WineXpert Eclipse Stags Leap Merlot

[jgmann67]

Okay - I went through my notes and the only tweaks were some tannin extra riche in the finish and 3 months in bulk before bottling.

I didn't remember this coming with EC1118. But it did.

I'd like to swap out the yeast with either RC212 or BM4x4. Thoughts on that?

Other tweaks I should consider beyond yeast and adding the TRE? Otherwise, I'm going to leave this for 6 months in bulk, then bottle around March.

 

[Johnd]

Okay - I went through my notes and the only tweaks were some tannin extra riche in the finish and 3 months in bulk before bottling.

I didn't remember this coming with EC1118. But it did.

I'd like to swap out the yeast with either RC212 or BM4x4. Thoughts on that?

Other tweaks I should consider beyond yeast and adding the TRE? Otherwise, I'm going to leave this for 6 months in bulk, then bottle around March.

Just checked my notes for you, I used 4x4 on my latest batch (12/20/15) which just completed three months in barrel #3, and into glass awaiting bottling. This is my best SLM to date. Only other adjustment I made was the omission of sorbate, FWIW.

 

[thruhike00]

All this discussion on how great this kit is got me off my tail this a.m. for my second batch of SLM. First kit is in glass for about three months and going to barrel soon. Anyone use the oak cubes in the barrel? My barrel has three months of use and is definitely not neutral. Suggestions on using the cubes with the barrel are welcome, or just go with the barrel oak?

 

[geek]

you use the oak cubes in the barrel if the barrel is neutral.

 

[Grabo]

I just racked my SL Merlot after 3 months bulk aging and had a taste. Wow am I glad I read this forum and found out about this kit! This is my first "big red" and I'm very excited to see how it ages. I made this kit by the book except for the bulk aging and leaving the oak cubes in the carboy for the firs 3 months. With how it tastes now, I might have to plan on making this kit a regular for me.

 

[jumby]

I was rearranging the wine cellar today and came across 2 case's of this nearing 2 years of age. I think it's fair to assume 1 of the corks will be popped tonight for dinner. I think I earned it. I ended up rearranging about 60 cases I have ageing. Uggh!

 

[jgmann67]

Picked up the BM4x4 at my LHBS. Going to pour the juice and sink the oak and skins and leave this overnight to see what my terminal OG will be. Drop yeast in the morning.

 

[jgmann67]

I was rearranging the wine cellar today and came across 2 case's of this nearing 2 years of age. I think it's fair to assume 1 of the corks will be popped tonight for dinner. I think I earned it. I ended up rearranging about 60 cases I have ageing. Uggh!

I'd love to read how that tastes after two years aging.

 

[ceeaton]

I'd love to read how that tastes after two years aging.

If we are still trying to meet at some point this month you'll be able to taste a 2 yr old sample. @Boatboy24 Jim gave me one this Spring that he pitched the yeast 8/17/2014.

I've meant to ask you which wines I should bring. That was one of them I planned on bringing, and whether we opened it when I was there or you did at a later date, you would have a better appreciation for its age than I would. I'm sure Jim would approve as long as you gave him your honest assessment of his efforts once you opened it. His notes mention it spent 3 months in the barrel.

 

[jgmann67]

If we are still trying to meet at some point this month you'll be able to taste a 2 yr old sample. @Boatboy24 Jim gave me one this Spring that he pitched the yeast 8/17/2014.

I've meant to ask you which wines I should bring. That was one of them I planned on bringing, and whether we opened it when I was there or you did at a later date, you would have a better appreciation for its age than I would. I'm sure Jim would approve as long as you gave him your honest assessment of his efforts once you opened it. His notes mention it spent 3 months in the barrel.

We'll be finishing what's left of the Forza and maybe the Lodi Cab if we get to bottling that one, too (or maybe we just set a taste aside before we start bottling). They're aged about 8 and 6 months, respectively, in the carboy. I'll rack them the night before and prep bottles that morning.

If you want to do a comparison in reds, I have the SLD Merlot, the ST and an Aussie Cab that are drinking very well right now. Bring what you'd like. But, definitely bring Jim's Merlot. I will give it an honest assessment one way or the other (either then or at a later date).

 

[jgmann67]

The merlot is bubbling away nicely with the BM4x4. It smells fantastic. IMO, the Zin and the Merlot are the two best smelling juices in the Eclipse line.

I'm punching and stirring twice a day to maximize exposure to the grape skins; and I'm not snapping the lid down until end of week, when fermentation slows.

Given how much lees this one sheds, I put the skins and oak dust in the bag together. Hoping it will decrease wine loss during transfer.

 

[jgmann67]

At last night's punch 'n stir, I also checked the SG. After three days, it's down to 1.025. I'll snap the lid tonight and get this the rest of the way home over the weekend, transferring it to a glass carboy. Need to juggle a few wines before then, tho.

Update 8/11 -

Not even a week and we're already down to 1.000. It's snapped shut so I'm not worried about leaving this go another few days. I want as much time with the skins as I can safely get.

 

[jgmann67]

Racked tonight to clear the wine. Dosed w KMeta and clarifiers. Just 10 minutes after setting it back on the bar, there was already an inch of sediment at the bottom. Amazing.

 

[Johnd]

Racked tonight to clear the wine. Dosed w KMeta and clarifiers. Just 10 minutes after setting it back on the bar, there was already an inch of sediment at the bottom. Amazing.

That's when you know you did a good job! Next time you add chitosan and stir it into a red wine, shine a flashlight into the carboy, you'll be amazed to see the millions of particles that form almost instantly.

 

[jgmann67]

That's when you know you did a good job! Next time you add chitosan and stir it into a red wine, shine a flashlight into the carboy, you'll be amazed to see the millions of particles that form almost instantly.

Will do that next time. Interesting.

Update on 8/24 - Three days after racking the wine and the sediment has packed itself well at the bottom of the carboy. I'd say it went from about an inch thick to about 3/4" thick, even though I'm sure that particulate is still dropping as the wine clears.

 

[jgmann67]

We're in finishing now... 90g of oak and 2g of tannin riche. The amount of lost wine in this one is substantially lower than the first batch. Chalk that up to handling of the oak and grape skins and the AIO pump.

3 months... Rack, dose, 3 months.... Rack, dose and bottle. I'll get at least 2 months with the basement in the 50* range before bottling.

 

[ceeaton]

I'll get at least 2 months with the basement in the 50* range before bottling.

I racked my Pinot Noir from this Spring a couple of days ago and had a full cache of wine diamonds, and it's sitting at 74*F+. Almost afraid to cold stabilize, might reduce the tartaric acid too much and make it flabby, like me.

 

[jgmann67]

So, I'm out the other night and I said, "Ahhhh, Pinot Noir... Which literally translates to, 'Peanut of the Night'."

One person in the party looks up from their menu and says, "Really???"

No... Not really.

 

[Johnd]

I'll get at least 2 months with the basement in the 50* range before bottling.

Definitely a good call there, racked 5 carboys this weekend that have been in the room at 55-60 F for only a few months. Every one had a layer of diamonds crusted over a light layer of sediment. It made racking super easy, but am glad it's not going to be in my bottles. Many of my bottled wines, bulked for over a year at room temps, have developed diamonds since the bottles have been in there.

 

[ceeaton]

So, I'm out the other night and I said, "Ahhhh, Pinot Noir... Which literally translates to, 'Peanut of the Night'."

One person in the party looks up from their menu and says, "Really???"

No... Not really.

So what is the translation? As I remember Pinot is Pine and Noir is black in French. The grape might be black but it doesn't taste like a pine, go figure. Always wondered how all those French dudes got the girls when they make no sense.