Cellar Craft 2012 CC LR Red Mountain Trio (the Frankenkit Tweak Thread)

[Boatboy24]

I can help, Mike. I got the last one. (Sorry). In addition to my confirmation, I got a personal email thanking me and letting me know I had the last one. The owner also commented on my email address (which contains "jeep") and told me about his son's jeep and their jeep adventures in Utah. Great service and good pricing/shipping. I'll be going back to them.

 

[ibglowin]

You guys got the last two.

Just tried to order one. All gone!

 

[rjheiss]

Well I decided to start my 2012 Cellar Craft Limited Release "Red Mountain Trio" today. I have had this guy since last April. I have decided its time to pick up another 23L Vadai (#4). This will serve as the "break in" wine for this barrel. All the other barrels have been exposed to MLB so its a good time to get a fresh barrel and break it in while my 8 carboys of California fresh grapes from this years crush are finishing MLB.

To that end I decided to go a little crazy with the tweaks. Why not, this should be fun to see how it turns out.

First tweak, will not be using EC-1118 yeast. Looked in the tool box and decided to go with (2) packs of RC-212 yeast. RC-212 has been used in some of the high end kits from other kit manufacturers so this should hopefully give it a little more robust flavor profile especially with the other tweaks.

Second tweak, after adding the 2L grape pack and waiting for it to dissolve for 4 hours with stirring, the initial SG was a very disappointing 1.090. This is pretty much in line with what other posters who had started this kit back in April were seeing. That would only make a wine with 12.3%ABV and I wanted something more in line with current "fruit bombs" coming out of Napa and WA State. I had purchased several of the last grape packs from George at FVW about a year ago and I had one of the 1.5L Syrah packs left still and I just thought, what the heck, this will raise the SG to what I want plus give me an extra dose of skins (solids) for even more mouthfeel. After adding the 1.5L Syrah grape pack in on top of the 2.0L grape pack (combined 3.5L SUPER GRAPE PACK!) the initial SG was a text book perfect 1.102 which will yield a nice 14.1% ABV wine, much more inline with what it should have been actually.

Third tweak, added ~8.0 grams Tannin FT Rouge. This is a (pre or post) fermentation tannin that will help with color stabilization, increased mouthfeel and lengthen the finish considerably.

Fourth tweak, not using any of the supplied oak, will spend 4 weeks in a brand new 23L Vadai followed by ~8 months of bulk aging in a carboy. If the oak falls back I will layer with an ounce of Med toast French oak beans at some point down the road.

So thats about it for now. The must is inky black with the addition of the extra grape pack and the Tannin FT Rouge.

Heating pad is being used as the winery is ~60 degrees these days.

Should be a fun kit!

Mike, great post about the Red Mountain Trio. When you added the grape skins pack that are supplied with the kit, did you add them loosely into the fermenting bucket or pour them into the cheesecloth that was provided?

 

[tonyt]

So Mike, fill us in on the RMT with double grape pack and double RC 212 yeast. How did the ferment go? How's the body? Did you add beans or was the new barrel enough oak?

 

[ibglowin]

I always add to the supplied cheesecloth bag. Way too much of a mess otherwise.

Mike, great post about the Red Mountain Trio. When you added the grape skins pack that are supplied with the kit, did you add them loosely into the fermenting bucket or pour them into the cheesecloth that was provided?

 

[ibglowin]

Ferment went perfectly no issues or problems. I know that Boatboy24 swapped out D254 for the supplied EC1118 and fermented to dry without any problems or issues on his Red Mountain Trio.

This spent 4 weeks in a new 23L Vadai as a break in wine. Its now resting quietly in the cellar at a perfect 55 degrees. I have not snuck a sample yet. Smells fantastic though! Very good color rim to rim. I will probably add an ounce of American Oak beans in a month or so to layer that on top of the Hungarian Oak from the barrel.

So Mike, fill us in on the RMT with double grape pack and double RC 212 yeast. How did the ferment go? How's the body? Did you add beans or was the new barrel enough oak?

 

[Boatboy24]

Ferment went perfectly no issues or problems. I know that Boatboy24 swapped out D254 for the supplied EC1118 and fermented to dry without any problems or issues on his Red Mountain Trio.

No issues at all. I also followed Mike's cue with the FT Rouge in primary. That batch has been clearing for two weeks and will go into the Vadai in another 2-3 weeks for a 12 week rest. I'm anxious to compare it to my first RMT, which largely followed the instructions except for some additional oak and Tancor Grand Cru during aging.

 

[ibglowin]

Update: Bottled!

Bottled this guy this weekend. The left over glass was freaking fantastic. He ended up spending 4 weeks in the new Vadai and then resting over the Winter letting some more fines and some acid drop out. pH ended up at 3.63 which is pretty much perfect. Added some SO2 after testing with the A/O rig.

I added about 1.5 ounces of Med toast French oak beans about 4 weeks ago to layer some added oak on top. Oak is really nice. The Tannin FT Rouge really gave this guy a nice finish. Long and lovely in the mouth. Now to let him sit for another year or so.

Gonna be awesome and wish I had made two now for sure!

 

[ibglowin]

GOLD medal for this wine. Check!

 

[Geronimo]

Thanks Tony.

I just ordered one from a Blue Stem Winery in Iowa. 8.95 shipping.

Jim

Too bad they don't sell CC kits any more.

 

[ibglowin]

Sure they do they are now Vineco

 

[geek]

I think he means that blue stem winery don't sell CC.


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