RJ Spagnols Grand Cru Merlot 2007 - New to Forum

[pioneergirl]

Well, it's not that I am expecting it to be sweet sweet; just some hint of some fruit and it was still a little fizzy on the toungue which I am hoping/thinking brought out even more of the tartness aside from the fact that it is young.

I originally degassed it according to directions with a drill attachment and such and thanks to the postings I have read here decided to let it sit again to additionally degass. Also put initially in 65 degree laundry room and then moved to 70 degree kitchen wrapped with a blanket. Second racking performed as stated above a day or so ago - (if I was following directions it would have been time to bottle at this point).

My plan at this point was to let sit and additionally degas, fine once more with the isinglass and bulk age a bit - but then I started freaking out due to fizziness and taste and perhaps the ph level which seemed to read a little high - but maybe that will even out with time? I gave a good stir with opposite end of the spoon to release some of that trapped gas.

 

[pioneergirl]

Udpate and Question

First, thank you ALL of you for your support and guidance on my beginning winemaking!!
Thank you for tolerting my chronicles of my wine adventures (just hoping that maybe it will help someone else someday too).
Here I am initiating the 7th week into this merlot wine kit (started 1/29/12).
I just thiefed a taste of this merlot and here are my impressions:
Still Fizzy on the tongue
Tasting SO much better than last time - actually starting to taste like wine
Still "green" tasting - very young, immature
Can definitely taste/breathe the alchohol"iness" of it

I am surprised that it is still fizzy. I will give it another stir with the spoon (although I have a jerri-rigged up attachment thanks to you tube - the hot water bent plastic coat hanger - thank you very much) - which I used initially to degass for a good 5 minutes at the get go according to instructions. I have also given it a good couple minute stir a second time with the back end of the long spoon.

I added isinglass back a few weeks ago as I stated above to help with additional settling. And I have that second addition of 1/2 c. oak chips still in there from 2/25 and it tastes fine. Didn't do another pH test - think I am psyching myself out with this step.

What do you all have to say on the continued fizziness? AND should I add additional sulfite at this time, a later time, or leave until bottling? Just curious about how the more senior pracitioners go about additional sulfiting/timing - I am thinking that by the end of this month I will add regardless if I bottle or not as that will be approximately 12 weeks from start. I am likely to bottle at the end of the month -- or when I get my act together to purchase a good corker that has a capper attachment too.

 

[cpfan]

I am surprised that it is still fizzy. I will give it another stir with the spoon (although I have a jerri-rigged up attachment thanks to you tube - the hot water bent plastic coat hanger - thank you very much) - which I used initially to degass for a good 5 minutes at the get go according to instructions. I have also given it a good couple minute stir a second time with the back end of the long spoon.

What do you all have to say on the continued fizziness?

I think you need to degas for more than 5 minutes. I'm doubtful about the plastic coat hanger, but IMO 5 minutes just plain isn't long enough regardless.

Personally I find that round-and-round stirring is not as effective as back-and-forth (or side-to-side) actions. I do have a Fizz-X for my drill and I use it to make sure that the additives are mixed, and that obviously does some degassing. But then I use the paddle end of my long spoon to go back-and-forth. And then some more. If your arm doesn't hurt, you're either too young or haven't done it enough.

Of course, the best way is a vacuum, but I don't feel that I am making enough wine these days to warrant that expense.

Steve

 

[pioneergirl]

Another Degassing after the fact....

Personally I find that round-and-round stirring is not as effective as back-and-forth (or side-to-side) actions. I do have a Fizz-X for my drill and I use it to make sure that the additives are mixed, and that obviously does some degassing. But then I use the paddle end of my long spoon to go back-and-forth. And then some more. If your arm doesn't hurt, you're either too young or haven't done it enough.

Of course, the best way is a vacuum, but I don't feel that I am making enough wine these days to warrant that expense.

Steve[/QUOTE]


Steve, thanks for the input. Following your advice; I proceeded to use that paddle and attend to the wine for a good 10-15 minutes and watched a lot of bubbles come up. The next day I did the same. Then I have left alone for a few days. In retrospect and research, I think I didn't do a good job first and then I moved to lower temps which I understand holds onto those bubbles more.

Today, I racked the wine again - since I had oak chips sitting in it - but noticed that it was very clear during the syphoning into another glass carboy. I also noted that it was flat (I am hoping that this is not a figmant of my imagination). In the interim, my husband is done hearing me agonize over the degassing and will be picking me up something more "professional" than my homemade coat hanger contraption.

Bottling is scheduled for tonight. BTW, he surprised me while I was researching with you all with the champagne floor corker; now we are just waiting for the capper attachment too.

 

[pioneergirl]

1st Kit Bottled.

I bottled my first kit tonight.

I prepared bottling with adding a little k-meta to the wine. sulfited the bottles with the vinator thingy after santizing in dishwasher. Corked with help fromo the kids even. 1st kit done!!! (still have to do labels though....)

Bottled 30 and 1/2 bottles with about 3 glasses worth left over to taste with the neighbors. Am working on a picture.....

 

[Flem]

Congratulations!!!

 

[DirtyDawg10]

Congrats! My first kit is still in the primary

 

[pioneergirl]

The Final Product....

Here is a picture of the final product which will now be stored for several months before trying again....I ordered the labels from winelabelsdirect after seeing some samples of others + I don't have much free time to be creative. I thought the pricing was just fine at approx $25 (which inlcuded ship.) for 30 wine labels. I consider the quality of these labels very very good; smooth picturesque surface, professional looking; they are thin plasticy filmy type material (didn't test one to see if it ripped, but will show a marked crease if bent or removed improperly from sheet); not parchment or paper. I also picked up some heat shrink "foil" caps that I dipped in rapidly boiling water which did the trick. Had some fails due to lack of heat with hot water and hot hairdryer. Labels and "foils" added less than $1 per bottle to the overall "investment". I am happy with them.

 

[Flem]

Very nice Carolyn. I really like that label. I'll have to check them out.

 

[Boatboy24]

Very professional looking. Good work!