RJ Spagnols RJS RQ French Merlot

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jgmann67

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Kicked off my second RQ and probably my last kit until after the fresh grapes come in this fall. The French Merlot.

In the kit -

18L of juice
2 packs of dried grape skins
45g of French Med toast oak chips
RC-212 yeast
The usual suspects in clearing and preservation.

The juice is dark and almost fleshy. Once I got it measure out to 23L I took an initial SG reading. A very respectable 1.094. So, I combined the dried skins and oak, along with another 45g of oak chips to give it a little extra sacrificial tannin.

I'll leave it to soak overnight and drop yeast tomorrow after I measure the SG again. My guess is this is going to be a 14.5%+ wine.

Should I cut it down somehow or just trust the Kit-powers-that-be to know what they're doing.

Anyone else doing this one?
 
Mine was damaged during shipping to the vendor. It's not looking like there will be a replacement available. :(
 
Let be what it's supposed to be great flavor will balance out the ABV....thatß. How great wine's are designed.
 
I always ferment to dry in open bucket.
If it's at 1.015 today, I'm sure it will be ok for a couple more days, no worries there.
 
I always ferment to dry in open bucket.
If it's at 1.015 today, I'm sure it will be ok for a couple more days, no worries there.

I ferment dry in the bucket, but add an airlock as fermentation slows down towards the end.
 
I just won't be able to stir it till then, either. I hate the idea of the skins and oak drying out.

In my case and what I always do is I ferment in an open 6gal bucket and stir daily or twice daily. Once it gets in the ~1.010 I just give it a last very gently stir and leave it alone until it goes a bit below 1.000. I then transfer (leaving heavy lees behind) to air-locked carboy and let it rest for at least a week or more before I proceed further, sometimes 2 weeks.
 
In my case and what I always do is I ferment in an open 6gal bucket and stir daily or twice daily. Once it gets in the ~1.010 I just give it a last very gently stir and leave it alone until it goes a bit below 1.000. I then transfer (leaving heavy lees behind) to air-locked carboy and let it rest for at least a week or more before I proceed further, sometimes 2 weeks.

I got home last night and set to work in the basement. The Merlot was down to about 1.002 when I racked it over to a carboy. We'll let it finish and rack for clearing next week.

I'm thinking of doing 45-60gr. of French med+ oak cubes once it gets to its three month nap. I have Hungarian med+ too... I blended the cubes for my PS (30gr of each. I think). Thoughts?

Is anyone else doing this kit or is it just me??
 
With the Merlot fermenting to 0.990 on Sunday, we racked it over for clearing this morning. Dropped clarifiers, Kmeta and 45 gr. of Hungarian Med+ oak cubes, then topped with a SLD Merlot. Now, it sits for a month before racking off the lees.

The RQ kits this year have been trouble-free so far (knock wood).
 

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