Vieux Chateau du Roi

[Cellar Vader]

I do have another question: I have had this wine on oak (2 Frenck Oak spirals, medium toast) for 2 weeks now. I have read that I should taste it every 2 weeks to see how it’s progressing, etc. I assume that I should stir the wine well so that I get a good representation, but in doing so won’t I be disturbing any sediment that has settled?

 

[ceeaton]

I do have another question: I have had this wine on oak (2 Frenck Oak spirals, medium toast) for 2 weeks now. I have read that I should taste it every 2 weeks to see how it’s progressing, etc. I assume that I should stir the wine well so that I get a good representation, but in doing so won’t I be disturbing any sediment that has settled?

I take a sample using my wine thief which is about a foot long and don't stir, just my preference I guess. You could always rack it off the sediment then test it, should get mixed up pretty evenly when racking. I only tested mine every couple of months or so unless I thought I was oaking it aggressively. I normally added one spiral, then if it needed more later on, added another. Once again, personal oak preference, yours most likely will be different.

 

[winemaker81]

How much sediment do you have? If you used the kit fining agent, that should be minimal. Either way, if the sediment is heavy, rack it. If it's a thin layer, stir carefully in the carboy -- sediment will settle again.

As I said previously, I have no experience with oak spirals so I can't offer guidance. However, based upon Craig's post I expect you can go a month with 2 spirals and test it then.

In general, rack the wine as little as possible. I've known a few who racked every month -- way too much chance of introducing a contaminant.

 

[Cellar Vader]

How much sediment do you have? If you used the kit fining agent, that should be minimal. Either way, if the sediment is heavy, rack it. If it's a thin layer, stir carefully in the carboy -- sediment will settle again.

As I said previously, I have no experience with oak spirals so I can't offer guidance. However, based upon Craig's post I expect you can go a month with 2 spirals and test it then.

In general, rack the wine as little as possible. I've known a few who racked every month -- way too much chance of introducing a contaminant.

Thanks folks. Yes, this is a WE Selection VCdR kit, post secondary. In all my previous kits, there was VERY minimal sediment remaining after racking off the seconday anyway, so I’m not overly concerned, but this wine is sooooo dark (can’t even see a beam of light through it) I didn’t see anything settled at the bottom. So I just now “gently” stirred and sampled it. I can tell that the oak has “changed” it from an overly fruity aroma (which I don’t care for) to a light, almost smoky/dirt aroma. I don’t really detect an “oaky” aroma, so will see what happens in another 2 weeks. The instructions say that the spirals will be expended in 6 weeks, so I don’t expect any more benefit after that.
Thanks again for your responses and input!

 

[winemaker81]

The instructions say that the spirals will be expended in 6 weeks, so I don’t expect any more benefit after that.

Good instructions from the vendor. I'd check in 2 and then 2 more. If you leave the oak in for 6 weeks, at that point you can decide if it's ready to bottle, or if it needs more.

 

[winemaker81]

I recently opened a bottle of the Vieux to see how it's progressing. I was planning on an early ager, but so far this one is not that. Definitely green, although very fruity. So far it's not a steak wine, but should make a good sipper.

I probably won't touch it again for 6 months -- I don't think it will be ready before then.

 

[LouisCKpasteur]

I just Silver Medalled last night on a Vieux I commenced ferment on in May '17, It was lucky to survive that long as another Vieux was started after that and I've almost drank it all up. No tweaks and by the kit instructions on the Silver Medal winner.

 

[winemaker81]

Congrats on the win!

 

[winemaker81]

Yesterday I stopped at American Brewmaster (Raleigh NC) to purchase oak cubes for a merlot kit I recently started. While there I spotted another Vieux Chateau du Roi (from R J Spagnol) on clearance ... so I HAD to buy it. Yeah, I've got another Vieux in production. It will be interesting to see how it compares to this one.

 

[LouisCKpasteur]

Thanks on the congrats. I'm interested too in how the RJS kit compares. I think I read somewhere it's being discontinued...

 

[winemaker81]

The RJS seems darker than the WE -- based solely on my memory. I'll do a running commentary on the results.