WineXpert Argentine Malbec

[wines just fine]

I started this Selection International kit last night and it's boiling away this morning. I'm hoping that it will be good to drink by Christmas (five months away).

Does anyone have any experience with this kit? Being a 15 litre kit it should be pretty good but I don't know if it will be good by Christmas.

 

[Tom]

If you want to drink it @ Christmas that means you need to bottle it the end of November. The wine will be very young. If you can't wait then bottle in November. It will be much better 6-12 months later.
BTW Malbec is a great wine. I usually make 5 cases a year from Chilean juice. In fact I have 12 gallons aging right now.

 

[wines just fine]

You're probably right Tom, it will be young at Christmas.

I'm looking forward to this one already. I decided to try this one after drinking a bottle of Malbec-Sauvignon, which I really enjoyed. I might even try to get another batch going to try blending some.

 

[wines just fine]

In fact I have 12 gallons aging right now.

Ok, I'm not jealous.

 

[wines just fine]

I'm not sure what's going on with this one. It tastes great, but at six weeks it is just not clearing.

 

[Tom]

1st did you degas before adding clearing agents?
What are you using to clear?

 

[Wade E]

Malbec has been one of my favorite wjines once I started to like red wines.

 

[wines just fine]

Tom,

I think you may be right. I thought I had the gas out but I may wrong.

If I get the gas out now will it clear or will I have to add more chitosan?

 

[Tom]

Not sure. I would think you be OK

 

[cpfan]

wines_just_fine:

What temp was the wine at when you degassed? Cool wines are very difficult to degas.

Steve

 

[Wade E]

Steve(cpfan) is correct. You should have temps right around 74* when degassing or you might as well beat your head against the carboy.

 

[cpfan]

you might as well beat your head against the carboy.

Hey Wade, I heard that works with a Better Bottle.

Still gotta have the wine wrm though.

Steve

 

[Wade E]

Only if you have a tennis ball unnder it!

 

[wines just fine]

I added more sorbate and another packet of chitosan and it cleared up nicely. I bottled it today and it tastes great.

I'll get another batch going soon, 'cause I have a feeling this batch is going to disappear quickly!