Other Who Makes the Best Kit Cab?

[cpfan]

Steve, I just opened it to answer your questions. It comes with Lalvin EC-118 and several oak packages (30g of french medium oak chips, 30g of french heavy oak chips, and 100 g of european oak cubes). It also has a grape skins kit and the usual fining agents and sulfites.

What are your thoughts about using all the oak and the yeast that came with it?
NS

NS:

For our tastes (my wife and I), that's a lot of oak. Remember we're not Cab Sauv drinkers. But if you like oak, I would suggest putting the chips in the primary, and the cubes in the carboy (but not for too long).

I have only made one Cellar Craft kit and it also came with EC-1118. The only manufacturer that seems to provide a variety of yeasts with their kits is Winexpert (although Vineco uses RC-212 and K1-V1116 with a couple of kits). Spagnols uses EC-1118 only. If Cellar Craft only uses EC-1118, I would consider changing the yeast. But be careful with yeast choice and probably should add some yeast nutrient/energizer. Maybe the first time you should snot change the yeast.

BTW, whenever I get a kit I ALWAYS open the box to check the contents. I want to know if anything is missing or damaged NOW, not when I am trying to start the kit. Once I got a Vineco kit that the Isinglass had leaked and the whole additive package was a mess. Also it allows me to think about some of the contents (eg elderflowers, elderberries, lots of oak, no oak, ...).

Steve

 

[NoSnob]

I forgot to mention that the kit also includes yeast nutrient which I have never seen in any WE kit. I want a moderate amount of oak but do not like heavily oaked wines. I'm leaning toward including only one of the two provided oak chip kits plus maybe the oak cubes.

When you say you would not include the oak cubes in the carboy for long do you mean add it to the secondary fermenting carboy only, or in the subsequent carboy to be racked before long-term aging?
NS

 

[tonyt]

I use all dust and chips in primary then cubes in secondary. Sometimes I transfer cubes to clearing. Then if I want more (always) I add spiral or stave in ageing. If you use stave or spiral taste weekly after three weeks and pull just past perfect.

 

[joshs]

I also give a vote for RJS Winery Series Cab Sav.

Ask me this time next year and I will give you my thoughts on their En Primeur Cab

Its next year...what are your thoughts.

Dragging up an old thread here.

Josh

 

[Boatboy24]

Its next year...what are your thoughts.

Dragging up an old thread here.

Josh

You're reminding me of the Red Mountain Cab that I snuck a taste of last night. At only 4 months of age, it's pretty awesome. The only tweak I've done on it so far is putting it into my Vadai for 8 weeks. (it was the 2nd wine through the barrel)