RJ Spagnols EP Amarone

[TomK-B]

I've had this kit in bulk aging since Nov 23, 2011. I'm trying to decide when to bottle. Also, how long to age in bottle? Any suggestions?

 

[Ricky]

Hey Tom, i have this kit bulk aging for a month...lol...for what i`ve read, people are going about a year then bottling....then takin it from there... have you tasted it recently?...intresting thread...

 

[tonyt]

Two years combined at least.

 

[Wade E]

Yeah, I'd probably bottle now but if you haven't cold stabilized it yet I would do that now!

 

[TomK-B]

Yeah, Wade, I've not cold stabilized it yet. I don't have equipment for that and the temps here in Nashville are still fluctuating too much to try doing it outside. Our winter last year never really existed either. Fact is, I'd forgotten about that until I read your post. Looks like I need to try to figure something out.

 

[TomK-B]

Oh, Ricky, you asked if I'd tasted it yet. Well, I had a tiny little sip of it about six months ago. It was surely the best wine I've made to this point. I couldn't really tell much about the body because of the small sample I had. Lots of dark fruit. Still pretty tight and heavy on the oak, but with time, this is going to be really, really good.

 

[TomK-B]

OK, time for an update. I did get the EP Amarone cold stabilized by setting it out on the porch for a couple of weeks. Sure enough, the bottom of the carboy was covered with diamonds. I bottled it yesterday after having it in bulk aging for 16 months. I got 30 beautiful bottles and had enough left for another bottle, probably. But I had no more bottles to gather it, so I put the last bit in my decanter. Hey, I might as well enjoy it at this point.

The first glass was still pretty tight. Gripping tannin, lots of oak, all that sort of stuff. I put the decanter in the refrigerator until I got home tonight when I pulled it out and let it warm up a bit. After about 26 hours of decanting this stuff is really amazing! Dark cherry, chocolate, toasted oak, very smooth, integrated tannin, and that slight bitterness on the long, long finish. This is by far the best wine I've made to date.

So, here is my question. What is the bottle aging equivalent to 26 hours of decanting?

 

[vabeachbear]

OK, time for an update. I did get the EP Amarone cold stabilized by setting it out on the porch for a couple of weeks. Sure enough, the bottom of the carboy was covered with diamonds. I bottled it yesterday after having it in bulk aging for 16 months. I got 30 beautiful bottles and had enough left for another bottle, probably. But I had no more bottles to gather it, so I put the last bit in my decanter. Hey, I might as well enjoy it at this point.

The first glass was still pretty tight. Gripping tannin, lots of oak, all that sort of stuff. I put the decanter in the refrigerator until I got home tonight when I pulled it out and let it warm up a bit. After about 26 hours of decanting this stuff is really amazing! Dark cherry, chocolate, toasted oak, very smooth, integrated tannin, and that slight bitterness on the long, long finish. This is by far the best wine I've made to date.

So, here is my question. What is the bottle aging equivalent to 26 hours of decanting?

Not sure about the 26 hours of refrigeration question, but I bulk aged for a year, then bottled for a year. Unfortunately, that year of bottling won't be up until this upcoming Thanksgiving.

I did do 3 splits though, which I planned to taste every four months of the bottling year. The one I had last week was good, but I'd say it was much better two hours after opening. I opened and let it air out for an hour then drank. The last glass was much better than the first. I can't wait for Thanksgiving this year.

My two years for the Super Tuscan will be Christmas. Never looked forward to the holiday season as this upcoming year!

 

[TomK-B]

Well, I've laid all the bottles in a rubbermaid tub and "buried" it in the back/bottom of one of our closets until Christmas - at least. Then I plan to get out a bottle and give it a serious taste test. Beachbear, we'll have to compare tasting notes!

 

[phat]

Well, Mine has been bulk aging for a year, and I bottled yesterday. Tasted very good then. I'm planning on burying it in the back corner of the cellar room - in an area of my wall rack that I usually have to move boxes to get wine out of it