RJ Spagnols Grand Cru Select Barolo

[Wade E]

Well I went to my brother-in-laws house in which we havent seen in
about 2 months since I put a set of custom stairs and hand railings in
and had a suprise. He got me a gift certificate to a LHBS about 20
minutes from my house so on my way home from his house, you know I
could wait, I picked up a few things.

1) A Grand Cru Select Barolo 10 litre kit

2) A Sulfiter vinerator

3) A new racking cane since I broke mine last week.

4) A 5 gallon carboy so I wont have to top up any more

One question, what is vinerating for, why would you do this?

Will probably start kit tonight.



Oh, by the way, while I was getting my stuff I ran into a person just
starting their winemaking with an equipment and ingredient kit. I told
them to log on to this forum if they had any questions. We may have
another new member shortly as they looked like they could use some help
and told them we would be DELIGHTED!


Edited by: wade

 

[masta]

Wade,


If you are using a 5 gallon carboy when making kit wines you are shorting yourself 1 gallon of wine per batch!!! If you have to top that much then you aren't making yourbatch to thepropervolume of 6 us gallons/23 liters in the primary or leaving too much liquid behind.


The vinator is used for sanitizing bottles,fill the tub with sanitizing solution andplace the bottle over the nozzle and pump the solution into your clean bottles then place on bottle tree before filling.

 

[grapeman]

Wade makes quite a few 5 gallon batches using the Vintner's Harvest-like his Black Currant, Cherry,etc. He normally tops up to get rid of the airspace and feels he waters the batch down some, so getting the 5 gallon carboy for those-not his new kit- makes sense to me.


You sure are blessed with gifts this year! Keep it up!

 

[masta]

Yes you are right....sorry Wade....I ASSumed you were going to use the 5 gallon for that kit.

 

[Wade E]

Yes I will make the wine kits to 6 gals. but will use the 5 for fruits
and after a few rackings of kits if need be like JS Mahoney needed. As
far as the sulfiter, I know about sulfiting the bottles with this but
it also says to put wine in here and do this procedure also?
Edited by: wade

 

[masta]

As far as the sulfiter, I know about sulfiting the bottles with this but it also says to put wine in here and do this procedure also?

Don't have a clue why you would want to do that!!!

 

[Wade E]

Wonder what thats all about!

 

[Wade E]

Well # 1 for 2007. Starting SG is 1.086 and temp @ 76*. Smells nice and has wood in a tea bag looking package.

 

[masta]

Nice rich color......I have never made any of the RJS 10L kits.

 

[Wade E]

Well shes got a nice head and little sizzling but little or no action
in the airlock just moved it out of even on level. Temp @ 73*


Edited by: wade

 

[Waldo]

Looking good wade...I have only made one RJ's kit, a Shiraz that turned out really good.

 

[Wade E]

She's bubbling away now.

 

[Wade E]

Racking Barolo on day 10 @ SG of .992 and stable.

It suprised me as it usually does when this happens but only lost about
a small glass. Probably could have saved more if I wasnt trying to get
a picture of it but thats the sacrifice I made for you guys who have
not experienced "The Volcano" yet.

This is what happens when you add sulphite and mix without enough headspace even though I was sure there was enough this time!

 

[masta]

Nice volcano Wade but it isn't surprising after only 10 days! Whats the rush man?


I wait at least15-20 daysbefore stirring so the wine has time to release some of the CO2 on it's own.

 

[Wade E]

My directions say to rack and add this the wait 15 days then bottle. Im
trying to follow directions for the first time in my life! The only
thing I did that wasnt following directions was wait 4 more days in
primary which I really dont like being in there since there was no more
action and all that space in there!

 

[Francie]

Do you plan to age the Barolo? My friend did one last year and said it took about one year to come around

. Not sure which kit she used though!

 

[jobe05]

Good photo op Wade. The board owes you one. The next member that see's you, will pay you back that glass of wine.


I agree with Masta, don't rush it. Reds tend to be long agers anyway, and they seem to (at least the three or four that I have done) drop sediment for a while longer than whites. Clearing is tougher on a red since you canlt see through it as well (as you know).


Now use a sponge to clean that up so that you can ring it out over a glass....... see, you didn't lose anything....

 

[ScubaDon]

Hey Wade,
How did it taste?

 

[Wade E]

This is not the way I usually do wine.Im not happy with theyre
instructions on this and will do it my way next time like I was going
to in the beginning but I bit my tongue and followed the instructions
instead!

 

[Wade E]

It was very good tasting and I was really suprised as it is only 10 days young .