It begins... RJS Cellar Series Cabernet

[jgmann67]

I haven't been there in a few weeks. I'll try to swing by tomorrow and see what they have for me. I could see a Valpolicello or the French red.

 

[ceeaton]

I think the Valpolicella had a January date. The French one was pretty old, but I think WE SE kits are good for at least 18 months. If I'm wrong someone please correct me (Peter?).

 

[jgmann67]

I think the Valpolicella had a January date. The French one was pretty old, but I think WE SE kits are good for at least 18 months. If I'm wrong someone please correct me (Peter?).

If you don't mind, can you private message me what they're charging for out of date/older kits.

 

[DryFly]

Hello fellow Winemakers! I'm pumped I found this thread. I am starting the Grand Cru Austrailian Cabernet Sauvignon tomorrow. This is my first one so I am planning on following the instructions. However, after reading this forum, and this thread, I realize there are certain tweaks I can make to enhance the final product.

Does anyone have any additional input on this kit or similar kits? Thanks in advance! I know I will benefit greatly from your additional insight.

 

[Dhaynes]

Not sure if you meant that this was you first kit ever or just the first one of this particular kit. Unless you have at least a few kits under your belt, I would highly recommend that you stick to the ingredients that came in the kit and follow the instructions exactly. There are several reasons for this: 1) Unless you have significant experience you are far more likely to make the wine taste worse by messing with it. 2) The kit manufacturer will warranty the kit if it doesn't turn out, if you followed the directions. They are going to be far less inclined to help you if you didn't follow the instructions. 3) Unless you have made kits without enhancements, how would you know if your "enhancement" was actually an improvement.

 

[jgmann67]

Agreed - Try to follow the directions as much as possible. If your going to tweak, though, don't go crazy. I tweaked mine (also my first kit) after tasting it along the way and digging in to the reasons for the most common deviations from the kit directions.

Basically, I left the script for the following:

- Fermenting to dry - so no need for sorbate.
- Aged in Bulk so I could taste it along the way
- Oaked to taste.

 

[DryFly]

Thanks! By tweaking, I was mainly referring to the sorbate, yeast, bulk aging, how long to age, fermentation temp...

Since this is my first kit ever, I am going to follow the script

 

[heatherd]

Thanks! By tweaking, I was mainly referring to the sorbate, yeast, bulk aging, how long to age, fermentation temp...

Since this is my first kit ever, I am going to follow the script

Omitting sorbate in a dry wine is a safe tweak.

If you bulk-age, be sure to add 1/4 tsp of kmeta (potassium metabisulfite) every three months.

If you wanted to swap the yeast, RC212 is a good one that is unfussy.

Extra oak is another common tweak. I add 1 TBL of powdered oak in primary and 1-2 spirals during bulk-aging.

Additional tannins is another common tweak. I add 1 TBL during bulk-aging.

 

[sour_grapes]

I think heather covered the situation nicely!

 

[terrymck]

You need to make the acquaintance of Joe the master tweeker.

 

[DryFly]

12 hours in and she's already fermenting! Initial SG was 1.090.

I might have a problem on my hands though. Last night there was a small leak (1 or 2 drops an hour) coming from the threads on my primary fermenter's spigot. The leak has stopped, but I wonder if that is going to be an issue. Any thoughts?

 

[jgmann67]

12 hours in and she's already fermenting! Initial SG was 1.090.

I might have a problem on my hands though. Last night there was a small leak (1 or 2 drops an hour) coming from the threads on my primary fermenter's spigot. The leak has stopped, but I wonder if that is going to be an issue. Any thoughts?

No, that's not going to do anything at all to you. If you dropped your grape pack, and then immediately pitch your yeast, your ABV is likely going to be higher than the calculated 12.5%, though. I'd bet your SG is up another .10 to .15 if you go check it right now.

You should anticipate this one finishing around 0.995 and getting a solid 13.5 to 14% ABV when you're done. Oak to taste and leave it alone for about 9 - 12 months... You will be very pleased with yourself.

 

[DryFly]

Before I read on this forum about the downside of not using the hops bag for the dried grape skins, I followed the instructions for maximum a color extraction, "add directly into the primary fermenter and stir at least every two days". Should I use my degasser drill attachment or does this only require a lite stir? Also, how deep should I stir, should I stay off the bottom?

 

[cmason1957]

Drill attachment is not needed. I use a plastic spoon and stir two or three times a day. All the way to the bottom and stir up that stuff it gets the yeast moving around.

 

[DryFly]

Thanks! Cmason

 

[jgmann67]

This wine is 10 months old (give or take) and is very drinkable - great nose and body; dark fruit and oak on the palate. I like it so much that, between drinking it myself, topping up other wine projects and giving bottles to friends, I'm down to a case and a half left.

I'm going to try to lay off this wine until it reaches one year old and then try it again. In the interim, I'll be starting my second cab this weekend (the Eclipse Lodi Ranch). Hopefully, there won't be too much lag time between running out of the RJS and the Eclipse being ready to drink.

 

[jgmann67]

This wine is now a year old. As the bottle is exposed to air, the nose and palate improve. It drinks very well... Black fruit and tannin with a pleasant finish. I'm having a bit of a love-fest over the Eclipse SLD Merlot lately. The Aussie cab is so different. Less lush, more sturdy, than the the Merlot.

It is an excellent dinner wine. A big NY Strip or TBone would be stellar with it. But as an after dinner sipping wine, it is formidable, too.

 

[jgmann67]

The Aussie Cab is nearly 15 months old. There are only 5 bottles left on the rack (with another 4 tucked away in reserve). The wine continues to please and gets better with every bottle. It may not have hit its 'sweet spot' yet. I have a heavily tweaked enigma to plow through and will stop picking off the other three reds that I have in rotation (the SLM, Cab and ST)... at least for a while. Maybe the last few bottles will get me to a year and a half or two years.

I would do this kit again.

 

[wineforfun]

The Aussie Cab is nearly 15 months old. There are only 5 bottles left on the rack (with another 4 tucked away in reserve). The wine continues to please and gets better with every bottle. It may not have hit its 'sweet spot' yet...............Maybe the last few bottles will get me to a year and a half or two years.

I would do this kit again.

Great to hear as I have 30 bottles coming up on 4 months old. Trying to let them sit to at least 9-12 mos. before trying.

 

[jgmann67]

19 months after starting this kit and I'm down to 5 bottles (1 in the rack, 4 in the vault). We had one with dinner last night. I'm looking at post #157... its gotten more lush in seven months.