WineXpert Question about LE Australia Grenache and Cab with Grape Skin

[Cibb]

Just started mine today. I'd like to pick up another but I need to expand my varieties.

 

[Trick]

Just started mine today. I'd like to pick up another but I need to expand my varieties.

Sounds a very popular kit.
I will stablize, rack and degas tomorrow. today i raised the temperature to 24 d c for easier degassing.
everyting looks ok, the airlock still has level differential, so the co2 is still positive inside, should be safe from oxygen.
skipping sorbate for sure. and will put in the oak tube after next racking. (second clarification) to split fining from oaking. maybe easier control oaking dose.
all the rest steps will be time consuming.
focus will be shifted to a cheap kit.

 

[deneed4spd]

Did last racking to bulk age. Still had an inch of sediment from clarifying. Had a taste. Need to mellow out a lot before ready.

 

[Smok1]

Did last racking to bulk age. Still had an inch of sediment from clarifying. Had a taste. Need to mellow out a lot before ready.

What did you top it up with?

 

[deneed4spd]

I actually split the wine into two 3 gallon carboys. First one was all cab/gran and second one was topped off with a whole bottle of woodford Lodi cab and dreaming tree crush and extra oak. I don't know how you would ever put the last racking into a 6 gallon carboy. With the amount of sediment in primary and clarifying you either would have to pour in a gallon of another wine or just go into a 5 gallon carboy.

 

[Smok1]

I dont have a huge selection of reds in bottled inventory right now so ive been buying bottles of similar wines to top off my carboys but its getting expensive, i have 4 6 gallon carboys of reds aging right now. One is the LE16 cab franc i did because i heard that one will be good to top off alot of varieties of reds, but until i get some of these bottled im very limited on what i can top off with unless i purchase commercial wines. Only red i have in inventory bottled is a merlot.

 

[Brian55]

I actually split the wine into two 3 gallon carboys. First one was all cab/gran and second one was topped off with a whole bottle of woodford Lodi cab and dreaming tree crush and extra oak. I don't know how you would ever put the last racking into a 6 gallon carboy. With the amount of sediment in primary and clarifying you either would have to pour in a gallon of another wine or just go into a 5 gallon carboy.

Ours took two full bottles, plus a handful of oak to top off a 6 gallon carboy.

 

[Cellar_Dweller]

What did you top it up with?

I had to add two bottles to top off due to volume of lees too. I racked it to my Vadai and added one bottle each of Eclipse Cab and Eclipse Syrah. Wow! I think this is going to be great. Tannins need to mellow a bit. Too bad that this is a limited edition.

 

[Trick]

I will see how much sludge in my carboy tonight. From the transfer from the primary to secondary, I experienced the most painful racking ever.
I have only a very oaky Merlot to use to top up. Hope it doesn't need too much. But after my production increases, my selection will increase.
I am not worrying about harsh tannin now. It still has a long way to go. It is just the beginning. Be patient.

 

[Trick]

Just racked mine from secondary carboy to degassing/clarification 1 carboy. About 1 inch of sludge at the bottom which ends up with about 1 1/2 bottle of head space to top up. Not too bad. Planning to add one bag of fining agent tomorrow and then let it sit for 3 weeks before next rack and addition of oak curbs.

 

[Cibb]

This is the most vigorous fermenter I've done before.

 

[Smok1]

Did you pitch both yeasts?

 

[Cibb]

Did you pitch both yeasts?

I saved the 1118 for day 2 but the fermentation was very vigorous before adding that.

 

[Smok1]

I saved the 1118 for day 2 but the fermentation was very vigorous before adding that.

Ya i did the same, fermentation temp i kept 68-70f

 

[codeman]

Does anyone know how many liters this kit is? Specifically the juice portion before grape skins are added.

 

[Putterrr]

these kits are 16 L plus the 2 L grape pack. the RJS RQ kits this year were 18L and the skins were dehydrated

cheers

 

[Smok1]

Really? I thought they were 18 liters plus the grape pack, i feel like wine expert mislead me.

 

[Brian55]

Really? I thought they were 18 liters plus the grape pack, i feel like wine expert mislead me.

WE Eclipse and LE kits w/skins, are all 16L plus skins. WE Eclipse and LE kits w/o skins are 18L. After racking a skin kit over from primary to secondary you typically lose about 1.5L of sludge, requiring about two bottles of wine to get it topped back up. When you add the cost of two similar bottles of wine onto the original price of the kit, WE premium skin kits aren't the great deal they first appear to be.

 

[Putterrr]

I have been fermenting my eclipse kits fully in the bucket and have noticed a better sludge compaction. I remove the skins at SG 1.000 and then put it under airlock for about 10 days. This makes them barely tolerable for me. RJS WS are much easier to work with IMHO. Never made one of the showcase kits but do have one due up early next year. fingers crossed

cheers

 

[Smok1]

I did a RJS trio red 18liter with skins, LE16 Grenache with skins, LE16 Cabernet Frac, and a LE16 Blanc de Noir, and there all really young still but so far the RJS hands down seems like its gonna be the winner in our books.