WineXpert First Kit: WineXpert California Merlot Reserve (with additions?)

[sremick]

And we have a leak....

Ugh. Taps I won't use and don't want really make me nervous. I wish more large fermenting vessels could be bought without a tap/spigot. Like the Speidel 30L (which has a spigot but I'd prefer it didn't).

 

[MrHerbington]

Exactly 4 weeks from the start, rerack to tapless carboy. 0,4l leftover after I filled the carboy to the neck.

 

[winemaker81]

Exactly 4 weeks from the start, rerack to tapless carboy. 0,4l leftover after I filled the carboy to the neck.

Do you have any 375 ml bottles? I keep screwcap bottles on hand (from Nigori Sake) as they're great for short term storage of small quantities of wine.

 

[MrHerbington]

Do you have any 375 ml bottles? I keep screwcap bottles on hand (from Nigori Sake) as they're great for short term storage of small quantities of wine.

Yes I have smaller bottles, 150ml, just used the 1l bottle because I was not sure how much there was

 

[winemaker81]

Yes I have smaller bottles, 150ml, just used the 1l bottle because I was not sure how much there was

I do the same, a it's much better than stopping the siphon or overflowing a bottle.

 

[MrHerbington]

Almost 7 weeks old from the start. Seems clear already

 

[MrHerbington]

Bottled 2th of November aka Day of the Dead. 2 weeks of bottle shock. Already used most of it with cooking because I got addicted to Red Deer Burgundy... Few bottles to friends and family too. 7 bottles left which I try to save for later lol. Already making the next kit.

 

[MrHerbington]

About 5 months old from the start of fermentation. Last bottle has pigment sediment, so probably bottled this too early. The taste is great. I consider this project as success, most likely going to do another batch of the same and age it longer.

 

[szap]

My experience is sediment like this comes from pulling some off of the bottom of your carboy during bottling.

 

[Ohio Bob]

5 months from start of fermentation is also an issue. Reds can drop sediment for a long time if not using fining agents.

I agree with @szap, when bottling, rack to a bottling bucket, add Kmeta, glycerin, whatever else your planning, then bottle. Bottling from a carboy with sediment, IMO, is inviting problems.

 

[Khristyjeff]

5 months from start of fermentation is also an issue. Reds can drop sediment for a long time if not using fining agents.

I agree with @szap, when bottling, rack to a bottling bucket, add Kmeta, glycerin, whatever else your planning, then bottle. Bottling from a carboy with sediment, IMO, is inviting problems.

I finally learned this lesson. Now I always rack to another container before bottling plus I still use the fining agents according to directions, as I can't detect any taste difference. Exception is wine from grapes. I haven't used fining agents on those.