Cellar Craft Is this the end of Red Mountain Cabernet for us?

[ibglowin]

If you have been thinking about doing one of the CC Showcase Red Mountain Cabernet kits you had better get one quick before they are all gone, possibly for good.

Cellar Craft released several communications earlier this week detailing their problems in procuring juice for not only the very popular Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon but also the Chilean Carmenere and Argentinean Malbec.

In the case of Red Mtn Cab, Cellar Craft explained they ran out of the juice and crushed skins due to extraordinary popularity of the kit. They are unable to produce any more of these kits until, at the earliest, crop year of October 2010. If they are successful in securing the desired grapes, they may have product to ship as early as late November 2010.

I was just at Red Mountain last week on our multi-state winery road trip.The Red mountain AVA is the smallest in the state at only 4000 acres and only 600 acres are currently under cultivation......

The ever increasing demand for grapes from this tiny AVA is just going to keep pushing the prices through the roof for everybody who wants to get their hands on either whole grapes or fresh juice.

Get it while you still can!

Official Cellar Craft Communication:

 

[Bartman]

Now, Mike, aren't you being a little dramatic about this? This is August, and they are talking about possibly having some kits available by November - 3 months or so. Now if they said they were discontinuing the kit, then I would be right with you. As it is, I would treat it like a Limited Edition at this point - once they sell what's left, you'll have to wait until the next bunch is available, which appears like it will be relatively soon.

 

[ibglowin]

I hope so but just in case I ordered one today from George because when they're gone they may be gone for sometime.

The demand for grapes from the Red Mountain AVA is such that unless Cellar Craft is willing to pony up big $$$ they may find themselves effectively locked out of the market until such time as supply can meet demand once again. As you know it takes 3 years minimum for new vines to produce and ~ 7 years before they really start to perform at the highest level.

At the moment they have no supplier at all but they feel they have a "good chance" of securing juice from this years production.

After just returning from the area and tasting a boat load of red mountain wines, well lets just say I am hooked on this stuff!

 

[Mharris335]

I drive right past Red Mount on my way back to Idaho. Mike is correct the wines are very good from there. I have already made the CC Red Mount kit three years ago when it was a Limited Kit. All I can say is wow at the three year mark is wow. I have 6 bottles left and it is a wow wine. I also made the Red Mount Syrah Limited kit that is two years old and it so really good too. It still needs more time in bottle, but it will be great wine. I will order another kit too Mike. Pretty soon CC will not get any grapes from there. Just like what happened with the Oregon Pinot Noir kits. They will be to high priced for the kits.

 

[Bartman]

To be fair, I have recently made a Red Mt. Cab, and am waiting patiently for it to come into its own (started in February, still bulk aging). George had sold out earlier this year and had to take orders until the next shipment came in, so demand has stayed strong. By all means, if you like it or want to try it, don't let this opportunity slip away.

Mark - I think you may need to change your signature

If you have a three year old Cabernet, and another two year old Syrah , I don't think you are working on your first kit anymore...

 

[Mharris335]

Bart, thanks for the heads up. I did change it.

 

[Brent2489]

Got mine last week (didn't know they were getting rare) and put into primary tonight. Looked great!!

 

[uavwmn]

OMG!!!!! I am going to order one today. It is an awesome Cab. Thanks for the heads up!!

 

[salmo1]

I have one on deck waiting for my EP Shiraz to finish out of the primary. The amount of Hungarian oak chips an cubes does not seem like much. Should I consider adding more oak when bulk ageing?

 

[Wade E]

I find almost all big reds need more oaking to my preference but also find that Im not a big oak and white one person and almost never use oak on my whites. I hate almost all commercial Cali Chards as they are usually way over oaked.

 

[salmo1]

Wade, I agree with you on the whites. The oak tends to reduce the crispness and overpowers some of the aromas. My wife hated Chard until I had her try some that had not been oaked.

 

[vcasey]

I was playing in fb and saw this announcement:
<h3>Cellar Craft International
</span>is over the moon to get our beloved Red Mountain Cabernet back in stock on Monday, November 8th...</span></h3>
Mike can relax a little and maybe order an extra kit!

 

[ibglowin]

Saw that earlier this AM.

I guess we know which year these kits are gonna be from!

 

[Bartman]

Bottled my Red Mountain Cab last week - incredible taste for a young wine! At bottling it tasted as good as or better than many 2-3 year old cabernets I have bought in the past. Perfect oak, the expected, unique, subtle chalkiness of Red Mountain AVA, and great mouthfeel/structure.

Bulk aged for 6 months, hope to bottle age several bottles for 1-2 years.
Great stuff! Tied for Best kit wine I have made so far (along with an Alljuice Nero d'Avola).

 

[ibglowin]

Oh ye of little faith!

 

[salmo1]

I have a batch of Red Mountain cab aging in the carboy. I have been sampling it to check the oaking - added one med toast american oak spiral. It is just about perfect. It will be tough to leave this one alone for a year.

 

[bcfryer]

Hello, Will a 7.9 gallon fermenter be an adequate size for the Red mountain cab kit?











Thanks, Ben Fryer
Macon,Georgia

 

[ibglowin]

That is what I use and it works fine with grape pack kits.

Make sure you don't add too much water (know your 6 gallon line) and don't go over it.

 

[Bartman]

I made my Red Mt. Cab in my 7.9 gal primary without a problem. If anything, I would add slightly less water than called for, maybe 5.8 gallons, instead of the full 6.

 

[ibglowin]

Yep, thats a good trick, then you can add it back in when you transfer to secondary.