Eclipse Lodi ranch Cab Sav kit

[Gwand]

I am making wine for the first time using Eclipse Lodi ranch Cab Sav kit. I am clarifying this week. The instructions then say to rack into a new carboy and age for 28 days. However I keep reading in Wine forums that people leave the wine in the carboy for 6 to 9 months before bottling. Is this recommended for kit wines too? Since this is the first time I'm making wine should I stick religiously to the instructions?

 

[Bartman]

My advice: for your first kit, follow the instructions carefully. On your second one, start experimenting wildly. On the third you will probably be back to following the instructions, but with a few adjustments.

Seriously, though, to answer your question: I bulk-age (leave the wine in the carboy) for at least 4-6 months after it has finished fermenting (i.e., the S.G. (specific gravity) has stopped dropping, usually between 1.000 and 0.996). Occasionally, if someone paid for the wine kit and asked me to make it for them, I will bottle it sooner than that so they can have it and I can bulk-age my own wine longer. Some kits benefit from bulk-aging more than others, generally the more expensive kit, the more benefit to aging.

Bottom line: if you have the patience, I would bulk age for at least a month or two. If you are more comfortable just following the instructions this first time, then go for it. Doing what the instructions say will ensure you get a good quality wine for your finished product; deviating from the instructions lets us try to improve the wine in one respect or another or try different modifications for flavor or mouthfeel, among other things.

 

[Gwand]

Thank you Bartman. Will do. What's your take on the addition of sorbate. It came with the kit. On some forums I see some people avoid sorbate do to the production of off flavors.

 

[Bartman]

Sorbate is essential to prevent back-sweetened (wines that have sugar or a sweetened flavor-pack added after fermentation) wines from re-starting fermentation in the bottle. If I am making a dry red or white wine (e.g., Cab Sauv. or Chardonnay), I never use sorbate, because of the potential for a bubble-gum-my type flavor/aftertaste. I have personally never tasted it, but have read about it enough to avoid it because the sorbate is unnecessary for 95% of my wines (almost all dry reds). I also prefer to add as few things to my wine that are not grapes or yeast as possible (a little potassium metabisulfite is critically necessary as preservative, but I tend to add less than the usual recommendations).
But if you are making one of the Summer Breezin' or Island Mist kits, they come with the sweetened flavor pack, and failing to add the sorbate would lead to fizzy wine or spontaneously popping corks. The flavoring and sweetness would cover any bubble-gum flavor the sorbate might lend.

 

[Gwand]

Thank you again Bartman. One last question, at least for today. For bulk aging of my eclipse kit, what do you think is the ideal cellar temperature? Also do you leave an airlock in place the whole time or do you place a closed stopper at some point? Thank you.

 

[Bartman]

Thank you again Bartman. One last question, at least for today. For bulk aging of my eclipse kit, what do you think is the ideal cellar temperature? Also do you leave an airlock in place the whole time or do you place a closed stopper at some point? Thank you.

Oooh, don't know if I want to answer this, because I would be a hypocrite. Ideal cellaring temp would be 55-60 degrees F, but my wine generally stays in racks in my closet at 75-80 degrees, and warmer at this time of the year (the closet is on the corner of the house and warms up more being in the sun). The cooler and moister the better, but the biggest factor is stability of the temp and no vibrations.

I own no solid bungs, so I have never had that dilemma re: regular airlock vs. closed stopper. I have seen numerous posts from folks saying don't use closed stoppers because a little temp or air pressure variation can pop them open when you aren't aware and then you have no seal. The main 'pro' to regular airlocks is that they allow the CO2 to escape gradually over time, which means you don't need to de-gas your wine. I haven't actively de-gassed (stirring or drilling vigorously to remove the residual CO2 in solution from fermentation) a wine in years now - despite the instructions in the kits. Just check the airlock for water/solution/vodka once a month or so, and you should be fine.