WE Eclipse Sonoma Pinot Noir

[facn1989]

I started the Eclipse Pinot Noir after reading good reviews. The kit brought no skins, which was surprising to me. Does anyone know if it's always been this way or has the kit changed? Also, it seems WE has gotten lazy and has consolidated their instruction in 2 buckets: with skins and without skins. So the 4 week kits has the same instructions as the 8 weeks kits. I don't know, maybe it's the same, but I rather have my instructions geared specifically to the kit I'm making.

These instructions say to leave as is for 14 days, as opposed to the ~7th day racking done with most high end kits. Also, the addition of the clearing agents happens over a 2 day process (day 14 and 15)

Can anyone tell me if this is how the old instructions were set up for this kit? I'm afraid I'm not making the wine the optimal way because WE is too lazy to include individual instructions.

Thanks!

 

[Johnd]

I started the Eclipse Pinot Noir after reading good reviews. The kit brought no skins, which was surprising to me. Does anyone know if it's always been this way or has the kit changed? Also, it seems WE has gotten lazy and has consolidated their instruction in 2 buckets: with skins and without skins. So the 4 week kits has the same instructions as the 8 weeks kits. I don't know, maybe it's the same, but I rather have my instructions geared specifically to the kit I'm making.

These instructions say to leave as is for 14 days, as opposed to the ~7th day racking done with most high end kits. Also, the addition of the clearing agents happens over a 2 day process (day 14 and 15)

Can anyone tell me if this is how the old instructions were set up for this kit? I'm afraid I'm not making the wine the optimal way because WE is too lazy to include individual instructions.

Thanks!

I've made that kit in the past and checked the records, it had no skins. As for your questions about the instructions, consider this:

• the time frame in the instructions are a guideline, your hydrometer should be your guide
• you can decide to complete AF in the fermenter if you like, or transfer to glass near the end of AF, it's your choice as winemaker and both methods work
• if you intend to use the clearing agents, follow the recommendations, after all, what is a couple of days in the life of a wine

The old instructions had fermentation in the bucket until the must was in the 1.000 - 1.010 range, at which point it was transferred to carboy with airlock. AF was allowed to complete, wine racked again, leaving behind the sediment, degassing activity was performed, and sorbate, K-meta, and clearing agents were added. That's the general process in these instructions, which are several years old. There was an intermediate change a while back to some of the kits where you were instructed to transfer the sediment over in the racking after AF, but these instructions are from before that change was made. Regardless of the instructions, I always made my kits the way the original instructions were written, personal preference.

You should be equally successful with any method you choose, if you are comfortable deviating from the instructions you have. If not, just follow them and it should work out just fine.

 

[stickman]

John answered while I was scanning the old instructions, here you go.

 

[Johnd]

The instructions that @stickman posted are the ones that came out after the ones that I was talking about, his have the section in there about leaving the lees and not racking before stabilizing and clearing. Funny how these instructions have changed over the years.........

 

[facn1989]

Thanks guys! How did you personally like that kit? I intend to age for 2 years

 

[Johnd]

Thanks guys! How did you personally like that kit? I intend to age for 2 years

Not a Pinot fan myself, but those who are, like in very much. It’s over 2 years now and I just started letting a few bottles out, it’s a good kit.

 

[pillswoj]

I like it fine, started drinking around 1 year, currently at 2 years and very good. I was a little upset that it did not have skins at the price it was, doubt I will make it again. Next Pinot i make will either be the EnPrimeur kit with skins or the Cru International without skins.

 

[stickman]

I'm not a kit winemaker, but it made sense to make this kit, because I had Pinot skins in the freezer from a previous all grape batch. I haven't bottled it yet, but it tastes good at this point. I detect a little kit taste, but I expect that to diminish after some time in bottle.

 

[Bplewniak]

I have my wine expert eclipse Pinot noir sitting at two weeks after pitching yeast. I think I’m going to just follow the new instruction on this one for the most part. I’ll leave out the sorbate and clearing agents.

Bottling around 9 months and will start drinking around 1 year.

The videos say this kit is ready by 6-8 months.

 

[facn1989]

Just noticed the old instructions say to NOT rack and to mix sediment in when adding clearing agents or it won't clear. The new ones say the opposite.

What should I do?

 

[facn1989]

I don't know if Winexpert changed the chemistry of the wine to fit these generic instructions (which is fine if it doesn't alter the finished product) or is too damn lazy to keep printing out individual instructions. The old instructions were more targeted and captured nuances that the new ones won't

 

[szap]

The we kits instructions have changed from the old ones that stickman posted to the ones facn1989 refers to. Not sure when the instructions changed but sometime in the last year. With the change in instructions there was a change in the Form the bentonite is in. It use to be a powder. Now it is more granular and when put in water swells in size and is the color of wet newspaper. It forms clumps that cling to everything and it seems do not dissolve. I guess no big deal, but it definitely is much harder to work with.