Cellar Craft showcase Chile Carmenere

[wineh]

This is my first Cellar Craft kit in over 10 years, and also first CC with grapeskins. I have to get a bit creative, as Cellar Craft has chosen to combine the sulfite and sorbate in one package. I haven't used sorbate in a decade either, so I had to find out that my eclipse kits have a 4 gram packet of sulfite, which is roughly 3/4tsp. The juice has almost no aroma...I hope that is not a bad sign. It will make less alcohol than my typical eclipse kits, with the SG being only 1.07 before grapeskin addition. Allowing .022 for that, will get me a wine in the 13%ish range.

 

[jumby]

How is this kit progressing? Latest thoughts?

 

[wineh]

About a day after I pitched the yest, the must started to smell great. Stabilized yesterday (day 25) still smells great and sample tasted very good for raw wine. SG got right down to .990 so will be very dry the way I like it. If it continues down this road, I won't be making the WineXpert version again.

 

[jumby]

Thanks for the update! I just ordered this kit, and I'm excited about getting it started. Does this kit call for 14 days in primary?

 

[wineh]

Yes, but I don't follow those instructions. Made my own when the 2 week primary started in the instructions. Many mistakes in the instructions. I think I posted a thread about them.

 

[wineh]

I don't follow those instructions. Here's why:
https://www.winemakingtalk.com/threads/new-instruction-set.65271/

 

[jumby]

I know exactly what you mean! I never follow the instructions either. I noticed all the errors too in the Eclipse kits when they 1st went to the new instructions. Thankfully I made enough wine in the past to disregard them.

 

[jumby]

Did you ferment it on the skins for 14 days? I'm thinking I'll do that.

 

[jumby]

This is my first Cellar Craft kit in over 10 years, and also first CC with grapeskins. I have to get a bit creative, as Cellar Craft has chosen to combine the sulfite and sorbate in one package. I haven't used sorbate in a decade either, so I had to find out that my eclipse kits have a 4 gram packet of sulfite, which is roughly 3/4tsp. The juice has almost no aroma...I hope that is not a bad sign. It will make less alcohol than my typical eclipse kits, with the SG being only 1.07 before grapeskin addition. Allowing .022 for that, will get me a wine in the 13%ish range.

Did you add any additional oak? I'm just getting ready to put mine up for bulk aging and I'm thinking about adding a French Oak, Medium Plus Toast Spiral.

 

[Brian55]

Did you add any additional oak? I'm just getting ready to put mine up for bulk aging and I'm thinking about adding a French Oak, Medium Plus Toast Spiral.

Can't speak for Wineh, but I'd definitely add a spiral during bulk.

 

[jumby]

I normally add spirals to all my wine, but this kit came with more oak then I have ever encountered in a kit. Especially the cubes for aging.

Can't speak for Wineh, but I'd definitely add a spiral during bulk.

 

[Brian55]

I normally add spirals to all my wine, but this kit came with more oak then I have ever encountered in a kit. Especially the cubes for aging.

I've only over-oaked a couple times over the years, by using two spirals in one batch, but even that faded back to normal within a couple years

 

[jumby]

Just checked, this kit comes with 100 grams of Medium Toast, Hungarian Oak Cubes for bulk aging. That's easily 2-3 times the oak usually included in most kits. That's why I'm leary of adding more oak. I've made 100's of higher end kits and never seen a kit with this much oak.

 

[Brian55]

Just checked, this kit comes with 100 grams of Medium Toast, Hungarian Oak Cubes for bulk aging. That's easily 2-3 times the oak usually included in most kits. That's why I'm leary of adding more oak. I've made 100's of higher end kits and never seen a kit with this much oak.View attachment 56265

Start with the kit oak for 3 months, taste and rack, if it needs more, add a spiral or more cubes.

 

[wineh]

Went to bottle a while ago. Even young, it is quite good. Better than the Selection (without grapeskins) ever was.

 

[Cellar Vader]

Went to bottle a while ago. Even young, it is quite good. Better than the Selection (without grapeskins) ever was.

Hands-down, the most disappointing kit I have made thus far is the WE Selection Carmenere (no skins.) It never got better, even after 2 years. Will never do that kit again, but I would definitely give the CC Showcase a shot. Thanks for the post.

 

[Nebbiolo020]

Just checked, this kit comes with 100 grams of Medium Toast, Hungarian Oak Cubes for bulk aging. That's easily 2-3 times the oak usually included in most kits. That's why I'm leary of adding more oak. I've made 100's of higher end kits and never seen a kit with this much oak.View attachment 56265

That is a surprising addition for a kit, I have only seen oak powder or maybe finely ground chips. I have never seen full cubes before. That is also a lot of oak as you said. Let us all know how it turns out in a few years, Might be a kit worth picking up in the future if its any good.

 

[jumby]

Mine is put away bulk aging. I ended up adding 1 French Oak, Medium Plus Toast Spiral in addition to the cubes. Time will tell!