Other Master Vintner Kits?

[sour_grapes]

Traditionally, you do MLF for a buttery Chard. Of course, you cannot do that with a kit, so @heatherd has the right idea.

 

[jgmann67]

Updates on the MV Cherie Merlot:

I racked this wine over the weekend only to discover I left it on oak for six months. No real foul since oak cubes give up the ghost after 3 months. Interesting that the wine was a little fizzy. I did this kit as an extended maceration, so I didn't expect any co2 at this stage (9 months in).

Racking pulled the remaining co2 from the wine and we'll let it sit in a clean carboy for another 3 months before bottling.

Other than the fizz, the wine is very good. Dark, clear, decent flavor and nose. I'm thinking this one is a winner (or will be in another 15 months).

 

[geek]

Good to know....

 

[jgmann67]

Is it just me or are the RJS wines just darker than the WE?? Comparing them over time, that seems to be the general rule.

 

[pillswoj]

Is it just me or are the RJS wines just darker than the WE?? Comparing them over time, that seems to be the general rule.

I think RJS uses opti-red or some other dye to enhance the color, I have noticed that when I rinse bottles / carboys that had an RJS red in them the first rinse is very blue/purple, the WE and CC ones are not.

 

[geek]

Finally racked the Cherie Merlot and this will be a winner, very smooth. Started Jan 17 and haven't touched it since March 11, so it's been in carboy undisturbed for 6 months.
Will leave alone for 2 months and then bottle.

 

[Trevor7]

You will enjoy this merlot! Mines now been in the bottle ~9 months and it’s tasting very good!

 

[Brian55]

You will enjoy this merlot! Mines now been in the bottle ~9 months and it’s tasting very good!

Good to hear all the positive reviews, especially since I have 90 bottles of this bulk aging.

 

[jgmann67]

I did the RJS RQ version of the Merlot pretty much as instructed (didn't add the sorbate, but did at a little Tannin Riche Extra in the finish). Then, I did one of the MV Cherie Merlot's as an EM with the same minor tweaks.

I had a bottle of the RJS the other night (14 months old) - it was serviceable but needs another year to 18 months to reach its potential. The MV is 9 months old and still aging in bulk. It will reach the bottle in 3 months. But, it's already tasting like a more mature wine than the RJS.

 

[jgmann67]

The Cherie will reach the bottle sometime this month. Can't wait to do a side-by-side in the spring.

 

[geek]

I also need to bottle mine....

 

[jgmann67]

Busy weekend of bottling, racking, labeling and foiling.

 

[geek]

How's the Chard Jim?
Mine is still in a 5gal carboy......

 

[jgmann67]

How's the Chard Jim?
Mine is still in a 5gal carboy......

It is probably the best of the three batches I’ve done of the Luna. And, it’s still got 4-6 months on the shelf before I touch it.

 

[sour_grapes]

Wow, do we know the RJS RQ French Merlot was from Bordeaux? I didn't know that.

 

[jgmann67]

Wow, do we know the RJS RQ French Merlot was from Bordeaux? I didn't know that.

It was in the materials somewhere. If not, well... close enough.

 

[mainshipfred]

It was in the materials somewhere. If not, well... close enough.

Well at least it tells you someone is taking more then a passing interest in your post. Glad you didn't steal @heatherd's two or dual continent label idea for the Chardonay.

 

[jgmann67]

Well at least it tells you someone is taking more then a passing interest in your post. Glad you didn't steal @heatherd's two or dual continent label idea for the Chardonay.

I don’t think I’ve seen that.

 

[Trevor7]

All in all, I made several of MasterVintner's RQs - Merlot, Cab and Chard. Not sure what happened to the company, but their RQs are no longer made, and their medium and lower tier kits are only sold through Midwest Supplies. They'll be missed as I got my start with their kits... At least until I open this year's batches

 

[Brian55]

All in all, I made several of MasterVintner's RQs - Merlot, Cab and Chard. Not sure what happened to the company, but their RQs are no longer made, and their medium and lower tier kits are only sold through Midwest Supplies. They'll be missed as I got my start with their kits... At least until I open this year's batches

You're in luck. All those RQ's were simply relabeled RJ Spagnols RQ's, available every year in the fall. If you enjoyed them, the En Primeur Winery Series is very similar, yet available year round.