Cellar Craft Red Mountain Cab update

[PurpleToes]

I just learned today that Cellar Craft is now out of stock of their popular Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon kits until they receive the new harvest from Washington. They are not sure exactly when it’s coming back in stock. The harvest in California has been delayed by late rains and cooler weather this year, but I am not sure if the same is true in the Red Mountain district.

That being said, there should still be some of these kits floating around your various retailers for a while, but this is just a heads up that no more can be obtained from the manufacturer at this moment.

 

[Rocky]

George shows it "in stock" at Fine Vine Wines.

 

[robie]

If I remember, it is not the first time there was a shortage of that wine. I have never heard of anyone NOT happy with that kit.

 

[ibglowin]

This has been the absolute craziest growing season EVER in the Columbia Valley! They are just now starting to harvest this week on Red Mountain. Cabernet is still weeks away!

 

[timber]

Do you know the status of availability come the new year?
Hope there isn't a wait until next October, love to try this kit.

 

[Rocky]

Give George a call at The Winemaker's Toy Store. He is very helpful and will find out if he does not know. I have not made this kit but I have heard nothing but good things from those who have.

 

[timber]

Thanks Rock,

Just kind of kickin' the tires on these kits.
Seems like Cellar Craft and WE come most highly recommended as a general rule.
Will do on talking to George, if I have an idea of what I might like then I can see what's available and get some recommendations from him.

Caio,

 

[ibglowin]

It takes them a while to process all the grapes and turn them into kits batch by batch. If they run out of stock from last years it will just be a few months at most for them to turn this seasons harvest around and get them all boxed up and ready to ship. They ran out last year for awhile as well.

This was the first kit I ever made (go big or go home as they say!) It was soooooo worth it! I have 7 bottles left and just opened one last week. Its now ~30mo old and all I can say is this guy is AMAZING if you give it the time it so deserves. I have a second kit already on the shelf that is bottled and now 12 mo old. Very excited even more for this one as it spent some good time in a Vadai barrel.

If you like Cab this is an amazing one for sure!

 

[timber]

I have never heard of anyone NOT happy with that kit.

I have not made this kit but I have heard nothing but good things from those who have

If you like Cab this is an amazing one for sure!

With reviews like this from the folks here ... I'm sold!

Thanks to all here it helps a lot to get your opinions here and ensure that an investment is really worth it or not. I'm on a fairly tight budget but figure that's all the more reason to make the best of my learning experience. I didn't realize at first that kits might be a big part of my learning process but can see now that, when it comes to kits, you do get what you pay for and it would be great to have that nice Cab aging. I guarantee you I'll have lots of gal. of trial and error fruit and berry projects going as well.

From what I gather, reading posts here, is that kits really have improved over the past few years to give us the opportunity to work with a product (grapes from some the best wine producing communities in the world) that create some of the finest wines available to the general public.

I'm going for the Red Mountain ...
... something special about knowing it comes from a valley nearby that has been getting excellent marks lately.

Thanks all and Merry Christmas to ya!

 

[timber]

The Vadai barrels look like they are an excellent price.
Did you order yours online or a local store.
I figure a 23-25 liter would hold a kit nicely.

 

[ibglowin]

I have ordered both mine from Vadai. They are a little old school so you basically just pick up the phone and call them. You can also order them from Morewine online (they are shipped from Vadai direct). Last time I looked it seemed like the shipping was actually cheaper from Morewine. Your shipping should be really cheap as they are shipped out of Oregon (for tax purposes I suspect).

The 23L is the one you need if you are making 23L kits like most of us. You must keep them full at all times which can be difficult at first then easier after the first year. Have 3-4 lined up ready to go in as the first few kits can only stay in for 4 weeks at most, then 8 weeks, then 16 weeks, then 32.......

 

[timber]

Thanks for the information Mike,

Good to know they are close by.
Sorry, a few more questions ...

1) Do you forgo the added oak in a kit and just add the wine (topped up in the barrel) for the specified amount of time, as noted below?

first few kits can only stay in for 4 weeks at most, then 8 weeks, then 16 weeks, then 32.......

2) ... and this is because the oak is more potent during the earlier uses?

3) Do you clean the barrel between batches?

4) After a while does the barrel become useless or do you just use it for bulk aging etc as it "seasons out"?

It really sparked my interest when I checked the Hungarian barrels out and see that in the long run they are truly priced to be within reach of the serious, but beginning wine maker.

I'll have to look for some literature on how to best use a barrel.
It would be an appealing addition to the growing equipment list, for sure.

Thanks,

Oh, quick search seems to answer some questions ... Oak Barrel Care Guide

 

[ibglowin]

Thanks for the information Mike,

Good to know they are close by.
Sorry, a few more questions ...

1) Do you forgo the added oak in a kit and just add the wine (topped up in the barrel) for the specified amount of time, as noted below?

For the most part usually especially if the kit includes Hungarian Oak Beans or Cubes. If they include some American Oak sawdust as well as some Hungarian, then use the saw dust as directed (usually during primary fermentation). This a a layering of oak flavors that is quite amazing with certain types of wine

2) ... and this is because the oak is more potent during the earlier uses?

Yes, when new the wine will extract oak at a very fast rate plus a small barrel has a higher volume to surface area ratio than a larger barrel so it will oak even faster than a large barrel

3) Do you clean the barrel between batches?

Just a quick blast to rise out any sediment, then a quick sulfite sanitizing rinse, then refill with the next wine

4) After a while does the barrel become useless or do you just use it for bulk aging etc as it "seasons out"?

It becomes "neutral" (no more oak to extract) but thats when you start adding in those packages of oak beans from the kits you have been saving up. The barrel should last forever as long as its properly maintained and kept full.

It really sparked my interest when I checked the Hungarian barrels out and see that in the long run they are truly priced to be within reach of the serious, but beginning wine maker.

This investment (above all others) will take your kit wines to the next level for sure more than any other investment. The micro-oxidation and concentration through evaporation will bring out the commercial quality in your wines. Big difference in aroma and flavor over wine aged in sealed glass containers its whole life. Remember you will have to top up every week with 2-3 oz of wine to replace the water that has evaporated (the angels share)

I'll have to look for some literature on how to best use a barrel.

It would be an appealing addition to the growing equipment list, for sure.

Thanks,

Oh, quick search seems to answer some questions ... Oak Barrel Care Guide

The Morewine guide is an excellent guide to the care and feeding of small barrels!

 

[timber]

Good stuff Mike,

"(the angels share)" ... I like that!

It's not a long shot understanding that among other things, good grapes grown in good soil, the right nutrients, building blocks and environment are going to produce a better wine. Learning to control the above should prove an interesting challenge.

Do you ferment in your barrel or use it only after the fermentation process to flavor, micro-oxidize (if that's a word) and age?

Thanks,

 

[ibglowin]

Nothing wrong with using your plastic primary for fermentation, glass carboy for secondary and fining/clearing. When its ready, transfer to barrel, back to carboy for more additional bulk aging, then bottling. The longer time in barrel the better, but ANYTHING helps and is better than glass alone.

I just opened a bottle of my CC Showcase Chateau du Pays last night that is almost 2 years old. It spent ZERO time in a barrel as I did not have one then.

It was BLAH last night, no nose, not much bouquet and corked it for 24 hours.

That extra O2 was enough to open it up very nicely and tonight I finished the bottle and it was like it was a totally different wine.

If you serve your kit wine to friends, open up the bottle and pour it into a decanter HOURS before serving it to allow it to open up/oxidize a bit.

You will be very happy with the difference in flavor and taste profile.

It will make all the difference.

 

[Rocky]

Mike, on the subject of Vadai barrels, I continue to have signs of leakeage even after using the barrels for about 5 batches of wine. I soak the barrels with very hot water before filling and all seems to go well for a few days and then signs of leakage appear. Is this typical for these barrels? In the most recent case, I had no visible signs of leaking until it removed the bung to top off the barrel. Then, small leaks appeared in a number of places. I know wine makers prefer the barrel for the micro-oxygenation they provide but I am wondering if I would have been better off buying 15 gallon demijohns and adding oak cubes to them. It certainly would have been less costly and less labor intensive.

 

[ibglowin]

When you say signs of leakage what exactly are you seeing? You should not be seeing any drops of wine on the counter after this length of time. You also should not be seeing any new signs of moisture around any of the staves. If you are there is a simple fix. You need some barrel wax. Just rub it in around the leaks and that should stop any and all signs of leakage permanently.

Give Sandor a call and tell him your problem. He should send it out to you free of charge. I had a small leak on one of mine and I used some canning wax which I had lying around the house which is just paraffin and that worked like a charm. The barrel wax is a mixture of paraffin and mineral wax so its more pliable and better suited but the canning wax worked great for me.

I would never go back to aging in "glass only" even if you paid me!

 

[Rocky]

MIke, I don't know if it is some type of capillarity or what. I see wine, for example, along the joints in the end caps from time to time. I don't get dripping onto my table but there are stains that appear in no particular pattern. I will call Sandor and see what he recommends.