Well, after about 3 weeks of carefully treatment and monitoring, the first bottles of DeeJay Cellars wines have been bottled. We have bottled 28, 750
ml bottles of Merlot wine. This first batch of wine is name Red Shirt Merlot, giving honor to all those poor red shirted Star Trek guys that never made it back from a landing party or away team. The merlot, which still needs to age for at least three months has at this moment, a very buttery texture to it, with a good sense of oak and raspberry essence to it. It does seem to be a bit on the weaker side, but I think that is due to the relative newness of the wine. We figure the alcohol content is around 13%. I think the body and texture of the wine will definately improve with time. Plans are to open a bottle in one month, compare it to our first taste, and then compare another bottle at three months. For those who I have told I will share some wine, you can certainly expect a decent bottle of good table merlot, that will go with a nice sirloin and vegetables, and even go well with a pizza or pasta meal with tomato sauce.
In the photos you can see my son with the two fermenters. The merlot is to the back of the first photo and the liebfraumilch is still in the process of fermenting. The next two are the first couple of bottles of wine being corked with a very nice piece of machinery that makes bottleing very easy. Further along is the wine being racked from the carboy to the bottles. It really was about a three man operation and took about 20 minutes to get 28 bottles corked. The next is a shot of just some of our "babies" waiting to go to sleep for about three months. And finally, my vinting partner and I enjoy the very first glass of DeeJay Cellars Red Shirt Merlot.
The next bottling will tak place in late February or early march and if it is good, it will be the Kohlinar Liebfraumilch.
Yes, we are both Star Trek Geeks! (don't worry, not all the wines will be in homage to the greatest sci-fi televison series)
Prost!
4 comments:
OK, now I'm going to have to try root beer again!
Wow. Go you!
And LOOK at the kiddo!! (I know, I know, back to the wine...)
Speaking as somebody who loves a good glass of red, that's neat. Speaking as your friendly neighborhood editor, if you're going to stay in the business, try spelling it "bottling." :)
Wow. Julian certainly has the "sullen teenager" look down.
Anwyn, I have corrected the error. Thank you ! Chuck, I have also made about 8 2 liters of Root Beer (Birch Extract) and it is great! Simple and great tasting, especially on Ice Cream!
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