Reserve Du Chateau Merlot 30 bottle kit (Amazon)

[tonyhibbett]

Strange, but let's move on. I look forward to the barolo. The kenridge Classic version included a couple of ounces of dried elderberries, which I will throw in for good measure and I will reduce the added water, rather than add sugar this time, and try to get it up to 12% abv.
Instructions for the cab sauv recommend filtering, but I won't bother, as it is already a really nice wine.

 

[tonyhibbett]

Day 11 and the wine is clear with that typical raw taste of new wine.After a short period in the polypin to fully settle, I will put it into DJ s and treat each as follows:
1: No oak,2: medium toast oak chips, 3: heavy toast, (both short term) and 4 and 5: same again long term, rolling them to distribute the oak effect, at the rate of 10 g per gallon, the maximum, given that oak was used in fermentation.
Meanwhile, the raspberry merlot can get started.

 

[alanwh]

The Cab Sauv is still gently plopping away, down to one every 2 mins or so, due to extending the secondary by adding syrup to make 13% ABV. Should be ready for racking later this week

 

[tonyhibbett]

Seems I was too hasty about clearing. I suggest you wait at least 4 days. The top was clear but as the siphoning progressed, so did the murk. Had this problem with the Cal Con kits, which rely solely on chitosan finings, so I used Young's 2 part finings (kiesesol/gelatine) to finish the job, which it did, well almost.
This kit comes kiesesol/chitosan finings but seems no better than just chitosan. This time I decided to filter, partly because the instructions recommend it, partly because it would purge any remaining gas, but mostly, I didn't want the wine hanging around any longer. Filtering did not completely clear it either, but enough for me bung the whole lot into a polypin with no air to worry about, where it can continue to settle and autolyse with the remaining yeast sediment for a couple of weeks, as well as free up the kit for the next batch.
I am in the luxurious position of getting bored with good quality cabernet sauvignon after 45 bottles of the stuff so far, with 15 left and another 30 maturing. I'll go for the Cellar 7 merlot next, with reduced water. 20 l instead of 23 should bring it up to 11.5% and the proportion of grape juice up to about 70%. Throw in those blackberries I got from Azda towards the end too!

 

[alanwh]

Yeah tht's the problem I have found with the large opaque polythene FV's, you can't se when its cleared properly until you start to syphon. :hmm:

 

[tonyhibbett]

Still not perfectly clear, but the taste is improving steadily. Very drinkable, smooth and rich and still within the 28 day period.

 

[pondlife]

Well, I finally bottled my first batch of Reserve du Chateau Chilean Merlot last night. It started off on 10 March and finished on 26 March.

I must admit, all the racking off into clean FVs was a bit of a pain, but after filtering the wine through a Vinbrite filter I managed 28 bottles, 1 half bottle and a good glassful for tasting.

The wine is very clear and a deeper red in colour than the Young's merlot I am currently enjoying. It is certainly drinkable straight out of the bucket, if a little tart, but a couple of months in maturation should smooth that away.

It's also a lot less oaky than the Young's - probably because I removed the oak chips on first racking - and it's no less pleasant for that. I think this will be a good 'un!

I'm now glad I bought a further box of Chilean Merlot and 2 Barolo kits now!

 

[aneray]

I have been reading this thread with interest over the last few days. I have found the Barolo kit that has been mentioned and have just paid £17.08 for the 30 bottle kit from Amazon.

Has anybody tried this one.

Cheers Neil

 

[pondlife]

...I have found the Barolo kit that has been mentioned and have just paid £17.08 for the 30 bottle kit from Amazon...

You should have bought it yesterday, mate - it dropped to £16.73!

I've no idea how they work out the pricing of these kits. Prices seem to fluctuate without rhyme or reason!

 

[bobsbeer]

The pricing on these is crazy. The latest is the Barola at a good price, but the Australian Semillon Chardonnay is only £25.81, but I bet that one goes up soon.

 

[tonyhibbett]

The berated cab sauv is really good and the merlot is progressing well.

 

[brews-brothers]

I have made up the Raspberry Merlot kit.
I have put it into dj's to condition for a while.
At this early stage it is ok.
Fairly sweet and full of flavour.

I made it up to 20L rather than 22 just for flavour really. Not sure on the OG or FG. Not really interested in it being high in alcohol content. Low ABV means more to drink :party:

 

[anthonyUK]

The pricing on these is crazy. The latest is the Barola at a good price, but the Australian Semillon Chardonnay is only £25.81, but I bet that one goes up soon.

That is the lowest it has been so far. Ordered one :)

There is also now a Cornucopia Fruit Wine Kit Green Apple Riesling down to £17.34 which I also ordered.
I think I might make one 'fizzy'.

 

[alanwh]

The modified Cab sauv is coming on very well and will end up being a very decent tipple. The Merlot is going on tonight I have left the added sugar juice and the water in the FV overnight to warm up before adding the starter and elderberries. Am looking forward to a bit of bulk blending in a couple of months

 

[tonyhibbett]

Yes, the cab sauv is very good already. I hope it reappears on Amazon. Oh look, it has. £51.59!

 

[anthonyUK]

The Merlot is down to about 1.000 after a week from 1.100 :shock:
Temp has been a pretty stable 20'.
Racked today, degassed, stabilised and added 1 pack of oak chips.
Smelled absolutely lovely. Very nice berry aromas.

 

[brews-brothers]

I have finished my Raspberry Merlot.
It fermented down to 990 in about 5 days!

I have bottled up 6 bottles and the rest is conditioning in 3 glass dj's

I made it up to 20L for a more intense flavour.
It is a really deep red, is fairly sweet (it comes with a second bag for flavouring and sweetening)
The flavour is really lovely. Floral, raspberry with a hint of blackberry.
I know it will improve for the summer but it honestly is really drinkable now!

It works out around 7% but thats fine for summer drinking for us.

 

[bobsbeer]

It must have some non fermentable sugar in there if it is sweet at .990. It should be dry at that level.

 

[tonyhibbett]

It is sweet because you ferment the grape concentrate, stabilise it and then add the the raspberry concentrate. My plan is to ferment both to maka stronger, dry wine.

 

[brews-brothers]

Yes the raspberry merlot has a grape bag to ferment and then an addional bag of raspberry concentrate that adds sweetness once the wine is finished fermenting and is stabilised.