RJ Spagnols Grand Cru International California Syrah

[gonzo46307]

With dried grape skin pack...

I'm trying to do different kits to see how they turn out. This is my first Spagnols kit. I've done a couple of kits with juice grapeskin packs, so it'll be interesting to see how the dried grape pack compares. It's a < $100 kit, so I'm being realistic. I'm going to start it Thursday...so I'll update then.

Peace,
Bob

 

[Rocky]

Bob, I suspect you are going to be very pleasantly surprised with this wine. I am always pleased with RJS products. One thing I suggest is that you remove the stems that I see in the bag. I would dump the bag into a colander and pick through them before putting them in the wine or in a bag (which I recommend).

 

[gonzo46307]

Beginning SG is 1.100. Like Rocky suggested, I picked the stems out of the drypack. It was kind of strange, the kit came with a plastic bag of oak chips, but then it also had what the instructions said was an "infusion" bag, that contained oak chips too. Not sure what the point of having the separate oaks is, but I followed the instructions. It says to stir every two days, I'll probably just do it everyday until it's ready for the secondary.

Peace,
Bob

 

[rjb222]

Beginning SG is 1.100. Like Rocky suggested, I picked the stems out of the drypack. It was kind of strange, the kit came with a plastic bag of oak chips, but then it also had what the instructions said was an "infusion" bag, that contained oak chips too. Not sure what the point of having the separate oaks is, but I followed the instructions. It says to stir every two days, I'll probably just do it everyday until it's ready for the secondary.

Peace,
Bob

I always punch down every day it is a good practice. I have asked why some oak is in a bag and other is loose in a foil or cello pack. I am told that it is to do with the profile they are trying to get to with the wine but which oak is handled which way as to what is bagged and loose is proprietary.