Mosti Mondiale Best MM All Juice

[kerbos5]

Guys I haven't tried any of the All juice kits and I have been eager for FVW to have them as the specials, but now mydilemmais which ones to get...ie... for example with the winery series by rjs, we all know the SuperTuscanis the way to go....my question is...is there that one or two AJK that I must absolutely must make, in order to feelsatisfiedwith the AJK. thanks for all your help....red, white it don't matter I go thru phases with both.

 

[ibglowin]

I have made 4 MM AJ's. I would go with any of the new Renaissance Impressions kits over the AJ's. The grape pack makes a big/huge difference, Of the 4 I made only the MM AJ Amarone is in the excellent class and it came with raisins. The Sangiovese was so, so (still have 5 bottles left and its 2.5 yrs old so I guess there is still some hope......) The Pinot Noir was just so so as well. The last one I made was the Petit Syrah and on that one I threw in a CC Syrah Grape Pack. Its only about a year old so I am still waiting on it to get some more bottle age but I did have a split last month and it was tasting pretty darn promising for sure.

 

[RickC]

I agree with Mike. I havemade the Cab and Zin in the Original AJ and would also recommend moving up to the Masters AJ with Grape Packor try the Renaissance Impressions. I also found the Original AJ to be so so. Alternatively purchase a grape pack to add to it like Mike did. I haven't tried a white in this line yet butexpect itwouldbegood.

 

[ibglowin]

Grape Packs are now a part of history. Cellar Craft quit making them for one reason or another so you have to buy a kit with a grape pack or raisins or add your own raisins in from Whole Foods. Raisins only go with the Italian varietals IMHO.

 

[Bartman]

But Mike, Mosti is now making their generic Grape Packs as a separate addition to the Renaissance kit to make it the "Impressions" version. The Renaissance kit otherwise is the same; the grape pack box contains a set of instructions that 'overrides' the included Renaissance kit instructions. When I bought my Ren. Impressions Merlot, George caught me before I left the store to make sure I had the grape pack box (which I didn't). I would expect you could buy that grape pack separately if you ask George nicely.

Also, MM's current grape pack is a generic mixture of grape skins, pulp, seeds and juice; or if it is a certain varietal, it isn't specified. George indicated he had talked to the MM powers-that-be to get them to make varietal specific grape packs, at least a few, and that he expects MM to do so in the future.

With CC no longer making grape packs, maybe MM will recognize the opportunity to fill that niche!

 

[Bartman]

Mike,
FVW still sells a 1.5 L Syrah grape pack. Not sure about the maker though, could be CC or somebody else...
http://www.finevinewines.com/XPListDet1.asp?MM_PartNumber=140964

That's a lot smaller than MM's 4 L grape pack, and it may differ in sugar content, etc.

 

[ibglowin]

I would be surprised/shocked if those were available by themselves but happy for sure!
The CC grape packs are not being produced anymore so when these are all gone, they are gone! Get em while you can folks!

 

[rhoffart]

All I can speak for is the MM AJ Masters ... The Outback Chardonnay (at bottling) was great. I can't wait till it gets a year under the cork.

I will be ordering another in the spring.


Mike and George ... convinced me not to buy anAJ bucket.

 

[kerbos5]

Thanks for the replys guys, I didn't realize that grape packs were so hard to get a hold of, I always thought that these were a must for any end kit, does anybody know the reasoning for discontinuing the packs. Also I have have made a about 4 Ren's that are between 9-15 months some still bulk aging, and they are starting to come around, little tart still.....I just thought that maybe the AJ kits might be a step up but the impression I'm getting is not really.

 

[ibglowin]

I have actually been happier with the outcome of all of my Renaissance kits over the standard AJ's (with the exception being the AJ Amarone) If you want to try an AJ I would stick with the Master's or Meg kits if you can afford them.
One theory at least as to the end of the grape pack sales is that they were eating into the sales of the better kits. People were buying the cheap kits and tossing in a grape pack.
Most all of the Ren kits I made were good to go by 18mo, some even a little earlier.

 

[kerbos5]

So this may be a dumb question, but when i think of grape packs I think of a pack of grape you put in a mesh bag and hang in thefermenter, but tonight I got an Old vine Cab Sav w/grape pack....except the grape pack is a bunch of crushed up goodness, that looks like it woulddissolveright out of mesh bag, do I just dumb this in primary with AJK? I just want to be sure as this is my first AJK.

 

[kerbos5]

Forgot to add this is the All Juice masters edition.

 

[ibglowin]

I would go get a cheesecloth bag or paint strainer from a hardware store and put it in that. Everyone that dumped them in has been sorry they did it.

 

[kerbos5]

Thanks IB I did another search and found some threads where it was a nightmare, I thought it was wierd but wanted to double check, fortunatly I have cheescloth, and a cloth bag that came with my Winery series left over.

 

[docbee]

I have had very good results from MM All Juice. I've done a Pinot Grigio and a Pinot Noir which every one that has tried has loved them. Time makes a big difference as in all wines. And the venturi pour device is invaluable. I've waited long enough and don't want to wait after popping a cork. So great to be back to wine making after being away for 3 years due to health issues. Got 3 going right now!!!

 

[v1rotate]

I've done a Pinot Grigio and a Pinot Noir which every one that has tried has loved them. Time makes a big difference as in all wines.

I am interested in knowing how old the PN was when everyone loved it. I have 2 double batches of AJ kits aging now, Petite Syrah and Barolo, and plan to (try to) leave them alone until they are at least 2 years old. It would be nice to start drinking them earlier...

 

[Wade E]

My brother in law made the Pinot Noir and also said he loved it. I gave him it for Christmas one year afyter giving him a crap load of my wines and he loved them and tried to make an Alexanders can of Cab and it came out nasty so he said wine making wasnt his thing and I said hold your horses. After all the wine I gave him and then this bucket would you know 4 months later I asked him for a bottle of this to try and he didnt have any left!!!!

 

[Jim M]

Out of all the Red All Juice buckets, I thought that the Shiraz and Castel del Papa were the best.

I also made an AJ Valpolicella, ripassa style, that was awesome using the leftover skins from a Meglioli Amarone.