WineXpert Selection Original Barolo

[danc]

It is day eight and my SG is down to 0.996, i just racked to the secondary. I was wondering about additional oaking while bulk aging, would anyone recommend this?

 

[Tom]

I like oak in the barolo. After you stabilize I would add a cup of med toast.

 

[danc]

thanks for the advice tom

 

[thunderhill]

Barolo

I recently bottled my Barolo after aging it in a carboy for 1 yr. I tasted it during the bottling; it was great.

I am going to let it sit for another 12 months before drinking, if I can wait that long.

I did not oak it, I just followed the WE instructions.

I am however oaking WE SL Merlot. I received a 5 gal oak barrel as a Christmas gift so the Merlot went after 6 months in a carboy. After one month the taste was fantastic. My plan is to let it sit in the oak barrel until mid-May.

 

[MN-winer]

I recently bottled my Barolo after aging it in a carboy for 1 yr. I tasted it during the bottling; it was great.

I am going to let it sit for another 12 months before drinking, if I can wait that long.

I did not oak it, I just followed the WE instructions.

I am however oaking WE SL Merlot. I received a 5 gal oak barrel as a Christmas gift so the Merlot went after 6 months in a carboy. After one month the taste was fantastic. My plan is to let it sit in the oak barrel until mid-May.

Wow - you have patience. First one year in a carboy then another year? I don't think I could last that long. I like to put in bottles so I can look at the bottles and fill up my cellar. But I also like to try one at least every 3 months.

 

[Tom]

Well I also age a long time.
I make Amarone from Itialian juice for the last 5+ years.
I do MLF and age in carboy for a year. I bottle and let it sit 4-5 years before drinking

 

[thunderhill]

Oak Aging

Tom,
You have the patience. Letting Amorne sit 6 years before drinking. You must be a lot younger then me.

I think two years will be my limit. I have a few batches that will be two years old this spring, so I am looking forward to a great summer.

I was glad to hear the positive comment on oaking. I guess I need to go out and but a few more barrels.

Ron

 

[Tom]

Young.. NOT!
I get senior discounts

 

[thunderhill]

Oaking

I have been eligle for sr discounts for quite a while.

It really doesn't matter how old either of us is, what matters is how much we enjoy wine/life.

I enjoy them both and hope you do as well.

The good wine first.

Ron

 

[robie]

Well I also age a long time.
I make Amarone from Itialian juice for the last 5+ years.
I do MLF and age in carboy for a year. I bottle and let it sit 4-5 years before drinking

Tom,
Now I know why you spend time balancing a beer can on your forehead... you are going "stir crazy" from all that waiting around!

 

[Tom]

You have to understand I really dont miss them. I have so much here I can lose a few cases in my basement and find it a year or so later.

 

[robie]

I have been eligle for sr discounts for quite a while.

It really doesn't matter how old either of us is, what matters is how much we enjoy wine/life.

I enjoy them both and hope you do as well.

The good wine first.

Ron

While we are all being truthful, I get my share of senior discounts, too.
As a matter of fact, I have started thinking about maybe updating my will, so I can control who gets (drinks) all the wine I have aging, but won't be ready for several more years. You know... just in case.

 

[Dugger]

Seniors discounts are great - kinda helps tolerate the arthritis, although some days I wouldn't say that!

 

[jdeere5220]

I'm slowing building up to having some wine aged two years. My first 10 kits or so I put away 4 bottles from each kit. My next 10 I put away 6 from each kit. I think I can start putting away a case from each kit now. The rest gets maybe 3 months on the shelf and then it becomes my "most aged" and gets.... well... drunk!

My first bottles are 1 1/2 years old now, but like I say we don't have many of those. Hard to put many away and meet the immediate requirements at the same time, and going back to $7 store-bought is pretty tough now that we have tasted how wine should taste. I'm up to 5 carboys now which helps!

 

[robie]

I'm slowing building up to having some wine aged two years. My first 10 kits or so I put away 4 bottles from each kit. My next 10 I put away 6 from each kit. I think I can start putting away a case from each kit now. The rest gets maybe 3 months on the shelf and then it becomes my "most aged" and gets.... well... drunk!

My first bottles are 1 1/2 years old now, but like I say we don't have many of those. Hard to put many away and meet the immediate requirements at the same time, and going back to $7 store-bought is pretty tough now that we have tasted how wine should taste. I'm up to 5 carboys now which helps!

Man!

I guess it depends on reds or whites and on which kits you have made, but other than the summer wine kits I've made, which are drinkable right away, there is nothing I have in reds that I could possibly drink in 3 or 4 months!
Most of my reds have lots of total dissolved solids (TDS), so there is still lots of green apple taste, not to mention lingering KT and KS.

 

[jdeere5220]

Man!
there is nothing I have in reds that I could possibly drink in 3 or 4 months!
Most of my reds have lots of total dissolved solids (TDS), so there is still lots of green apple taste, not to mention lingering KT and KS.

Yeah, not denying it. Plenty of bitter green taste. But what are the options?

1) Don't drink wine (not going to happen!)
2) Drink cheap store-bought wine (even worse than my green wine).
3) Drink my wine green.

We have chosen #3, since it's still better and cheaper than store-bought (that I can afford).

 

[robie]

Yeah, not denying it. Plenty of bitter green taste. But what are the options?

1) Don't drink wine (not going to happen!)
2) Drink cheap store-bought wine (even worse than my green wine).
3) Drink my wine green.

We have chosen #3, since it's still better and cheaper than store-bought (that I can afford).

You certainly have a point there. Not a thing wrong with that.

Even though they are still more expensive than your home made wines, I have found some pretty decent commercial wines for under $8. McMannis is one winery that makes a really nice Petit Sirah, cab, and merlot for about $7.50 a bottle. Maybe some peole would spit out what I am calling decent, but for me they are certainly nice "get-by" wines.

Have you read any of the posts about freezing your young wine?
You might try putting some in a plastic bottle and freezing it a few days. Thaw at room temperature and try it. Seems freezing sort of speeds up the aging process for a young wine.

I wouldn't try freezing the whole batch, but certainly the ones you are drinking very early.

Give it a try and let me know what you think. I am really curious about freezing.

 

[jdeere5220]

Not to bother you, but where do you find the McMannis? I just took a quick trip to the local shop (granted, it's not much of a shop) and didn't see it. I did pick up a 2004 Italian Merlot for $8.99, if nothing else the bottle is a nice shape for stacking in my rack Don't have the label in front of me, if it's any good I'll pass it along.

Anyway thanks for the input!

 

[robie]

You are not a bother, I enjoy the subject.
I might have misspelled it - It's either McMannis or McManis.

I buy mine at Costco most of the time. Most of the larger liquor stores here in Colorado Springs carry the McMannis brand, hopefully the same is true in your area.
I didn't mention it before, but they also make a nice Chardonnay for the price.
Speaking of Chardonnays, Nice Legs is about $7 a bottle in most stores. It's not going to win any contests, but it is smooth, unoaked, and great for a sipping wine while playing Hand n' Foot cards.

Sorry if I am coming across cheap.

I don't even know, do we have a forum concerning recommended commercial "get us by till ours is ready" wines? We need one!
Except for a McMannis Petit Syrah, which is one of my favorite wines, "get me by" is about all most commercial wines mean to me anymore.

Do you like red Zins? Bogle makes a really nice one for under $11.
One of my favorite Zins is Terra d'Oro out of Amador County, Ca., but it is more like $13 a bottle.

A liquor store here in town has a free wine tasting every Saturday and Sunday afternoon. It's a great way to discover new wines. We regulars always bring something to pair with the wine. I like smoked olives or chocolate sticks. By the time we start tasting, there will be 10 snacks on everyone's tray.

There are lots of good wines at $18, but I seldom will spend that for a bottle.

 

[Topcat]

You may want to check out the December 2010 issue of Consumer Reports as they did a pretty good article on inexpensive wines. They included a list of several sections of different varieties right around the $10 level.

TC