RJ Spagnols Brunello

[patc]

Has anyone done the Cru Select Brunello? Are they the only ones that offer this wine?

 

[Wade E]

I believe you mean the Cellar Classic and have not done it nor seen it offered by any other manufacturer.

 

[patc]

No My local supplier has the Brunello Cru Select. By RJ Spagnols. It's also on there web site, I'm sure George can get it. But what about Celler Craft is it good? I might try the RJ Spagnols.

 

[Wade E]

George sells the RJS Cellar Classic Brunnelo.

 

[patc]

O.K. i will give him a call and pick his brain about it. Thanks!

 

[cpfan]

seagrape:


I don't see a Cellar Classic or Cellar Classic Winery Series Brunello on the RJS web-site, either. But they don't always keep their site as up-to-date as I would like. For example, I could not find the Cellar Classic Harvest Collection on their web-site. Of course, it may have been discontinued.


When I had an FoP (up to Sept 2007), we sold some Cru Select Brunello (originally an RQ). A couple of customers really liked it. I recall one that didn't find it to their liking, but her brother loved it.


Steve

 

[Dean]

I've got a cru select Brunello from 2006 in my cellar, and it is a very nice wine! Took at least 24 months to get nice as this wine is very rich and tannic.

It was originally a RQ, I think back in 2004. Just like the Spanish Monatrell Cabernet was in 2006. Just an amazing wine that had to be brought back due to popularity. My brunello is great with heavy meaty pasta dishes and stews.

 

[Bartman]

I made the Cellar Classic Brunello earlier this year for my Dad (he was tired of paying $40+ for a single bottle of Brunello). Started on January 1 and bottled in June. Despite my insistence that it needed time to age, my folks couldn't resist opening up a bottle after about a month. They both loved it, and claimed (I'm skeptical) that it was even better than they hoped. A good, matureBrunello should have a complex palette and will really impress the longer it ages. I kept about five bottles of the 30 as my "fee," and am planning to age them at least a year. I'd definitely recommend you get that kit.
Bart

 

[patc]

Thanks bart i think you talked me into it

 

[Dean]

Bart, are you sure it was a Cellar Classic? Red box from RJ Spagnols? I can't find a Cellar Classic Brunello from RJS anywhere. I think that George has it in the wrong section, since the Italian Brunello with that description is a Cru Select from RJS. Would have been a black/grey box, not a bright red box.

 

[Wade E]

Yea, reading the description further it says Cru Select so George does have it listed in the wrong area although RJs's website does say they also make a Grand Cru Brunello kit also.

 

[Bartman]

Frankly, I don't remember which brand it was, and my wife won't let me keep those boxes around once it goes into the primary. It was the only one George carries, and Cru Select sounds familiar. In my earlier post, I had simply referred to finevinewines.com's catalog, and assumed that it was properly categorized.

I wasn't looking for one brand over another, but that begs a question I have never gotten a satisfactory answer to: are some brands perceived/believed to have better juice/materials in them than others? All other things being equal (price, juice volume, etc.), would you prefer a RJ Spagnols kit to a Cellar Craft? Winexpert to Mosti?

Bart

 

[Dean]

Wow, that's a loaded question Bart...

Each manufacturer has value lines and high end lines. RJS has Grand Cru, Vino del Vida, and Heritage Estates as their value line. Winexpert has Vintners Reserve, Mosti has Vinifera Noble and Domain Traditione, and Cellar Craft has Stirling and Classique collections as their value lineups. Each of these produce an inexpensive wine. In each of these lineups you will find at least one hidden gem that makes you say "I made this from a cheap kit? It tastes like a premium kit!"

Now the premium kits is where all the competition is. In the RJS world, the kits are now in this order of quality: En Primeur, Cellar Classic Winery, Cru Select/ Cellar Classic, Premiere Cru. In Winexpert, they are Selection Estate Crushendo, Selection Estate, Selection. In Mosti Mondiale, they are Meglioli, Masters Edition, Alljuice, renaissance. In Cellar Craft, they are Showcase Collection and Premium Collection.

Now comes opinion: In terms of price for performance, I think RJS makes the best products. The EP lineup is amazing as is quite a lot of the cellar classic series both winery and non winery. It is closely followed by Mosti, which has some AMAZING quality wines once aged in all lineups! Next is Cellar Craft for certain wines, Amarone, Rosso Fortissimo, and Chateau du Pays really stand out as winners! In the Winexpert line, only the crushendos really stand out to me, and they are way more expensive than all the others listed, so I list them last. Again, that's only my opinion. In short, I prefer RJS products because they offer the best and richest taste for the least price where I live.

 

[jagsroy]

WinExpert offered an Italian Brunello 16L kit in their Limited Edition in April 2007. I purchased two of those kits and it is simply the best wine I've ever made. The key, of course is to be patient (15-18 months bulk ageing at least) and you will be rewarded.


WinExpert recently announced their line-up for their 2010 Limited Edition and the Ilatian Brunello will be offered again in April 2010. Well worth getting (I plan to get two of those kits in April).


Simply can't go wrong with that kit.


I know other companies also offer a Brunello kit but I haven't tried any of theirs. Vineco, for example offer an Italian Brunello with Grape |Skins kit intheir Founder's Series kits...


Jagsroy