WineXpert Stags Leap merlot

[pokerinvite]

How is your bulk aging coming along? Are you keeping oak cubes in carboy throughout the aging process?

Good question that wasn't answered. Should one keep oak cubes in the carboy for a 1 year bulk age?

 

[Brian55]

Good question that wasn't answered. Should one keep oak cubes in the carboy for a 1 year bulk age?

I do, and it works well for me.

 

[Hordak]

David129 ---- I started my Eclipse Stag Leap Merlot in 19 January. Initial SG was 1.093. By 5 Feb, SG was down to 0.0994, which was when I racked it. I added the Sulphite & Sorbates, stirred with a drill and put the wine pump on it. I continued degassing until 19 Feb, when I wasn't getting any bubbles so I racked again. As of today (29 May) it's still bulk aging. I check it every 2 weeks for CO2 with the wine pump & as of yesterday there were no bubbles. I'll probably bottle it in July. I drew some off this weekend. I'Ts VERY GOOD

Simpsini

I think that's a brilliant idea. I just went and tried it with our cheap vacuvin and it works great. So I'm thinking I'll just buy extra vacu-stoppers and I can use them on all the carboy reds I bulk age.

 

[RCGoodin]

UPDATE.......it's been 4 years since I bottled the Stag's Leap Merlot. I just tasted a bottle and it was great. I never thought I'd be able to hold off for four years but here I am.

You can too. Just keep making more wine. I have 24 gallons of various whites to process that have been in carboys for over two years. I'mm looking forward to a good tasting. Each carboy has Joe's "thinking out of the box" tweaks like raisins, tannins and citrus infused concentrates.

Onward and upward......

 

[AZMDTed]

UPDATE.......it's been 4 years since I bottled the Stag's Leap Merlot. I just tasted a bottle and it was great. I never thought I'd be able to hold off for four years but here I am.

You can too. Just keep making more wine. I have 24 gallons of various whites to process that have been in carboys for over two years. I'mm looking forward to a good tasting. Each carboy has Joe's "thinking out of the box" tweaks like raisins, tannins and citrus infused concentrates.

Onward and upward......

Congratulations, what great patience. Nothing like having plenty of wine to help allow for patience on the special ones.

Can you describe somehow how the wine tasted to you over the four years. Say for example you had a bottle every year, on a scale of 1 to 100 (where it is now) could you rate the progression each year? I'm just curious how much better it is at 4 years versus 3 years versus 2 years to you.

 

[RCGoodin]

Congratulations, what great patience. Nothing like having plenty of wine to help allow for patience on the special ones.

Can you describe somehow how the wine tasted to you over the four years. Say for example you had a bottle every year, on a scale of 1 to 100 (where it is now) could you rate the progression each year? I'm just curious how much better it is at 4 years versus 3 years versus 2 years to you.

Year one I was brand new to kit making, however, it taste good but not great. I could taste a youngness in the wine and I think a new to the bottle taste. And a preservative taste.

Year two the youngness and bottle was going away but the preservative taste stayed.

Year three I did not drink any but gave away to clients and they all said it was good. I did not get greats.

Year four I started to tell my wife and others that it was one of my best.

Now I am saying it's the greatest and I would put it up against any Stag's Leap you purchase for $50/bottle.

Sadness is I only have 2 bottles left. I need to order another kit.

I also did an Old Vines Lodi Zin at the same time I did this one. I've been out of that for awhile. I had one client that raved about it. I think it was one of my greatest also.

 

[AZMDTed]

Thanks, that's a good perspective. I understand you comment about year three of 'goods' but not 'greats'. Good is a way of saying thank you, but great is beyond that and a true measure of pleasure. Hopefully I'm getting to the point where 3 years from now I will have some 4 year aged wine. Posts like yours give me encouragement to keep overproducing now hoping for a payoff well in the future. But drats, I sure was hoping for near great at 2 and great at 3 with little benefit from there