RJ Spagnols RJS Merlot

ptk · Jan 22, 2011

That is perfect. Thanks for the great advice. I may go get a 5 gallon carboy later today for after I do all the fining and degassing. I will do that in a different carboy once I rack the wine off the sediment only after the SG is verified stable for a few days.

v1rotate · Jan 22, 2011

Your wine will benefit from sitting the extra week even if the SG has stopped dropping. There are other processes taking place besides fermentation. As Wade said, make sure the SG has stopped going down AND the 20 days have gone by before stabilizing.

When it comes time to top up after stabilizing I use any red wine for my red batches.

ptk · Feb 6, 2011

I am at the point when I can bottle or go for the optional racking and 10 days of aging in a fresh carboy. I only have one 5 gal carboy so if I wan to age another 10 days it will take two rackings to get this wine off the sediment. Opinions? I am drinking a small sample of thsi wine and I have to say I am shocked at the nose of this wine. The wine is young for sure but since I last time I tasted or smelled it, a big perfume smell has developed. It is amazing how much these wines changes over time.

Dean · Feb 6, 2011

If you can wait a good bit more than 10 days, the wine will continue to drop sediment, albeit a light dusting, and will not be as subject to temperature change as bottles will. Bulk aging actually has the effect of slowing aging, but allows the wine to develop slower, thus creating much more complexity, and preventing premature aging. If you can, 10 weeks would be much better than 10 days, and 10 months would be even better.

Wade E · Feb 6, 2011

If all you have is a 5'er Id say fill the 5 and bottle the rest and let that 5 age much longer! These kits will still keep improving for a long time!!!!!

vcasey · Feb 6, 2011

Wade said:
If all you have is a 5'er Id say fill the 5 and bottle the rest and let that 5 age much longer! These kits will still keep improving for a long time!!!!!

This is something I highly recommend. The bulk of your wine gets to age and you still have a few bottles to taste. If you use the 375's you can stretch it out even more.

ptk · Feb 6, 2011

This is my first kit and early on I spilled a bit. This made it pretty difficult top off and fill a 6 gallon carboy so I decided to go get a 5 gallon carboy and finish the instructions using the smaller carboy. With this kind of responseI will use a 6 gallon carboy as in intermediate so that I can clean the 5 gallon and put the wine back into it for bulk aging. I can waint untill the cows come home but I am sure there is a point of diminishing returnss on aging and improvment. Come to think of it maybe this is just an excuse to pick up another 5 gallon carboy! How important is it to get the wine off this sediment this week? Could I wait another week without worry?