WineXpert Washington Merlot at one month

[idrankthewholebottle]

My first two attempts at making wine are at one month and I'm not sure what to make of the taste. I did the Washington Merlot without sorbate and the only clarifier I used was bentonite. I also did Master Vintner Malbec without oak or sorbate but with the clarifier that came with the kit. They're both around 12% alcohol, if that matters. At one month, the merlot tastes like sugary oak water and the malbec tastes like crappy grape juice. They aren't tart at all. Will that change over time?

Melissa

 

[ehammonds]

Needs way more time to come together

 

[idrankthewholebottle]

Does the wine get more tart over time?

 

[Brian55]

My first two attempts at making wine are at one month and I'm not sure what to make of the taste. I did the Washington Merlot without sorbate and the only clarifier I used was bentonite. I also did Master Vintner Malbec without oak or sorbate but with the clarifier that came with the kit. They're both around 12% alcohol, if that matters. At one month, the merlot tastes like sugary oak water and the malbec tastes like crappy grape juice. They aren't tart at all. Will that change over time?

Melissa

What was the final SG?

 

[idrankthewholebottle]

The merlot was .990 and the malbec was .992

 

[StBlGT]

A wine kit at 1 month will never.....i will say it again.....never, taste THAT good. I have found that even making the "lower end" grand cru international type kits (12l), it takes at LEAST 8 months to become drinkable. I say drinkable, but to be enjoyable, around 12-14 months is the sweet spot. Be patient, you have a looooong way to age still.

 

[desertrat]

I made this kit about 21/2 years ago and it has been a gradual change from tart to very smooth. At two years it is very good, kind of like a Radius merlot but with more depth. I have made over a dozen kits over the last 4 years and am sorry to say that it takes them typically 2 years to get to the point where they are really enjoyable. The change is dramatic from 1 month to 2 years. I will make more kits in the future but will put them in the cellar and forget about them for two years.

 

[idrankthewholebottle]

It looks like the general consensus is that I need to be patient. I have the patience of a cat with an empty food bowl at 4am, but I'll try.

 

[mainshipfred]

Got my kit for Christmas. Knew nothing about anything and asked for a Malbec kit. It was a Wine Expert 12L kit. Started on the 26th and on Jan 20 bottled 5 bottles and put the rest in a 5 gallon carboy. On Feb 25 I had some brave friends do a blind sampling. My bottled and bulk aged and a commercial. The bottled sucked. But to my surprise everyone picked the one month bulk aged over the commercial. Can't wait to bottle the rest in 6 months.

 

[ibglowin]

Perhaps you should look into making beer if patience is not one of your strong points. And that statement is not meant to be mean, its a reality with this hobby/obsession.

We like to tell new winemakers they need to practice the three P's of winemaking.

Patience, Patience, Patience.......

It looks like the general consensus is that I need to be patient. I have the patience of a cat with an empty food bowl at 4am, but I'll try.

 

[idrankthewholebottle]

I first tried these wines a few days ago, right after I'd had a couple of glasses of my favorite wine. I think that skewed my perception. Today, I tried them while I was bottling them and the malbec was actually drinkable. The merlot is too oaky for me but I can see how time could make it better.

 

[Tnuscan]

Next batch you make let it sit an extra 3 months in the carboy (or longer) before you bottle, might get a little more sediment out.

I agree after drinking good wine, a lesser wine is awful hard to enjoy. You will notice a huge difference every 3 months. Lots better after a year.