It begins... RJS Cellar Series Cabernet

[cmason1957]

That day came and went a week ago. I haven't checked it since feeding a little nutrient over the weekend. But up to that point, the need hasn't moved much if at all.

Nutrient this late in the ferment probably wasn't the best thing you could do. The yeast aren't going to use it, probably.

I know the directions don't indicate this, but I leave it for about 21 days and never bother checking the SG. It gets down to whatever it gets down to.

 

[jgmann67]

Well, there was no change at all. So, we moved on. It's going to sit for 3 months now.

The one thing I didn't think to do was to try a different hydrometer and see if the reading is different. But, it actually tasted pretty decent. So, I feel like moving on was the best option.


Worked the wine with a drill for a good while to release any remaining CO2 (not much happened, though). Dosed with KMeta and the liquid clearing agents. I deviated from the directions a bit. I skipped the Sorbate, and added 2 oz. of medium toast French oak chips in a sock. I nuked some hot water in a cup and let the chips soak for about 15 min, then placed the chips (and poured the remaining oak tea) in the carboy; sealed it up and moved it from the work table.

The silty lees at the bottom of the carboy were pretty thick.

What I learned tonight : When you're moving wine, you should keep a close eye on the end of the siphon hose else half a bottle will spill on the floor. Oops.

 

[Boatboy24]

What I learned tonight : When you're moving wine, you should keep a close eye on the end of the siphon hose else half a bottle will spill on the floor. Oops.

Been there, done that. When pumping the auto-siphon, the hose may or may not have been pulled right out of the carboy, resulting in racking from carboy to floor. Not a concern anymore, now that I have an AI1.

 

[jgmann67]

I went down to marvel at my handiwork when I got home tonight. Only another 89 days to go.... "The suspense is killing me - I hope it lasts." (Extra points if you know the movie and character).

 

[jgmann67]

Jim,

I just ordered a floor corker. It's somewhere on a truck in the middle of the country and is due to be delivered the middle of next week. You are more than welcome to try it out once I get it, I just ask that I get to use it once myself.

Craig - along the "I have serious impulse control issues" line... I picked up a Portuguese floor corker this afternoon off of craigslist. Looks and acts like brand new.

 

[ceeaton]

The one I ordered was the Burgundy version of the Portuguese Floor corker. Nice and heavy. Was just under $80 delivered. Haven't figured out which corks I'm going to settle on. Bought 30 1 3/4" First Quality corks and the same size Nomacorks. Recorked a few open bottles in the fridge to annoy my wife, but I haven't done a whole batch yet. I assume you got a good deal off of Craig's list.

 

[jgmann67]

The one I ordered was the Burgundy version of the Portuguese Floor corker. Nice and heavy. Was just under $80 delivered. Haven't figured out which corks I'm going to settle on. Bought 30 1 3/4" First Quality corks and the same size Nomacorks. Recorked a few open bottles in the fridge to annoy my wife, but I haven't done a whole batch yet. I assume you got a good deal off of Craig's list.

$40, like new. Fairly heavy. Still has the tag on it.

 

[jgmann67]

Visited my wine this morning and noticed that the oak lost its buoyancy last night. There's a soggy oak sock at the bottom of the carboy (near as I can tell... can't really see through the wine quite yet, I just know it's not floating at the top anymore).

It looks outstanding and I want to taste it in the worst way. But, I'm going completely hands off for at least two months (and more likely three, then rack, dose with kmeta and bottle if it's clear).

 

[jgmann67]

It's been a while since I posted an update.

The carboy has some sediment at the bottom, but nothing like the prior racking. It's a deep purple in color and it's impossible to see through to the other side of the carboy. I can hold the iPhone flashlight up on the other side and it looks like a dim LED Christmas light.

The sock o' oak is gone from my view. Guessing it's just sitting at the bottom.

Other than checking the air lock, there's nothing to do but wait... And make more wine.

 

[jgmann67]

Good grief, this wine looks good. Sediment on the bottom is about 1/2" deep. The wine is a constant 61*.

Btw - after the spillage incident, I topped it off with a left bank Bordeaux.

 

[ceeaton]

Jim, I think your cellar is infested by wine genies. I see one taking a picture of you in that carboy. Either that or it is giving you a strange hand gesture. I hope they are friendly and don't drink too much of your wine.

 

[jgmann67]

Them wine genies is everywhere.

 

[jgmann67]

I thiefed a taste tonight. Young, acidic and a little sweet.

 

[jgmann67]

Doing pretty well this. A snort of a taste and it's actually quite good considering it's still got another month or so in the carboy and 6 months in a bottle on a shelf before I think about digging in.

 

[jgmann67]

This one has been in finishing since 4/7. Six weeks have gone by and I'm itching to bottle it. I may be able to restrain myself for another 2 weeks. But, don't think I'm going to make it to July (the original plan for bottling).

I can see the sock o' oak at the bottom - it's laying against the one side. At 6 weeks, I'm thinking I got all the benefit I can out of it.

I do not plan to tweak this wine any more than I have. What do I lose by bottling on the weekend of June 7th instead of July 7th? Also, dose w/KMeta before bottling?

 

[cmason1957]

Yes, add kmeta a day or so before bottling. You lose whatever magic that can happen in bulk, but not in a bottle and that does exist. As a point of reference, I have some kits bulk adding for 9 months to 2 years. It does smooth them out and mature them.

 

[wineinmd]

This one has been in finishing since 4/7. Six weeks have gone by and I'm itching to bottle it. I may be able to restrain myself for another 2 weeks. But, don't think I'm going to make it to July (the original plan for bottling).

I can see the sock o' oak at the bottom - it's laying against the one side. At 6 weeks, I'm thinking I got all the benefit I can out of it.

I do not plan to tweak this wine any more than I have. What do I lose by bottling on the weekend of June 7th instead of July 7th? Also, dose w/KMeta before bottling?

Why are you anxious to move it at this point? Are you trying to free up a carboy?

 

[jgmann67]

No. Just REALLY want to see this in the bottle on a shelf. It's an unfinished project till it is.

 

[wineinmd]

No. Just REALLY want to see this in the bottle on a shelf. It's an unfinished project till it is.

Hide the carboy and put the empty bottles you plan to use on the shelf for now. It really isn't a finished project until the wine is ready to drink anyway, no?

Fast forward to drinking time and ask yourself if you'd rather have the magical benefits of bulk aging or the long-since passed gratification of bottling sooner.

 

[ehammonds]

Break the bottles. You can replace them in six months. I know it's hard, I bottled my first batch at about two months. I'm wishing I had waited. Now I try to bulk 4-6 months, followed by barrel, currently 3 months, then bottle age at least 3 months.