WineXpert Wine Expert Borolo

[ruggierm1]

Just started a Borolo kit last night. Anyone have any insights into how long this will take to age? Should I look into bulk aging in a carboy for 6 months? A year or more?

Any help will be appreciated.

 

[cpfan]

I believe that Winexpert makes 2 or 3 Barolos. You will get a better answer if you tell us which product line.

Your question is like asking about a "Ford SUV". It would help if we knew which Ford SUV.

Steve

 

[ruggierm1]

Sorry about that. The kit is: Barolo (WineExpert Selection Series) 15 Liter

 

[Tom]

Borolo is like Amarone. The longer it ages the better the taste. I am making a Borolo and a Amarone from juice and will not bottle for at least a year.
Then again thats me.If you cant wait that long HIDE 6-12 bottles and open them in 1, 1 1/2, 2, 2 1/2 yrs.

 

[ruggierm1]

Tom,

Do you add campden tablets to the carboy for bulk aging,or do you add before bottling, or do you add at all?

 

[Tom]

1st I don't use tabs. But, you need to add 1/4tsp of k-meta every 3 months. I dont know how that breaks down for tabs.
Do yourself a favor and buy in bulk the K-Meta powder if you plan on making alot of wine.

 

[smurfe]

Everyones tastes are different but a Barolo is a pretty big wine and will really benefit with some age. I have never made one but have made a few Amarone's and I don't get excited until they get at least 3 years on them. There is night and day difference in an Amarone that is one year old, two year old and three year old. Who knows though, you may like it after a year.

 

[ruggierm1]

Good advice. I will definitely let it sit for at least a year. One more question. How many times should I rack a wine that is bulk aging for that period of time?

 

[Tom]

If its clear than I wouldnt. However its good to rack every 3 months just to add 1/4tsp k-meta. Thats to prevent oxidation. Keep in mind you want to keep it topped off. That means you may want to buy a borolo just for that. I would oak it more than what you get in the kit.

 

[Wade E]

When the wine is done fermenting then add the powdered K-meta that came with the kit. After 3-4 months then add 6 well crushed and dissolved in a small amount of wine withdrawn from your batch and then add back. W.E. kits say that they allow for some topping off with water but I really dont recommend it. Youd be much better off buying a cheap bottle of a similiar wine and using that to top off your wine. I would give that wine a year but what some people do is bottle a few bottles in 1/2 bottles(375 ml) and use these for tasting along the way.

 

[FentonCellars]

I'm doing the winexpert vintners reserve 7.5 liter Barolo (2007 Bronze Metal Winner).

 

[ruggierm1]

I'm doing the winexpert vintners reserve 7.5 liter Barolo (2007 Bronze Metal Winner).

Have you made this kit before? This is my first Barolo.

 

[Chateau Joe]

I have done 2 borolo's and they are becoming one of my favorites. I just finished a Cru Select with skins about 2 months ago. It tastes SOOOO GOOOOD! I'm going to try and age a few bottles but it will be tough, I really like this wine.

 

[FentonCellars]

This will be my first Barolo.

I just put it in a secondary and it had almost no gas (a lot less then my last batch) and has dark fruit/Cherry to the nose and a nice taste. For some reason my last two batches (this Barolo and my last Cab Sauv) both had this fruit smell and dark fruit flavor... odd huh? My Cab is more fruity and doesn't have the Cab "bite" that they normally do. It is more of a Cab/Pilot....

Any ideas what I am doing to get this great combo?

 

[cpfan]

I have done 2 borolo's and they are becoming one of my favorites. I just finished a Cru Select with skins about 2 months ago. It tastes SOOOO GOOOOD! I'm going to try and age a few bottles but it will be tough, I really like this wine.

Chateau Joe:

I don't believe that the Cru Select Barolo comes with grape skins. It's not mentioned on the RJS web-site. Of course, they may have upgraded the kit and not updated the web-site.

Did you mean the Grand Cru International one?

Steve

 

[ruggierm1]

This will be my first Barolo.

I just put it in a secondary and it had almost no gas (a lot less then my last batch) and has dark fruit/Cherry to the nose and a nice taste. For some reason my last two batches (this Barolo and my last Cab Sauv) both had this fruit smell and dark fruit flavor... odd huh? My Cab is more fruity and doesn't have the Cab "bite" that they normally do. It is more of a Cab/Pilot....

Any ideas what I am doing to get this great combo?

I just racked mine last night also. I have learned to not even taste them until a minimum 2 to 3 months have passed. I think it gives you the false impression that the wine isn't any good, when in fact with some aging, it will be great.

 

[wines just fine]

This will be my first Barolo.

I just put it in a secondary and it had almost no gas (a lot less then my last batch) and has dark fruit/Cherry to the nose and a nice taste. For some reason my last two batches (this Barolo and my last Cab Sauv) both had this fruit smell and dark fruit flavor... odd huh? My Cab is more fruity and doesn't have the Cab "bite" that they normally do. It is more of a Cab/Pilot....

Any ideas what I am doing to get this great combo?

Put a lock on your brew room. Someone may be stirring fruit into your wine!

 

[PDK]

I am considering a WE Borolo based on some of the comments in this forum. Any suggestions on which one, and tips for fermentation would be welcome.

Another question I would like some forum opinion on is that I have been topping off the 6 gal carboy at each of the various stages with nitrogen gas in the head space, instead of adding water as WE recommends. I have the N2 tank available, and I thought that would be better. What are your opinions of this?

History:
WE Selection International Pinot Noir, would have been better if I hadn't used distilled water.
WE Selection International Pinot Grigio - very good, didn't last very long
WE Sel Estate Sonoma Cabernet - Best tasting one so far. Still aging.
WE Sel Estate Sonoma Pinot Noir - OK, better than our first Pinot Noir
WE Limited Edition California Lake County Trio Blanca - terrible, thinking of throwing it out. Aging may help, but I can't imagine it improving much.
Current Production:
WE Sel Estate German Gewurztraminer - almost ready to be bottled.

 

[mmadmikes1]

When the wine is done fermenting then add the powdered K-meta that came with the kit. After 3-4 months then add 6 well crushed and dissolved in a small amount of wine withdrawn from your batch and then add back. W.E. kits say that they allow for some topping off with water but I really dont recommend it. Youd be much better off buying a cheap bottle of a similiar wine and using that to top off your wine. I would give that wine a year but what some people do is bottle a few bottles in 1/2 bottles(375 ml) and use these for tasting along the way.

Can you turn me on to your source for cheap barolo to top off with.
I have a Barolo in aging, its going on a year. I haven't racked in in 6 months and won't until I bottle, which will be soon because I am again running out of Carboys. In 6 months there is only a small amount of dust on bottom(1/8 inch)I did sneak a small taste last week and it is GOOOOOD

 

[millwright01]

My buddy makes quite a bit of the WE Barolo. It's his favorite. It didn't taste bad when it was fresh but he always put away the bottles that were left when the next batch was ready and once it got over that one year old, its now a great wine IMO. He has finally built up a stock so we only drink the aged stuff now. New stuff just won't cut it anymore!!