RJ Spagnols EP kits

bka4 · Nov 11, 2009

I have been making RJ Spagnols kits for 2 years now. The EP kits are quite robust in flavor - but remain somewhat harsh even at 18 months. How long should I age these kits? If they are still tart at 18 months, is it a lost cause to age for 2-3 years??

I have found certain CS kits to be quite nice at 12-18 months (Amarone, Italian Valpolicella Ripassa, California Pinot Noir). The Spanish Roia Neuva was not that good, though.

Has anyone aged EP wines a few years? Do they get better by year 2-3??

Wade E · Nov 11, 2009

Yes they do. My EP Amarone is now right at 3 1/4 years old and is deadly awesome now. The Winery Series are 1 step below that and do come around a little faster. IMO, the better the juice then longer it atkes to come around.

bka4 · Nov 12, 2009

Thanks for the info. I have been drinking my EP Amarone as "rotgut" at this point (18 months old) - I thought I may have ruined it in the barrels - left if for 3 months on the 4th barrel run. Maybe I'll give it another 6-12 months before giving up on it.

Speaking of barrels - I have not been impressed with my results there. American oak barrels purchased at Christmas last year. I have aged a few wine kits in these barrels over the past year, and don't find the results very exciting. I think a touch of oak (2 cups of Am Oak medium toast chips) is nice, but establishing the right "dose" in the barrels is very difficult. I have pretty much given up on barrels in favor of some oak chips added during clearing - then leaving the kits alone to age. Any thoughts?

Wade E · Nov 12, 2009

I would not get rid of the barrels myself as you just have to taste much more often with them as they have much more surface area to deal with but they will mellow out bvery soon and then you will start getting into the area where they really shine. this will be when you can leave the wine in longer and be able to micro oxygentae your wine which will let some water evaporate(Angels Share) in which you will have to have extra for topping up but this process will really make a subastandard wine into something good and a good wine into something great. Give it more time and if your still not happy let me know as Id like to get a barrel. Dont let the barrel go nad by leaving it empty.

St Allie · Nov 12, 2009

bka4 said:
I have been making RJ Spagnols kits for 2 years now. The EP kits are quite robust in flavor - but remain somewhat harsh even at 18 months. How long should I age these kits? If they are still tart at 18 months, is it a lost cause to age for 2-3 years??

I have found certain CS kits to be quite nice at 12-18 months (Amarone, Italian Valpolicella Ripassa, California Pinot Noir). The Spanish Roia Neuva was not that good, though.

Has anyone aged EP wines a few years? Do they get better by year 2-3??

A quick note on your red choices here.. valpolicella (medium, but not tannin heavy on the palate) and pinot noir (thinner, brighter red) are both easy drinking wines..and should be tested at 1 to 1 and a half years and be perfectly nice to drink.. valpolicella will age longer.. I think a pinot is best at 2 -3 years max.. can'r comment re amarone ( I thought it was aged longer) or the spanish wine listed, as I have never tried or made it.

Perhaps people could chime in with their thoughts as to aging and best drinking age for these types of wines? ( I realise there are many different countries now producing these types.. and that may colour your view of the varietal)

Allie

fuzzmeister · Dec 7, 2009

Wade I currently have a valpolicella wine from RJS winery series, that is a week away from botteling, now you stated that you have a EP amarone that you have aged for 3 and 1/4 years did you add the extra sulphite to it before you bottled it? if a person intends to age it for 2 plus years, should you add the extra sulphite before bottling it? the instructions do not suggest that.

Wade E · Dec 7, 2009

Yes you should add extra if planning to age that long. Did you bulk age this at all? I wouod cause all kits will tend to drop more sediment even after using fining agents and racking off them.

fuzzmeister · Dec 8, 2009

Wade This kit is in the clearing stage right now, it is a 6 week kit and will be ready to bottle around the middle of this month I plan on bulk ageing it for a while, so when I rack it to another carboy to bulk age it, should I add the extra sulphite then? or when would be the appropriate time?