WineXpert Washington Meritage - Selection Limited Edition

[hobbyiswine]

So my local supply store just got their shipment of the WE Selection Limited Edition Washington Meritage. Looking at other posts and the description on the WE website it sounds like a good kit.

Question...should I add in all the oak??? It came with:
3 - 20g Hungarian powder
1 - 30g oak powder (American I assume)
1 - 30g Heavy toast French Oak chips (more like shavings)

Directions say to dump all the oak into the primary. This seems like a lot and I have seen mixed reviews of the flavors imparted by the powder into the wine. I was thinking about maybe using American oak spirals during the bulk aging phase in the carboy as an alternative.

Sounds like a good kit so I hate to deviate from the instructions and mess it up but it is hard to resist the urge to "tweak" it a little bit. I won't be able to start it for about 3 weeks. My primary is empty but will need to bottle in order to have a carboy for the secondary.

 

[PCharles]

It looks like it's time to get another carboy. You'll be in this same situation again real soon, so I'd just go ahead and get one.

Regarding the oak, I'd use it as described. My guess is that it is only there for a short time, while the wine is in the primary. You could hold off on it and add cubes or other oak later to get what you want. I'd use it as recommended.

Bulk aging in a glass carboy will improve your wine. There's another reason to get a new carboy.

Good luck.

PCharles

 

[hobbyiswine]

PCharles you are not helping my addiciton! I almost got another carboy today but was able to keep from pulling the trigger. I know I can and will use it so I might still get one. That kit is staring at me like a birthday present just waiting to get opened. In three weeks I will have this kit going regardless and think I am going to try a 3g batch from some frozen fruit. Maybe blueberry? Thanks for the tip on the oak, since it is only in with the primary I am going to stick to the directions and dump it all in. I am sure the people at WE knew what they were doing when they put all those little packages in the kit.

 

[dillybar]

Maybe someone can help me understand how this gets released and distributed. I see several people have receive their LE Meritage and checking with the LHBS that I ordered mine from it is still not in and probably won't arrive until next week. When I stopped into another LHBS in the same city I found one sitting on the shelf just waiting for someone to take it home. Evidently they had ordered a few extra and it arrived with the rest of their pre-orders.

I can be patient but am more curious about how there can be such a difference in shipment arrival dates.

Mike

 

[Putterrr]

They may not be shipped automaticaly when they are released. If your LHBS is like mine, they wait till they have enough of an order to justify the cost of shipping. I too am waiting patiently but since I have a Chianti and Carmenère on deck/in the hole, its no big deal.

 

[cpfan]

In Canada the process is...

1. the store reserves the kits
2. once the kits are ready, the store places an order including the reserved kits
3. if the store forgets to put the kits on their order, they aren't shipped (although the order desk may call to remind)

When I ran a store, I planned my orders for the availablilty of the limited editions. Not every store will operate the same way.

Steve

 

[dillybar]

Those seem like reasonable explanations. Like I said my problem isn't patience, it's that when I go there and they don't have what I was expecting I end up leaving with something else. Oh well, at least now I have my first white to get started on.

 

[Giovannino]

Mine arrived last week. It all depends on the size of the store and the order.

My WE retailer ALWAYS has the kits available whereas the RJS kits' retailer (a different store) has to order his in and there's always that extra week before he gets in in.

 

[hobbyiswine]

today is the day

Been waiting for a few weeks but today I am going to light the fire on this baby. Finally have my carboys empty and will get my primary bucket back from my buddy. Can't wait to have the closet smelling like Red Mountain grapes!

 

[hobbyiswine]

Update

The primary fermentation went fine. Smelled like homemade blackberry pie for a couple days then started to smell like wine vomit for a couple days. I left it in the primary for 7 days then racked to carboy. Smelled better again by day 7. Strange and awesome how it goes through the changes and smells can vary from one day to the next.

I checked it again today, day 12, and fermentation seems about finished. Current SG is .994. Anyone else make this? Curious what other finished SG readings were. Going to let it sit another 8 or 9 days before adding clearing agents. Also picked up some "medium plus" oak spirals and might split it into my two 3G carboys and add an oak spiral to one just to try.

I tried a little taste today when I checked the SG. I think this one is going to be quite tasty!

 

[Brew and Wine Supply]

Maybe someone can help me understand how this gets released and distributed. I see several people have receive their LE Meritage and checking with the LHBS that I ordered mine from it is still not in and probably won't arrive until next week. When I stopped into another LHBS in the same city I found one sitting on the shelf just waiting for someone to take it home. Evidently they had ordered a few extra and it arrived with the rest of their pre-orders.

I can be patient but am more curious about how there can be such a difference in shipment arrival dates.

Mike

I already have my Semillion/Chardonay kits in, yet my Meritage kits will not arrive untill Monday. yet other retailers have had their Meritage kits in and gone and have not recieved their Sem/chard kits yet.
From what I understand...... they come in in batches.. when I placed my last order they were out of the Mert. kits, so they sent the Sem. kits. Now with my next order, they now have the Mert kits in so I get mine now...Its enough to make a man to drink...

 

[CB750]

I started mine on Saturday and got CO2 less than one hour after pitching the two packs of RC212 that came with the kit. I generally get CO2 around two hours but never this fast.

Today Monday I have a very strong ferment going on a steady stream of CO2 bubbles. Things are vigorous enough to coat the top of my carboy with the oak sawdust it almost reminds me of the hops blow of a beer ferment. The CO2 has a very strong sweet smell which I just love. Hard to believe it is classified by some as a pollutant.

 

[hobbyiswine]

Mine is now on day 15. Checked the SG yesterday and it is around .993 and I think it is done. Will leave it another 5 days and check again. It has all but degsassed on its own. Shook the test jar when I checked the SG and got virtually no bubbles. Ferment went super smooth and is clearing nicely without any help. I almost hate to mix it up next weekend when I add the sorbate and clarifier. Tasting pretty good too. Almost has a spicy/smoky Zinfandel BBQ wine taste going on. Not expected but very good!

 

[ibglowin]

I started mine on 1/20. Added a CC Syrah grapepack in on top. Left in Primary for 8 days. SG was 1.000. Racked to secondary for 10 days. SG was 0.996 and had already not only pretty much degassed itself but it also started clearing as well. Very unusual for a red. I racked off the gross lees and added the clarifying agents. Waited 3 days and it was crystal clear.

Tossed it into the new Vadia for 4 weeks as a breakin wine. First taste was actually pretty good!

 

[hobbyiswine]

Tossed it into the new Vadia for 4 weeks as a breakin wine. First taste was actually pretty good!

Well mine will have to sit in glass for a few months but I did get a couple oak spirals to experiment with. Maybe you can just mail me that barrel once you have broken it in!

 

[ibglowin]

Ha!

Not a chance, worth every penny/dollar I spent on it and I have the comparisons to prove that bulk aging in glass can't even compete in any way with a nice leaky oak cask!

 

[hobbyiswine]

Agreed! Maybe If I just crack my carboy a little bit! Maybe the Easter Bunny will lay a 23L wooden egg on my front porch this year instead of those damn jelly beans he usually poops out.

 

[CB750]

Checked mine yesterday and after 7 days in primary SG was 1.004 and I am still getting CO2. Since my starting SG was 1.100 and I am fermenting at 73 degrees which is on the low end of the kit recommendations, I was expecting a longer primary.

I did sneak a taste and I was very impressed this wine at this stage. It has body to it, I could taste the oak, and it had a hint of sweetness, which I assume will decrease a bit when I get in the .999 to .996 range. This wine is also very dark strong color I cannot see any light through the carboy and can hardly the sediment on the bottom.

When it comes time to top off I will definitely use a Cabernet Sauvignon as I want to keep every bit of body this wine seems to have.

 

[cpfan]

Checked mine yesterday and after 7 days in primary SG was 1.004 and I am still getting CO2. Since my starting SG was 1.100 and I am fermenting at 73 degrees which is on the low end of the kit recommendations, I was expecting a longer primary.

What temperature recommendations are in the instructions? It's usually 65-75F.

Steve

 

[hobbyiswine]

The temperature range on the instructions was a very narrow 72-75 from primary fermentation through clearing. Mine was up to 75 a couple days into the the primary ferment and has been at 71-72 since. Sure is pretty, clear, and dark. Has some great dark berry fruit aroma and oak is nice but not over the top. Hoping with some age the oak and fruit flavors will blend together a bit more but pretty good for a week old wine!