Put this one to bed yesterday evening. Did my usual free SO2 test. Came in like all the rest, around 18 ppm before addition of my usual heaping 1/4 tsp K-Meta dose. This batch was almost 7 months old. I have been bulk aging for 6 months after adding the fining agents. I am not adding sorbate these days. I added it to my first few kits and my Viognier which had a flavor reserve pack but thats it. I could detect the sorbate after I added it. (I swear)
Tasting notes:
There is a reason this kit won a few Golds in competition. Perhaps I am getting used to the taste of green wine but this kit was truly drinkable at my 7 months bottling. It is currently very fruit forward almost jammy but not in your face to the point of thats all you taste. Its also nicely spicy (almost peppery). It still had a hint of green but nothing like my Red Mountain Cab at bottling. The oak was very muted, definitely there but not overbearing. I made this kit by the book and if my mind serves me it only came with oak saw dust. I will see how it ages and if the oak becomes more pronounced as the fruit forwardness settles down. I am thinking 2-3 oz of Med Toast french oak chips for the next go round. Oh yea, there will be another one of these down the road!
The left over glass was passed around the dinner table and it was absolutely wonderful with the Beef Stroganoff we had.
Did my usual 2 splits for taste testing down the road. I won't be breaking into this guy for another 6 months but it should be really, really good with just 12 months age on it.
Officially Mikey gives this kit two
Tasting notes:
There is a reason this kit won a few Golds in competition. Perhaps I am getting used to the taste of green wine but this kit was truly drinkable at my 7 months bottling. It is currently very fruit forward almost jammy but not in your face to the point of thats all you taste. Its also nicely spicy (almost peppery). It still had a hint of green but nothing like my Red Mountain Cab at bottling. The oak was very muted, definitely there but not overbearing. I made this kit by the book and if my mind serves me it only came with oak saw dust. I will see how it ages and if the oak becomes more pronounced as the fruit forwardness settles down. I am thinking 2-3 oz of Med Toast french oak chips for the next go round. Oh yea, there will be another one of these down the road!
The left over glass was passed around the dinner table and it was absolutely wonderful with the Beef Stroganoff we had.
Did my usual 2 splits for taste testing down the road. I won't be breaking into this guy for another 6 months but it should be really, really good with just 12 months age on it.
Officially Mikey gives this kit two
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