wonderful, juicy fruit became much more subdued. Like I said, still a good wine, just really liked that fruitiness.

So here is a picture of my weekend challenge. About to tell the wife what we must do, I'm expecting a squeal of joy when I confront her with our weekend plan.

Edit: only a smile (about like the one to the left of the bottle), no squeal.

 

[cimbaliw]

Tonight we're enjoying a 2 year old Eclipse chard. Over time I've made both the selection series chardonnay and the eclipse chard. I've also made selection viognier and luva bella California chard juice buckets. I've experimented with oak and yeast strains. In retrospect the Eclipse chard has been our favorite but we've truly enjoyed then all. They'll vary month to month and occasionally, bottle to bottle. They'll give you plenty to talk about. Enjoy!

BC

 

[ceeaton]

Opened the bottle of Eclipse Dry Creek Chardonnay started 10/8/2015. Both my wife and I am enjoying, very smooth, I get noticeable stone fruit in the nose, nice acidity right off the bat, not as dry as I remembered it this Spring/early Summer. I have somewhat of a tasting issue since I've been battling a cold for a week that moved into my lungs two days ago. Been Zicham-ing lot's of vitamins, so I can still smell, just not as refined as usual, so I have to depend on my wife's comments. I hear the vacu-vin going, so she's already hit her second glass (in 10 minutes) so I think it is still a winner. The mouth feel is still very round and middle of the road (ie. not overly heavy or overly light).

Sorry, don't have the flowery descriptions down like you do, but overall I think you will be fine, don't drink it all tomorrow, or the next day as I think what is left of our batch is now on the upswing from this summer (ie. if you like it at 7 months I think it will improve over time, how much time I'm not sure, you can inform us of that over the next few years).

 

[Boatboy24]

I have somewhat of a tasting issue since I've been battling a cold for a week that moved into my lungs two days ago. Been Zicham-ing lot's of vitamins, so I can still smell, just not as refined as usual, so I have to depend on my wife's comments.

Zicam is awesome, but absolutely kills your taste buds for a day or so.

 

[ceeaton]

Zicam is awesome, but absolutely kills your taste buds for a day or so.

Used it Saturday night, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, then ran out. Figured I got it pretty early. Do have symptoms but nothing like others at work. Most had to take a day or two off, but I was able to muddle through and not use up any vacation time (just warned people to keep their distance). Things are looking up. Evening and right after waking up are the worse (once in the shower the steam loosens things up).

 

[Boatboy24]

Used it Saturday night, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, then ran out. Figured I got it pretty early. Do have symptoms but nothing like others at work. Most had to take a day or two off, but I was able to muddle through and not use up any vacation time (just warned people to keep their distance). Things are looking up. Evening and right after waking up are the worse (once in the shower the steam loosens things up).

When I feel a cold, I take Zicam every few hours (per recommendation) and pop Airborne twice a day. Usually kicks a cold in 48 hours or so.