WineXpert I’ve started!

[MedPretzel]

I've started my Cabernet Franc kit yesterday!





It's started to bubble away slowly this afternoon. I am so excited! I will keep you posted!

Martina

 

[greenbean]

Good luck!


Chris

 

[Hippie]

Alright Martina! You are a kit maker now!

 

[rgecaprock]

Hi everyone,


Been kind of busy lately haven't checked in. Today I bottled my VR Cab that has been bulk aging for 76 days. Have to say I am pretty disappointed.

There was no tannin, no oak and very flat tasting with a slightly bitter finish. It is drinkable though, not quitea sink guzzler. I did everything as instructed so just don't know what it is. All my other kits have been excellent, what is the problem? I'm wondering if it is the kit quality? I wasn't very expensive, my second kit so didn't want to go all out since I was just learning. What questions do you have for me or what do you think could have taken place

....Ramona

 

[greenbean]

Ramona,


It's hard to say what happened when we don't have a play by play of what you did. I'm not saying you did anything wrong but we are in the dark as much as you without knowing anything about what you did.





Chris

 

[Joseph1]

The VR Cab kit, containing a lower juice to concentrate ratio, is a different quality kit than a Selection or Estate. Generally a wine made from this kit will not have the complexity of the higher end kits. They are intended for drinking sooner, rather than for extended aging. That being said, a VR Cab did get a gold medal in the recent WineMaker Magazine competition (although I don’t know if he followed the instructions).
<?amespace prefix = o ns = "urnchemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" />
You tasted this wine after bottling, were the other kits that were excellent tasted at this same stage? The jostling and handling during bottling will have different affects on different wines. Everyone has different taste experiences. In mine, one possible cause of a slightly bitter finish is excess CO2 in the wine. What was your process for degassing the wine?

You are right not to feed it to the sink. Give it some time in the bottle. Many a winemaker has been disappointed at bottling only to be very pleasantly surprised after several months bottle aging.

 

[RAMROD]

I totally agree with Joseph even with the Island Mist kits witch are supposed to be good to drink as soon as you bottle. I bottled my Island Mist White Zinfandel 4/3/05 and it tasted ok at the time but now and I mean right now the fruit flavor has really came out and it taste great.

 

[Hippie]

Ramona, I think that cab will be alot better after 3 months in the bottle somewhere dark and cool. Bulk aging is not the same as bottle aging.

 

[rgecaprock]

Thank you all,


I'll just put the Cab away in my cabinet and forget it for a while.. I have some Gerwurtztraminer to keep me occupied and just ordered some Viognier from George. My blackbery is clearing nicely too. Gonna read some posts for a while. Again, Thanks...Ramona

 

[MedPretzel]

I racked the Cab Franc wine again yesterday. It has finished fermenting for a while now. I haven't really degassed (I hate that part) yet, but I was wondering - do you all filter kit wines? I'm not sure if I should or not. Since the wine is extremely dark, I'm not sure if I need to or not.





Any suggestions?

 

[masta]

No need to filter kit wines if you follow the instructions and use the fining agents......I like to give my wines 3 weeks to settle out and then bottle.

 

[PolishWineP]

We sometimes do an extra racking or 2 on our kits. When you're racking and it gets towards the bottom you won't have any trouble seeing if there's a lot or lees down there. We just top up with a similar wine and let it sit again. Nothing like a nice, clean wine!

 

[MedPretzel]

Finished! I bottled today!





I want to give 10 bottles to my best friend, who got married about a month ago, and is having her reception at the end of the month. Here's the tentative label, but something's missing, I think.

And for each year (10 max), the last line will read: "Drinkable on June 9, 2007" or 2008, 2009, etc etc.





Something's missing though, but I'm not sure what. Any constructive criticism would be helpful and appreciated!





Martina

 

[PolishWineP]

I believe I would add an 's to Cheryl. It should read, Cheryl's&amp; David's. That's my input.

 

[rgecaprock]

Are you planning a bottle for each of the yearly anniversaries up to ten years? If so, then I would probably say something like "To be enjoyedon 9 June 2006, your 2nd anniversary" something like that maybe.


Ramona

 

[Vaughn]

Okay, I've got 2 cents.


The word "drinkable" is bothering me here. The connotation of this word is that the contents of the bottle can be swallowed without becoming ill.


How about "To be enjoyed on..."

 

[AAASTINKIE]

That man looks just like Roland is he related?

 

[smurfe]

Okay, I've got 2 cents.


The word "drinkable" is bothering me here. The connotation of this word is that the contents of the bottle can be swallowed without becoming ill.


How about "To be enjoyed on..."

Gotta say I agree on that one. "To be enjoyed on June 9...." or "In celebration on June 9th...." something like so.


Smurfe

Edited by: smurfe

 

[MedPretzel]

Thank you everyone, I will do it soon, and post the pic once I do. I appreciate all your help. Like I said, it was a rough first-draft.





Thanks a million for the constructive help!!

 

[MedPretzel]

Final gift. 2 Glasses were included, and it was all put in a picnic basket. I hope they like it. The big day is Saturday!!!!