WineXpert Eclipse Stags Leap Merlot

[jgmann67]

. I can only assume that every bottle is suffering this cloudy disaster. I am thinking I will open all bottles, dump them into a carboy, add some kmeta & sparkolloid and allowed time to clear. Anybody agree? Have any better ideas? Thanks in advance! Cheers!

Hold the phone. I don't think you should assume they're all cloudy. Take a random bottle or three and hold them up to a light. I think, though, if your wines are all like this one, I hate the idea. But, don't know that there are any other choices.

*. *. *

One a related note, we had this wine with dinner - London broil. We decanted the wine for about an hour and a half. It was stunningly good. I'm going to have a difficult time keeping my hands off of this...

 

[thruhike00]

That's kinda how I feel - if I'm going to spend $100 on a pump to degas, spend the extra $100 and have something that does it all.

I have 3 plastic and 1 glass carboy, though. Need to transition to all glass.

I thought the all in one was not recommended to pull a vacuum and could ruin the pump?

 

[jgmann67]

I thought the all in one was not recommended to pull a vacuum and could ruin the pump?

The AIO is a vacuum pump. The system creates a vacuum in the receiving carboy and pulls the wine in to it. During the transfer process, I think it gets to somewhere around 20" of vacuum. So it degasses as it goes. Since that post, I've purchased 2 more glass 6-gallon carboys. I will probably get a couple more this year.

http://www.allinonewinepump.com/racking-wine-no-lifting-carboys-degas-easily/

 

[scram]

I've used the all in one wine pump quite a few times and works very well. Steve also provides great customer service...

 

[thruhike00]

The AIO is a vacuum pump. The system creates a vacuum in the receiving carboy and pulls the wine in to it. During the transfer process, I think it gets to somewhere around 20" of vacuum. So it degasses as it goes. Since that post, I've purchased 2 more glass 6-gallon carboys. I will probably get a couple more this year.

http://www.allinonewinepump.com/racking-wine-no-lifting-carboys-degas-easily/

Had a few questions for Steve and he was super helpful! Ordered my AIO pump this evening. Thanks for explaining.

 

[jgmann67]

Had a few questions for Steve and he was super helpful! Ordered my AIO pump this evening. Thanks for explaining.

You will be very happy with it. Like everything else in your wine-making arsenal, keep it clean and sanitized and you'll be fine. I've racked 5 batches of wine with it so far with no complaints.

If you're not using glass yet, you'll want a few (or more) of them to facilitate racking of multiple batches. I've got three and could easily use 3 more.

 

[thruhike00]

You will be very happy with it. Like everything else in your wine-making arsenal, keep it clean and sanitized and you'll be fine. I've racked 5 batches of wine with it so far with no complaints.

If you're not using glass yet, you'll want a few (or more) of them to facilitate racking of multiple batches. I've got three and could easily use 3 more.

I am up to ten 6gal carboys and five 5gal, a few 3gal and 1gal. I have one plastic 6gal that I am just not a fan of. It holds the previous wine odor for several weeks after rackings. I do like that its light weight as I was having to move around quite a bit. I think the AIO pump will help with this as I can just see me grabbing a carboy with wet hands and having a whole kit and broken glass all over the floor. And that would be the end of my wine making days if the wife saw the debacle. Really looking forward to the AIO pump for both transfer and degassing.

Do you still use anything else for degassing (I have a drill attachment) or just the AIO pump? I bulk age everything so think after multiple rackings it should be degassed with the pump.

 

[scram]

Nothing else is needed to degas... As long as you rack with it several times...

 

[cmason1957]

Nothing else is needed to degas... As long as you rack with it several times...

And my experience is just doing the normal 3 or 4 rankings to normally make wine is plenty of times. I don't do anything extra and never have gassy wine.

 

[thruhike00]

You will be very happy with it. Like everything else in your wine-making arsenal, keep it clean and sanitized and you'll be fine. I've racked 5 batches of wine with it so far with no complaints.

If you're not using glass yet, you'll want a few (or more) of them to facilitate racking of multiple batches. I've got three and could easily use 3 more.

Racked 5 carboys night before last in much less time, less mess and no heavy lifting. Still have a few things to figure out on my end that will come with using it more. Thanks for the recommendation to all as the AIO wine pump is a great addition!!!

 

[jgmann67]

Received confirmation from an impartial third party this evening...

I gave a bottle to a friend. His significant other is a bit of a wine snob. So the gift was given on the single condition that they give me an honest appraisal of the effort. I suggested that they decant the wine for about an hour before drinking. The review just came in:

She said it was the best Merlot she has ever had. The word "beautiful" was used to describe it; and, it rendered her speechless otherwise.

So, it's not just me - this is good wine.

 

[scram]

Oh that's good news! Mine ended up having sediment in the bottles as you may have read. Dumped them back in the carboy a couple weeks ago for a little more time. Dropped quite a bit of muck... Probably bottle again in a couple months.

 

[jgmann67]

Oh that's good news! Mine ended up having sediment in the bottles as you may have read. Dumped them back in the carboy a couple weeks ago for a little more time. Dropped quite a bit of muck... Probably bottle again in a couple months.

Yep - saw that. I think you did the right thing.

 

[thruhike00]

Oh that's good news! Mine ended up having sediment in the bottles as you may have read. Dumped them back in the carboy a couple weeks ago for a little more time. Dropped quite a bit of muck... Probably bottle again in a couple months.

curious how long you bulk aged? 4th (secondary, 2 bulk age) racking tonight on an amarone and its dropping sediment like I fermented it with dirt. CA trinity red was as clear as glass. Just trying to figure this all out as the higher end the kits seem to take a lot more aging before bottling. Thanks!

 

[jgmann67]

curious how long you bulk aged? 4th (secondary, 2 bulk age) racking tonight on an amarone and its dropping sediment like I fermented it with dirt. CA trinity red was as clear as glass. Just trying to figure this all out as the higher end the kits seem to take a lot more aging before bottling. Thanks!

This one was 4 months in bulk. I had to go back and reread the thread to be sure. The Eclipse kits, and this one in particular, dropped a ton of junk.

 

[thruhike00]

This one was 4 months in bulk. I had to go back and reread the thread to be sure. The eclipse, and this one in particular, dropped a ton of junk.

Jim,
Are you living on the edge bottling after 4mos or did you use clarifiers?

 

[jgmann67]

I used clarifiers. And, nowadays, I have patience enough to bulk age for 6 months (or more if necessary). This kit will be a year old on the 16th.

 

[sour_grapes]

This kit will be a year old on the 16th.

The 16th of April I might remind you!!

Mine is just a little older than yours, and I have not tasted it yet (except for a sip at bottling). Your friend's comment makes me want to violate my rules and grab a bottle!

 

[jgmann67]

The 16th of April I might remind you!!



Mine is just a little older than yours, and I have not tasted it yet (except for a sip at bottling). Your friend's comment makes me want to violate my rules and grab a bottle!

Paul -

Come April 16th, I hope you feel for yours like I do for mine. After 11 kits, the SLD Merlot is the best argument I've made for kit winemaking so far.

I'm still a noob at this winemaking thing. But, I got into the habit of bottling a half dozen 375 ml tasters. I think of it this way: If wine is life; and, life is about the journey (not the destination); the greatest joy in wine is found along the way...

I've been cautiously tasting this one every month or two. Mostly from the half bottles. But, a few 750's have also been sacrificed for dinner or to friends. At the one year mark, I still have two taster bottles and two cases of 750's.

My cab isn't doing as well. It's a little older, and I only have 14 of the 750's and a single 1.5L.

 

[Steve_M]

I think of it this way: If wine is life; and, life is about the journey (not the destination); the greatest joy in wine is found along the way...

You know never thought about it this way! I have been at this for just over 1 1/2 years. Juice buckets, a few kits and fresh grapes this past Fall. I have been so intent on letting my wines age I have not really sampled along the way. Now I am going to begin my journey!

Steve