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Winexpert has changed its date code again. See image that I haven't figured out yet. I'm hoping it's the 21st day of 2022.

Stags' Leap Petite Syrah Really expensive in Canada. Among the 5 best wines I have ever had. Definitely turns your tongue purple!

Winodon said :"I found you cannot rely on the measurements posted on the buckets and I make my own measurement and mark the bucket with a sharpie." From the old-timers files. Fill carboy with water, dump water into (level) primary fermenter, mark waterline on 4 sides with a jiffy marker. As far...

I'm not sure. The ones I tried look and feel slightly different than regular aglomerated corks. I do believe that I have seen them in commercial wines. Next time I pull one out, I'll post an image here.

I agree with Gail. In fact, last February, someone posted a question about reusing grape packs in a second kit. This was my response : "As most grapeskin packs are manufactured products (ie some grapeskins with sugar added), there won't be a lot left after one fermentation cycle. Certainly all...

I haven't been using them as long as you, but I have minor concerns. I had one stuck hard enough that I chipped the bottle with my bartender's corkscrew and had to dispose of it. (one of about 150) I don't use shrinkwraps. Wine does age differently under them than cork, but I don't think that's...

Does that mean they are sending you a replacement at no cost and you get to keep the one you have? If so, head to a retailer and pick up the missing additives for your free kit. If not, time to select a new retailer. That's one of the reasons I prefer a bricks and mortar store.

So, every fall I hide away a case of assorted wines that I have made/bought in the last year. The case I hid this fall will be retrieved in July of 2023. I put a pair of cork/synthetic shiraz in that box. I will try remember this thread then. Cheers! 🍷🍷

She felt that the wine under the synthetic was more "shiraz like" while the other she felt was "plummy ' like a merlot. I didn't get it, but I let her have the bottle she preferred. Lol

So that was just over a year ago, and I came upon a case of that wine. The other day, I opened one of each and poured 2 glasses for comparison. I noted that the aromas and tastes were slightly different from each other, but both were fine and had clearly aged appropriately. My wife on the...

So, 134 days after I pitched the yeast in the supertuscan that was fermenting in the bag, I Bottled it today. It's not great but it's not poison either, so I'll put it away and hope for the best. Regarding the 2nd kit, the only thing I heard from my retailer was that it leaked on the carpet in...

If it has some sangiovese in it, that may be perfectly normal.

One of the reasons kit manufacturers provide clarifying agents (ie chitosan) is that kit users do not want to wait for instant gratification. Stabilizers (ie kmeta and ksorbate) are provided because manufacturers don't know how good user sanitation is. I have skipped the sorbate for more than 10...

If you're not short of bottles, just put them away for a year, then test again. It's a sin to throw away wine!

Actually that kit pushed the grape pack and the additives hard enough to open the top of the box, and the side was coming apart as well. This is not a great image, but you can see the bag is blown up like a balloon, and it's taller than the box

Please review the post directly above yours (2 above this one) reply if you still have questions. Thanks

To everyone following this thread : I think I may have to print a retraction. The supertuscan kit that was the original problem was fermenting so much that it broke the box open. This bag I felt was fermenting as well, but had not got to the point of pushing the contents out of the box. I...

Maybe. Living in a small city in the Canadian Prairies, my options are limited. It's 250km one way to my "local" RJS retailer, so my other option is to buy at the liquor store. For now, WineXpert (my retailer really) is looking after me, and that counts too. I'm struggling to understand how I...

And yet not completely surprising. WineXpert has not been the same since Global Vintners exercised corporate control and unceremoniously fired Tim Vandergrift. (would it be 5 years ago?) My retailer is on it and I will have a new kit tomorrow. Probably a Lodi old vines zinfandel. She said she...

I did that last time, and the response from Global Vintners was 'contact your retailer', and not much sympathy. My retailer made things happen, so I'll rely on her. 😊