Anyone have/had this one?
Cellar Craft Cellar Classic - Johannisberg Riesling Wine Kit
- Thread starter RCGoodin
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cpfan
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I sold it in my store, when I had a store (2001 - 2007). Never tried it myself. It should be pretty good though.
PS #1, this an RJ Spagnols kit, not a Cellar Craft kit.
PS #2, please don't double post. You also put this topic in the beginners section.
Steve
PS #1, this an RJ Spagnols kit, not a Cellar Craft kit.
PS #2, please don't double post. You also put this topic in the beginners section.
Steve
Sorry about the double post. It was my first experience on the Forum. I'm getting better with age, just like wine.
Question for you. Any hints on how to start a store? A quess on costs for startup? How do you find suppliers?
Why did you close your store? Where is the best place to discuss this further?
Question for you. Any hints on how to start a store? A quess on costs for startup? How do you find suppliers?
Why did you close your store? Where is the best place to discuss this further?
Steve,
How do I delete the post on the wrong site. I searched but didn't see how. I can edit it and delete the contents, but not sure if that will delete it. Please advise.
How do I delete the post on the wrong site. I searched but didn't see how. I can edit it and delete the contents, but not sure if that will delete it. Please advise.
Rick,
I'm looking forward to receiving the juice this week. It says you can drink it in 6-8 weeks. I'm doing my first, which is a red, right now but drinking time is not for 6-8 months. I figure I need to have 3 carboys going with different drinking times so that I have ready wine. I can't believe how excited I am about this stuff. I'm a 60 year old kid, re-born.
I'm looking forward to receiving the juice this week. It says you can drink it in 6-8 weeks. I'm doing my first, which is a red, right now but drinking time is not for 6-8 months. I figure I need to have 3 carboys going with different drinking times so that I have ready wine. I can't believe how excited I am about this stuff. I'm a 60 year old kid, re-born.
cpfan
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RCGoodin...
Even whites aren't really at their best in a couple of months. I started a Winexpert Selection Limited Edition Alsatian Riesling way back in Oct 2009. We've had the occasional bottle to drink since then, but I was REALLY impressed by the bottle I opened last week. 2 years after starting the kit!!
I ran a Ferment on Premises which means customers make wine in the store. That wine tended to be consumed immediately or soon thereafter. No matter how often I suggested that they allow it to age. So the wine will be drinkable whenever you want to drink it (even the red). Do yourself a favor though, and keep some for a year or two. The difference might surprise you.
You asked about starting a store. For me opening an FoP in British Columbia, there were two major steps...
1) learning about opening a store, running a business, etc. There was a government program that helped a little. Some friends helped a lot more, especially with the physical details.
2) applying for and receiving a liquor license. This was only required because it was a FoP.
I contacted a couple of wine kit manufacturers and they were happy to start selling me goodies. I visited two in Vancouver (one was very helpful), a third visited me, and I never managed to get together with the fourth. I know that Tim from Winexpert has said that WE is willing to talk to peopple about opening a store, so try contacting the US distributors.
Startup costs will vary a lot. I started with a blank slate, a brand new building, so did slatwall, a couple of interior walls, etc. Plus I put in big sinks etc and bought equipment (lots of carboys, expensive corker) for making wine on premises. If you`re just doing retail, you may find a location that just needs some paint and shelving. (BTW, small store in a small town. We max`d out at 100 batches on the go at one time.)
The store closed because the landlord did not want to renew my lease, and I did not want to start over in another location. The business that the landlord wanted to run where my store had been never amounted to much. So he closed that business and his laundromat, and turned it into a pizza place. Our friends that still live there said it wasn`t very good, and it soon went under. He shoulda left me alone.
Steve
Even whites aren't really at their best in a couple of months. I started a Winexpert Selection Limited Edition Alsatian Riesling way back in Oct 2009. We've had the occasional bottle to drink since then, but I was REALLY impressed by the bottle I opened last week. 2 years after starting the kit!!
I ran a Ferment on Premises which means customers make wine in the store. That wine tended to be consumed immediately or soon thereafter. No matter how often I suggested that they allow it to age. So the wine will be drinkable whenever you want to drink it (even the red). Do yourself a favor though, and keep some for a year or two. The difference might surprise you.
You asked about starting a store. For me opening an FoP in British Columbia, there were two major steps...
1) learning about opening a store, running a business, etc. There was a government program that helped a little. Some friends helped a lot more, especially with the physical details.
2) applying for and receiving a liquor license. This was only required because it was a FoP.
I contacted a couple of wine kit manufacturers and they were happy to start selling me goodies. I visited two in Vancouver (one was very helpful), a third visited me, and I never managed to get together with the fourth. I know that Tim from Winexpert has said that WE is willing to talk to peopple about opening a store, so try contacting the US distributors.
Startup costs will vary a lot. I started with a blank slate, a brand new building, so did slatwall, a couple of interior walls, etc. Plus I put in big sinks etc and bought equipment (lots of carboys, expensive corker) for making wine on premises. If you`re just doing retail, you may find a location that just needs some paint and shelving. (BTW, small store in a small town. We max`d out at 100 batches on the go at one time.)
The store closed because the landlord did not want to renew my lease, and I did not want to start over in another location. The business that the landlord wanted to run where my store had been never amounted to much. So he closed that business and his laundromat, and turned it into a pizza place. Our friends that still live there said it wasn`t very good, and it soon went under. He shoulda left me alone.
Steve
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Your own store
Steve,
What kind of income could one expect in their own store?
Steve,
What kind of income could one expect in their own store?
cpfan
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Not enough!! That's why I couldn't sell the business, and eventually closed it.
Really tough for me to answer that. Will you be running a small Ferment on Premises (max 100 batches at once) with no employees? Because that's all I have experience with.
The business made an operating profit basically from the beginning. It showed a profit on the first three months it was open. But there was no competition, the previous FoP had been closed about 5 months. There was an even smaller FoP about 30 minutes away.
Steve
My first bottling.
I am a proud father today of 28 bottles of Johannisberg Riesling.
If I could figure out how to add a photo, I would.
Does anyone have instructions to add photos?
I am a proud father today of 28 bottles of Johannisberg Riesling.
If I could figure out how to add a photo, I would.
Does anyone have instructions to add photos?
Ok, I'm looking for instructions on how to add a photo to a post. I found out how to upload but not attach. Any help out there?
Hey, it appeared like magic. How does my first batch look?
Hey, it appeared like magic. How does my first batch look?
Ok, this is me cleaning the bottles prior to bottling. I'm extremely proud. Come on share some excitement with me....say something.
DirtyDawg10
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Looking good! Congrats!
Boatboy24
No longer a newbie, but still clueless.
Looks great. I'm jealous. Five days into primary fermentation on my very first batch. And the wait is killing me!
Congrats on getting your first batch under your belt! 
I think we all know that feeling. This hobby is addictive.
Thank you.
I think I'm going out and buy me an official lab coat. Can't wait to make more. I've ordered all the chemicals to make some wild wine....
Congrats on getting your first batch under your belt!
I think I'm going out and buy me an official lab coat. Can't wait to make more. I've ordered all the chemicals to make some wild wine....
DirtyDawg10
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So what's that on your apron? I thought it was just wine stains but noticed there are words under the stains.
Hi Dirty Dawg,
That is an apron we had from years ago. It identifies the wine that the stain is made of. I will add my own as I go forward.
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