# Best Dry Red Ready to drink in 12 months or less?



## TallTexan (Apr 19, 2016)

I have searched for a thread addressing this question, but haven't really found an answer, so please forgive me if I am being redundant. I have been asked to make wine for my daughter's upcoming wedding in April 2017. I have experience with Winexpert, CellarCraft and RJS kits, ranging from 10 liters to 18 liters of juice, 4 week to 8 week kits. My daughter has asked for a dry red and a white for her reception. The white will be no problem, but I am in need of suggestions for a good dry red that will be ready to drink a year from pitching. I do not want Island Mist or Skeeter Pee. As for pairing, the menu fare will most likely be barbecue brisket. I have made a Selection International Argentinian Malbec that I think tasted decent at 8 months, though it was still a bit rough around the edges...but in my opinion, even commercial Malbecs taste a bit rough to me. I appreciate any other kit suggestions, and thank you in advance!


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## Johnd (Apr 19, 2016)

Although it continues to improve well beyond the year that you have available, the Eclipse Stags Leap Merlot is very tasty and smooth even early in its life. 

I've also made Gamay (Nouveau Beaujolais style wine), which is a nice early drinker, but it's very light for barbecue.


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## vernsgal (Apr 19, 2016)

I like RJS Grand Cru sangiovese merlot as an early drink. I find it's pretty good after 6 months. Actually most of the Grand Cru's are early drinkers and should all be good . I make them while waiting for others to age.
https://www.rjscraftwinemaking.com/grand-cru/


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## ceeaton (Apr 19, 2016)

I've had @jgmann 's Stags Leap Merlot at less than a year and his latest reports have been very favorable (his notes have a 5/1/15 start date on them). I've made a WE Selection Sangiovese (started 8/1/15) and a Valpolicella (started 11/21/15) that have been very promising way earlier than a year. My only worry with them is whether they will stand up to a good Texas brisket or not.

If you have access to fresh juice from Chile, that may be an option. But they can have variable results (from what I've read here), so might be better to bank on a kit that has more predictable results.

Congratulations to your daughter and soon to be son in law and hope their big day goes well!


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## knockabout (Apr 19, 2016)

I'm going to vote for super Tuscan!


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## Brian55 (Apr 19, 2016)

knockabout said:


> I'm going to vote for super Tuscan!



I'll second this. RJ's W.S. Super Tuscan is one of the few big reds that's drinkable in less than 18 months.


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## barbiek (Apr 20, 2016)

Johnd said:


> Although it continues to improve well beyond the year that you have available, the Eclipse Stags Leap Merlot is very tasty and smooth even early in its life.
> 
> I've also made Gamay (Nouveau Beaujolais style wine), which is a nice early drinker, but it's very light for barbecue.



I also agree with Eclipse Stags Leap Merlot the Beaujolais is not a dry red, it's more a fruity light wine but is one of my favorites! It pairs well with most anything if your not a big red drinker. You might want to consider having both for your guest because they might not have a trained palet sort to speak for a big dry red it took me a few years to appreciate the big reds. I've never had the opportunity to try the Sangiovese or the super Tuscan but lots on here speak good of the super Tuscan if I didn't have 3 big reds going now I would definatly try that! Maybe I'll start one this summer lol


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## slurve (Apr 20, 2016)

Diablo Rojo would go nice with that brisket!


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## jumby (Apr 20, 2016)

Winexpert Australian Petit Verdot with Grape Skins is a dry red that's an early drinker.


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## ceeaton (Apr 21, 2016)

slurve said:


> Diablo Rojo would go nice with that brisket!


I agree.

I forgot I made that one last spring. Added some extra skins from my Merlot batch. Would just consider making it with out the small sweetening pack they give you so it's bone dry. The oak is really nice on that one.


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## thecrewking (Apr 22, 2016)

I agree its a good early drinker



Brian55 said:


> I'll second this. RJ's W.S. Super Tuscan is one of the few big reds that's drinkable in less than 18 months.


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## Norton (Apr 23, 2016)

I second the Petit Verdot. Old Vine Zin is also good early.


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## Dhaynes (Apr 23, 2016)

I really like the WE Luna Rosa. It's more of a medium red than a big red. We bottled half of it dry and then back sweetened the other half to make a chillable red. That might work well with Texas BBQ and hot Texas days.


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## Johnd (Apr 23, 2016)

barbiek said:


> I also agree with Eclipse Stags Leap Merlot the Beaujolais is not a dry red, it's more a fruity light wine but is one of my favorites!



A dry wine is simply a wine that has no residual sugar, meaning it isn't sweet. Although I don't know how you've made your Beaujolais style wines, mine were indeed dry, and red, as well as fruity and light.


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## britwinemaker (Apr 25, 2016)

If you go for the Diablo Rojo, yes, it's a good early drinkable wine but don't add the f-pack during stabilization if you want to drink it when it's more than 8 months old. It gets sweeter the longer you leave it... so you might want to add half the f-pack to the primary. That said, I'd class it as a light and fruity wine which might be a good alternative to something with more body and strength of character.


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## Mismost (Apr 25, 2016)

We like the WineExpert Vintners Reserve, Mezza Luna Red for a early drinking red. At 9 months it is good, but I don't think I'll ever find out how good it would be at a year old...it's going too fast. Second batch is working now and I can already see I should have started two kits at once. Everybody seems to like this Mezza Luna Red.


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## barbiek (Apr 26, 2016)

Johnd said:


> A dry wine is simply a wine that has no residual sugar, meaning it isn't sweet. Although I don't know how you've made your Beaujolais style wines, mine were indeed dry, and red, as well as fruity and light.



I stand corrected John it's the misconception of how fruity and light it is. I take it down to .998 though.


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## richmke (Apr 26, 2016)

jumby said:


> Winexpert Australian Petit Verdot with Grape Skins is a dry red that's an early drinker.



That's my vote too. It is designed to be an early drinker. At 9 months it is very good. At 12 months, even better.

I did the kit before they added grape skins. I can only imagine how much better it is now. I did the kit when I needed a quick drinker as I was building up my inventory. Time to do the kit again.


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## garymc (Apr 26, 2016)

I don't do kits, but there are a number of good suggestions here. Keep in mind, not everybody likes dry, not everybody likes sweet. Split batches sound like a good compromise. Also, keep in mind this is a wedding. To me, the best wine usually is the third glass. So I'd add just a little more sugar prior or during fermentation to punch up the main component of the wine(s). Then I'd make sure everybody had a glass or more before bringing out the buzz killing food. And then do a lot of laughing and celebrating even if not everything is perfect.


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## Pittsburgh127 (Apr 26, 2016)

Eclipse Old Vines Zinfandel is pretty good by its first birthday. Label Peelers has it on sale right now for a buck fifteen. Great deal, I just ordered 3 of them this morning.


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## rustbucket (Apr 26, 2016)

I'll add my vote for Meza Luna Red. The batch I made was terrible at three and six months. At nine months, it was an entirely different wine, in a class with a $20 commercial wine. The two plus cases I made didn't make it to the 12 month aging point; there was none left by that time so I can't comment on how it would be for your daughter's wedding. My guess is that it would only get better with the additional aging.

Since the Meza Luna Red, I've made a variety wines to stock my cellar. The Meza Luna Red is one of the few wines that I will make again.


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## TallTexan (May 22, 2016)

Thank you for all of your valued input! I can see that there are some reds out there that I will definitely be adding to my wish list 

After much consideration and price comparison, I decided to make the WE Selection Argentinian Malbec which my future son-in-law has requested, and it will be ready to bottle in a couple of weeks. I will also make WE Diablo Rojo for those who don't care for a big, dry red. I have made Diablo Rojo in the past and found, as others here have noted, that it gets sweeter as it ages...I don't care for it past the 8 month mark, but palates vary and it may have a good audience in a crowd. I am also going to make a WE Selection Petit Verdot and see how it tastes as the wedding approaches. I won't plan to serve at the reception ALL of the wine yielded by these kits, but certainly none of it will go to waste!

I have a Cellar Craft Walla Walla Cab Merlot aging now. I hadn't intended to serve it at the wedding reception, but have any of you made this wine kit? If so, what are your thoughts on early drinkability?


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## thruhike00 (May 22, 2016)

TallTexan said:


> I have a Cellar Craft Walla Walla Cab Merlot aging now. I hadn't intended to serve it at the wedding reception, but have any of you made this wine kit? If so, what are your thoughts on early drinkability?



IMHO the Walla Walla Cab/Merlot will be much better with some age on it. Some drink it early but I got to taste a fellow winemakers two batches. One at a year and three years old. Three year old was a fantastic wine!!! The one year old was still in diapers and throwing cheerios all over the floor. Not terrible, just not in the same ballpark. He has a few bottles from 2011 but did not offer to share a taste.


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## TallTexan (Mar 4, 2017)

thruhike00 said:


> IMHO the Walla Walla Cab/Merlot will be much better with some age on it. Some drink it early but I got to taste a fellow winemakers two batches. One at a year and three years old. Three year old was a fantastic wine!!! The one year old was still in diapers and throwing cheerios all over the floor. Not terrible, just not in the same ballpark. He has a few bottles from 2011 but did not offer to share a taste.



I tried the CellarCraft WallaWalla Cab/Merlot at 9 months from bottling (2 weeks shy of 1 year from pitch date)...Amazing! I am not a big Merlot fan, but this blend is delicious. Full-bodied, fruity yet dry with notes of black cherry, coffee, and a hint of licorice. Will definitely make this one again. I've got a WE Selection Argentinian ready for the May wedding, but I may slip a couple bottles of this to the bartender and label "head table reserve"


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