WineXpert Lodi Old Vine Zin

[parick]

Just got this into the primary. Anyone have any experience with this kit? It is the 16 L kit. How long should it age?

 

[JakeSnow]

I"m pretty sure Winexpert recommends to "age for at least 6 months but a year is best" for this higher end wine. I would age it for at least one year minimum. I am positive if you have patience 1.5 - 2 years of aging and it will be amazing. Also consider bulk aging instead of bottle aging.
I made a Selection Series merlot/cab blend about 6 months ago. I have tasted a bottle every month just to experience how wine ages. Sure enough, every month it gets better. Winexpert recommended 6 months for the Selection Series I made. I'm going to give it 9 months before I start to drink it regularly though.

 

[parick]

I like the idea of bulk aging, but then I can't try a bottle each month. I think I'll bottle age it just so I can do the once a month sampling. It's going to be tough waiting 9 months. Thanks for the advice.

Rick

 

[JakeSnow]

Actually you can take small samples of wine when you bulk age, just be sure to sterilize everything and top up the carboy if you take too much away. You are just going to have to learn to have patience with red wine. I'd keep aging it and start a taste while you bottle then at 3, 6, 9, 11, 12 months. That should give you a full range of flavors without throwing away a bunch of bottles to the trash/drain. Young wine can be awful and you will not enjoy drinking a full bottle let alone a full glass. In the meantime while you are waiting for that to age I'd try a white wine in the 4 week quality kit that take a month to age. Or an Island Mist since you can drink those right away. Look for my thread on the Island Mist Green Apple Riesling.

 

[parick]

Would you top off with water or a similar wine? I'd hate to dilute it. I will look at that thread for the Island Mist.

 

[JakeSnow]

no i learned my mistake of topping off with water and wine. Do it with another zin wine only. Actually if you can get it, bota box old vine zin is decent wine in a box and affordable for topping off the carboy. Another method is to add some marbles to the carboy to raise the level of wine. Just be certain the marbles are food friendly, kinda hard to find food friendly material from China these days...

 

[Dugger]

I like the idea of bulk aging, but then I can't try a bottle each month. I think I'll bottle age it just so I can do the once a month sampling. It's going to be tough waiting 9 months. Thanks for the advice.

Rick

Another option would be to bulk age in a 19L (5 US Gal) carboy and bottle the rest for periodic sampling. Bottling in splits ( 375 ml bottles) gives you even more chances to sample over an extended time.

 

[mmadmikes1]

Another option would be to bulk age in a 19L (5 US Gal) carboy and bottle the rest for periodic sampling. Bottling in splits ( 375 ml bottles) gives you even more chances to sample over an extended time.

Now thats a damn good idea I wish I had thought of along time ago

 

[parick]

that is a good idea. Now I need another carboy and 375ml bottles!

 

[ERASMO]

Bulk aging

If i wanted to bulk age the wine what would the procedure be??

I am doing a winexpert stags merlot and it is still in the primary.

Thanks

 

[parick]

If i wanted to bulk age the wine what would the procedure be??

I am doing a winexpert stags merlot and it is still in the primary.

Thanks

I am no expert, but from I have heard you can leave it in the carboy and every 3 months add a teaspoon of preservative. My SL Merlot just reached the 28 days It looks very clear and is ready for bottling

 

[ERASMO]

Thanks for the info.

 

[NSwiner]

I was just reading my instructions for wine expert kit selection original series wine and it says to add 1.5 grams (1/4 teaspoon)of potassium metabisulphite powder in 250 ml (1/2 cup) cool water and add to the carboy after racking if you plan on aging it for more then 6 months .Now I have another question do you filter before or after you age it ? I was thinking before aging in a carboy because that's what I would do if i aged it in bottles .

 

[parick]

I think you filter it before you age it. Try searching this thread for 'filtering'. That question has probably been answered before.

 

[Dugger]

When bulk aging you only add additional Kmeta ( 1/4 tsp) when you rack and you only need to rack if you have sediment ( every 3 months seems to be the norm) - if you have cleared the wine already, added the additional Kmeta and there is no further sediment dropping out, there is no need to rack or add additional sulfite. The additional sulfite is needed when you rack because the wine is being exposed to oxygen during that process.
Filtering can be carried out any time after the wine has been cleared, either by the clearing agents with the kit or by bulk aging in the carboy.
Cheers .. Doug