Cellar Craft CC Showcase Red Mountain Cab Autour de Deux

[ibglowin]

Yep, the Tancor helps, the Vadai helps, the Oak layering helps, the accurate SO2 testing helps.

I feel things have come long way in just 2 years. Have not played with any different yeast except on my fresh grape wines. May have to try some BDX, or D254 yeast real soon!

 

[v1rotate]

Free SO2 was 18ppm before filtering. After filtering it bumped up to 28ppm. I needed 38ppm by the book as the pH was 3.48 so I added 0.4gm Sulfite powder

Your calculations are right on, Mike. It has been my recent experience that only 1/2 of the SO2 addition bumps the FSO2 up, though. The other 1/2 becomes bound. Maybe by starting at 28ppm you get a little less binding, I don't usually add KM at that level.

I have some 6 month old RM Cab in one of the barrels now for 11 weeks. It is tasting excellent already! Great kit.

 

[patc]

Yep, the Tancor helps, the Vadai helps, the Oak layering helps, the accurate SO2 testing helps.

I feel things have come long way in just 2 years. Have not played with any different yeast except on my fresh grape wines. May have to try some BDX, or D254 yeast real soon!

Yeah i agree mike and did not mean you have not come a long way

i just know you havemade a ton ofkits and i know how much better they can be with a little tweaking andi just nudge you a little from time to time to try to get you to push the envelope as i think you will have great success!!! i totaly mean it in the nicest way

you area great addition to this forum and i enjoy reading your progression and the taste impressions on your wine as it has helped me decide from time to time on what wine to try next so thank you for that

 

[ibglowin]

What would we do without you and Joeswine helping us to think outside of the box!

 

[rhoffart]

Yep, the Tancor helps, the Vadai helps, the Oak layering helps, the accurate SO2 testing helps.

You are my mentor

 

[tonyt]

Yep, the Tancor helps, the Vadai helps, the Oak layering helps, the accurate SO2 testing helps.

You are my mentor

Mine too! Just don't get the big head cause there are lots of great mentors on here, Joeswine, Dan, Wade, Appleman, Rocky, Tepe. just to mention a few. Not to mention all of us who ask all the questions.

 

[patc]

Agreed and then some!!

 

[ibglowin]

That's the cool thing about a forum, instead of just your own knowledge and experience you have the knowledge and experience of the collective group. We all help each other to be better than what we could be just on our own!

 

[rhoffart]

UPDATE

Bottled this guy yesterday. I think (no wait, I know) it is even better than the first batch that got me started in this hobby/obsession! Over 8 months aging including 3 months in the Vadai barrel. I also layered an ounce of Med+ toast French Oak beans several months after pulling it out of the barrel and while it went back to the carboy. I kicked up the finish with a small addition of Tancor Grand Cru as well. Filtered with a 5u whole house filter. Free SO2 was 18ppm before filtering. After filtering it bumped up to 28ppm. I needed 38ppm by the book as the pH was 3.48 so I added 0.4gm Sulfite powder and stirred well several days before bottling. Absolutely no detection of sulfite on the nose in the leftover glass.

Commercial quality all the way.

This is in a league of its own folks!

Can I ask what you use to calculate free SO2? I downloaded the this chart but it seem off from what you stated ...

 

[ibglowin]

The Winemaker Magazine Sulfite Calculator I used the higher 0.8 value for whites this time even though its a red.

 

[rhoffart]

The Winemaker Magazine Sulfite Calculator I used the higher 0.8 value for whites this time even though its a red.

ok, so the above chart is real close ... thanks

 

[ibglowin]

Yepers, I just sulfited to the white wine level.