Cellar Craft CC Showcase Rosso Fortissimo (Super Tuscan)

[ibglowin]

Ich bin ein "Nerd Herder"

 

[robie]

You guys aren't really that nerdy, are you?

If you find yourself typing or saying the phrase "population for statistical analysis" and you're not getting paid to use it, you are not drinking enough wine.

No truer words have ever been spoken, Bart!!!

 

[robie]

Ich bin ein "Nerd Herder"

If SHE'S what a nerd gets to herd, I'm in!!!

Well, maybe 30 years ago...

 

[RickC]

This jewel (the wine kit that is) may be next on my list to make. Any comments on the level of earth tones to this one? I typically don't care for Merlot or Malbec because of the earthiness.

 

[ibglowin]

This guy is aging in the 6 gallon Vadai barrel at the moment. He should come out in another month and I will try a little snort then and report back.

 

[bcfryer]

Went for one of Georges 2010 CC Super Tuscan kits in the specials area. Being this is a 2010 kit and not the 2011 being reserved now , would this2010 kit be from the 2009 harvest?

 

[ibglowin]

More than likely but check the manufacturer date. If its a real new kit it could be from this years harvest since all of the grapes for this kit come from WA state.

 

[tonyt]

If you want to make this kit I would hold out for the CC Limited Release Cuvee due out in October. More juice, bigger grape pack I believe. Very popular last time it was released. I made this one but plan to do the LR as well.



http://www.cellarcraftwine.com/Specials_&_New_Products.htm

That's exactly what I did and it came in today. Wow - huge grape pack and three packages of oak, American untoasted saw dust, toasted French sawdust and Hungarian cubes for secondary. I assume there is not much need for extra oak? Any tips?

 

[ibglowin]

Make sure you have at least a 7.8 gallon primary!

 

[tonyt]

Make sure you have at least a 7.8 gallon primary!

It's 6.5 Imp Gal

 

[ibglowin]

Thats 7.8 US and should work fine, but watch the temps and try not to let them get to high the first few days.

 

[bcfryer]

My limitedRosso Fortissimo Reserve Cuv'ee was delivered here this week on Tuesday 01/04/11. The date code on the kit was J28012SA thus it is a 10/28/10. This is my second Cellar Craft Showcase kit. The first is the Red Mountain Cab kit. It is in the clearing stabilize stage.
Interestingly I looked up the kit name words and came up with Rosso= Dry Red Wine , Fortissimo =Fortified Wine , Reserve= Choice Wine and Cuv'ee= A Blend


Previously I had made 7 kits from the RJ Spagnols Grand Cru International series. This is a big step up for me both in cost and also quality (I hope). Maybe this week I will try and figure out how to use some pictures on the site.


There are three soon to be four of us in middle Ga. having a great time with this. I have been at it a littleover a year now. This discussion forum has helped quite a bit with decisions over various options.


Thanks and have a good day.

 

[ibglowin]

Should be a good one for sure. Keep us posted.

Google Translator translates Rosso Fortissimo to "Strong (or big) Red" which makes sense.

 

[tonyt]

I am in day seven of primary fermentation. SG is dropping a point or two per day with temp staying at 77f. Stir and squeeze daily. Lid is down tight and air lock is bubbling steady all day. This is kit number 10 for me and this is by and far the slowest fermentation ever. Usually I am at or close to dry by now. Started SG was a bit low at 1.086 and is now at 1.012. I plan to remove the huge grape pack tomorrow AM and then let it finish fermenting to dry in the bucket. The descriptions y'all give of this kit makes me think this isn't going to be one of those pucker your mouth it's so dry kits. Kit number 10 and it seems no two of them have been the same.

 

[ibglowin]

I agree , I have done 21 kits now and I would say each and everyone fermented in its own unique way.

 

[patc]

Hey Mike,


A little off subject but i have done a couple more kits and all of them i ommitted the sorbate. I now have enough tasting of young wines with sorbate and young wines without sorbate and i have to totally agree with you on the you can taste it!!!! I think once you dial in on what that taste is then it's at least for me enormously apparent!!!!! i do know it dissipates over time but i really think leaving it out enhances the varietal character IMO. Anyway just my two cents worth but for me if there is no residual sugar then sorbate just is not going in

 

[ibglowin]

The Sorbate in my Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay has finally disappeared. Took it right at 12 months........

 

[v1rotate]

I haven't been adding the sorbate for awhile. So I have a lot of sorbate packets lying around. I tried an experiment last year of adding 1/4 tsp to a quart of water. That should be many times the concentration of the full amount in 6 gallons of wine. I couldn't taste the sorbate at all. So I dumped the remainder of the packet into the quart of water and then I could taste it. But that is at 24 times the concentration in a batch of wine.

Maybe my taster isn't very discriminating. ibglowin and seagrape, you can taste the sorbate in your wines. Maybe you could try that experiment and report? Come to think of it, maybe I'll repeat the experiment myself.

 

[tonyt]

I have removed the gape pack yesterday from the Rosso Fortissimo. The SG is now down to 1.002. Although there are still tiny pin prick bubbles do I have to continue fermentation? If I were to stop fermentation now would the wine take on an Amarone taste of just this side of completely pucker dry? And this would be the case how and when would I proceed?

 

[ibglowin]

1.002 is not dry nor finished. You need to keep it warm for another 7-12 days till it finishes. 0.998 or less. Amarone is a dry wine. The special flavor comes from the fact that the grapes used are dried on racks like a raisin so that concentrates the flavor in the wine. That is why raisins are used in some of the other Italian kits.