AGEING RED WINE FROM A KIT

[kkc66]

I'm making up 3 different red wine kits from eclipse 15 gal and I'm planning on doing some blending with all three for the first time. my question is, can you store /age the wine after blending it in a glass carboy for 6 or 12 months or longer? and also add more or some oak chips while ageing in the carboy? I'll be doing 50% 40% and 10%

1)Wine Kit - Eclipse - Lodi Ranch 11 Cabernet Sauvignon--- 50%
2)Wine Kit - Eclipse - Napa Valley Stag's Leap District Merlot--40%
3)Wine Kit - Eclipse - Sonoma Valley Pinot Noir--------------10%

 

[DoctorCAD]

Sure, you are the winemaker, everything is up to you.

Now, should you? I age all my wines in carboys, see no reason why a blend would be any different.

 

[georgeburgin]

Sure, you are the winemaker, everything is up to you.

Now, should you? I age all my wines in carboys, see no reason why a blend would be any different.

DoctorCAD, how long do you age in car it’s? And, with any oak?

 

[Cyclman]

I have aged one of those kits for over 18 months in a carboy. I would not add additional oak. I have found that the wood in the kits is a generally good balance.

 

[bmd2k1]

Sure, you are the winemaker, everything is up to you.

Now, should you? I age all my wines in carboys, see no reason why a blend would be any different.

...any benefit aging a red (cab, merlot) in carboy vs bottle?

 

[DoctorCAD]

Age old question...bottle vs. carboy
Glock vs Sig
Harley vs Honda
Ford vs Chevy
Catsup vs mustard
Etc. Etc. Etc.

No right answer, in the carboy, youre less likely to start drinking it earlier.

 

[jgmillr1]

...any benefit aging a red (cab, merlot) in carboy vs bottle?

You can pick up a small barrel fairly inexpensively. The micro-oxygenation in the barrel dramatically helps with softening tannin while it ages. Depends how much tannin was extracted for the juice in the kit though.

As far as carboy vs bottle, both are inert glassware that will keep it air from it. The "aging" process in glass or stainless is little more allowing time for yeast to sediment out. Carboy aging gives the benefit of racking off the sediment prior to bottling but ties up your carboy for an extended period.