RJS Cru International Meritage (Canadian Okanagan)

[geek]

Finally racked this kit after some EM since Dec. 3, decided to follow the instructions and added sulfite, sorbate (yeah, never did it for a red wine...) and sugar blend that came with the kit.

SG ~1.000 now, will be sitting in the basement for a bit.

 

[pillswoj]

Trying a bottle tonight, definitely off dry, wife likes it but I am underwhelmed by it.

 

[jbo_c]

Started degassing this kit last night. Was going to add the finishing packet since I’d never done before(after all, they are mimicking a dry style) but I definitely want it dry. Now I’m wondering if I should skip it.

Jbo

 

[jbo_c]

Stabilized today. Was going to add only half the ‘sweetening’ pack, but tasted and it was only negligibly sweet, so I added it all. Hope I don’t regret it.

Jbo

 

[gabe]

A few years back I did a Okanagan Peach Ice wine. Supplies are always limited and must be ordered early. Was excellent, bottled in 3/8 liter clear bottles.

 

[jbo_c]

It's early, but I was "barrel tasting" anyway, so decided to give this one a go and see how sweet the 'sweetening pack' made it.

I didn't find it to be too sweet. It is a little "sweet" but I agree with RJS, I'd still call it dry. I think over time, this sweetness will likely just be perceived as a jammy fruitiness instead. Truth be told, I will likely not make this one again or if I do, will skip the sweetener pack as I do prefer a dryer, more astringent wine, but I'd bet many people will enjoy it and not find it to be sweet.

Jbo

 

[kuziwk]

How are you guys liking this kit? it's actually aging right now on additional oak cubes so too soon to tell for me. I did not add the sweetener pack, I've added glycerin to a rose once in place of the sweetener pack and it smoothed over the rough edges and tannin...not sure that's what I want in this Meritage so I skipped it.

This said I find alot of Meritage blends from this region to be on the fruity/slightly sweet side which gets tiring very quickly. I also prefer dry and stringent.

 

[pillswoj]

I put the pack in mine and don't like what it did to the wine at all, luckily my wife likes it. I would not knowingly buy a red again that uses a glycerine / sweetener pack.

 

[kuziwk]

I put the pack in mine and don't like what it did to the wine at all, luckily my wife likes it. I would not knowingly buy a red again that uses a glycerine / sweetener pack.

Just tasted it yesterday and it's tasting really nice actually, I didnt use the sweetener pack though...I usually never do even in the whites I make. Still early to tell though as it needs some time. I think for the money it's pretty good. I did add additional tannin, 1 tablespoon chesnut tannin in primary and 1 teaspoon tannin complex while aging.

 

[cubluffs]

Tasted my batch prior to bottling and thought it was lacking something, so I went ahead and added the conditioning pack. After adding the pack and tasting again, it didn't seem to add much in the way of sweetness, but definitely had a better mouthfeel, IMHO. Conditioning pack also seemed to add a "sharp" taste that I don't necessarily enjoy.

If I made this kit again, I would skip the conditioning pack and add tannin. Wife & I enjoy this wine, but seems to be a little heavy on the tobacco-earthy taste at times. Was expecting something a little smoother from a blend. Maybe that comes with time.

 

[kuziwk]

Tasted my batch prior to bottling and thought it was lacking something, so I went ahead and added the conditioning pack. After adding the pack and tasting again, it didn't seem to add much in the way of sweetness, but definitely had a better mouthfeel, IMHO. Conditioning pack also seemed to add a "sharp" taste that I don't necessarily enjoy.

If I made this kit again, I would skip the conditioning pack and add tannin. Wife & I enjoy this wine, but seems to be a little heavy on the tobacco-earthy taste at times. Was expecting something a little smoother from a blend. Maybe that comes with time.

Maybe it's glycerin and some type of tobacco flavor or oak additive? It has an amber color which I thought was strange. Im going to open one of the packs up tonight and taste it by itself. Just filtered mine and dispite the filter/bottle shock I'm pretty impressed with the color, taste and body for the money. It has a very deep color and full body....the wife said it's pretty strong but I just ran it through filter pads rinsed with hot water so I'm not surprised it was pretty volatile. I did use alot of tannin aswell which I think is right on the money.

 

[pillswoj]

The taste I pick up from it is definitely glycerine, almost like it sticks to your tongue.

 

[kuziwk]

The taste I pick up from it is definitely glycerine, almost like it sticks to your tongue.

Why the amber color though?

 

[kuziwk]

Alright so opened the pack, it's extremely sweet with a nice Carmel/ burnt sugar flavor. Tastes like amber corn syrup. Definately not glycerin....not adding to the wine, I just threw it out. Not sure how they say the kit is dry if they provide a sweet pack.

 

[dmguptill]

Finally got around to starting this kit. SG was 1.104. I'll be very interested to hear how it turns out for those who skipped the sweetener pack...

 

[kuziwk]

Finally got around to starting this kit. SG was 1.104. I'll be very interested to hear how it turns out for those who skipped the sweetener pack...

I bottled mine last weekend without the sweet pack, I'm just waiting for the initial filter/bottle shock for a few more weeks. I tasted it right before bottling and I was pretty impressed actually considering the low cost of the kit. There is alot of body with a deep color hue. Not on the level of the 18L kits but it seems to age much quicker and seems to be a great value for what you get. I pitched the yeast on May 4th so not too long ago.

 

[dmguptill]

I bottled mine last weekend without the sweet pack, I'm just waiting for the initial filter/bottle shock for a few more weeks. I tasted it right before bottling and I was pretty impressed actually considering the low cost of the kit. There is alot of body with a deep color hue. Not on the level of the 18L kits but it seems to age much quicker and seems to be a great value for what you get. I pitched the yeast on May 4th so not too long ago.

Did you run it as a EM?

 

[kuziwk]

Did you run it as a EM?

No I didn't, fermentation usually finishes in a week or so, I leave all skin kits for two weeks. EM is not really my thing... I use to reuse the skins in cheaper kits and found it added little to nothing for those kits, which leads me to believe there is not much left in the skins. I use spoon and hold it down with the lid to keep them submerged. I than squeeze and massage them with the spoon twice a day until the SG is about 1.010 than submerge with the spoon and cover for another week or so and let things finish up. When its ready I hand press and twist the skins until there is nothing left coming out.

 

[jbo_c]

OK. Closing in on a year and I’ve made my decision on this one. It is distinctly sweet - no matter that the RJS description is “dry”. I noted above that I thought the sweetness might become a perception of fruit, but it has gotten even sweeter. I tasted with my homebrew perveyor and he couldn’t apologize enough. He even proposed that maybe I got a misbranded kit.

I will be pouring this “out”. Trying to referment so that the sugar is consumed and it ends up dry again. It’s something of a long shot I think, but hopefully it works. If not, it’s getting dumped anyway so I’m not out much. I can’t drink it as it is.

Wish me luck.

Jbo

 

[sour_grapes]

Before you do that, have you actually measured the specific gravity? It really could have only a very little residual sugar.