WineXpert LE Triumph

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Jc5066

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Started my LE Triumph today. Going to be a long wait! Hopefully we'll worth it.

I was surprised there were no skins. Just juice and oak.

Anyone else doing this kit?
 
No skins? I have mine "on deck" and I was expecting skins. Bummer
 
Started my kit Feb. 15th. No skins is correct.
Replaced supplied yeast with RS Pasteur Red.
Added K-meta yesterday as well as degassed.

Thanks,

Steve
 
Started mine on Feb 16. It's still in the secondary. My starting SG was 1.096 but I bumped it up to 1.100. Used the yeast that came with it (EC-1118). The only oak that came with it was the 90 grams of oak shavings and I added that to the primary. Racked to the secondary at 0.998. Will probably stabilize early next week.

Dave
 
Mine also came with 18L of juice and no skins. Included 60g of French Heavy dust and 30g of French Medium dust. I substituted MT yeast and will likely bulk age on French oak. Still in primary.
 
Started mine on Feb 16. It's still in the secondary. My starting SG was 1.096 but I bumped it up to 1.100. Used the yeast that came with it (EC-1118). The only oak that came with it was the 90 grams of oak shavings and I added that to the primary. Racked to the secondary at 0.998. Will probably stabilize early next week.

Dave

Curious as to whether you plan to backsweeten it? I haven't used sorbate on any of my kits in a couple of years and I think it is an improvement...
 
Curious as to whether you plan to backsweeten it? I haven't used sorbate on any of my kits in a couple of years and I think it is an improvement...

Improvement? As in leaving it out? This is just my second kit, and added sorbate to both. Wondering if I should leave it out altogether moving forward.
My starting S.G. was somewhere around 1.096 (don't have notes in front of me), but ended up 0.092.
I was giving some thought to backsweeten it, in any case at least I have the sorbate in this if I choose to go with sweetening it.
Lastly, I added around a cup of Hungarian med. toast cubes.

Thanks,

Steve
 
Why would you want to back-sweeten this wine? (Serious question)
 
Curious as to whether you plan to backsweeten it? I haven't used sorbate on any of my kits in a couple of years and I think it is an improvement...

I now do the same, leaving the sorbate out; I like all my wines dry, so it's not needed. I am also letting time/racking clarify rather than using superkleer. I have gotten it down to just bentonite, yeast, oak, tannins, and kmeta for most kits.
 
Curious as to whether you plan to backsweeten it? I haven't used sorbate on any of my kits in a couple of years and I think it is an improvement...

Terroir - No I don't plan to back sweeten it. That would probably ruin the wine. I raised the SG up prior to fermentation to bring the ABV up a little, as per "Joe's Wines".
 
Terroir - No I don't plan to back sweeten it. That would probably ruin the wine. I raised the SG up prior to fermentation to bring the ABV up a little, as per "Joe's Wines".

I think the sorbate is at least a component of the kit taste many complain about. I haven't used it in the last 30-40 kits I have made and won't use it unless I intend to backsweeten. Just a suggestion...
 
I think the sorbate is at least a component of the kit taste many complain about. I haven't used it in the last 30-40 kits I have made and won't use it unless I intend to backsweeten. Just a suggestion...

Man! I wish I read this prior to my adding in the Sorbate on Tuesday :m
Oh well chalk another one to learning curve.
I doubt I would have backsweeten this anyway, moving forward I will leave Sorbate out....

Thanks,
Steve
 
I think the sorbate is at least a component of the kit taste many complain about. I haven't used it in the last 30-40 kits I have made and won't use it unless I intend to backsweeten. Just a suggestion...

I completely agree. I have not used sorbate on my kits for 2 years now. I also skip clearing agents, as I bulk age for at least a year. This makes a better wine! I also add tannins thru the process. I make a lot of kits and enjoy the end product with these changes.
 
I too have stopped adding sorbate to my dry wines as it contributes a bubblegum flavor to the wine that takes a long time, if ever, to disapate. At best it's extra insurance but comes with a flavor component that I don't care for.
 
Man! I wish I read this prior to my adding in the Sorbate on Tuesday :m
Oh well chalk another one to learning curve.
I doubt I would have backsweeten this anyway, moving forward I will leave Sorbate out....

Thanks,
Steve

Steve,

While I think most here will leave sorbate out unless back sweetening, I also followed directions to the T for my first kits. Time heals all (most) wounds. I'd bet that the Triumph is going to be far better @ 18 months than 6. By that time the sorb ate and 'kit taste' should be gone.

Get yourself a quick drinking red, make it, bottle it, and drink it while you wait for the Triumph!. I'm just starting to taste a Trinity Red after about 8 months (sorb ate added) and it's getting much better. Give it time and it will be fine.

Best, Fran
 
As Francois said, don't sweat it. If you can smell/taste the sorbate (many people cannot), it will go away after some aging.
 
Ok I will not sweat the sorbate/kit taste knowing that this wine will age for sometime before drinking.
Moving forward though, will elect to simply leave it out.

Nord,
on a side note every time I see your avatar I crack up inside gotta love Holy Grail!!

Thanks,
Steve
 
Racking Screw Up

Following kit directions on this one (only my 2nd) last night I racked after clearing wine.
Man did I bugger it up!!!:po
From 6 gal carboy down to 5 gal and some carryover to smaller vessel, was able to rack cleanly to the 5gal no problem. Issue was when I transferred to smaller vessel not knowing for sure how much more by sight was left I started to fill a gallon jug. watching the jug, I failed to notice just how much of the sediment I was now syphoning. Well the 1gal jug was too big, so I transferred to a 1.75l too small, added some to a 750ml bottle with maybe another pint or so left.
But with all of that extra sediment in these two small vessels wine is UBBER cloudy!! I assume just letting them sit should allow them to clear?
Any thoughts much appreciated.

And yes, another learning event gotta write a book!

Thanks,

Steve
 
Sure, just stick a stopper in the smaller bottles and let them sit for a few days/week and then rack off the clear wine back to the carboy etc. You will get better with a little more experience!
 

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