Cellar Craft Sterling Tempranillo

[Broge5]

I have a CC Tempranillo sitting in the clearing stage. Back before I knew any different, I followed the directions and topped up with what seemed like a few liters of water after racking to secondary.

I've read a lot of people say this wine is a bit thin anyway. I'm afraid mine may even be more so. Are there any recommendations to minimize this problem?

 

[WI_Wino]

This kit has a grape pack, right? I had this and a couple other sterling kits on my list to try. Definitely let us know if it is thin after it's aged some.

 

[Rocky]

If you are in the clearing stage, there is probably little that you can do at this point. That would indicate you have already added the k-meta and k-sorbate so trying to add something for body without fermenting would be problematical. You could always brew another "heavier" batch and blend the two wines.

 

[Broge5]

Yes already added sorb ate and fining agents. I was afraid it may be too late to fatten it up a bit, but I figured I'd ask.

Hopefully the grape pack will have helped and I'm concerned about nothing.

Rocky, thanks for the input. I'll post how it comes out after it ages a bit.

 

[GaDawg]

Rocky, could one add tannin at this point and would tannin add body?

 

[DoctorCAD]

That is one kit that I would say is NOT thin. That kit makes a very good wine, I wanted to save some for a few years, but my wife has different plans! She loves it..

 

[Rocky]

Rocky, could one add tannin at this point and would tannin add body?

To me, tannin adds more "mouth feel" than body. I know the two characteristics are similar but I feel there is a difference. In this case, it sounds like he has added quite a bit of water. I think this is a 10 liter kit and he said he topped off with "a few liters" of water. I don't think this could be overcome with tannin. If it were I, I would leave it in a carboy for an extended period, test it after 6 months and if no improvement, I would make up another batch (maybe the same kit but only add water up to 20 liters), ferment it and blend the two wines. But this might be just having "good money chasing bad" so other alternatives would be to drink it as is, make sangria, cook with it or make vinegar. In any case, it is a learning experience so it is not a total loss.

 

[SouthernChemist]

Rocky gives sound advice. Now that we're in Fall and heading towards Winter, another thing you could do with it is make mulled wine. You could also use it to top up other wines you make rather than use water or if you're not keen on purchasing top up wine.

 

[Broge5]

Thanks for all the ideas. Definitely a learning experience.

I may have exaggerated a little on "a few liters." It sure seemed like a lot, but a don't really recall. And at the time, (following directions) I didn't see necessity in noting it. It was my very first time to rack from a primary. I think I could have gotten a little more out of it.

At this point, I plan to let it sit in the carboy for awhile. I racked with AIO two weeks after adding sorbate and finings. Two weeks later, I see a good dusting at the bottom, so I'll prob AIO rack again in a couple weeks and let sit awhile to see if it drops more.

I'll go ahead and bottle, cross my fingers, and may be surprised in about 9-12 mo.

Greatly appreciate the input from everybody.

 

[Rocky]

Broge, sounds like a good plan. You may just be very pleasantly surprised by the results of letting it age for about a year.

 

[Broge5]

I added KMeta, sorbate, and fining agents on August 28. Racked with the all-in-one pump on September 11, but had a little bit of a leak and saw quite a few air bubbles going through the tube, plus I got down a little too far in the carboy and picked up a little more lees.
I was thinking about racking again this week on October 3, to clean up the bottom of the carboy and then let it sit for about a month or two to see if it will drop anymore before I bottle.

My question is, should I add more KMeta if I rack right now - being that this will be the second rack since adding KMeta? Or should I just leave it alone for a little while longer?

I think I know my answer. But I really want to play with it!!

 

[Broge5]

The above post was about the same Tempranillo

 

[CBell]

No, you added Kmeta less than 3 months ago so you are fine.

That 'add every second racking during bulk aging' trick is for if your rackings are a couple months apart.

 

[Broge5]

Help. It has been 90 days since first adding KMeta to this Tempranillo. To make room in a carboy, I decided to go ahead and bottle with the AIO. when bottling the first bottle, it appeared to have a lot of foam on top which I assumed was CO2. So I decided to splash rack instead using the AIO. I did add a quarter teaspoon of KMeta. Based on the foam in the carboy, I decided to splash right again. Then same thing during bottling, But not quite as bad. The picture below is the fourth time that I have racked. Am I creating more foam by splashing or is it really CO2?

By the way, I did think that I had D gassed quite a bit about six weeks ago and again about two months ago.

 

[Broge5]

Whoops. Hit the button before I attached a picture

 

[Broge5]

Ok. I sent a message to vacuum pump man and he called me almost immediately. Had me make a couple of adjustments with the way that I was bottling and it turned out great. Finished bottling camping and labeling today. We'll have some pictures later. Hope I didn't mess it up too much by introducing too much air in all the splash rackings.

Had a little leftover and poured a glass. Not bad. I think I understand what everybody means by green. I think this will be okay. Like I said as long as I didn't mess it up. I guess about 6 to 12 more months will tell.

 

[Broge5]

Here it is. Another one named after our six-year-old daughter

 

[Broge5]

Well tried my first split of the Tempranillo tonight. Was bottled on November 21. It's still pretty young but it's also pretty lifeless.

It was my first kit, and I followed the directions by topping up with water anytime needed (almost 2 liters). Also I left way too much in the primary for fear of getting too much lees. Now I take everything that will go through the hose.

Seems to have no tannins, very watered-down or thin, and practically nothing on the nose.

I'm going to leave it and let it set for a good while longer, but I think this one may be my first learning experience.

I haven't topped up with water since this kit. Hopefully the other nine or ten we have started will come out much better. With the exception of one or two, all the others are EP, showcase, eclipse, or limited editions. I'm expecting a lot more out of them.

And who knows, maybe this one will come around a bit in time.


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[roger80465]

I have no doubt you will be happier with any and all of the other kits you mentioned. I actually like the Sterling line but never top off with water. Also, I always add post ferment tannins to these wines. It makes an amazing difference. There is still no comparison to the other brands mentioned but Sterling kits will make nice table wines if you tweak them. That Tempranillo will not get close to a Showcase kit but will make a decent table wine or a decent 'topping off' wine. Don't dump it but don't expect too much either.

 

[Broge5]

I guess I can re-purpose this Tempranillo. But for topping up, I am hesitant to use a wine I don't like to top up with. Am I over concerned here?


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