# Stag's Leap Merlot Bottled and Labeled



## rgecaprock (Jul 20, 2008)

Last night we siphoned some of the Merlot out of the carboy to taste it and it was so good that we ended up drinking two




carafes full of it. So today I bottled the rest. I made it in February and it has been in the carboy since. It is a very deep red color and it taste absolutely wonderful!!! 

















*Edited by: rgecaprock *


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## grapeman (Jul 20, 2008)

That sounds really grat Ramona and I love the labels you made up so many months ago. I had a Merlot last evening, but it wasn't a Stag's Leap! Maybe I will give that one a try sometime.


It seems like everyone was bottling this weekend. The closest I got was washing 10 cases of bottles. It was going to be a productive weekend in the vineyard, but today has been a washout. It has been raining all day and right now it is really heavy. Expecting 1-2 inches more rain this evening.


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## rgecaprock (Jul 20, 2008)

Thanks appleman,


I would love to have some rain. All we have been getting are 5 minutes of huge drops in the afternoons while the sun is shining.


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## NorthernWinos (Jul 20, 2008)

Looking good Ramona.....
Now, you said you drank 2 carafes of wine....and had a taste....I see only 4 bottles......How BIG were those carafes????

We could use a good rain too....we did have a cloud about the size of the farm roll through this afternoon, got a nice shower....but, just added to the humidity a bit....No complaints...will take what ever rain we can.


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## Wade E (Jul 20, 2008)

I had a bottle of this from Jobe and it is a great wine. Weather is hot &amp; humid over here, very dangerous for people with asthma.


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## Joanie (Jul 20, 2008)

I sent the rain your way, Appleman. It was a great soaker! Watering my vines yesterday brought it on!

Ramona...another beautiful sight!!!

NW, I think the carafe was a 3 gallon carboy!


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## grapeman (Jul 20, 2008)

The four bottles is what Ramona has lined up for her tonight. The next picture with two is after she drank the first two...................


Wade it was like that here yesterday. Hazy, Hot, Humid...... Yuck. It wasn't pleasant working in it. Today is just plain a washout. I heard a guy on The Weather Channel this morning call it a semi-permant front instead of a stationary front. I thought that was funny at the time, but now I'm not so sure. And then this coming week is Fair Week in the county which is typically wet every afternoon for the Fair!


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## grapeman (Jul 20, 2008)

Thanks, I think Joan. We had a soaker on Friday, and some more last night- and now today!


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## Wade E (Jul 20, 2008)

Its been hot and humid for almost a week straight. Is the rain cooling it off any?


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## grapeman (Jul 20, 2008)

wade said:


> Its been hot and humid for almost a week straight. Is the rain cooling it off any?




It only got up to 70 degrees today


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## Joanie (Jul 20, 2008)

Yep, it's cooler but the humidity is 100%! How can it be 100% and not raining?


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## Wade E (Jul 20, 2008)

Its a lot hotter then that here and the same humidity. The dehumidifier is going trong.


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## smurfe (Jul 20, 2008)

I have a batch of this hid away. I brought it home from the first Winestock. It out to be good and aged by now. Guess I ought to break one out and give it a try. Nice work on the labels there Missy!


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## Waldo (Jul 21, 2008)

I gotta ask too Ramona..how big was the carafe ?





Very nice looking bottles


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## rgecaprock (Jul 21, 2008)

I'll have to admit it was a pretty big carafe. I got 27 bottles from the carboy so you all can do the math. It was just too darn good!!!!


Ramona


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## uavwmn (Jul 22, 2008)

Here in southern AZ we are in the middle of our monsoon season. Big beautiful cumulus clouds building by 11 am. Thunderstorms and rain almost every day. Humidity ranges from 60 to 75% during this time. That is alot considering the humidity the rest of the year is approx. 12%. haha
Everything is green here in the desert and we love rain every day!!


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## Waldo (Jul 24, 2008)

We are now reaching the 100's, Very high humidity and no rain now in our areafor over 2 weeks...Welcome to Arkansas !!!


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## joeswine (Jul 24, 2008)

well people as a heating and air conditioning contractor i for one love the high humidity and high temps,as well as the freezing cold,know problem there,its just when it streaches out to long this old body starts to feel its age,know what i mean,??????????????????????????????????????


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## Scott (Jul 24, 2008)

Very nice labels and obviously the wine is tasty makes it worth the wait, and congrats on the move to the moderator group Ramona.


Weather here high humidity, high temps, hight amounts of rain for the past 2 months usually get 2-4-6 inches of rain in an hour or two.


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## uavwmn (Jul 24, 2008)

Gratz on the moderator group upgrade, Ramona!!!!


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## rgecaprock (Jul 24, 2008)

*Guys, Thanks but I've been a moderator for a long time, more than a year. It is still nice to get the Gratz !!!!!!




*


*Ramona*


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## Scott (Jul 24, 2008)

Oops, I thought I just noticed the switch within this month, shows how much I pay attention.


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## wctisue (Jul 24, 2008)

The WE Stag's Leap Merlot and Ranch 11 Cabernet are our favorite kits. We've made multiples of each and they are delicious. Now that we've become a FVW customer we're trying a few of the MM kits. We'll do a couple more Stag's/Ranch 11 this year because "it just don't get no better than this."




Wayne


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## uavwmn (Jul 25, 2008)

oops, sorry Ramona, I was feeding off someone else's thread!!! hahahaha
That will teach me~


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## Scott (Jul 25, 2008)

Sorry uav didn't mean to lead you astray, don't follow me I'm lost too.


I could have sworn that the name changed and a star was added, oh well if that's the worst I'm mistaken I can live with that


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## uavwmn (Jul 25, 2008)

Ok Scott, promise to follow you to close in here!!! hahaha


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## uavwmn (Jul 25, 2008)

NOT to follow too close. hahaha


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## Scott (Jul 25, 2008)

uav
you're the one with the 45/410 I'll follow you



. I hear there is some nice Stag Merlot down Texas way


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## Coaster (Jul 31, 2008)

I made this early on and I have to admit this is not one of my favorites. Has the infamous Jolly Rancher taste. Finished fermenting in Jan 2007. I have about 14 bottles left, last opened one about 6 weeks ago.


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## rgecaprock (Jul 31, 2008)

*Coaster,* 


*What is the Jolly Rancher taste!!! Grapey....Sweet? I thought it is great. What is your favorite? I'm curious about the reds and how they turn out as I have not made as many as whites. What do you look for in a Red?*
*I look for tannins, fruit, velvety smoothness and I find that in the Stag's Leap Merlot. Reds don't seem to be as simplified as the whites. I find that I search for what is coming out in the reds....but the whites are right there and obvious....I think it might be in the aging of which I have a problem with(patience). Althoughthe Merlot aged in the carboy 6months....I found it very pleasant.............Ramona**Edited by: rgecaprock *


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## uavwmn (Aug 1, 2008)

Ramona, I think we ALL have a problem with patience when it comes to aging our wines!!


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## Coaster (Aug 1, 2008)

The Jolly Rancher is a hint of perceived sweetness in the wine. I can smell it on the nose when the bottle is opened. I've read all the post on kit taste (KT)vs non-kit taste so I am reluctant to get too far into that discussion because it sometimes crosses the border from passionate to emotionally attached. IMHO, it is related to how WE proccesses their juice. I compared it (the SLM)to a few bottles of commercial Merlot and it just didn't stack up at all. Could be that I have been influenced by the power of suggestion. I kinda figured this would come up today so last night I opened another bottle. The first sip was disappointing as I was expecting. I let it decant for 35 mins and it was better but still wasn't what I expected in a Merlot. 


My favorite red (unfortunately) is the Oregon Yamhill Pinot Noir. It is stunning and will be entered into next years competition. Just have to change the cork (it's custom) in time to get it to George to ship in next year. I tasted my Super-Tuscan Style Rosso Fortisimo Reserve Cuvée and it was fabulous at the clearing stage. My Tannat Merlot was more Merlot like at the clearing stage than the SLM ever was.


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## Wine-O (Aug 1, 2008)

I won a silver medal this year for my Stags Leap Merlot. It is one of the best kits I ever made. My favorite from this past years batches is the Mosti Mondiale Meglioli Amarone Mondiale. I can't wait for this one to age (but it's hard!). 2 other good reds I made this past year was RJ Spagnols En Primeur Dashwood New Zealand Pinot Noir and WE Selection Washington Columbia Valley Cab Franc/Merlot.


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## rgecaprock (Aug 1, 2008)

*Congratulations!!!Wine-O, 



I think it is a winner too. Happy for you!!!! 






Ramona




Oh....BTW.......Welcome to you....Glad you are Here!!!!**Edited by: rgecaprock *


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## Wine-O (Aug 2, 2008)

Thank You, it's good to be here!!


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## Wade E (Aug 2, 2008)

Some people have stronger senses and can detect this KT much more then others. I myself really dont detect this taste but always find W.E. to be weak with the exception of a few and i found this wine to be very good, not the strongest in body but very good.


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## Jack on Rainy (Aug 8, 2008)

I just noticed this thread and looked at Ramona's labels. Very classy!

I have this kit, SLMerlot, bottle aging right now. It has a wonderful deep color but still has KT so more time for it. I oaked this one a bit during bulk aging. I thought it had a lot of flavor compared to some of the other WE kits and to commercial wines in the $10- $12 range. Have high hopes for it. 


BTW, Wine-O, have the Meglioli Amorone bulk aging rigth now and am looking to bottle and taste next month. How did you like yours at bottling?*Edited by: Jack on Rainy *


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## rgecaprock (Aug 8, 2008)

Thank you, Jack,


I am very pleased with how great it is. I just mailed 2 more bottles to my sister in Virginia.It is a very nice wine.


Ramona


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## Wine-O (Aug 14, 2008)

Jack,
I believe it's one of the best kits I have made so far. It definitly needs more aging but early on it was amazing. The few bottles I gave away have had rave reviews.
Dave


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