Cellar Craft CC Showcase Viognier

[ibglowin]

Bought this GOLD Medal Winner a a few months ago and now finally have an open Carboy to put this gal into!

This kit comes with a Flavor Reserve Pack (bottle) that gets added post fermentation. For those who have never had the pleasure of quaffing a Viognier (pronounced vee-yon yay) on a hot Summer's day, this is a full-bodied and aromatic wine with a creamy mouth-feel, unbelievable aromas and flavors of apricot, mango, pineapple, guava, kiwi, tangerine, orange blossoms and spiced pear that will dazzle your senses. The flavor reserve pack supposedly balances the grape's edge and creates a full, off-dry lingering finish.

I thought I might have to bump up the starting SG but it turned out to be a very respectable 1.092 so I left it unmodified.

Definitely looking forward to seeing how she turns out and have high hopes since Viognier is my nouveau fav white these days. Plus it comes from my better half's home state so double high hopes!

Fermentation has been nothing but fizzy coke on this one! No cap, no large bubbles just tiny bubbles as Don Ho would say.

Its 55 degrees in the Winery and I have been having troubles keeping this guy at a steady temp. One minute he is up to 76, the next he is down to 70 (Brewbelt on/Brewbelt off!)

Will post more as things progress. I need more used Viognier type bottles for sure!

I just got my new commercial wine racks but will post pics of those in my thread under the Chateau Michaelena Winery.

 

[cpfan]

Mike:


That's a kit that I would like to make someday. Unfortunately my wife hasn't enjoyed some of the commercial Viogniers that we have had.


Good luck with it, and hope you enjoy the results. Steve

 

[vcasey]

This is on my endless list of wines I want to make! I am looking forward to your progress and your impressions. Now if you are looking for another wine with all those aromas and flavors I recommend you try this one http://www.floridawine.com/product_sangria.htm.
VC

 

[ibglowin]

$21 a bottle! They are darn proud of that Sangria!

This is on my endless list of wines I want to make! I am looking forward to your progress and your impressions. Now if you are looking for another wine with all those aromas and flavors I recommend you try this one http://www.floridawine.com/product_sangria.htm. VC

 

[Joanie]

I have that same kit close to bottling! I have been very pleased with it so far!

 

[vcasey]

I know. We buy 2 bottles a year and we pay a little less but not by much. One to celebrate being as ready as we can for hurricane season and one to celebrate the end of hurricane season. Since it's called Cat 5 it seemed appropriate.

 

[ibglowin]

How long did you bulk age this one? Did you make any changes or go by the book?

I have that same kit close to bottling! I have been very pleased with it so far!

 

[ibglowin]

Agreed, great name for a wine!

I know. We buy 2 bottles a year and we pay a little less but not by much. One to celebrate being as ready as we can for hurricane season and one to celebrate the end of hurricane season. Since it's called Cat 5 it seemed appropriate. 

 

[vscottcolorado]

Mike;
Is your Viognier pretty yellow in color compared to a Chard? I did a WE Sel. Viognier 5 months agoafter going to a tasting of Curtis Winery and we both loved it.A lot of fruit but not sweet. But this WE kit is not even close. I know it is pretty young even for a white but when young you should get some resemblance of the fruit. It has none.In fact we put it in the back and are hoping it will mature. Would be interested to see how the CC Viognier turns out.

 

[ibglowin]

Hard to tell right now, looks like yellow/brown dish water at the moment! I will post more pics as this progresses especially after adding the fining agents and it has cleared.

He smells great now (fermenting)!

 

[vscottcolorado]

Keep us posted... We have tasted several Commericial Viognier and would love to find one that is close to the Curtis.
Scott

 

[ibglowin]

Out of Primary and into Secondary.

Reached ~1.00 after 6 days with the brewbelt on (most of the time).

Will be interesting to see how this guy clears and what color he ends up to be!

 

[vscottcolorado]

Looking good Mike.. With my WE Sel. kit no matter what I did I could not get it to go below .998

 

[ibglowin]

998, 996 is about as low as mine seem to go. Could be the lack of oxygen at 7000ft!

 

[Waldo]

Looking yummy

 

[Mharris335]

I just bottled mine this past weekend. Mine is about7 months old now. At bottleing time it was getting good. I bet at about the year mark it will be very good to very great.

 

[ibglowin]

I hope to be drinking (some of) mine by this Summer!

I had a bottle of Cline Viognier this weekend and it was amazing for only $9.99 a bottle. If mine taste half as good I will be very happy!

 

[Goodfella]

I like that you put your label on the carboy.


I have been thinking about doing that, and leaving all the labels on to show how much wine has gone through the carboy. (like stickers on a suitcase)






Good job Mike

 

[admiral]

Looking good Mike.

Joel, I think that, with as many wines as I put through my carboys and with the occasional drip or spill, before long my carboys would begin to look rather tattered and torn. Mike is very neat. His carboys always look great.

 

[ibglowin]

Those are just the paper Avery labels. I usually print out a sheet of 6 of them and put one in my Notebook for each batch as well as one on the Carboy.

In case I make a mess at racking I have extras to put on. They peel off easily.I have to admit the first few times I racked I was quite the mess maker but practice does make perfect even in wine making (especially in wine making) and my transfers now are pretty darn clean!

I will be stabilizing and clarifying the Viognier this weekend!