RJ Spagnols Started: Cellar Classic Winery Series Cali Cab Sav

[ShepherdQ]

Wanted to get back on here, just moved to a new city and took a little while to get started. I've seen people rave about the Super Tuscan in the RJS Cellar Classic Winery series, but one of the reasons I'm making my own wine is to reduce my carbon footprint, so I went with the Californian Cab Sav, which hasn't travelled as far (laugh all you want). The fella at the store said nothing bad came out of this product line, so I have high expectations!

Starting SG was 1.097, which seemed a bit high, but this is only my second kit, so I'm not sure.

Lessons learned: 1) stretch out the cheesecloth, if you're using it, so more of it hangs over the sides of the jug (or whatever you use to hold it), that way it won't fall in when the grape skins plop in. 2) keep a little sanitizing solution for things you forget to do initially (hydrometer).

The other mistake I made was doing this kit first. I should have picked a quicker drinking wine to tide me over to let this one age for longer. It'll be hard to leave this one in the bottle while I wait for the next kit to finish!

Cheers,
Rob

 

[TonyP]

Possibly there's someone up on carbon footprint management of wineries, but I know several go to great lengths. I would be shocked to learn your 6 gallons of wine isn't emitting more CO2 than winery fermentation due to their efforts to control it. (I'm not suggesting a difference necessarily in CO2 per gallon of fermentation, only the amount emitted.)

On the kit, you picked a good one. I don't follow what you're saying on the cheesecloth. The kit comes with a bag the skins go into. I tie the bag at each end and immerse it in the wine. Try opening the fermenter several times a day to keep the skins wet.

Tony p.

 

[ShepherdQ]

About the skins, this kit came with wet skins in two jars, so to get them into the mesh bag I stretched it out in a jug and poured them in, but it collapsed so I had to fish it out and lost some of the skins, kind of ticked with myself for poor planning.

 

[Dugger]

I just stretch the sock over the mouth of the skins jar and dump the skins in, all over a large bowl.
1.097 sounds about right for these kits, before the skins addition.
You can drink this wine early if you wish and it will still be much better than even an aged cheaper kit, but it will also improve with age. If cost wasn't a consideration these are all I'd make and drink them at all stages, young and aged.

 

[MOwino]

Glad to see someone else starting this kit at about the same time I will. I will be getting mine in the mail on Wednesday....hopefully.

Good luck with your kit, I will look forward to your updates.

 

[ShepherdQ]

I've made an error in judgement, it seems. Based on the kit instructions I should be racking and stabilizing 20 days after starting secondary fermentation, but I'm going to be out of town for a week and a hall either side of that date.

So here's my question: should I rack and stabilize about a week early, or leave the wine on the lees of the secondary fermentation for about two weeks?

I'm going to post this Q in the beginner's forum as well so more people can learn from my mistake!

 

[rjb222]

Just make sure your air lock is topped up and you top up the wine before you leave the wine will wait to be stabilized when you return no problem.

 

[ShepherdQ]

OK, that's a relief. I was worried that I'd ruin it either way.

 

[Putterrr]

I just stretch the sock over the mouth of the skins jar and dump the skins in, all over a large bowl.
1.097 sounds about right for these kits, before the skins addition.
You can drink this wine early if you wish and it will still be much better than even an aged cheaper kit, but it will also improve with age. If cost wasn't a consideration these are all I'd make and drink them at all stages, young and aged.

have your ever stopped by Maritime wine and brew, they usually have one WS listed in the monthly news letter for $20 off. Were 105 but they just went up to 110. still the best price in halifax. i'm waiting for the super tusan or amarone to be featured

http://www.ubru.ca/index.php

 

[Dugger]

have your ever stopped by Maritime wine and brew, they usually have one WS listed in the monthly news letter for $20 off. Were 105 but they just went up to 110. still the best price in halifax. i'm waiting for the super tusan or amarone to be featured

http://www.ubru.ca/index.php

Yep, that's my store of choice now so I keep a close eye on what Tim sends out in his newsletters - so far I've got the Super Tuscan, Amarone and Rosso Grande on sale. It's usually Spagnols that dictates what kits are on sale monthly and the Super Tuscan was last Jan I believe so it may be coming up again soon. I hope to get another one a swell. So far I like these better than the RQ's.

 

[bakervinyard]

Rob, I justed racked my RJS Cab today. Been bulk ageing since July. I'm going to try bottling half in January and age the other half in a 3 gal. carboy. Sampled it as I racked, Nice mouth feel, slight peppery, dry. Going to be really nice with more age ! BTW wife didn't care for it, to peppery for her taste. More for me, Lol.

 

[ShepherdQ]

Cool beans baker, thanks!

The only person I 'have' to share with is my mother in law, who barely drinks, do I'm wish you on that one!

It's going to be tricky for me to let all of this kit age for as long as it should, since it's the first one I'm doing and I don't have a collection built up. This hobby is going to teach me patience...

 

[Putterrr]

Yep, that's my store of choice now so I keep a close eye on what Tim sends out in his newsletters - so far I've got the Super Tuscan, Amarone and Rosso Grande on sale. It's usually Spagnols that dictates what kits are on sale monthly and the Super Tuscan was last Jan I believe so it may be coming up again soon. I hope to get another one a swell. So far I like these better than the RQ's.

I have done 2 of the en primeur but prefer the wet skins over the dry ones (at least for fermenting since i haven't tasted them yet). I just bought the Selection Grape Skin Argentine Malbec in the last sale and was thinking about ordering the Italian Nebbiolo with Grape Skins from the 1012 LE's. I also had a chance to do a taste comparison of 2 South African Cab Sav. One with 2.5kg of the merlot grape skins and one without. It wasn't even close as to which one was better (unfortunately my batch was the one without). So that could also be another option for you. The skin packs around here are $18 for 5kg and I add a 1/2 pack to 6 week kits I get off the sale rack for $75-80. Ya I'm basically cheap but not cheap enough to go below a 15 Litre kit. lol

cheers

 

[roger80465]

The skin packs around here are $18 for 5kg and I add a 1/2 pack to 6 week kits I get off the sale rack for $75-80. Ya I'm basically cheap but not cheap enough to go below a 15 Litre kit. lol

cheers

Oh to find a local dealer with a sale rack! Sigh....

 

[TonyP]

I've made an error in judgement, it seems. Based on the kit instructions I should be racking and stabilizing 20 days after starting secondary fermentation, but I'm going to be out of town for a week and a hall either side of that date.

So here's my question: should I rack and stabilize about a week early, or leave the wine on the lees of the secondary fermentation for about two weeks?

I'm going to post this Q in the beginner's forum as well so more people can learn from my mistake!

Since you've already racked out of primary, you'll be dealing with fine lees. Fine lees will not negatively impact your wine in 10 days or anything close to that.

Focus most closely on SG and let that be your guide. When dealing with dry wines, instructions invariably say some amount of SG or lower. They never say or higher. Take that as meaning you can do as instructed beginning when the SG level gets down to that level but not before.

Simply stated, don't stabilize ahead of time.

Tony P.

 

[MrKevin]

I have this kit sitting a secondary. When I first made this kit I canned the cheese cloth and threw the skins straight in the juice. It made for a little harder racking, so I had to invent a pre-stainer to fit over my auto siphon so it wouldn't clog. I will see how it turns out. My SG was also about 1.097 FYI. I taste between all rackings and this shows some great potential.

Kevin

 

[ShepherdQ]

Kevin,

I did that with my first kit, and was frustrated by the time it took (skins clogging the intake) and by the number of skins that got sucked through and had to be considered in the secondary. So this time I used the cheesecloth, and I squeezed it three or four times during primary fermentation to get more dissolved solids out.

 

[ShepherdQ]

Hi all,

Bottled! I sampled a bit and man is it good! Plenty of oak, as far as I can tell, and I can't wait for it to age and develop a bit.

Left my notes in my 'lab' across town, will pick them up and post final SG, estimated ABV.

Now to avoid drinking it for a few months!

 

[roger80465]

LOVE this kit. Down to my last bottle at about 20 months. Keeping it for a special occasion, like, I don't know..... a Friday maybe.

Roger

 

[bakervinyard]

I stole a taste of mine today it was really good. Decided I'm going to rack 1 more time and bulk age another three months. I figure if it's not in the bottle I can't get to them. LOL. BTW I tasted my CRP today also. Now that one is going to be harder to keep away from. Bakervinyard