The cab-merlot was the only wine I made without the drill-driven mix-stir.  My first Spagnols kit (limited release Riesling) said to degas longer than the Winexpert kits said, which made me do some research on degassing wine kits.  After tasting several wines now, and retasting my cab-merlot, I am starting to understand the importance of degassing the wine.  It’s the little things that add up and make a kit good or great in the end!