RJ Spagnols Super Tuscan

[wineforfun]

Question for any of you that have made the RJS Super Tuscan kit. This is my second kit, first being the RJS OVZ. The OVZ is 16mos. old and very good.

With the Super Tuscan, mine has been bottled for 5 mos. now. When I initially bottled it, it tasted pretty good. Decent flavor with pronounced oak. Opened a bottle last week to see where it was and it is not good and has a funky flavor/aftertaste. Directions were followed to the T, with the exception of leaving it in the carboy for an additional 30 days, before bottling, beyond RJS's recommendation of bottling at Day 42 I believe.
Anyway, just wondered if anyone else had experienced this or if it is still too young and "blending/mellowing" in the bottle. Right now, not impressed with this wine at all. Hoping it transforms drastically.

 

[Boatboy24]

You said it's been in the bottle for 5 months - how old in total? About 7 months? Too young. At a year, it's good. 18 months, very good. Two years, excellent.

 

[wineforfun]

Jim,
Yep, probably around 7-8mos. total. Just had a real funky taste it didn't have when I bottled it. I am hoping, as you say, it is just "doing it's thing" in the bottle and isn't ready yet.

 

[Boatboy24]

Just looked at my notes and at 9 months from pitching, I noted: "KT still there. Body is good and fruit continues to fall back. Not ready for prime time."

 

[GeoS]

A Super Tuscan would be a Chianti / Sangiovese. A chinti is a blend of sangiovese and other wines. Originally, the restrictions on how to make a chinti became restrictive, the added a white to the mix, so some vinters called theirs a Tuscan, after the region in italy where the sangiovese grape comes from. Then, everyone started making a Tuscan where anything goes. To counter this, the vinters started calli g their blend a Super Tuscan. That way they could have some restrictions but not be a chianti.

These are, imho, the best wine out there. But yes, you should let it sit, and sit, and sit...... it's hard! But worth it in the end. They tend to be acidic and will have an overpowering plum taste when young. Kind of like a rotten prune. This developed as it ages and, in time, will morph into a nice, peppery plum taste characteristic of a sangiovese grape.

 

[ShaunDanz]

Aha! I'm not alone. I started my kit on 5/19/2013 and here are my tasting notes. Please note, I have the worst tasting descriptions ever and I never imagined I would share them when I wrote them.

9/15/2013 Going to be amazing! 1/4/14 Decanted and is good but different. Pepper? Leather? Let sit for two months and try again. 3/29/14 Same as before. Wait six months. 7/22/14 smooth but black licorice taste. 10/29/14 smooth but going to be better on 6 months.

I bottled my Super Tuscan on day 128 after pitching the yeast. I don't plan on opening another bottle until May, when the wine is two years old. The last time I tried it, I finally thought it was good but it still seemed like it would benefit from additional aging.

 

[wineforfun]

Alright, thanks to all. I plan on leaving it sit. I still have 26 bottles left. I will try another at the 1yr. mark and see what happens, and then again at 18mos.
I just know if it stays the way it was last week, it will get dumped. Just a real funky flavor after swallowing it.
My OVZ took some time to mature but didn't go through this.

Again, just hoping it is a time issue. I will keep progress posted.

 

[jsiddall]

Mine just passed 15 months from pitching yeast and I still wouldn't call it drinkable. Certainly there is a lot of flavor there, and the KT is reduced, but overall it's still off. Hoping by 2 years it will be nice.

 

[bkisel]

I'm actually thankful that that I've not got a sophisticated taste for wine. Made my RJS Super Tuscan according to the instructions except that when they said to bottle I bulk aged for 3 months and then bottled aged for 3 months. Drank all but one 1.5L bottle within a year. Shared a lot with family and friends and it was liked by all who generally like reds. Guess their palates aren't aren't all that sophisticated either (none claim to be wine connoisseurs).

 

[heatherd]

Mine never went through a funky stage. At least not that I know of.... I drank a couple bottles around the six/seven month mark and it was young but really good. Beyond that I waited for almost a year to start opening the rest. Give it a bit more time, I am sure it will improve drastically.
Heather

 

[ErikM]

I did one bach of the Super Tuscan. I let it bulk age for about 8 months. Loved the result.

 

[wineforfun]

I'm actually thankful that that I've not got a sophisticated taste for wine. Made my RJS Super Tuscan according to the instructions except that when they said to bottle I bulk aged for 3 months and then bottled aged for 3 months. Drank all but one 1.5L bottle within a year. Shared a lot with family and friends and it was liked by all who generally like reds. Guess their palates aren't aren't all that sophisticated either (none claim to be wine connoisseurs).

Bill,
I have far from a sophisticated taste for wine. Like I said, when I bottled it, it tasted good, just very young. This go around, a whole different taste. Just going to let it sit and hope for the best.

 

[bkisel]

Bill,
I have far from a sophisticated taste for wine. Like I said, when I bottled it, it tasted good, just very young. This go around, a whole different taste. Just going to let it sit and hope for the best.

Gotcha. My post was not about your original post, I believe what you said about what you tasted, but about having to wait a long period of time before enjoying the taste of the wine. I do believe, because so many have said as much, that many of these high end kits will improve significantly in taste if you wait a year or two before consumption. I apologize, I should have made that clear in my previous post. I also apologize for having gone so far off topic.

 

[wineforfun]

No worries at all. Just letting you and everyone know I am far from a "palate expert". Was just something not right that hopefully time will take care of.

In the meantime, plenty of early drinkers on my racks.

 

[GeoS]

What's the pH? I keep mine around 3.2 to 3.4 when bottling. If the pH is off so will the tast. Kits are usually balanced and do not need adjustment. However it is worth checking and recording.

 

[wineforfun]

Have no way to check, don't have a meter. I assumed(may be bad on my part) that the kit would be adjusted.
I can tell if I venture into the grape world, etc. I am going to have to invest in one though.
Thanks.

 

[GaDawg]

I believe RJS Super Tuscan is a blend of Merlot and Sangiovese.

 

[GeoS]

A kit usually is balanced. But its good to be able to check the pH just to make sure. Also, check the pH in kits and even wine you get from the store and mark it down. This way you have a record of what wine type and its pH for future fermenting experiences.

 

[vabeachbear]

I believe RJS Super Tuscan is a blend of Merlot and Sangiovese.

Actually it isn't an official hard and fast rule. Its more of a marketing thing.

There isn't a hard and fast definition. It can have anything that a producer wants it to. Mostly though, Sangiovese, Cab, Merlot and Syrah.

And of course, with RJS, you'll never get a definition or percentage on any blend.

 

[GaDawg]

I was only referring R.J. Spagnols and they told me (customer support) that it was Sangiovese, & Merlot. It has been several years so it may have changed.